Friday, October 16, 2015

Sepia Saturday: Children in the Shadows

Sepia Saturday challenges bloggers to share family history through old photographs.


This week’s Sepia Saturday photo of children in the dark inspired me to take another look at this old photo.

John Jr. and boys 1920 related to Sheehan and Killeen families of New York  http://jollettetc.blogspot.com
Center: John Jr. 1920
Once again, I am agonizing over the identities of distant relatives in New York. The little boy in the center is definitely John Jr. The two older boys in the shadows are not likely John’s brothers as they are not featured in any other photos in my collection. Whether they were cousins or neighbors is impossible to determine.

Lillie Killeen and John Jr. 1920 related to Sheehan and Killeen families of New York  http://jollettetc.blogspot.com
"John Jr. and I 1920"
Even though John Jr. has a distinct look that makes him easily recognizable, it doesn’t hurt that he was identified wearing the same outfit along with my grandaunt Lillie Killeen.

John Jr.’s head-wrap is unusual. I wonder if he had some kind of surgery. Almost as strange is Lillie’s colonial mop cap. Does any of this help explain why they posed at a sign that seems to warn them of “Danger”?

From the number of photos of Lillie with John Jr. and his sister, it is apparent that she was close to John Jr.’s parents. But who were they? I only wish I knew who John SR. might have been. Then maybe I could sort out the families of the sisters of my great-grandmother Mary Theresa Sheehan Killeen Walsh. 

So, like the prompt photo, I too am in the dark.


There are more stories and old photos at Sepia Saturday. Don’t YOU be left in the dark!


© 2015, Wendy Mathias.  All rights reserved.

19 comments:

  1. John Jr certainly is a mysterious little fellow and I agree his headgear in both photographs looks like a bandage.

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  2. The shadowy photo is a good match for the prompt. Lillies hat is a bit strange. John's little bucket and spatula would lead you to believe they're at a beach.

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    1. There is what appears to be a "B" under the woman's left hand. Suggestive of beach. Perhaps the sign says "Danby" and not Danger? I think Danby has a beach on Lake Cayuga - but I'm not all that familiar with that part of New York. If John Jr. was from that area ... perhaps it means something.

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  3. I too agree about the bandage. Indeed another mystery that might not be solved.

    Betty

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  4. Great mysterious photos, but I know how frustrating these mysteries are when you've applied all of the facts that you have and made all the educated guesses you can. Of course, when these were taken no one was thinking about how we would pour over them all these years later and want to know the details so badly!

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  5. Goodness, so many unanswered questions. Is John carrying a little spade? I think there’s a bucket by his side too.

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  6. Yup, it's a bandage. This is going to drive you nuts, isn't it, Wendy?

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  7. Yes, it has been a while that you've been agonizing over this New York bunch! Hope another photo shows up with all the missing evidence. A turnkey operation. Wouldn't that be grand!

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  8. You could really drive yourself crazy if you agonize too much.

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  9. John Jr has a rather large bandage. Something major has happened to the lad but it looks like he's recovering OK. He's wearing the same clothes in both photos so maybe they were taken the same day.

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  10. Intriguing, that's all I can say.
    Did he get his ears fixed?!?
    :)

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  11. It looks like a bandage to me, but the mop cap is the more curious headgear. Was it a Betsy Ross costume for July 4th or Flag Day, and John Jr. is the wounded revolutionary soldier?
    https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/fe/Spirit_of_'76.jpg?1445087542493

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  12. The head bandage certainly makes it look as though it may have been a trauma to the head although he looks quite well in the photograph, so perhaps it is 'dress up' as suggested by Mike.

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  13. An interesting take on the prompt, yet still in keeping with your sleuthing to find out who the people - besides John Jr. - are. Good choice!

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  14. Sometimes we just have to settle for not knowing, but knowing how good of slueth you are, I'm betting you'll discover the answer!

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  15. I had a thought similar to Mike's but I was thinking along the lines of Halloween or some other masquerade event. It's hard to imagine what kind of ailment/accident/surgery he could have had (in 1920) that would have required his head to be bandaged as it is. At least you have a name....

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  16. That really is a curious pictures and raises a ton of questions. Oh the endless list of mysteries we genealogist all have....if it isn't a mysterious record, it is a unexplained photo.

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  17. I was thinking costumes, too. Or it really is a bandage and Lillie has her head "wrapped" as a form of solidarity?

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