Mystery Monday is a
daily prompt at Geneabloggers that asks us to share mystery ancestors or
mystery records – anything in our family history research which is currently
unsolved. With any luck fellow genealogy
bloggers will lend their eyes to what has been found so far and possibly help
solve the mystery.
With St. Patrick’s Day just a few days away, my Irish
family is more on my mind than usual. Last year with the help of Dara at Black Raven Genealogy, I was able to identify the names of my Irish aunties in New
York and to track them and their children at least through the 1940 census.
As I was looking through old family photos the other day,
I started paying attention to the unidentified people in photos passed down to
me from my great-grandmother Mary Theresa Sheehan Killeen Walsh by way of my
grandaunt Helen Killeen Parker. When I looked at this woman and two children
the family tree of Mary Theresa’s oldest sister Johanna Hederman suddenly popped into my head. Only two of Johanna’s seven children survived
past 1900, a girl born in 1887 and a boy born nine years later in 1896.
The children look to be about 13 and 4, or 14 and 5. The
woman has dark hair like the women in other photos of supposed sisters of Mary
Theresa.
If my hunch is right, then I am looking at Johanna
Hederman (1861 – before 1940), Catherine (1887 – 1967) and John (1896 – after 1930).
What date would you put on this photo?
Wendy
© 2017, Wendy Mathias.
All rights reserved.
Good luck dating the photo. Maybe a museum or historical society would have some insights on dating it.
ReplyDeleteI could also post the photo in a genealogy group on Facebook too.
DeleteWouldn't it be wonderful if this turned out to be Johanna and her two children? I love what they're all wearing, by the way. Where was the photo taken, any idea?
ReplyDeleteThey lived in your neighborhood, Marian! The Bronx. They moved every few years - 3rd Ave, 159th St, Fort Independence St, Webster Ave, E 187th St. The picture doesn't look too citified though, do you think? Maybe they were at a park.
DeleteThere were some parks in the area, but the building in the distance looks more like a private school or mansion IMHO. Not sure where it might be! Perhaps consider posting the photo in the FB NYC Genealogy group to ask whether anyone can ID it in the Bronx?
ReplyDeleteBest of luck dating the photo and finding out where it was taken, Wendy.
ReplyDeleteI love the house in the background. I would be clueless in dating the photo; I would say early 1900s?
ReplyDeletebetty
What a great, great photo!
ReplyDeleteYes, great photo. I'd say the age difference looks right but I'm no help with dating photos. Facebook sounds like a great place to get help, though. Keep us posted!
ReplyDelete