Five Photos ~ Five Weekends: #3 Gus and Dad

Here we have Irv Potwin, my great grandfather, and his lifelong best friend Gus Nelson. Taken sometime around 1900. Gus had talked Irv into going to the Oklahoma territory to try their luck at one of the many land runs of the time.

This photo must have been taken before they left Corning, Iowa. They sure look confident, almost cocky, as young men of 20 often do. Visions of prosperity and new, untamed lands dancing in their heads.

Someone had labeled it, "Gus" and "Dad", but the handwriting is not my grandmother's.

I don't know much more about the adventure, I do know it didn't turn out quite as they had hoped.

You can read about Irv and the outcome of the adventure here.