Photo Friday :: Thanksgiving Night 1897

This series was birthed from the large old photo album I rediscovered in the back of my closet. Many of the photos are from my grandmother's side of the family. There are also unknown photos that came with the album. Story goes my dad, an avid garage saler, picked up a celluloid covered Victorian era photo album on one of his scavenges. It already contained photos of an (as yet) unidentified family. My parents put our own vintage family photos in the album alongside the mystery family's.  As children we marveled at the old fashioned clothing and settings, often wondering who these people were and what their lives were like. Of course, we thought that ALL the people in the photos were our relations! It wasn't until my mom passed the album on to me after my dad died that I learned of the mystery family residing alongside our own!

I plan to share these photos over time, sometimes they will be my family, and identifiable, others will be of the mystery family. Thanks to the world wide web, they may find their way home yet!

Enjoy!

labeled: "Taken Thanksgiven Night 1897"

At first I thought this was a random mystery photo, but upon closer inspection I do believe it is part of the Irons clan of Chicago. The woman on the right looks like Agnes Irons from other photos I have. I've seen the girls in other Irons family photos, too. As for the young men? Can't say for sure. Take a look here and see if you don't agree that this might be an Irons family photo.

At any rate, looks like a good time was had by all!

©2016 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net, All Rights Reserved

Mayflower Month! My Connection To The Pilgrims

Well, it's November. 

Again. 

Here in the United States we celebrate Thanksgiving later this month. The characters of our Thanksgiving are the Pilgrims who sailed across the ocean on the Mayflower to land at Plymouth Rock, and thus colonize the New World. Every schoolchild knows the story. Parents and Grandparents sit through 'The First Thanksgiving" plays, watching their progeny in construction paper headdresses and Pilgrim hats. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving airs on TV. And personal curiosity to find a connection to one of the original 102 travelers peaks. Everybody wants to have a Mayflower Connection!! 

At least in November.

The blood of several Mayflower passengers courses through my veins. It is exciting, as a genealogist and family historian, to make the connection. To think of those people, my ancestors, and their lives; struggles and triumphs, wins and loses. The oppression that drove them to a virtually unknown wilderness across a vast ocean, guided by their beliefs. Facing delay and peril, yet forging ahead.

Strong people. 

Stubborn people. 

My people.

To date I have discovered my connection to three families:

• Isaac and Mary (Norris) Allerton through their daughter Remember.
• Edward Fuller through his son Matthew.
• Stephen Hopkins through his daughter Constance.

In the coming weeks I will briefly explore each of these families and share my connection. As so much has already been written on these folks I seen no need for in-depth coverage, but I would like to share my ties, and hopefully discover some 'cousins' who share some of the same ancestors.

Until next time here are some links for further reading:

MayflowerHistory.com
Wikipedia 
TheMayflowerSociety.org


©2016 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net, All Rights Reserved