Sepia Saturday

Sepia Saturday

Friday, July 9, 2010

Two Grandmas.........and Oscar.........Week 31


My older brother was told to take a bunch of the old photos home with him many years ago by my mother.  Since he has learned to scan and post I am finding photos from him that I have never seen before now.

I have posted about my Grandmother Mabel Wheeler Brown Brooks many times and above she is standing among four of her brothers. There was another brother named Calus who lived elsewhere.  I guess they didn't see him very much as he married a woman from Des Moines and they didn't associate with him or her.  This is a rough looking bunch of people from my mom's side.  They all lived in or near Winterset  and Lorimor near the Madison County area in Iowa.

They area already identified but they are from the left, Lee Wheeler, Elva Wheeler, Mabel Wheeler, Weaver Wheeler and Elga Wheeler.  What were the thinking with the double W  name and also with the Elga, Elva similarity?


My Grandmother Brown lost her first husband and a few years later married the guy above.  His name was Oscar Brooks.  He was a grumpy character and I think I explained in an earlier blog that he sat and watched black and white baseball games, while spitting in a tin can next to his chair,  his chew.  I have notes on another picture where he went to in-laws and refused to get out of the car except to have his picture taken. That tongue thing is something he did all the time and I am not sure he is holding in a chew spit when he is sliding that tongue.  My brother Rex is in his lap here and Ron is standing.


This is a prized photo as I don't have many photos of my Grandmother Burgus.  She is holding my oldest brother Ron in front of their house in Murray, Iowa.  This woman is where I get my British blood line as she was Grace Elizabeth Turner Burgus.  Her grandparents on her mother's side were Abernathy. 

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11 comments:

Anonymous said...

How fortunate to have these great pics Larry. I love that 2nd photo with the tongue out and look at the trim on that porch - so pretty! I never tire of looking at pics of mamas and grandmas standing outdoors proudly holding babies. Such precious keepsakes.

Sr Crystal Mary Lindsey said...

Wonderful photos and memories Alan.

Unknown said...

Larry these people look like they could have been in PA too! A classic photo of your grandmnother holding your baby brother there too. Oscar resembles some people on my step father's side, I have no photos of them. But Oscar made me think of Old man Rolls, as we called him. That's the beauty of these posts, recalling our own pasts.

North County Film Club said...

He is a grumpy looking guy! I hope he was nice to you kids when you visited. That is quite a tongue!

Nancy said...

Larry, you called them "a rough looking bunch" but I think they look more like industrious workers caught before or after chores/work. In the 2nd photo, the porch is beautiful. Too bad Oscar was a grump. The photo of your grandmother is a treasure. Thanks for sharing.

Far Side of Fifty said...

Hi Larry, In that first photo one of the fellas(Lee) even took off his hat..I would say that is pretty good...they look pretty normal to me..(what do I know).
Strange photo of Oscar..Men and their chew and those filthy spitoons..my Grandpa could spit from across the room..as a kid I thought it was great..my Mother always said it was filthy.

Love that last photo..she looks like a wonderful Grandma:)

tony said...

I just love you photos here....Gritty Real Life & Real Human Characters .Thank You.

Unknown said...

Your family photos are really a treasure--such a window into midwest Americana. Thanks for sharing them!

Alan Burnett said...

A great collection Larry. You get a great sense of "place" from all of the photographs - a feeling of wide open plains.

Lavender and Vanilla Friends of the Gardens said...

Hi Larry, the times were so different for our forefathers. It is great for you to have the old pictures and very interesting for us to see how life was. For the ordinary people it was generally a tough life, but they always made the best out of it. The wars have made the lives uncertain and bad in Europe. Wars still do it does not matter in which country, it is said, wars are fought between people who do not know each other for the benefit of people who know each other! You have got very interesting ancestry.

Doowmée said...

Just a quick hello, it's very interesting, but to read the original text, translation from google is the most fantastic, it takes time ... my English is rusty, or my brain, who knows ... but I come back
Friendship of France!
Doowmée