Sepia Saturday

Sepia Saturday

Friday, September 24, 2010

An early view back..........


Most all of my young pictures were taken with a box camera. They either couldn't figure out how to turn the focus on the side or they didn't walk forward or backward to get it into focus while looking through the little glass viewfinder. I am the youngster born in 1950. My brother Dwight was born in 1947. I can guess ages of young people but not when I am looking at myself. Dwight looks like he could be 3 going on 4 here which makes me at least 1 year plus.


I did find a little booklet of Kodak pictures that I assume were taken with a box camera, that are in focus. The year was either 1952 or 53. I am eating watermelon and apparently the juice was running down my stomach. I was told that it was the reason for the scantily clad boy to have his photo taken. I am either 2 or 3 years old.
I know that we moved off of this farm that fall into winter onto a farm that my parents had bought a few miles away. I don't know how to judge how old I am here but I was always in belief that I was ill when they moved and that I was three years old. Instead of riding to the new older house in the back of wagons like my parents, my Uncle Bill and Aunt Mary drove me in their very warm car. I can remember being wrapped in a blanket and in a rocking chair in the living room on that day. I think I remember it was snowing. I now realize that my three older brothers were all at school on the day as they were not around so they had to come home to a different home.


I mentioned to you earlier that I have been in contact with a cousin once removed. He has an uncle on his wife's side that does ancestor.com. He has access to the use of the program and he sent me something that overwhelmed me. The visual to the left is one half of what he sent me containing the relatives in a bracket from my great grandparents on my Grandmother Brooks, mom's side. It isn't all of it but the first batch that he sent me. I really appreciated it.

He says that he has it going back to the 1300's. When I look at the little kid eating watermelon, I have to think how our genetic code has to be so unique from the combination of so many people.
I will talk about the whole bracketed document later as it is twice the size of the one you see here. When you follow the surname of Wheeler on this bracket it goes all the way back to a Wheeler that has been born on a ship while traveling here from England. One of my ggg grandfathers was named Andrew Jackson Mobley.
I am in awe of the many people who have married and had children and as the process of life and death continues the branches keep extending. This one set of people really are only one fourth of the sides of my whole being. It almost seems impossible to be able to know all this information but I do need to analysis the dates and the movements of these people throughout all the years.

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14 comments:

Christine H. said...

That picture of you with the watermelon is so cute it leaves me speechless.

Unknown said...

How amazing to be able to go back to the 13oo's. I love the photo of you with the watermelon. You will have been all sticky and juicy.

Alan Burnett said...

To me that is the magic of genealogy : I dare say that the little lad eating the watermelon is related to me if I go back far enough. Have a good weekend Cousin Larry.

Nancy said...

Oh-my-gosh, your little self looks absolutely huggable and kissable! Finding ancestors is interesting and amazing.

Meri said...

If your family can be traced back that far, I'm probably related to both you and Alan. Deep mitochondrial analysis (mt-DNA) shows me to be descended in my matrilineal line from the "Seven Daughters of Eve" that has been nicknamed Ursula. She was the ancient ancestor of Cheddar Man. Larry, I've got an Ancestry subscription and one to Genealogy.com, so if you need a look up, give me a shout.

North County Film Club said...

You sure were a cutie pie!
I have a subscription to Ancestry.com also. And I love it. I don't know if it's all true but if you go back far enough you get to some pretty amazing surprises. Mine went back to Cleopatra. Could this be true? Maybe we are all related.

Sr Crystal Mary Lindsey said...

Thats a long way to be able to trace your family back. Yes! it is awe inspiring!!
You were both lovely healthy happy little boys which reflects loving caring parents. I still remember the Brownie box and turning it from one side to the other depending on a long or side shot. We have come a long way with camera's. My mother actually had a folding camera. Now I am wondering whatever happened to it? Well done Larry.

Marilyn & Jeff said...

I love these photos of you and your brother, you are gorgeous in the one eating the watermelon. It's so good to be able to think back and remember past happenings such as you did about moving house, I have been making notes of things in my childhood as I remember them as hope to be able to write them out someday.
I am in we of having a family tree that goes back to 1300's - so fantastic - and all those people go down to you, you carry them all with you!

Jinksy said...

The only troube with genealogy, is that it cuts into blogging time! LOL :)

Gabriele Agustini said...

I am fascinated with genealogy!
One of my most important discoveries is -
If you don't put the papers in order immediately! you've got a big pile of 'stuff', without rhyme-or-reason, on your hands!

Thanks for commenting on my blog - and I'm sorry that cup got broken!!:(

tony said...

Its Mind-Boggling! Sometimes in Magazine Interviews,they ask the celeb "if you could go back in time,which Historical Figure would you most like to meet"?
Me........I wouldnt want to meet JFK;Queen Victoria;etc .It would be my ancestors......wouldnt it be wonderful to skip back dozens of generations & get to know the people who helped create Us.
Oh.That Watermelon looks really tasty!

Lavender and Vanilla Friends of the Gardens said...

You have got a fantastic collection of old photographs. Your baby photos are very cute and yes I think in the first one you look to be 1 year old. It is very interesting to be able to access earlier ancestors! And find out where,who and when about them.

Far Side of Fifty said...

Great post! I also thought that you eating watermelon half naked was very normal for a kid from the midwest..sometimes we 9 My brother and I) stripped off our shirts for an ice cream cone..especially if we were supposed to remain "clean." I bet you were a sticky mess..but what fun..the simple enjoyment of letting the juice run down your belly! What great memories all these old photos have associated with them! :)

lettuce said...

its so fascinating - i'd love to have the time to get sucked into working on my family tree.

the watermelon photo is very cute