The two guys and my dad are in the backyard of their temporary home in Murray, Iowa. I was having some confusion about the time and ages of everyone here but I had not been born yet. Their squinting from the sun makes it hard to identify them but the one on the left is my brother Ron. He is 17 months older than my brother Rex on the right side. My understanding is that my dad, Jesse, was shipping out for Europe headed to Belgium. He was saying goodbye to his sons and my mom Zella. My mom was living with her mother Grandmother Brown. Dad's mom and dad also lived in the area on the opposite ends of a block.
My dad had been in the army for a few years but was stationed in Washington, D.C. He was able to be home when Rex was born but returned out east after the visit. I am sure now in this photo he was headed for the train station to again be on the coast to ship out. My oldest brother was a smaller guy than his older brother Rex so they do look to be closer in age.
Sitting in from of my Grandmothers Brown's house is Ron and Rex. My dad was fighting in the Battle of the Bulge at the time this photo was taken 1944.
When my dad went into the service, my mom and my two brothers lived there with grandma. My mom was returning to her home to live as she and dad had first lived in a small house right next to the train track. It all is a complicated story and by my simplifying it makes it confusing but when dad returned home the family of four lived here until they found a farm to rent and farm house to call home.
The oldest brother, Ron, is sitting in back of the box and Rex is in the front. By the time they were in grade school I believe the two guys were the same size. Rex did outgrow my older brother. The photo is probably taken in the same town of Murray.
This is a photo of my Uncle Kenny standing in front of grandma's house. It was a big four by four styled house and had the corner wrapped around porch on it. Some day I am going to share the life of this house with all the photos of family that were taken outside around this house. Photos have been taken on all four sides of the house. Next door many family photos were also taken as they thought the Morrow's house was nicer looking with its fancy porch.
Both houses are still standing today but one would not be able to identify them. They were remodeled into totally different styled house. The two story house had the second floor removed and it was made into a ranch house with a cape cod flavor. On the whole block of Fourth St. only three houses are still standing. At the far opposite end of this block my other Grandmother Burgus lived and that house is still standing. The three houses between them have all been removed.
As the theme was a prompt showing two children who were orphaned by the sinking of the Titanic I expand the idea of what could have happened. My dad went to war and the chances of returning were low. He carried a radio with the scouting party that was searching and spying on enemy territory in front of the lines. He crossed the Remagen bridge when a breakthrough was created on enemy lines. There have been moments of thought that my dad could have instead not survived that time period in the war. Thousands of soldiers died from many countries just in that one very long battle. My brothers would have been still around today. The next two boys Dwight and myself could never have been.
Check out the other responses to the prompt on the SEPIA SATURDAY site by clicking on the name. Thanks for stopping by today.
8 comments:
In earlier times it was usual to have a family home and it stayed in the family, where everybody gathered. Not anymore! Photos and memories is all that remains. Love the Sepia pictures; cute with your dad and the two toddlers.
They are great photos Larry - and the houses look so fascinating (and typically American). Sad to hear that so few of them are still standing, they have such a rich history to them.
They are just adorable. All great shots of how it was!
Great photos and the one of Ron and Rex in the box makes them look so mischievous.
The picture of father & two sons is especially captivating, but they are all good pix. Sometimes it's interesting to wonder what might have been if, for instance, your parents had never met or fallen in love or married or had children - yourself in particular. Then where would you be? Would you be someone else's child, or simply have never been? But I suppose if you had never been you wouldn't know it anyway, so nothing to worry about? :)
Very cute kids. Delightful photos.
Great Photos!
How silly do I feel? Until now, I didn't realise that the "Battle of the Bulge" was anything other than a weight loss gimic!
I enjoyed the pictures Larry, stories. My first time into this blog. Very interesting. I passed on your blog site to Red my friend. He just posted about himself being a school teacher at 18. He has the story and pictures.
have a look at his blog.http://hiawathahouse.blogspot.ca/
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