Harriet Millard Mahurin and Alice Mahurin, 1910s, Oklahoma

Inscription on back of photo reads: "Harriet Millard Mahurin- oldest sister
of Isaac Millard- and her only 
daughter, Alice."

The somber-looking women in this portrait are Harriet Millard Mahurin, seated, and her daughter, Alice, who stands beside her. Harriet Millard was born around 1857 in Tennessee to parents George and Elzira Millard. George Millard was a farmer at the time of Harriet's birth, but in 1862, he enlisted in the 63rd Tennessee Regiment of the Confederate army. On July 4th, 1863, he was captured and held as a prisoner of war following the Siege of Vicksburg. After his release, George fought in the Battle of Proctor's Creek in Chesterfield, Virginia, where he was fatally wounded. He died on May 18th, 1864, leaving behind a wife and six children, including 17-year-old Harriet.

In 1866, at age 19, Harriet married her first husband, Henry H. Breedlove. The marriage was cut short, likely by Henry's death, though I can't seem to find record of it. She remarried the very next year.

Harriet's second marriage was to Henry Grim (sometimes written as "Graham"), a shoemaker in Greene County, Tennessee. Together they had three sons: George, Charles, and Edwin.

It's unclear what became of Henry, but Harriet married a third time in 1879, this time to William Mahurin. In 1880, the family was living in Hill, Texas. Harriet and William had six children: Elangia, Minnie, Alice, Samuel, Lina, and William. 

In 1897, the Mahurins lost their 13-year-old daughter, Minnie. Then in 1907, they lost two more children. Their eldest daughter, Elangia, passed away in February at age 26, leaving behind a husband and son. Just a few months later, Lina, their youngest daughter, passed away at age 14. When this photo was taken in the 1910s, Alice was the only remaining daughter. I can't imagine the grief Harriet felt. I understand why she would want a photograph of them together.

In 1918, Alice married James E. Langley, a farmer, in Carter, Oklahoma. James brought with him children from his two previous marriages. He and Alice had three children together: Lois, George, and Bill.

Harriet lived out her remaining years in Oklahoma, close to her daughter. She passed away in 1920. Shortly after her mother's death, Alice and her family moved to Wellington, Texas. They lived there for 17 years until Alice's death in 1938 at age 52. Her obituary describes her as having "made many friends, who loved and respected her for her many good qualities and for her kindness and thoughtfulness."

If you know who these ladies are, let us know in the comments!

Lillie Ethel Woodward, Hillsdale, Michigan 1897

Writing on the back reads:
"Lillie Ethel Woodward 7 years
1897"

Lillie Ethel Woodward was born in 1889 or 1890. She was the adopted daughter of carpenter Elijah Woodward and his wife, Elizabeth. Elijah had four children by his first wife, Mary, before she passed away in 1872. He married Elizabeth the next year. The couple never had biological children and it's unclear when Lillie was adopted.

In 1900, the family lived in Hillsdale, Michigan, along with three young female boarders who were students at the nearby Hillsdale College. In 1910, 20-year-old Lillie Ethel lived with her aging parents and was listed in the census as a student. Perhaps she, too, attended Hillsdale College?

Elizabeth died in 1917 at age 75, followed by Elijah in 1919 at age 85.

What became of Lillie Ethel after the death of her parents? I wish I knew. After the 1910 census, her trail goes cold. I found the grave of an Ethel L. Woodward, born 1890, who died in Michigan in 1980. Without further information, it's difficult to know for sure if this is the same woman. 

If you know who this may be, let us know in the comments!

John Henry King, Beatrice, Nebraska 1890s-1900s

Writing on back reads:
"John H. King
Workshop on South La Selle St.
Beatrice, Ne."

At the time of his death, John Henry King was one of Beatrice, Nebraska's most prominent and respected citizens.

He was born in 1839 in Indiana to Samuel Alfred and Nancy King. At the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, 22-year-old John enlisted with the 7th Indiana Volunteer Infantry and served until September 20th, 1864. Five months later, in February 1865, John married Susan Hollett. The couple had six children: Charles Free, Olive Bell, Della Pearl, Fannie Bird, James Otto, and Kale Algada, who died at 12 months.

The family moved to Beatrice, Nebraska in 1882, where John worked as a carpenter. In this photograph, he can be seen in his workshop near the family home on South La Selle St. surrounded by the tools of his trade. John was also a city councilman and a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. 

The Kings lost two of their children four years apart. Their daughter, Della, passed in 1897 at only 24. In 1901 their oldest son, Charles, died after suffering from "Bright's Disease," the historical term for kidney disease. John's obituary notes that following the death of his son, he had been "worried considerably," which may have led to a decline in his health. 

In February 1902, John fell ill with the flu. He died at home on February 14th at the age of 62. His obituary describes him as "a hardworking, industrious man" who was "honored and respected by all who knew him."

If you know who this may be, let us know in the comments!

Georgia Amanda Pickett Dabney, Cleburne, Texas 1870s

Writing on the back reads:
"For Mary.
This is Grandmother Dabney at 14 years of age.
Her maiden name was Georgia Amanda Pickett.
Little Mary Amanda is named for her."

Georgia Amanda Pickett was born in Eufaula, Alabama on April 16th, 1861. She was the youngest child of Charity Patience Norton and Dr. Charles Pickett. Only four of the Picketts' eight children- James, Mary, Sally, and Georgia- survived past childhood. Between 1861 and 1870, the family moved from Alabama to Red Oak, Texas, just outside of Waxahachie. In 1873, Georgia and her sister Sally were attending preparatory classes at Marvin College, a school in Waxahachie that had opened just a few years prior. It boasted a three-story classroom, an office building, two dormitories, and an observatory with a $1,200 telescope. The school didn't last long and closed in 1878 due to financial troubles. In her portrait, 14-year-old Georgia holds an open book- most likely the Bible- demonstrating that she is an educated young woman.

In 1878, at age 17, Georgia married John Falls "Jack" Dabney, a grocer, in Cleburne, Texas. The couple had seven children, though, like her mother, Georgia lost more than one in childhood. Their first, Ina Pauline, was born in 1880 and died four months later. Then came two more girls, Hallie Lucille in 1881 and Eva in 1885. Their first son, John, was born in 1887 and lived only five days. He was followed by three more boys, Tyre Glen in 1888, George Herbert in 1890, and Wilbur Norton in 1901.

Jack Dabney died in 1929 at age 76. Georgia Amanda Pickett Dabney died in 1937, also at age 76.

I'm left with many questions about Georgia, especially her later years. Her obituary describes her only as a widowed housewife. I have to imagine she was beloved by her children and grandchildren, enough that "Little Mary Amanda" was named after her.

If she belongs to your family, I would love to know more! Let us know in the comments.

Minnie Hoerger and Mabel Hoerger Buck, Sutton, Nebraska 1900s-1930s

Writing on back reads:
"Fudge party at University- 1901
Mabel L. Hoerger on floor
Minnie Hoerger end at right"

The first of two photos of the Hoerger sisters shows them with friends at their university in 1901. The room is full of fun details, like a collection of cabinet cards and a picture of what appears to be a cat in a top hat. They are having a "fudge party" in which students (usually young women) enjoy treats they've smuggled into their dorm rooms. These parties were popularized at women's colleges such as Vassar and Wellesley in the 1890s. An 1897 article from the New York Tribune explains that a fudge party is best enjoyed "when a dozen or more girls are congregated in a room, sitting on sofa cushions spread out on the floor in a mystic circle around an alcohol stove, from which the odor of ‘fudge’ rises like incense." (Atlas Obscura has a fantastic article all about fudge parties!)

Mabel Louise Hoerger, seated on the floor in this photo, was born in Sutton, Nebraska in September 1879 to Frederick and Katherine Hoerger. She was the eldest of their three children; her sister Minnie (seated at the far right) was born in December 1881, and her brother William was born in 1884. Their father was a prominent businessman in Sutton. According to his obituary, he had an interest in the Sutton Creamery, Sutton Lumber Co., and Sutton Exchange Bank, and was Vice President of both the State Bank of Sutton and Sutton Telephone Co. He was successful as a hardware merchant and well-connected, which may have allowed him to provide a college education for his daughters- something that was inaccessible to many young women at this time.

The Hoerger sisters attended the University of Nebraska, where I assume this photo was taken. Also attending the school was a young man named Ralph Buck. According to a small newspaper clipping I found, Ralph and Mabel were both members of a campus club for students from Sutton. They married at the Hoerger family home in 1905 and went on to have one daughter, Kathryn.

Minnie never married and worked as a schoolteacher. The two sisters seemed to have remained close, as they are frequently mentioned together in the society articles of The Sutton News. Minnie especially was quite active in her community and was a member of more clubs than any one person could possibly have time for. These include, but are not limited to: the PEO Sisterhood, the Congregational Ladies Aid, the Red Cross, the Fortnightly Club, the Bay View Club, the Congregational Mission Society, and the World Friendship Society.

Writing on back reads:
"Dec 25-'33"
Left to right: 
Mrs. Susy Z. Buck
Minnie V. Hoerger
Kathryn L. Buck
Mrs. Mabel H. Buck"

This second photo was taken on Christmas Day, 1933. Seated at the far left is Mabel's mother-in-law, Susy Buck. Between Minnie and Mabel sits Kathryn, Mabel's 19-year-old daughter. Kathryn went on to graduate from Nebraska State University, just as her father, mother, and aunt had, and worked for the Nebraska Public Library Commission.

On December 28th, 1940, Ralph Buck died at age 62 of a heart attack in his home. 

Minnie Hoerger died at age 88 on August 10th, 1970. Her sister Mabel followed three years later, passing at age 93 on February 14th, 1973.

If you recognize this family, let us know in the comments!

Opal Taylor, Gadsden, Alabama 1945

Sept. 9, 1945
Opal Taylor
Mouth open as usual

I picked this little snapshot from a drawer of many at an antique shop in Savannah, GA. The writing on the back is what caught my attention. "Mouth open as usual" sounds like the teasing of a friend- maybe she was known for being chatty? Or maybe Opal wrote this and she's poking a little fun at herself.

Opal Sue Taylor was born in Alabama in May 1922. She was one of Rev. Joseph Bradley and Mary Taylor's seven children. The first of the Taylor children, Malcolm Leon, died at five months. He was followed by Ruby, Opal, Daliah, James Preston, Bernice Louise, and Ralph. 

Opal married William T. Raley in December 1946. 

Opal's life was cut tragically short when she died in November 1947 at just 25. She was laid to rest in Black Creek Baptist Church Cemetery in Etowah County, Alabama.

I wish I knew more about Opal than just these basic facts. What were her hobbies, her interests? Where did she go to school? Who were her friends?

If there is anyone who can tell us more about Opal, let us know in the comments!

Donnie Humphrey, Mineola, Texas 1910s

Donnie Humphrey
Age 4 Year
Mineola Tex.

This is a portrait of four-year-old Donnie Humphrey of Mineola, Texas. She looks pale and has large bags under her eyes— it makes me wonder if she had been recently ill. 

She was born Thenia Caldonia Humphrey (Donnie, or sometimes Thenie, for short) in 1911 to parents George and Hannah. In the 1920 census, George is listed as a laborer in a box factory. There were several Humphrey children, a few of whom did not survive to adulthood. 

In August 1928, when she was just 17, Donnie married Herbert Elbert Tatum. Four months later, Herbert died after a bout of influenza. Donnie was now not only a widow before her 18th birthday, but she was also pregnant. Her son, Herbert, was born in July 1929. 

In the 1930 census, Donnie is living with her parents and 14-year-old sister, Georgia. Both Donnie and her father are working in the box factory. 

Donnie married Alvin D. Swann of Smithville, Arkansas, in December 1930. The couple had two daughters together, Joan and Cora Colleen.

Alvin passed in 1965 at age 63. Donnie passed in Little Rock, Arkanas in 1976. She was 64.

If you know who this may be, let us know in the comments!