“Taken May 30. 1902,
Received June 15. 1902.
Mr. L.C. Trader and Mrs. Lizzie Goolsby”
Emma Elizabeth Fries, or Lizzie, was born November 20th, 1879 in Speiser, Nebraska. She was the second of George and Rhoda Fries’s five children. In May 1898, at age 18, Lizzie married Howard Goolsby. That September, Howard was participating in a jackrabbit chase when he was thrown from his horse. His injuries proved fatal. Howard died at just 20 years old, leaving behind a pregnant Lizzie. Their only son, Howard, Jr., was born in December. By this time, Lizzie had returned to live with her parents and siblings in Speiser.
Lizzie remarried in Horton, Kansas in 1903 to Louis Charles Trader, who worked as a railroad shopman. It seems that this photo was taken before their marriage, which may explain why Lizzie is labeled as “Mrs. Lizzie Goolsby” rather than by her new married name. Their first child, a daughter named Mary Elizabeth, arrived in 1907. Sadly she fell ill with pneumonia and died at just 9 months. In 1908, Lizzie finally had another healthy boy, Charles.
As a young man, Howard decided to take after his step-father and began an apprenticeship as a railroad shopman. Charles worked as a farm laborer and eventually as a carpenter for Chevrolet. He would be the only one of his family to leave Horton, moving from Kansas to Texas with his wife Evelyn in the 1940s. I believe it's through Charles that this photo ended up here in Texas, where I found it in an antique shop.
Lizzie remained in Horton for the rest of her life. During her time there, she was an active member of the Horton Methodist Church and the Rebekah Lodge. After their boys left home, Louis Charles continued to work- the 1940 census lists his occupation only as "labor," though he was by then in his late 60s. He passed away in 1955 at age 89. Lizzie joined him in 1967 at age 88. Her obituary noted that at the time of her death, she had one grandchild and three great-grandchildren. She was buried with Louis Charles in Horton Cemetery.
If you know who this may be, let us know in the comments!
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