Daisy B. Smith and Family, Shelbyville, Illinois, 1880's

I have multiple cabinet cards of this young woman, Daisy Belle Rowell, showing her at different ages.

As I mentioned in my last post, Daisy was born in 1876 to Alma and Orange Rowell. Though she was born in Vermont, she moved with her mother to Illinois after her parents separated and spent most of her childhood there. While living in Shelbyville, Illinois, Daisy married Llewellyn "Liew" Smith, a carpenter. Daisy was 18 when she had her first son, Kimber, in 1894. She had her second son, Carl, in 1896. If you'll remember, I briefly mentioned Kimber and Carl in my post on Rev. Crews and his wife. Daisy and Liew went on to have two more children, daughters Mabel and Lois.

Kimber and Carl Smith

In June of 1898, Daisy, her two sons, and her mother, Alma, went back to Vermont to stay with family. They lived with Alma's step-mother, Julia A. Hastings, her widowed half-sister Rhoda Woodcock, and Rhoda's son Van for a year before moving permanently to Oklahoma.  Alma passed away in 1901.

As an adult, Carl Smith became a safe salesman and later worked in a cash register factory. His brother Kimber took a rather different route. He became a musician and toured the country in a C.A. Wortham show, a traveling carnival. In 1920, Kimber married Zylpha "Zip" Ardis Johnson, another musician, though I don't think the marriage lasted long. In 1930, Kimber is single and living with his parents. He also served in both WWI and WWII.

Daisy Smith died in 1938 at the age of 62.

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

Alma Rowell and Family, Shelbyville, Illinois 1880's

The back reads:
"William Howe
Alma Rowell
and Daisy Smith
when age 4 yrs. old"

Researching this group of family photos has proven to be more challenging than I expected considering all the information written on the backs! Here is what I know so far:

Alma Almira Hastings was born in 1848 in Vermont to parents Daniel M. Hastings and Mary T. Munn. In  July of 1865, she married Orange N. Rowell, a farmer (This is the first time I've ever seen "orange" used as a first name! In 1870 they are living in Orange County, Vermont and he was born in Vermont, so perhaps he was named after the county?). Alma and Orange had their first child, Fred, in 1869 and their second, Daisy, in 1876. Not long after Daisy was born, Alma and Orange separated. I can't find a record of a formal divorce, but Alma moved with Daisy to New Trier, Illinois sometime between 1876 and 1880, leaving her husband and son in Vermont. In Illinois, Alma and Daisy (listed, for some reason, as "Anna") lived for some time with distant relations: Benjamin and Mary Munn, their daughter Persis and her husband Henry Moore, Persis and Henry's children, and Almira Munn. I imagine it was a crowded house!
                                 

I believe this is the Munn/Moore family, from left to right:
Emma Moore, Benjamin Munn, Persis Moore, Almira Munn, and Edward Moore

I'm still unsure about who "William Howe" is and if he's even the man in this photo. It's more likely that the man is Orange Rowell, except that I don't believe he was ever in Shelbyville, Illinois, where the photo was taken.

I will continue Alma's story in next week's post, where I will focus a little more on Daisy.

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

Laura P Smith 1898, Monmouth, Maine

Back reads:
 "Laura P Smith
MHS and A '98"

Laura Smith was born in 1879 in Monmouth, Maine to Abbie F Smith and Henry S Smith, a farmer. She had two older siblings, Annie C and Harry J. I'm going to guess this is a graduation photo, as she would have been about 19 when this was taken and MHS could be Monmouth High School. In 1910 she is living in Middlesex, Massachusetts with her uncle Charles W Smith and aunt Mary E Smith, as well as a cousin Helen, two lodgers, and Abbie F Smith, Charles's sister-in-law. Laura is working as a spring breaker in a watch factory. In 1920 she is lodging with George and Jannie Blake and she has become a bookkeeper at the watch factory. After that, I can't find any more about her.

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

Part 1: Liberty Ladies College Chemistry Class 1900, Liberty, Missouri

"Chemistry Class. Friday Nov. 2, 1900

L.L.C.

Liberty, Mo.

Professor Staley- Teacher 

Grace Stout-Mo.

Mollie Coleman-Mo.

Merle Crane-Texas

Vera Martin-
Nellie Searson-Mo.
Brenda -

Katherine Bodine-Mo.

Lulu Gremmel-K.C.

Eva Benson-K.C. Mo.

Velma Lindsey- Kansas

Ora Pollock-Mo.

Vera Smith- Mo.
Adah Van Stook-

Stella Wentworth- Mo.

Fannie Goodrich-

Myrtle Jackson- Texas

Emma Long- Mo.

Myra Corbin-

Clara Harper- Texas"

A long list of names, but no idea to whom each one belongs! With the help of a Liberty Ladies College yearbook on ancestry.com, I was able to find some of these names but little information. I did find Professor John M. Staley (the man in the hat on the second row from the top), who's many qualifications are listed in the 1898 edition of the yearbook:

If you know who any of these folks may be, let us know in the comments!