Friday, November 22, 2013

Friday's Faces from the Past


I have a large group of photographs that are "unknowns". I call them the "Hicks or Hunsucker Collection". Within that collection is a group of photographs all featuring this chair. The pictures all date from between 1920 - 1940. I know this because the back of the photographs look like this: 
 Many photo post cards have manufacturer marks to identify the paper the postcard was printed on. In this case, and in all the cases featuring the chair, the paper says "DEFENDER"  with a diamond where the stamp would go. This manufacturer used this mark between 1920 and 1940. I took the liberty to mark "1920 -1940" on the back of all these photographs because as of right now, that is all I know about them. 


The only book I have on fashion, stops around 1900. So, it will take a while to pinpoint the clothing styles of these children. I don't think that all the photographs were taken at the same time. Likely, this was just a favorite prop for this photographer. 


I do have one clue though. This picture says "Myra Elizabeth Hunsucker" on the back. But, who is Myra? I haven't found her in my family tree. Robert Henry married Vesta Hunsucker, so Myra must be a niece of Vesta's or in some way related. Because this photograph is labeled, I can assume that all the models are Hunsuckers. As, families often lived in the same area, and frequented the same photographer. Too bad there is no photographer's mark. If there was, I could research the photographer's place of business and then figure out who was living in the area of the photographer around 1920 -1940. 
This family photograph features the chair. The low waist and the length of skirt on the mother, looks like the 1920s to me. From a brief search on Google, it looks like the 1930's dresses had higher and tighter waists. I have an earlier picture that I believe features this same baby, but not the chair. The hat looks identical in both photos. 

I have another clue to the chair portraits. It involves a picture of a little girl without the chair. 
The back of this picture says "Dorothy Hunsucker". 
I actually have several pictures of this girl. She has distinct facial characteristics and expression. But this is the only photograph that is labeled. I compared this picture to another chair picture. 
It looks like this is Dorothy to me. Another brief Google search leads me to believe that this was in the 20's also because of the mom's hair. But, she is showing off a lot of leg in this picture. Was that appropriate? 
I have another picture that I labeled "Probably Dorothy and sister". 

And finally, I have an picture of an adult Dorothy, that is labeled. 
Could this be the same girl? It is labeled Dorothy Hunsucker. 

I have one other picture, not involving the chair. But I believe it was taken in the same studio as the chair, because the carpet is the same. It also has the DEFENDER manufacture mark on the back. 


My educated guess, is that all the subjects here are Hunsuckers. They must all be related to Vesta, or they may even be Vesta. Vesta Hunsucker was born in 1893. She would have been in her late 20's early 30's in this time frame. Vesta married Robert Henry Hicks on November 21 1909. 












Sunday, November 17, 2013

Sentimental Sunday at findagrave.com

I recently went on a findagrave.com marathon. Sometimes when you get going on findagrave, you get lost. You keep finding ancestors and clues and photographs, and that leads to questions and more questions.
I started with looking for the tombstones of Martha Jane Gourd Hicks (1825 - 1900) and her husband Harold Hicks (1811 -1880). Martha Jane and Harold are the grandparents of Robert Henry Hicks, and the parents of Larkin Hicks, and my great great great grandparents. ....I think that's right.

I found Martha Jane in Grove Level Community Cemetery. With a picture! 
findagrave memorial # 100876106

Her tombstone says that she was born on Nov 5 1826. My research says 1825. I don't know where I got my dates from, so that will have to be something I look up later. You can't always trust the birth dates on really old tombstones. Sometimes the people just didn't know or couldn't remember. 
I have not been able to find her husband on findagrave, nor on billiongraves.com, nor on USGenweb Tombstone project. I'll have to keep on the look out for him. 

Then I went for a search on Larkin and Mary Jane Gassaway Hicks. (Great Granddaddy's parents.) I did find that someone put their information on findagrave.com but no pictures. I have put a request for a picture, but we will have to wait until a volunteer goes out to Pleasant Hope Cemetery in Floyd County Georgia to search for them and take the picture. I went out there once with my husband, Chris, and we could not find Larkin nor Mary Jane.  Their findagrave memorial #'s are Larkin: 11510268 and Mary Jane's is 11510269. 
A person named Karlene, a volunteer for findagrave, entered their information on findagrave.com. But, I think she must have just got the information out of a book or death records or something. Otherwise, why not add the picture, if you are already surveying a cemetery. I have contacted her via email to see if she would transfer ownership of the virtual memorials to me so I can add the correct information about their children. We'll see what happens. 

I also virtually visited Willena and her first baby, Henry. 
findagrave memorial #24304966

findagrave memorial # 24305019

Robert Henry and Vesta's infant Ira has no tombstone picture yet, but his memorial # is 118250434

My Grandaddy, Robert Stanley and Grandmother Marjorie
findagrave memorial # 39606963

Uncle Bob and Aunt Flo
findagrave memorial # 88205669

Uncle Ralph, who recently passed away has a findagrave memorial page as well. I don't think he has a marker yet. But his memorial page on findagrave is 116451811

Why do I give you these memorial numbers? You can go to findagrave.com and go to the "search grave records" link on the right side of their page. Instead of filling out all the research queries, you can simply type in the number of the memorial and go right there. I also have a link to findagrave on this blog. My virtual name on findagrave.com is Stompee.

What else did I collect or find on my findagrave marathon? 
I found Abraham Russell Hicks Jr. That is great granddaddy's granddaddy's brother! 
1831 - 1872  findagrave memorial # 26755454

Abraham's wife, Susanna 
findagrave memorial # 26755507

Robert Henry's brother Harold Clifford. I think the family called him Cliff. 

Oh my gosh, and so many more. I can't post them all here today. I feel more searching in my future. 












Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Wordless Wednesday

Cliff and Sally Hicks (Sallie)
Harold Clifford Hicks (1895-1967) is brother to Robert Henry Hicks Sr.
Looks like a baseball player?

Cliff's findagrave memorial # is 50051572
Sallie's findagrave memorial # is 50051601