Category: Photos

family photos

Wordless Wednesday: Aunt Jessie’s House

In honor of the newspaper article I posted on Halloween about the “Mock Wedding Features Scotch Hallowe’en Party,” I’m posting a photo of Aunt Jessie and Uncle Lou’s house in Harrisburg where the party most likely was held for this month’s Wordless Wednesday.

Aunt Jessie Orr's House

Home of Lou G. and Jessie Orr in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

According to the article, Jessie and Lou lived at 2017 Foster [Forster?] Street in 1915. The 1910 census and 1920 census both show them living in the attached 2019 Forster Street with their daughters Alice, Agnes, and Jessie L.

Given the approximate ages of the children in the photo, if it’s of the Orrs, it should be from this period. I can’t say the house there looks anything like this, though.

Jessie’s parents, Robert and Allison (Whitelaw) Trotter, were from Scotland. Jessie was born in 1870, making her a contemporary of Eliza Craig (Bonnington) Smith, who like Jessie’s mother married and started a family in Scotland, then immigrated to the United States where she settled and raised her children.

I’d always perceived Jessie as great grandma Isabella (Smith) Hocker’s friend from the way Aunt Jean spoke about her. But I guess I was off by a generation.

Wordless Wednesday: Green’s Lumber Camp

This month I’m sharing a picture from Facebook for Wordless Wednesday. This image is from the Lions David House Heritage Museum. It shows Green’s Lumber camp in Pine Glen, Burnside Township, Centre County about 1906.

The people in the photo are: Mr. Bill Green, Mrs. Bill Green, Lilly (Green) Decker, Elwood Comely, Clyde Hoover, John Green, Burt Beightol, Rube Green, Ira Green.

Clyde Hoover, son of Samuel and Victoria (Walker) Hoover, was my great grandfather. He married Nora Malinda Houdeshell, daughter of George and Lovina (Force) Houdeshell, about two years after this picture was taken. He grew up in Pine Glen. After his marriage, his family lived in Clearfield where he worked as a lumberman. After they moved back to Pine Glen, he also farmed the family property.

Update: Scheduling oops! Guess there’s an extra “wordless wednesday” post on a Monday. That’ll teach me to pay more attention to what I’m doing. ;^)

I’m Late for a Very Important Date!

1980 Mad Hatter Costume Class

As kids, my sister and I—along with our pony Christopher Robin—competed in a number of horse shows at the farm our aunt managed. This is a photo from the summer of 1980 from the Costume Class. I was the Mad Hatter (left), Christopher was the March Hare, and my sister was Alice. We hung a tape recorder around Christopher’s neck with a recording of “I’m late! I’m late for a very important date” and played it while we were in the ring.

Christopher could be as stubborn as a jackass, but he was a really good sport about the costumes. At various times we were 49’ers with our mule (California or Bust), Alice & crew, three blind mice, a rabbit (Christopher) & two carrots (kids), Dumbo (Christopher) & friends, and so much more. And that’s just with us. Christopher had a long career as a class horse for kids who took lessons at the barn and he competed with most of them.

Bill & Ruth’s Excellent Adventure

On 24 September 1941, William “Bill” Hocker Jr. married Ruth Hoover at Olivet Presbyterian Church in Harrisburg.

Hocker-Hoover wedding in 1941

Anna Hocker, Ruth (Hoover) Hocker, William Hocker, Don Hoover outside Olivet Presbyterian Church

William’s sister Anna stood up with the couple, as did Ruth’s brother Don. Anna later married another of Ruth’s brothers, Willard “Boots” Hoover, almost a year later in 1942. Bill and Ruth were married for 66 years—a most excellent adventure.

By the Railroad Tracks

In honor of the recent Hoover family reunion, here’s a family photo from about 90 (wow!) or so years ago. I love the candid family photos. Here the family members are sitting by railroad tracks, possibly above a creek, near a railroad marker (C 34).

Aunt Annie Houdeshell, Peg, Don, Bob, Ruth Hoover

Peg, Don, Bob, and Ruth Hoover

My grandmother identified this photo as being “Aunt Annie, Peg, Don, Bob, and Ruth.” However, Aunt Annie—Anne Belle Houdeshell—died in 1924. Bob was born the following year.

I’m terrible at estimating children’s ages, but I’d guess the youngest child in the photo to be around two years old. I’m pretty sure Grandma could recognize herself and her siblings, so that places this photo around 1927 or 1928, give or take. The trees are bare, but the family is not bundled up. I’d guess spring or a warm fall day.

I wonder what they’re all looking at.

One Small Step for a Man

Here’s an almost Wordless Wednesday post in honor of the moon landing which happened 49 years ago this month.

1969 Astronauts on the Moon

Photo of the televised 21 Jun 1969 moon walk by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin (photo by my dad)

In July 1969, I was still a baby, so I don’t remember this at all. At the time, my family was living at Patrick Air Force Base in Florida. We got to see the launch of the Apollo 11 rocket at the Kennedy Space Center and watched the landing on television. My father took this picture from that broadcast.

Hamming It Up

1930 band hamming on ship

1930 band hamming it up on ship

In 1930, after his sophomore year at Penn State University, my grandfather travelled to Europe. In order to pay for his trip, he worked as a musician in the ship band. They apparently had a very enjoyable trip across the pond. Grandpa played the trumbone (second man on left).

1930 Glasgow ship's passenger list

Glasgow ship’s passenger list (1930)

He returned to the United States, arriving in the port of New York on 6 September 1930, on board the S.S. Transylvania sailing from Glasgow.

1928 Pennsburg High School Band

1928 Pennsburg High School Band

1928 Pennsburg High School Band

My grandmother, Mildred (Wieder) Greulich, is the girl standing on the left, holding her violin. I believe we still have one of her violins, perhaps this one.

Do you know any of the other band members?