Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Wistful Wednesday : 1880

Recently I was contacted about a blog post that I wrote about Far Guys Grandmother’s family.   A cousin found me, and could remember coming to this area and visiting when he was little.

This cousin..is not really a long lost cousin. I think we all have cousins out there that we just have not taken the time to connect with. Anyways..I am so glad he found me. He had an old tintype of Far Guys Great Grandparents.  He shared with us, and I shared some old photos with him.

I wonder what life was really like for these two young people in 1880.  They were living on a farm with Louisa’s widowed mother and six small children ages 12 to 2.  Louisa’s father was a Civil War Veteran and he died in May of 1879.  Another child Cassie close to Louisa’s age appears in the 1870 census but not the 1880 census…I wonder what happened to Cassie?

Young Louisa and Louis

Great Grandma Louisa and Great Grandpa Louis. They were married on February 5 1880. I suspect that this photo was taken right around that time.  I can see a resemblance to Far Guys Grandmother in her fathers face..and that head of hair..lets just say it must have been a recessive gene because none of Far Guys uncles or cousins have that amount of hair.

Louis and Louisa were both born in Jefferson County Missouri. He in 1854 and she in 1860. They went on to have fourteen children with one set of twins.  One of Grandmas favorite sayings was “The first baby can come along at any time, but all the rest take nine months.” I wonder if she heard that from her mother.  Their first child appeared in August of 1880..a mere six months after their marriage.

They lived a long life.  They settled in Minnesota in 1914. She died in 1929 at the age of 69 and he died in 1932 at the age of 78.  winter Louis and Louisa

In Grandma’s diaries she calls them Mama and Papa and sometimes Daddy. I am almost done transcribing the diary that Grandma kept in part of 1911, 1912 and 1913:)

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13 comments:

Gail said...

What a treasure. It's wonderful that you now have a "new" photo to add to your family history.

DJan said...

I never think of 69 as living a long time, since that's MY age and I'm not ready yet. But I also didn't have 14 kids and go on to raise them!

Country Gal said...

WOW ! What a wonderful family story and awesome photos . Is facinating to find out about ones family history . Great post, Have a good day !

Dreaming said...

LOL and the comment about the first baby. How funny!

Alan Burnett said...

There is nothing like some fine old photographs and some choice words to tell a story. The result is not cold history - but history with blood coursing through it.

Nezzy (Cow Patty Surprise) said...

Wow sweetie, it wonderful that you have not only the pictures but some great facts to go with 'em.

I've got some old 'tin' pics of some my daddy's family, but haven't a clue who they are or how old the pictures are.

Enjoy this beautiful day my friend!!

God bless ya! :o)

Anonymous said...

Wonderful! So happy you received some new pics.

Intense Guy said...

:) I'm glad these photos came full circle. :)

Shirley H. said...

I understand that in "the old days" there were "premature babies" as in these times. It seems human nature doesn't change much.

Anonymous said...

Love the comment about the time it takes for babies to be born. Many to day come any were from a year or more before the wedding. Ann

L. D. said...

It took them a while to go North as they were in Missouri 34 years. It is a great story and seems so much like my great grandparents with their 14 children and grandparents of ten children.

Jacqi Stevens said...

I know it's a lot of tedious work transcribing diaries, but so worth it to be able to read the words without struggling over the handwriting! That transcription will be a treasure.

Red said...

A photo that goes back this far is really eerie. You are seeing people you never knew.