Far Guy has some interesting relatives. Today I will tell you about Uncle Bill and Aunt Cora. Cora was Grandpa James X’s sister. Aunt Cora was born in 1899 and married Uncle Bill in 1919.
This photo was taken in 1962.
They had been married about 43 years in this photo. I would meet them in 1968. They lived in the country..a beautiful white farm house surrounded by fruit trees and gardens..it had a big old side porch..a place where you could sit “a spell” and cool off.
Uncle Bill had to run an errand in town. He had a small Station Wagon..maybe a Ford..maybe a Ford Fairlane..the back seat was full of junk ( men’s stuff). He said oh just shove that stuff to the side and hop in. Now this was before everyone wore seatbelts. I was tossed around in the back seat so much by Uncle Bill swerving and making sharp turns in heavy traffic I was sure that we were all going to be killed. It was impossible to stay in one spot in the seat..I was constantly being tossed around like a rag doll..the stop and go traffic was terrible..we would race forward at each green light, passing other cars and screeching to a halt at the next red light. Uncle Bill drove like he was a man possessed taking most corners on two wheels. I was more than happy to see that dirt road coming up..the one they lived on as we arrived safely in a cloud of dust.
Aunt Cora cooked a wonderful meal..we enjoyed our afternoon there. That was the first and the last time I rode with Uncle Bill..a wild ride I will never forget.
In this photo I am certain that Uncle Bill is telling Uncle Herman some outrageous fish story. Uncle Herman was Aunt Cora’s and James X’s ( Far Guys Grandpa’s) brother.
I am not certain where this photo was taken or who took it. I will guess that it was Aunt Charolette..and the photo was taken at her and Uncle Herman’s home. I say that because Uncle Bill and Aunt Cora look all dressed up in visiting clothes..and Uncle Herman looks more casual like he is comfortable at home. That bird cage may be a clue..Cousin Roxie will certainly recognize it.
This is just one of the old photos I found in the trunk last winter:)
I can just visualize you being tossed around in his car! My grandpa drove like that, too! The curtains in the pic remind me of the ones in the background of John w/ his grandparents.
ReplyDeleteInteresting story. I can just picture you being tossed around in the back seat. I love your little bits of family history; reminds me of my family. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI love your story about the ride. I would have loved riding with him. We'd ask dad make butterfly in our tummys when you drive. Go fast on those up and down hills please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My grandson son told me In was doing that to him the other day he asked me to slow down. What's up with that he's 13. Maybe he'll be a safe driver?? Ann
ReplyDeleteWhat a funny story. Great memories!
ReplyDelete"dressed up in visiting clothes" - love that!
ReplyDeleteI love stories from the past. The pictures are great.
ReplyDeleteI think one would be injured by rolling around over all the stuff in the back seat. Those curtains were popular as I remember when we had a similar style in our house back in 1959.
ReplyDeleteI love old photographs. And they look exactly like the right couple to live in a farm house with a porch!
ReplyDeleteLove your "visiting clothes" comment. That was so true. I remember my mother putting on her red lipstick to go visiting too. I think we had those curtains too.
ReplyDeleteI had to have been very young but I remember standing in the seat next to my grandmother while she drove. When she came to a stop, she would throw her arm out across me to keep me standing. Now, thinking of that, holy crap..... how did we survive?
Oh your bumpy ride reminds me of one in particular - my Dad (a farmer) had an old pickup and my Mum was several days overdue for the birth of my youngest sister, so I would have been five. They chucked the rest of us in the back seat, Mum sat in the passenger seat, and he ran amok in a stubble field, hoping that the labour would start. My sister hang on for another week ;-) Probably not recommended, these days.
ReplyDeleteLovely photos ! Yup sounds like what it was like for me in the old car with my dad ! The things we did back then in cars was nuts I am surprised more didnt get hurt but people have changed since then thats for sure ! Wonderful post ! Have a good day !
ReplyDeleteExcellent way to tell a good story about relatives. It looks like photo album on uncle Bill's knee??
ReplyDeleteHi Red, yes it looks like a photo album to me also. I wish I could see those old photos:)
DeleteYou are so fortunate to have such wonderful photos, stories and memories of both your families. I try to tell my children but they don't seem interested. They will some day when I'm gone. I think it gives children a sense of belonging and where they came from and maybe even some direction as to where they are going. I was always extremely proud of my heritage and my relatives as it sounds like you are too. What great role models they all were.
ReplyDeletewhat is that design on the curtain?
ReplyDeleteSome kind of retro squares and some twigs and some flowers..:)
DeleteI had an uncle who drove like a maniac, too. Not quite as wildly as Uncle Bill from the sounds of it, but enough that I avoided being in the car with him after one ride also. ;) But he didn't die in a car crash. Cancer took him. Slowly.
ReplyDeleteLove the wild curtains and I remember the hanging bird cages with the seed catchers. :)
Roxie here. Yup, that is at my house and is my bird, Chris's cage. Mom took the photo.
ReplyDelete