This photo is of Waneta M. Murphy of the 1908 Seneca High School freshman class.
Waneta was born in Kansas about 1893, according to the census records. Her parents were William “Bert” Murphy and Mary Ridenour. Although her father appears to have been from Georgia and her mother from Ohio, the family lived in Seneca, Nemaha county, Kansas for most of their lives. Censuses 1900 to 1940 as well as several KS state censuses in between records the family in Seneca. Waneta had three older brothers Lester, Glenn, and Earl.

Unfortunately I don’t know what became of Waneta after 1910. She was almost finished with high school that year, aged 17. Brother Lester had moved from the family home, but Glenn and Earl were still there. By 1920 only Earl was left, and he would live at home with his parents for some time.

Waneta may have married, died, moved, changed her name, left the county…all sorts of exciting possibilities lay ahead of an unknown future, which is actually a past.

The full class photo can be viewed here.