Author Archives: Jodi

Julia Howard, “the hairdo” of Chicago Ward 22

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Julia Howard, 1910 class of Manierre School in Chicago

Julia Howard, 1910 class of Manierre School in Chicago

This one is not as cut and dry as I like. There are two real possibilities for a Julia Howard who lived in Chicago in 1910 – the date that this graduating class from Manierre School in Chicago was taken. One of them, (Julia 1) is the daughter of James and Margaret, born in 1893; the other (Julia 2) is the daughter of Julia F. Howard and unknown father born about 1894.

I believe Julia 2 is our woman. For one thing, she lives in Ward 22. I know, I know! I may be putting too much weight on Ward 22 – which is where all the other children from this class that I’ve researched have been from. It is a compelling factor at this point. But that can’t be the only reason I choose her. Julia 1 lives in Ward 31. Now, considering I’m not completely sure where the Manierre school was at this time it’s hard to know who lived closer. In 1910 Ward 22 and Ward 31 were not really close to one another. Therefore, unlikely that someone would live in Ward 22 for example and school in Ward 31.

Julia 1 also was listed as working at a grocery store in 1910. The census was taken in April of that year, when school would have likely still been in session. Although, true the picture may have been taken earlier and she may have been working in the afternoons, etc., etc. There are many reasons why Julia 1 may still be our girl. For the sake of Ward 22 I’m going with Julia 2!

In 1910, when this picture was taken, Julia 2 was about 17. She and her brother Walter lived as lodgers with the family of Ellen Rowan. In 1900 she and Walter lived with their mother and another brother named Kirby who was 15 at the time. They lived in Ward 11 in 1900 (not to far from Ward 22). In 1904 Julia’s mother, also named Julia, died of natural causes. Older brother Kirby, and Julia 2 for that matter, have not been found in any other documentation other than those census records. I don’t know what happened to Julia’s father – he doesn’t appear in the picture ever. And I don’t know her mother’s maiden name. So much still not known – and no one searching for this beauty that I can tell.

With that wonderful hairdo too! Good luck Julia.

Bert E. Page Jr. #22 for the 1937 Wink Wildcats

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Happy-go-luckly looking #22 is Bert Elwin Page Jr. Here’s what I know about Bert after a short bit of research. He was born in Texas on September 28, 1921 to Bert E. Page Sr. and an unknown mother. His father was a widow according to the 1940 census, and I never found his mother named anywhere else. He had an older brother Phillip Page. The family lived in Winkler county in 1940 where Bert worked as a filling station attendant.

Bert joined the Marines and served in World War II according to his cemetery stone. He died in Abilene, Texas on July 27, 1992 leaving his wife Elva Womack Page and at least one daughter, Patricia Ann. He may have had more children. Other snippets of information are that Elva & Bert lived in Albuquerque, NM in 1959 according to a local directory. They also sold some real estate in Jefferson Parish in 1984 according to the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

I did not find any families with Bert Jr. in their online trees, some do list Bert Sr.  so hopefully this photo will be of interest to them. Good luck Bert!

Thelma Donnally, a misfit in 1940 West Virginia

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Thelma Donnally, age 18

Thelma Donnally, age 18

I love this picture of Thelma. Her smile looks so genuine and sweet. I hope Thelma’s story is happier than it appears. She was not quite a peer among the 1940 Jr. High class in Barboursville, West Virginia. Born in 1921, Thelma was several years older than her classmates. She wasn’t sporting the high maintenance curls that all the other girls wore to school that day, or the necklaces and pressed collars with dainty scarves. She looked like she just came in from the field – and maybe she did.

The only child of older parents, Thelma as born to Harry A. Donnally when he was 50 and wife Laura was 38. Harry was born in 1872 in Ohio and had a 6th grade education. When he did work he was a machinist helper at a steam RR shop. In 1940, close to when this picture would have been taken, he was out of work. Maybe Thelma had to leave school occasionally to make money to help her family. Laura, 12 years her husband’s junior, was born in 1884 in West Virginia.

I know little else, other than Harry Donnally died in 1944, Laura in 1963 and Thelma in 2003. To my knowledge Thelma never married. She is buried next to her mother in Hillcrest Cemetery in Okfuskee County, Oklahoma. I would love to know more about Thelma and her family, but that’s not likely. Given she appeared to have no children or siblings, there is no one in the online tree world searching for her.

1940 Jr. High class of Barboursville, West Virginia

1940 Jr. High class of Barboursville, West Virginia

Sybil Ann Dunaway a.k.a “mom” (1944-2011)

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While she doesn’t count as “unclaimed” by any means. I wanted to post a few lovely photos of my mom, who passed away a year ago today. Love you mom!

By the way, the young school picture with her in braids was a few days before she had them chopped off for a shorter coiffe – I still have the braids. I was absolutely forbidden to get rid of them before she died, and now, of course, I can’t ;)

Elnora J. Sackett from Plymouth

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Elnora J. Sackett, 1931 Plymouth, Michigan High School

Ms. Elnora Sackett has such an interesting face. She was a classmate of Viola’s (from the previous post) but a few years older than her peer. Born in 1910, Elnora J. Sackett was almost 20 when this high school picture was taken. She was born on October 13, 1910 – luckily for her that was a Thursday, not a Friday. Her parents were Jay and Mary Sackett. Jay lived from 1889 to 1945. Mary lived from 1883 to 1873, almost outliving Elnora, who died in Livonia, Michigan in 1978. I wonder how Elnora died, at a relatively young age of 68, when her mother lived to 90? All three are buried in Riverside Cemetery in Plymouth, Michigan.

Elnora appears to have never married. She and sister Margaret still lived at home in 1940 (in Plymouth) and worked as press operators for a air rifle manufacturing company – Rosie the Riveters! The family lived in Plymouth all her youth from 1920-1940 and probably longer. Father Jay didn’t live with the family in 1940 but doesn’t die until 1945. He’s likely too old to have been at war though. I wonder if she and Viola were friends?