For anyone who has been following this weeks posts, Juanita will not be a stranger, but this side of her life will be.
In at least 1949 and part of 1950 Juanita was married to Charles Thomas and they lived in Kentucky. But in 1939 Juanita was married to someone else. And by 1944 Juanita had a little girl named Mildred May or Mae.
This album contains snippet of lives, no cohesive story. What became of Juanita's first husband? Did he die during the war? Did they divorce?
And what of Mildred May who appears twice in the album, each time the same photo? One time her name is spelled Mildred May, the other Mildred Mae.
By late 1950 Charles seems to have married someone named Hattie, though there are no photos. Juanita not only disappears from the album, but everyone disappears. Nothing but captions and photo corners. A mystery that won't be solved. Are we looking at lives that ended tragically or simple dissolution of families?
And before I go, I ask you, do you think this man is Juanita's husband? This photo is in the album to the left of the shot of Juanita with her first husband? Are they the same man? Was her first husband Buddy Brooks?
There's still more to come, but for now this is this weeks Sepia Saturday post.
Posts
Looks like the same guy to me.
ReplyDeleteBarbara
Looks like the same man. I remember Juanita. Maybe you could go on Ancestry.Com and find something. They have just released the 1930 census. That is as far as Ancestry.Com goes now. They will add another year in ten years. In otherwords every new census they add another decade to the info. I am addicted to genealogy. I am into one branch tree up to Henry VIII now. It is amazing.
ReplyDeleteQMM
The hairline at the temple looks similar, but the nose looks different. This whole album gives me a sense of uneasiness.
ReplyDeleteI do think his nose looks different. I noticed that too, but there's something there. Possibly a brother of Juanita's husband. There is another photobooth shot in the album of a woman whose last name is Booth. The mystery only gets more mysterious. And I agree Christine, there's something that just doesn't feel right, but I'm sure it's our imaginations.
ReplyDeletePeggy, I'm envious of your genealogy. For me it's one of those "someday" things. I have bits and pieces but have never delved deeply into it. Maybe someday. I have been using my friend's software to organize what I do have.
I think if they're not the same man, they're definitely related. The whole thing is vaguely unsettled. I keep imagining someone with a crush on Juanita, or a fixation on her life, assembling the album with every photo he could find of her and anyone who had anything to do with her. She was a beautiful woman.
ReplyDeleteLooks like the same guy to me. Fascinating photos.Juanita is stunning, especially in the first photo. Very mysterious.
ReplyDeleteI love this series, it's like reading an illustrated novel with half the pages torn out. Your mind is endlessly occupied with filling in the blanks. I suspect you might have hit on the future of literature.
ReplyDeleteAlan, You're so right. It's a jumping off point for stories. There are so many directions it could go. My angst is that I now DO want to know the ending. Just wondering why some photos were taken out and others left is a mystery I'd love answered. I hope who ever ends up with this album in the future keeps it together.
ReplyDeleteThis is so cool. I believe they are pictures of the same man. The baby is so adorable (but sad looking) she makes you want to give her a big hug. Did you get this album at an antique shop? Perhaps the family didn't disappear, just their photos may have been taken for other books or to be given to other relatives?
ReplyDeleteKaren, the album was bought at a flea market. The first post tells about buying it. That post is dated January 8. I paid $10 for it and know it was a steal.
ReplyDeletewhat if Mildred Mae is still alive and sees this??? now that would be something...
ReplyDelete:)~
MILDRED MAY [BROOKS?], WHERE ARE YOU?
:)~
HUGZ
I do wonder sometimes if these people are still out there. They'd be in their 80s to 90s so they could be alive. And yes, Mildred Mae...wonder what her story is. Hope she had a good life.
ReplyDeletehere's hoping!!...
ReplyDelete:)~
HUGZ
Yes, Buddy Brooks was definitely her first husband. They look the same to me. The photo of Mildred looks much older than the date, don't you think? It's too bad you can't look at census reports to find these people but the 1940 won't be out til 2012 and then, it's still not recent enough for these photos. Interesting, interesting.
ReplyDelete