This week I was contacted by a second cousin, Judi Nigh, who recently found a photo of my grandmother, uncles, and aunt. Judi’s grandmother, Phenaty May Taylor Johnson, was the half-sister of my grandfather, Charles Fountain Faulkner.
The description on the back of the photo was a bit puzzling. The address, 8682 Vincennes Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, was the address where my grandparents, Charles and Lora, were living in 1950.1
The names listed were Lora Faulkner, William, Philip, Ernest, and Francis. The bottom of the back of the photo reads “father, uncle [scratched out] Fountain Falker.
Lora Swafford Faulkner was my grandmother. Charles and Lora’s oldest children were William Melvin, born in 1908, and Frances M., born in 1909. Philip Lawrence, the little boy in front of Frances in the photo, was born in 1916.
While the back of the photo lists my father, Ernest, as the baby, it is highly unlikely, as he was born in 1923. In 1923, William Melvin, Frances, and, Philip, would have been aged 15, 14, and 7, respectively. The children in the photo do not appear to be this old, especially Phil.
Charles and Lora had three additional children born between Phil and my father, Ernest. Two died soon after birth, Carl and Dorthy, making it unlikely that either of them was the baby in the photo.
However, Clarence Charles was born in 1920. At that time, William Melvin would have been 12, Frances 11, and uncle Phil, age 4 – which is closer to what appears to be the ages of the children in the photo.
Charles and Lora moved to 8682 Vincennes Avenue sometime between 1942 and 1950.2 Given the address on the back of the photo was this location, it is likely it was written close to three decades after the photo was taken. Perhaps the person who wrote the information mistakenly identified Ernest as the baby instead of Clarence.
My ancestor wall
In addition to adding the photo to the online profiles of Lora, William Melvin, Frances, Phil, and Clarence Charles, I plan to have it printed and will add it to the ancestor wall in my study.
My spouse and I purchased the frames for the collection from antique stores and flea markets over a period of several years and he matted and framed each of the photos for me.
The back of each of the photos is labeled with the person’s life information, the photo’s provenance, and any additional information that may be useful to future generations.
We’ve been purchasing more frames for additional photos for the wall and this new photo will happily have a place on the wall.
Endnotes
1. 1950 U.S census, Illinois, Cook County, population schedule, Chicago, enumeration district (ED) 103-1649, sheet 26, dwelling 271, Charles Faulkner household.
Address: 8682 Vincennes Ave, Apt 2-4
Charles Faulkner, age 68, married, born in Kentucky
Lora Faulkner, age 62, married, born in Illinois, practical nurse
2. Ibid.
Also, when Charles registered for the WWII draft on 27 April 1942, Charles and Lora were living at 7217 S. Stewart, Chicago, Illinois, and Charles was working for Kane Watch Service at 211 Wacker Drive in Chicago. United States World War II Draft Registration Card, Charles F. Faulkner, serial no. 1891, Local Draft Board no. 29, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois.
