Fraser Family, Corporal Howard – Photos

I am not good at dating photos by clothing yet so any help is appreciated. I found this family in a box of photos at a  2011 Lancaster,   Ca Flea Market, the guy gave it to me as a freebie because of the top torn off. I was quite happy as it was my favorite in the batch, the woman called out to me. Isnt she gorgeous? Every detail about her is elegant. I love her boots most of all and would have loved to have seen her walking around in them, Im sure she moved with grace. She is also a timeless beauty, her looks could fit in today.

Now the poor man of the family, hmmm what happened to him? Was he torn off on purpose so as to not have to see him anymore?

Or was he just tossed from box to box and handled too many times over the years and tear away only to be misplaced as just a head in another box or blown away in the wind?

The children all perfect yet seriously posed, the older little girl with her bigger feet, which I had as a kid, my brother called mine “skis”.

There is no place listed and it was made as a postcard, in writing on the back it says “Fraser Family” just wish I had a state, would be of a major help. But for now we have lovely Mrs. Fraser with her kids to enjoy looking at.

These other photos came from one booth at the same swap meet, and my guess is they may have all come from the same family, mainly because a few have a modern plastic insert placed in the sleeves to cover the photos for protection and were paper clipped at the sides.

Here we have Corporal Howard

This photo was taken by Worthington Studio, 4744 So State St. , Chicago, Illinois

The graduation picture was taken by Lewiston Studio, 107 1/2  W. Commerce St.,  San Antonio, Texas

This Baby Picture has no markings but wherever it was kept, someone used the sleeve for scribbling notes as there is pencil writing all over it. So this photo was constantly in reach to be seen. It appears names and addresses were jotted on it, not sure that any are of this child. Scribblings I can make out say….

Kathy

Bob Light

Lynn Meyer of Meyers and O….(cant make out rest) Ki, 6269

Ora and Gladys

Leonard

Los Angeles, Ca

Lastly we have this young woman standing next to a car on a residential street. Looks like California with the Palm Trees. And is that her hat on the ground? This photo came out of the same box as the first torn family photo.

Grandma’s Secretary

Hello to Everyone,

I have been very busy as of late, moving to another state, so that explains my absence. The move will be a blog of its own at some point as I moved into a Historic Registered home in a Historic District and theres back story and old photos to share about the place too! Im at Starbucks as my internet is not up and running yet at the house.

So this entry is about my Grandmothers House and Secretary. My Dads’ Mom was a Hoarder. Lived in a home from the late 1800s that she gained as a result of being a caretaker to the woman who lived in until her death. My Dad said his parents owned a store for a brief time but didnt make a lot of profit there, and that the secretary was in the store. So I have no idea the maker or year of it as there are no markings. This is a photo of my Grandmother’s House way back in the day. My Dad is the little boy in the photo.

My Grandmother died in the 1960’s. I was not born yet, and my dad had to go back from Cali to Iowa to clean out the place, he said he called Goodwill to haul off much of it and brought some home. He sold the Secretary to a family friend when he brought it back.

A few years ago my big sister and I were discussing my Grandma’s old home, we had no idea it was still standing and we were all kids when things were handled. We went to the old house back around 2002. Its too much work to save as the foundation is crumbling and floors are falling into the basement, part of roof is open, windows are all out. Its 2 story. But there were still things in it, we climbed the remains of the stairs to find stuff all over the floor of an upstairs bedroom. Photo is the top of the stairway on the second level as we climbed up it, most of the top planks were gone on the stairs, just the framing of it was intact.

This is a photo of the backside of the house during our visit.

So we brought back mainly paper items. And I found some old photographs. Its in a tiny town and just neighbors around keeping an eye on it. Property is still in the family and belongs to my brother.

Big sis and I were sad we had nothing else really from this side of the family and thats when my Dad said who owned the secretary. I used to go to their house as a kid, this family and drove over one day to inquire. I basically told her that if she ever wanted to sell or part with it could us kids buy it from her?

We also go to talking because shes trying to register her house on the historical register and I started helping her doing research on her place.  Here is a photo of her home and where the Secretary was lovingly cared for.

One day she told me “I should just give the secretary to you” I told her Id try to find a piece to replace it as she had her stuff displayed in it. I found a piece in Az, and drove it back to see if she liked it and that day we made the swap. So this piece came from Iowa in the 60s to California. Lived in an old 1909 old house of a family friend. I picked it up in 2011 and drove it to my home. And now I personally escorted it to our new home in Az. Whew! And the glass on the door is curved so its been removed and wrapped in blankets each trip! Here is the Secretary where it sat in Nancy’s house who bought it from my Dad in the 60s, this is after I came over and found out she still had it. Nancy has another secretary in the same room that belonged to her own mother and all of her shelves feature items from her family also.

The next photo is the Secretary in our new home in Arizona. Inside of it are items from both sides of my parents families, My mom and Dad both gave me some items, and then some are items I dug out of the old places of both sides of my family on our archaelogical family digs if you will.

Both sides of my parents came from Iowa, both sides of the original homesteads are still in the family, one caved into the basement on my moms side and my cousin and his family have built a home on the land. And then my Dads side belongs to my brother and sits alone except for when we come to prowl around her.