Thought I would share a photo my mother gave me recently. The girl standing in the middle in the back is my grandmother, Iva Myrtle, known to her friends and family as Myrtle or Myrt. She was my Mom's mother, and I never got to meet her, but I know I take after her in many ways -- loving to read, loving to write, keeping letters and newspaper clippings, bubble gum wrappers from dates, making up stories for the kids, and a host of other things.
Seated in the center are Samuel Lewis Hook and his wife Eler Elijah Blisset Hook, for whom my Mother was named. In the back left is Timmy Lee Hook (known to us as Uncle Tim), my Mamaw (Myrtle Roberts to be), and Lena Luney Florence (known to us as Aunt Florence -- Aunt Florence married a Dowell, but as far as we know it was a different line of Dowells, no relation to my Dad). The little boy in the center is Shelton Coleman (known as Uncle Shel), and the smallest boy, on the left in front, is Raymond Estil (Uncle Estil).
I can remember Uncle Tim and I remember going to visit him and his wife, Aunt Effie in Hardinsburg. The house they lived in was (and still is) next to the library, and I remember their porch was covered in red tile. I never knew the others, but I remember Uncle Estil's wife, my Aunt Annie Mae. It was her house that was destroyed in the April 3, 1974 tornado that I wrote about in April.
I think my grandmother was around 12 or 13 here, although she could have been as old as 14. Mom says in a lot of her pictures she looked older than she was. She was a pretty little thing, wasn't she? In most pictures of my Great-Grandfather Hook he has white hair and a mass of white whiskers, but in this photo he is quite the handsome devil, isn't he? My mother was named after this grandmother, Eler, and her other grandmother, Frances Roberts. My Eler Beth is named after both of her grandmothers too. I hope it's a tradition that will continue.
18 comments:
Great picture! You are lucky to have it!
Traci
Yes she was very pretty. Thanks for sharing. Janie
Thanks for sharing the origins of the names :o)
What a neat picture, and I love hearing about the name origins. "Eler Beth" is such a lovely name (I especially like the latter half, LOL!) and how great to hear that her name comes from her grandmothers.
Beth
How neat to have old family photos like this to share. Keep a back up copy of all the details for your kids.
Donna
I love to look at old family pictures. I know you enjoy having it. Have you ever noticed people never smiled in pictures back then? Now they do all kinds of antics to get people to smile and especially babies. Paula
A lovely picture to keep and treasure. The
older I get, the more I appreciate my
hardy ancestors. They didn't have
much to smile about, but they had
true grit!
My granddaughter was named after her great-grandmother, Jacqueline (we call her Jackie). I love old photo's like that. How special to have.
Hugs, Joyce
So that is where Eler Beth got her name.........I always wondered. It is an unusual name but I loved it the first momet I read it! Anne
what a neat picture!! your grandmother and her family were all very nice looking!!!
my mother, when she had my sister, named her after her mother and my dad's mother; my sister carried on that tradition with her daughter, naming her after my mother and her husband's mother; her daughter plans to keep that tradition should she have a daughter; its kind of a neat one and now that explains how Eler Beth came to be Eler Beth :)
take care of yourself
betty
I love old pictures! Thanks for sharing that with us- and the history behind it.
My mother wanted to name me after both of my grandmothers and they wouldn't allow it. My one grandmother was Jennie and my other grandmother was Antoinette. My mother wanted to name me Jeannette.
My mother has told that story and how she had another name in mind for me as well. Francesca.
Hugs,
Gina
I love old pictures!
I love this photograph & hearing about the people in it. Whenever we go to flea markets or antique stores I am pulled towards the old photos, there is something about them I find so intriguing. I always wonder about the people in them & what they were doing in their lives. This is so neat to me because you have filled in the blanks with the people. Very interesting entry.
Lisa
There are times I miss family...I don't have older pictures or history to look at. I love seeing this picture and hearing the stories behind it. It gives me a sense of belonging...Thank you! It was interesting to see where Eler Beth's name derived from. (Hugs)Indigo
I do love reading details about the people in old pictures. Yes, this grandfather was handsome. I thought that when I first looked at the photo. Eler is an unusual name. Gerry
Thank you for sharing the photo and story. I have some old pics of my family too. I love looking at them. Maybe I will share them sometime....hugs, Christine
Both of my grandmothers names were Martha -- I was stuck with it no matter what! I don't mind now, but I hated my name when I was younger. I always envisioned an old lady in a rocker on the front porch when I heard the name Martha - Now I just wish I had time to sit in my rocker on the front porch and I'd be happy! Martha :-)
I love family photographs like this one. Thank you so much for sharing!
-Heather
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