Family Politics

While scanning and documenting the Swann-Harper photographs, I noticed the button on the lapel of this young man's coat.  His true identity is a mystery, but his political leaning is obvious.  The enlarged portion of the photo reveals the head of Warren G. Harding, the 29th President of the United States (March 4, 1921 - August 2, 1923).  President Harding was a Republican and died in office. 

I have no idea if the identifiers of the photograph had the benefit of viewing both the photos at the same time.  Possibly that is the reason they identified them as two different individuals. 

The two Swann-Harper photos are unmistakably the same person.  One shows a flower with leaf in the lapel and the other shows a Warren G. Harding  Presidential Campaign Button (which helps date the photo on the right).

Is the young man Charles Abney or Will Todd?  Hopefully, one day someone will be able to help determine his identity.  The only thing we know for certain about the photo at this time is when the photo was taken and that the subject was happy on Election Day as his candidate won!

Read more about President Harding here http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/warrenharding



October Birthdays

Each  month you can learn about some of your ancestors on their special day.  Along with vital statistics, you can read the stories told through the years along and/or personal memories of my own. Please add your stories here too.  

03 Oct 1851 - FRANCIS BRISON AUSTIN, SR. - My great-grandfather was born on 03 Oct 1851 in Greenville, Greenville, South Carolina. He married Flora Ann (Annie) HUNSUCKER on 13 Mar 1880 in Raleigh, Wake, North Carolina. The family moved from North Carolina to Savannah, Chatham, Georgia, around 1888.  He died at the age of 61 on 25 May 1913 in Savannah and was buried on 26 May 1913 in Savannah, Chatham, Georgia (Laurel Grove Cemetery, Lot 2903).

Austin family at home on

208 West Anderson Street, Savannah, GA about 1889

In photo:  Standing left to right - Katie, Lillian, Will, Daisy

Sitting:  Frank and Annie, and Georgia and Fred on the steps

(Photo owned by Frank's great-granddaughter Stephanie Irish)

05 Oct 1884 – LOUIS FALLIGANT THOMAS, SR. – Louis was born in Savannah, Chatham, Georgia, to parents Adelaide Almira LAVIER and John Augustus THOMAS. He married Charlotte Melissa HORNE on 10 Feb 1910 in Savannah (St. Paul's Episcopal Church). He was employed as a Machinist. He died on 10 Mar 1920 in Savannah and was buried in Bonaventure Cemetery (Section A, Lot 136). The cause of death was Influenza/Pneumonia. Louis and Charlotte had one son, Louis Falligant THOMAS, Jr., who was killed in a streetcar accident at the age of six. Their marriage ended in divorce.

05 Oct 1824 – ANNE MATILDA ENGLISH TOWLES – Anne Matilda ENGLISH was the oldest sister of my 2^nd great-grandmother Sarah Jane ENGLISH. She was born in Bryan County, Georgia.  She married Daniel Freeman TOWLES on 17 May 1843. They had three sons: Henry G., Francis S., and Daniel F., Jr.  Anne died on 01 Sep 1854.

Harper-Swann Photographs

These photos were given to me by my grandfather, Otis Franklin Swann, in 1986.  Some of the photos, well over 100 years in age, originally belonged to Julia Swann Mahone and were given to my grandfather by her grandson, Otis Hammock.  Some were his.  I have attempted to make a permanent record of these photos for future generations.  Since they are so old, they are fading and becoming brittle.  Some have a form of mildew on them that was caused by improper storage through the years.  You can see these little "spots" in the scanned images.  The original photos must be kept in a controlled atmosphere in archival safe containers.  Humidity and light are their worst enemies. 

A Genealogy Moment

          Last week I located a connection to my Harper line. My great-grandmother was Matilda Green Harper (married to William Wilson Swann). The youngest of their eleven children (and my grandfather) was Otis Franklin Swann, Sr.  Matilda was the daughter of Edward Harper and Nancy Townsend.  She had a brother (David Casselton Harper, Sr.) who moved to Texas where he lived with his family until he died in 1922.

          While researching the Harper family, I found the obituary for David's grandson (Thomas Ewell Hunt Sr).  I searched the online phone book and found a telephone number listed in his name.  I called and a very nice lady (Irene Hunt) answered the phone.  She was the widow of Thomas Ewell Hunt.  We enjoyed a nice chat and she told me she would pass my name and telephone number on to her sister-in-law Sara (wife of Harold Eugene Hunt).

          The very next day, Sara called and told me she was also working on the family genealogy.  Over the next few days, we swapped information and photos.  She sent me 32 new photos of the Harpers (I love photos) to add to approximately 100 studio photos of the Swann and Harper lines that Daddy Swann gave to me before he died.