That’s me sitting on my Dad’s knee with that chipmunk grin on my face.
Gil Gillespie, Laura Gillespie, Anne Gillespie
I’m guessing the photo was taking in late ’64 or early ’65. And we were probably in Charleston, South Carolina, where we lived at the time. I wonder why my sister is so fascinated with the lawn?
I love my two dogs, Coco and Belle. I remember the dogs I had as kids, Boomer, Peppy and Caesar. I can remember my dad talking about his dog Smokey and how he claimed that the one time he ever get in trouble was for tying Smokey to the water heater. I believe the “one time he got in trouble” is a bit of a family legend.
I recently obtained this picture of my great grandmother Laura Cecil Donald Gillespie that has Laura Gillespie and dog Mckey or Mickey 1950 on the back:
Granny Laura and her Dog, about 1950. Granny was 73 years old. This looks like it was taken at 108 Houston Street, Lexington, Virginia.
Do you think this is the same dog as:
Eva Gillespie and grandchildren of Wyatt and Laura Gillespie, about 1944
Hmm. Not too sure. The dog would have been 6 years older in the picture with Granny, but not enough black on it’s face unless the sunshine is making it look white. Looks like a similar dog.
I just love the picture. Sitting on the front porch in a rocking chair, reading a book with your dog. Sounds like a lovely way to spend the afternoon.
This picture was found in some of my dad’s things:
Eva Gillespie and grandchildren of Wyatt and Laura Gillespie, about 1944
But who are these people and when was it taken?
The boy holding the dog is my father. The woman standing in the photo is my great aunt, Eva Gillespie. The girl on her left is my Aunt Madeline, my father’s sister.
I talk to my cousins, and the adorable girl sitting on bench looking at the dog is my Aunt Martha, my father’s sister. My cousin tells me she has a variation of this picture and on the back it says that Aunt Martha is 18 months old.
Martha Gillespie was born in December of 1942. This means this picture was taken in 1944, most likely in June. My father would have been almost 4 years old, and my Aunt Madeline would have been 7. My Great Aunt Eva, would have been almost 43.
I would guess that the other two girls are about 3, and 5 or 6, meaning that they were born in 1941 and 1939. They may be the youngest two girls of my Great Aunt Louis who married Milton Montgomery.
The children looked dressed up. Easter was in April 9th that year. Maybe it was just a Sunday. Maybe they just always dressed nicely; after all, my Great Aunt appears to be wearing a house dress.
Another cousin has identified this as the house at 108 Houston Street. It appears to be a lovely summer day in Lexington.
My Uncle Paul loved Andy Griffith, especially the Andy Griffith show. He says all of life lessons could be learned from the show. It seemed to be a simpler time back then didn’t it? When we look back, life made more sense, people were more pleasant, life was easier. At least in our memories.
My sister and I sitting with my Uncle Paul
My sister was very young in this picture, she is sitting Uncle Paul’s lap. I’m guessing this was taken sometime in 1965, probably in South Carolina where we lived or North Carolina where Paul lived.
This one is for you Paul. And Andy. And all that lives only in our memories.
This picture was buried in a box. It’s the only picture I’ve ever seen of my great grandfather, Adam Franklin Feazell. My cousin confirmed his identity.
This was a very good genealogy day.
Adam Franklin Feazell (1887 – 1947)
Adam Franklin Feazell was the son of John Draper FEAZELL and Idella Josephine SNAVELY. He was born in Smyth County, Virginia on September 27, 1887 and die in Buena Vista, Virginia in 1947.
He married Clara Ellen HASH, and they had six children: Sarah Josephine FEAZELL, Ann Irene FEAZELL, Carl Vance FEAZELL, Maude Helen FEAZELL, Charles Edgar FEAZELL and Harry Louis FEAZELL.
cluster genealogy 