Birthday Wishes (Gladys)

: October 27, 1943 envelope

: October 27th Card front

: Otober 27th Card center

: Oct 27th Card back

Letter transcription:

10-27-43

Dear Daddy,

I had hoped to be able to send pictures for your birthday but couldn’t get film soon enough. I have a roll now but want to save it until I get another roll. I will start taking pictures as soon as I have a sunny day. It was nice a while today but D. was sleeping. It is too cloudy now to use good film. Ruthie said she would try & get me some over at Bluffton. She says they can get Technicolor film for cameras, so hope she gets me some, would like for you to see David’s snow suit. Everyone who sees it thinks it’s pretty nice. Bright red jacket – Navy pants & cap. I wanted Floyd to get it in his movie last week but there wasn’t enough sunshine. I am sending two small boxes to you for Christmas. They aren’t much but if you are still there Christmas it will be better than no boxes at all. Wish I could send you a picture of what David is doing now. Just acting “cute.”

Love Mother

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/05/10/birthday-wishes-gladys/

Identifying Everyday Clues in Photographs, Part II

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In my first post in this series, I set out to date a photograph of my 2X great grandmother, Elizabeth (Schwartz) Yegerlehner and one of her granddaughters, an unidentified Wolfe. I went through the process of identifying clues in the photograph that would provide me with usable information. Each woman was broken down by age and by the various parts of her clothing.

Before we proceed further, I want to add a few fashion warnings. Dating photographs is never a precise process, and oftentimes, without other documentary evidence, may never be completely accurate. My goal is to help the average genealogist or vintage photography enthusiast to understand and recognize fashion trends as well as to give advice for finding resources.

Older people may not change their clothing fashions as quickly as younger persons do or be inclined to adopt new trends, however this is not always the case. A great example would be in the costumes of Downton Abbey. The Dowager Duchess was wealthy enough to buy new clothing every season but her clothing style evolved more slowly than some of the younger characters like those of her granddaughters: Mary, Edith and Sybil.

People from metropolitan areas are more fashionable than rural areas (sometimes!). With the advent of ladies and fashion periodicals, like Godey’s Lady’s Book, country women were able to see the latest fashions more quickly. Mail order catalogues, like Sears, Roebuck & Co. and the National Cloak & Suit Co., allowed women away from the big cities to purchase the latest fashions. Even if they made their own clothing, they could be inspired by the fashion plates. Pattern companies, like McCall’s and Butterick, also sold high fashion to rural customers.

Working class people dressed differently than wealthier people. One must always consider class when dating a photograph. The “best” dress for a poorer woman might last for many years while the “best” dress for a wealthy woman might last one season. People tended to hold onto clothing, and remade dresses year after year, as well as handing them down to young folk.

The second step is to Identify the Period Silhouette:

What is a period silhouette, you might ask? A handout from the The Secret Life of Costumes by Canada’s National Art Centre describes it thus….

“A silhouette provides an uncluttered outline of the basic shape of a person from a particular period in history as dictated by the clothing worn. Each shape is different from any in the century either before or after. The outline of your body wearing today’s styles would be very different from your great grandmother’s or grandfather’s shape at the same age.”

The pdf article contains wonderful advice as well as a fun activity for identifying some different silhouettes. Make sure you download it for future reference!

Fashion silhouettes can change very rapidly. They can also overlap as evidenced by my first point above. A woman from 1880 will have a different silhouette from a woman in 1860 or 1900. In both of my costume history courses, I was required to keep a sketchbook of period silhouettes for every century from the 1st through the 20th, for men and women. Within a hundred year period, fashion silhouettes can change a dozen times or more. Just for fun, I’m including two costume renderings from two different time periods, about 100 years apart. Try guessing the decades of the two pictures, and leave your answer in the comments!

: Painted by Deborah Sweeney

: Painted by Deborah Sweeney

Learning the intricacies of fashion trends takes time, and requires paying attention to little details.

There are many great resources for learning about historical fashion trends, in contemporary documents. Here are a few:

A couple sources for Godey’s Lady’s Book
http://www.accessible-archives.com/collections/godeys-ladys-book/
http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/serial?id=godeylady

Ancestry has many Sears catalogs available for searching from 1896-1993. To find them, go to Ancestry’s main catalogue and search under Sears. You can browse by year. Many years had more than one to chose from (spring/fall).

Internet Archive has many old catalogs and magazines in their collection. Here is a National Cloak & Suit Co. catalogue from 1907: https://archive.org/details/newyorkfashions00nati

Dover books sells reprints of old fashion catalogues. Be careful of some of their “costume” books as they are secondary sources.
http://store.doverpublications.com/by-subject-fashion-and-costume-vintage-fashion-catalogs.html

Dated photographs are great resources since fashion plates are not always realistically drawn.

The Library of Congress has a Civil War Collection: http://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/cwp/

The website PhotoTree has thousands of dated photographs:
http://www.phototree.com/gallery.asp?cat=90s&f0=1890s

Several museums have clothing collections.

One of my favorite is the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. Here is an example of a shirtwaist, dated 1899-1902:
http://www.metmuseum.org/collection/the-collection-online/search/109353?rpp=30&pg=1&ft=shirtwaist&pos=10

©2015 copyright by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/05/09/identifying-everyday-clues-in-photographs-part-ii/

Heading South (Roscoe)

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[Editor’s Note: Roscoe left the Russell Islands on 10/26/1943 at 1400. Two hours later, he arrived at U.S.N. Base “Bevy.” This was the Naval code designation for Guadalcanal Island, Solomon Islands. The following morning (10/27/43), Roscoe left “Bevy,” heading towards Navy 140 in the New Hebrides. He arrived later that morning at 1100. He spent the day catching up with some old friends. His journey continued on the morning of 10/28 when he departed at 0700. He was not able to write on October 28th or 29th.]

: October 27, 1943 envelope

: October 27, 1943, p. 1

Letter transcription:
Lieut. R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
Mob. Hosp. #4
Navy 132
Oct. 27, 1943

Dear Mother,

The address I’ll use on the outside will remain the same for several days but you use the one on the inside.

I’m spending the night with my old boss Cmdr. Frericks. Thought while passing thru I’d just stop for a short chat. We are discussing our times together in the days gone by. Just like Old Settlers.

These letters that I’ll write in the next few days will of course be only notes but later on I’ll try to be a little more specific.

Spent last night with Hicky Reinhart and of course we chewed the fat long & loud. Didn’t turn in until way late and was up pretty early in the A.M.

Your letters if you use the address may have a race with me because our mail had been much faster in the last few days. I’ll do better in the next few days.

Lots of Love
Daddy.

P.S. Hold the phone –
Hi folks – Sure grand to have my friend “Doc” here with me.
H.F.

Map courtesy of the University of Texas libraries http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/australia/solomon_islands_pol89.jpg

©2015 copyright owned & transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/05/09/heading-south-roscoe/

The Woman’s Club (Gladys)

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Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
Oct. 27 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

Yours of Oct. 17 came today – the 18, 19 & 20 came yesterday. You were writing about my throat. I haven’t had any actual soreness for some time but have a hoarseness all the time and keep spitting mucos & have some sinus drainage all the time. I don’t want to look for a sore throat but am a little afraid I will be inclined to have some infection there if this condition continues. Thought I would see Dr. Ade sometime soon if it doesn’t clear up. I don’t want to have a tonsillectomy if it can be avoided. Maybe with sufficient rest it will clear up.

David is on a high horse today. I think I can see two teeth (stomach) about through. He woke me up about 2 a.m. just sucking his thumb & making a little noise he often makes when going to sleep. He won’t stay covered. Try as I will to secure him under his blankets he wiggles out and I find him on top & sometimes at the other end of the bed. He has been going some tall jabbering today – sounds like “Greek er something.” I told him he was a bad boy & he jabbered right after me what sounded like “bad boy.” John said I was stretching my imagination. However when he says something that sounds like “John,” then John says he is calling him. Mark agreed with me that David said “bad boy” so that is how it stands. John is having his troubles at school. Had such a long assignment last night he was carrying on something terrible about Miss K. I told him if he didn’t quiet down I would tell her and he took me right up on it & said he wished I would. Of course I wouldn’t tell her anything, because she has taught school a good many years & I believe is better qualified as to assignments than I would be. That is all the trouble there was but if you could have heard him go on about it you would have thought he had troubles. The band teacher resigned and student directors are going to try & keep the band going. I am glad now I didn’t invest in a horn for Mark because the Jr. band can’t carry on. They were too far behind the Sr. band to combine the two. Mark hardly ever touches his trumpet anyway and I believe it would be the same with anything he would have.

[page 2] The sun was shining this a.m. and I hung some white clothes out. Was going to take David out for a bit of sunshine but it’s cloudy now. Just typical fall weather.

The Woman’s Club had Prof. Phillips from Purdue speak at the meeting last night. Mrs. Zell & I went together. He gave a very interesting talk about what we will do after the war. He reviewed the events following World War I and touched upon the crime waves that have followed all our wars. In the course of his talk he mentioned Time magazine & how it had stooped to vulgarity – It was quite a coincidence – you had mentioned about the same thing in one of the letters I had from you yesterday. In fact you whole letter had run along the same vein he had talked on. I wanted to go tell him about your letter & how it tied up with his talk, but I didn’t. There was a business meeting following his address, so I sat where I was and the visiting men talked to him after he was thru. There were quite a number of men present. Prof. Phillips talked at Rotary once – I believe that was while you were here – or was it – I remember the French woman was on the program you attended.

Dorothy was out yesterday and said Ralph Bower had been appointed Judge. Seems Newell Lamb might have been but for a member of the Committee – That is just gossip and I don’t know enough about it to be certain. At any rate Newell & Ellsworth are supposed to be next up to go the Army and being Judge would get a deferment. D. said Ellsworth was going to try & get a 6 mo. deferment because Doris is going to have another baby.

Had a letter from Jim today & there is a possibility he may be sent to Joliet – in case his rating isn’t changed to Chief Steam fitter. In that event he will be sent to a ship yard. He left his top coat here & I have to send it to him.

I cooked the chicken your mother gave me and besides having two meals from it canned 5 pts. I thought it would be handy to have for quick meals.

David is quiet for some reason. He had a long nap and wish he would take another so I could get one.
“Love Mother”

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/05/08/-the-womans-club-gladys/

Farewell Party (Roscoe)

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[Editor’s note: According to Roscoe’s travel log & military papers, he left the Russell Islands on October 26, 1943 at 14:00.]

: October 26, 1943 envelope

: October 26, 1943, p. 1

: October 26, 1943, p. 2

: October 26, 1943, p. 3

Letter transcription:

Lieut. R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
Mob. Hosp. #4
Navy 132
F.P.O. San Fran. Cal.
Oct. 26, 1943

Dear Mother,

No mail yesterday and I was really anxious to get the latest for I’m afraid my mail will be slow in getting to me now for a few weeks but I guess I’ll just have to wait as we have had to in the past on various occasions.

We had a little party last night – consisting of liquid refreshments, sardines, anchovies, canned chicken,

[page 2] canned tuna fish, cashews, melba toast, bread and ended with fruit cake. Just a little jungle get up. You can understand the reason for the party I think. The boys here have all been very swell to me and I really have enjoyed being around such a group.

Maybe I’ll be able to write more interesting letters as time goes along. More topics or I might say new topics. Censorship may be a little different also.

[page 3] As far as this is concerned with respect to tour of duty it should have no affect. It’s just a break for me. I don’t mean just for me but all are being given similar breaks, however I think I have the cream for the area. At least that is what I’ve been told.

Well Dear I’ll write as often as I can during the next few days –
Lots of Love
Daddy

Russell Islands
Image by Kelisi at Wikipedia.com (Wikipedia Commons license)

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/05/07/farewell-party-Roscoe/

Something Wrong with the Alarm Clock (Gladys)

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Letter transcription:

MRS. R.S. YEGERLEHNER
KENTLAND
INDIANA
10-26-43

Dear Daddy – Yours of Oct. 18-19 & 20 came today. You evidently hadn’t rec’d any message thru the Red Cross about Mother’s death. I haven’t had any confirmation from them as to whether it was sent. You may get my letters first. – It is a typical fall day. Wind and rain, chilly, leaves falling. There was a heavy freeze predicted for last night but the temp. according to the radio this a.m. was 44. The Onargo Co. finally replaced the evergreen (a week & half ago) and I had a few more shrubs put in the back. I was going to water them but I think the rain will do it for me. We overslept this a.m. – John wondered what was wrong with our 7 a.m. alarm (David). I heard him about 6:15 & gave him dry pants & put him in bed with me & he went back to sleep. When I woke up he was about ready to get out of bed. He doesn’t like his play pen any more. I am afraid it has served its purpose here. He does stay in it a little while at a time but prefers the wide open spaces. Paul & Leanna’s baby was 4 wks. old Sun. and they took her to church. I didn’t take D. Your Mother stayed home with me. She said she didn’t know what we would do with him in church – he is so noisy & can’t sit still. The Tommy Thompson’s have a baby girl. Coke came over to solicit for the U.S.O. drive & she told me the news. I gave $1⁰⁰ to the drive. I have a chicken cooking for dinner. Your Mother gave it to me – It was a young rooster weighed over 7 lbs.
Love – Mother

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/05/06/something-wrong-with-the-alarm-clock-gladys/

Moving On (Roscoe)

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[Editor’s note: If you have been picking up on some of the subtle clues the last few weeks, you may have realized that Roscoe was about to leave the Russell Islands. The biggest clue was not from Roscoe, but actually from Gladys! All the envelopes that Gladys addressed in the past few weeks had Roscoe’s address Navy 60 crossed out. His mail was being forwarded to Base Hospital #4 or Navy 132. Since I have copies of his military orders, his transfer was approved on October 16th. It took about 9 days for Roscoe to receive the official news.]

: October 25, 1943 envelope

: October 25, 1943, p. 1

: October 25, 1943, p. 2

: October 25, 1943, p. 3

Letter transcription:

Lieut. R.S.Yegerlehner
Mob. Hosp. #4
Navy 132
F.P.O. San Francisco Calif.
Oct. 25, 1943

Dear Mother,

Another Monday rolls around and I find I have plenty of work to do as usual.

If you use the above address I think it will help me to get my mail much faster in the future. Just one of those things which you understand.

Yesterday your v-mail of Aug. Oct. 10 came and the one in Sept. telling of your episode with the belly bug. I guess you got over that

[page 2] OK because it wasn’t mentioned in your later letters. I’m so glad that Ruth could come and spend a few days with you.

Today is laundry day again and it doesn’t seem to be a very good day but it’s early and maybe the weather will improve as the day moves along. I’ve just simply got to get a haircut today also because I’m like a “shaggy” dog and the tropical weather doesn’t make lots of hair desirable.

I wrote Joe Roberts the other

[page 3] day but didn’t hear from him as yet. I may see some of his friends in a few days if things go as planned at present.

My mail may be a little irregular for a few days because of numerous duties coming up but I’ll write as often as possible.

I’m in a little bit of a hurry so for the present –
Lots of Love
Daddy

Russell Islands
Image by Kelisi at Wikipedia.com (Wikipedia Commons license)

Indiana Coal (Gladys)

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: October 25, 1943 envelope

: October 25, 1943, p. 1

: October 25, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
Oct. 25 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

About all I have done today besides get lunch is write letters. I baked a cake and John & Mark assured me I am the best cake baker. John came in & when he saw the cake & steak hugged & kissed me. I told him he was like Dagwood in the funnies. He saw what was “cooking” before he embraced me. However I appreciated the gesture anyway. Had a letter from Jim & Pauline (she writes for Glen & Co. now) this a.m. and an Ins. receipt. Also rec’d a jar of Morruguant I ordered from Massengill salesman last week. That is the best ointment, bar none, I ever saw for burns. I give “dabs” to the neighbors when they have burns & thought I had better get a new supply. I smeared it over a place on my arm I touched on the hot grill & presto! No burn. It works like magic.

It is blowing today & cloudy. I was going to take David out in the sunshine but don’t see any now. There was some around noon but he was asleep and I was busy getting lunch ready. It feels like winter is blowing its cold breath the way it comes in around even the windows & storm windows. I am going to try a stoker full of Indiana coal. Chet says he has some that is pretty good. I have had our order in since last spring & no Va. Coal has been rec’d here. Floyd said Bluffton was the same way. I saw a load of stoker coal going out at Garrison’s, Earl Pack. I called Bun Walkup about getting me some there but he said he wouldn’t have it so it must be like the kind McCartney had that time. Now I wish we had an oil burner because there seems to be plenty of oil around here. But wishful thinking won’t do any good, so will do the next best thing & try Indiana coal.

David is taking a nap. He is some tired from his visiting. He doesn’t walk alone yet, gets tired of his pen and has too many spills out in the broad open spaces, so little fellow has a hard time once in a while. He certainly has a mind of his own about what he wants to do. I just wonder if Daddy wouldn’t spank a little more than Mother does. So far he hasn’t gotten very many but I think he will get them in time.

[page 2] I have a roll of film so will get some pictures in a day or so, depending on the sunshine. I would take the whole roll & send them this week but don’t know when I can get more so will make this roll last longer.

Today was music club but hardly felt up to social gatherings. Thought I would take David for a walk & mail the letters I have written but it seems so chilly, don’t know whether to take him out or not. He is still asleep – his second nap toady – but I think he was pretty tired from all our visiting around.

J. & M. can write you about their grades. John is getting ready for stunt night. He has a part in the 8^th grade play. Mark plays football all the time. He is trying so hard to get a muscle & get heavy – by the way he is in the 5^th grade this year.

Love Mother

Rommel’s Defeat (Roscoe)

1 Reply

#Navy

: October 24, 1943 envelope

: October 24, 1943, p. 1

: October 24, 1943, p. 2

: October 24, 1943, p. 3

Letter transcription:

Lieut. R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
F.P.O. San Fran. Cal.
Oct. 24, 1943

Dear Mother,

Just finished writing the Folk. Reversed the order for a change. I thought that perhaps while writing to them I might get an Idea or two to write you. It didn’t work so well because the idea hasn’t hit as yet.

Yesterday in the news Oct. 23 was being discussed as a date that would go down in history because of the start of Rommel’s defeat in Africa. They should have also added that was the day I learned of D. arrival. At least I think that was the day. It was near enough to that anyway to be important.

[page 2] I’ve finished my running around for this morning so far I think but have some little to do this P.M. The tropical atmosphere does give one a type of lassitude which is hard to shake off at times and one is about as comfortable while on the move as while sitting still.

I’m taking a long time to write this letter or rather a long time trying to think of something but the time as I figure isn’t wasted because while I’m thinking of something to write I’m also thing[ing] of you and there is a certain satisfaction in that. It’s a type of visit by proxy – not good but not bad under the circumstances. I often wonder what other officers write their families. I suppose it’s about

[page 3] the same with a little more “boloney” one way or another. Some probably slice it thin others thick but it’s all taken from the same chunk.

A long pause – visitors. The topic of conversation ran from sore heels to lizards – to the possibility of nurses on the Island and on & on. None of which were interesting or educational. Just a means of passing time.

I’m hoping that some mail will find its way into camp today – It has been some time now since late mail arrived.

At least we can hope.
Love
Daddy

Russell Islands
Image by Kelisi at Wikipedia.com (Wikipedia Commons license)

Identifying Everyday Clues in Photographs, Part I

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How many of us have received boxes or albums of photographs from relatives, only to be dismayed to find them unlabeled and undated? This is a concept familiar to many genealogists. Even if our ancestors did not properly annotate their treasured photographs, clues can still be found to help date them. Trends in clothing and hairstyles can be used to narrow down time frames. The type of photography used and the imprints of long gone photographers on cardboard frames offer further evidence of when and where a photograph was taken. Knowing an ancestor’s lifespan and their family’s unique dynamics helps to fill additional puzzle pieces.

This is the first in a series of posts on using clothing and hairstyles to identify and date photographs. My first career was in the field of costume design and history. I studied many fashion trends during my years as a costumer. I still love anything related to textiles – from vintage clothes to sewing reproduction garments. In many ways, studying the history of clothing helps me to visualize my ancestors with greater depth and clarity. My aim with this series is to help the average genealogist recognize fashion trends in their own photographs and to provide resources for further study.

Today, let’s start with a typical photograph that anyone might have in their collection. In this case, the photograph is of my 2X great grandmother, Elizabeth (Schwartz) Yegerlehner, and one of her granddaughters. I have had this particular photograph in my collection for many years. When I received it from my uncle Mark (yes, that Mark from the letters!), he was in the process of photographing some of the family’s older photographs. He was generous in giving copies to all the relatives who wanted them. This was prior to scanning and high quality color photocopies. Over the years I was led to believe that the younger woman was Grace Wolfe, one of Elizabeth’s grandchildren. I have heard in the intervening years the woman might have been one of Grace’s older sisters. This definitely put a spin on my original dating of the photograph! But it did clear up some of the inconsistencies that I could not rectify.

The first step is to Identify and Describe the people in the picture:

During this step, write down everything you observe in the photograph. Even the smallest of details could be important. The background of this photograph does not provide any identification, such as buildings, cars, farm animals, etc. In this case, however, I am fairly certain that the photograph was taken on the Yegerlehner farm, or one of the farms owned by extended family members. However, this information is not relevant to dating the photograph at present. If the photograph had an identifiable background, listing the visible features would be another step in the process.

Older Woman –

Elizabeth (Schwartz) Yegerlehner (I know this because I have seen other pictures of her so I am familiar with her appearance).
Lived 1843-1922
Wearing dark clothes, possibly black
Elizabeth was widowed in 1903
Her bodice has a yoke, with lace or other adornment
Sleeves caps are small
Sleeves are narrow, but not tight fitting, with cuffs at wrists
Bodice does not appear to close in front
Long skirt which ends 2-3 off the ground
Skirt is plain, with no adornment
Long narrow pin at base of neck
Bodice has a low or non-existent collar
Although her hands cover waist, there is possibly a belt which hits right under her bosom
Hair is pulled tight in a bun, with center part

Younger Woman –

Most likely one of the Wolfe girls (Emma, b. 1883; Mary, b. 1885; Bertha, b. 1886; Minnie, b. 1888; Pearl, b. 1895; and Grace, b. 1897)
Wears long skirt, a couple inches of the ground, striped material, possibly cotton
Bodice of same material as the skirt
Bodice has ¾ length sleeves, with cuffs below elbows
Sleeve caps are slightly puffy, as gathers are evident
Sleeves are narrower, but not tight fitting, for “ease of movement”
Bodice blouses out at waistline
No collar
Bodice does not close in front
No jewelry
No adornment on bodice or skirt
Skirt is smoother across hips, and wider at bottom
Age between 16-25, old enough to wear long skirts
Hair in bun at back, although there is fullness over the ears which mostly covers them; hair appears to be parted in the center but only at the front
Working clothes vs. high fashion “good occasion” clothes
Clothes likely homemade and not purchased from a catalogue