Updated June 2, 2025
Great Uncle Chauncey Sweet was a banker in Galveston. He and his wife had a huge house where my grandmother and her cousins visited frequently. As a matter of fact in one census year my teenage grandmother and her sister were included in their household as well as their own family's home.
Known as "Auntie," Ada Pulsifer Granger Sweet (Mrs. Chauncey Sweet) had been orphaned at the beginning of the Civil War, and she and her sister (my great grandmother) were raised in the homes of her mother's sisters. That was how she grew up with Chauncey Sweet, who was the son in one of those households.
They married, and the family apparently approved, or at least didn't make a public fuss. They had no children of their own. When Auntie died at the ripe old age of 71, Chauncey at age 67 moved to California and married a year later to Genevieve Frazier (age 41). Genevieve was from Tyler TX, a stenographer and had been quite athletic when in school back in Texas.
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** Thanks to fellow blogger, Mike Brubaker, here's the rest of the yearbook posting:
But in 1911 when she was a Senior at the Tyler Texas High School, she and other athletic senior girls challenged girls in other grades to a track meet at 4 am! It was so unusual that the San Francisco Call and Post gave it a short article.
Though the print is pretty bad, Genevieve won 6 of the events herself.
Today's quote:
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Then there's the one piece of art which has been handed down since Great Uncle Chauncey gave it to my Grandfather, who gave it to my father, and thus I inherited it. I blogged about The Laughing Dogs.
A famous Chicago cartoonist sent Uncle Chauncey this cartoon...kind of a spoof on the country dog with the sophisticated city dogs making fun of him...perhaps that was how Uncle Chauncey appeared to the artist. It does have an inscription by Dick Outcault.
And though one of my family members thinks she'll get rich by selling it, it's just a print on rather poor newsprint paper. But the fact that an artist dedicated it to an Uncle may influence later generations.
My own Uncle Jimmy became an artist. And his son, John is a gifted musician.
I called myself an artist, but didn't ever really make a living with it...though it makes me happy still (sharing what I've created!)
It's interesting to learn as much as this about ancestors!
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Sharing with Sepia Saturday. I may not be sharing a radio voice, but all bloggers these days are similar to being voices that are continuing while many have become silent. Much like our paper newspapers are no longer out there.
And just because I had nothing better to do, I found another ancestor who married his cousin. Soon!
Today's quote:
Something precious is lost if we rush headlong into the details of life without pausing for a moment to pay homage to the mystery of life and the gift of another day. |
Kent Nerburn |
I would guess Genevieve to be on the left end of the 4th row back in the sophomore photo. I don't know why I think that, but that gal caught my eye right away? And girls running track back then was probably out of the ordinary - especially having a girls/women's track meet. As to your final remark - I've always thought the scenic route was the way to go any way you look at it. :)
ReplyDeleteOne of these days perhaps I'll get to see the list of the sophomore class and we'll know. Genevieve certainly was an interesting non-ancestor to read about...though married to a great Uncle. Yes, she would have been a person who had extra-social tendencies as well as obviously athletic. But in the 2 years between the photo and the clipping she might have matured quite a bit. I was guessing maybe the woman in front on left, who seemed a bit disdainful of the whole thing.
DeleteLearning about one’s ancestors is the gift that keeps on ending…and the trail that never seems to end! Love the photos. Chauncey certainly looks like a banker. Auntie Ada is stunning. A shame she and Chauncey never had children. And of course the laughing dog photos are delightful!
ReplyDeleteYes, the Phillips/Swasey gals were certainly stunning. It took me a long while to understand the satirical message of the cartoon. I was terribly naive' as a girl!
DeleteThe thing that strikes me about the sophomore class picture is the unusual numbering. First, the boys (1-10), and then the girls (11-27). The idea behind this escapes me.
ReplyDeleteOh so glad you pointed out the strange numbering. My guess is that the guy at the top is the yearbook editor, and he did it himself!
DeleteIf I had to guess Great Uncle Chauncey's occupation, I think banker would be right after builder. I thought the numbering in the class photo was odd too. I accept your picture puzzle challenge and pick No. 14. I wonder if I'm right. I'll let you know.
ReplyDeleteFrom Scotsue - a wide ranging fascinating post with a lovely portrait of “Auntie Ada”, anda showcase of your ancestor’s artistic talent. I like your final thought of bloggers being the “voice”. A nice link to the prompt theme.
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