Friday, August 13, 2010

Grandmother Mabel with her grandmother Mary Ann Jones Eaton

My Grandmother's Grandmother

I didn't even know I had this image. I found it in grandmother Mabel McNaughton Cain's Wedding Book from 1923 with no identification on it. At first galnce, I didn't know who it could be. I realized the younger woman was grandmother Mabel. So this must be one of her grandmothers. The older woman wasn't great great grandmother Phebe McNaughton...

I compared the younger picture of Mary Ann Eaton, I began to see the resemblance: small woman, smiling eyes, high cheekbones, even the way she wore her hair. Ah ha, it is Mary Ann!

I was "over the moon" as great aunt Alicia used to say. Here tucked away all these years, was this sweet picture of our Grandmother with her grandmother.

Mary Ann lived with her daughter, Annah, so grandmother Mabel would have know her well. If this picture was taken about 1912, Mary Ann would have been about 87, and Mable about 15. Mary Ann was born in Mass. and came to Kansas with her husband Nathaniel H. Eaton, as pioneers about 1873.

Was Mabel's older sister Lucy taking the picture? Mom said that Lucy was the picture taker of the family. If not Lucy, then probably great grandmother Annah.

As a side note, there is a chalk X on the front gate. A friend of mine was wondering if it was a hobo sign. Great aunt Alicia had some stories about hobos coming to the door and being given food in exchange for work. The hobo's would make markings, letting other hobos know if a house was friendly.

I believe that this is the little house great aunt Lucy lived in next door to the bigger house of the great grandparents in Tonganoxie. It doesn't look like the front or back door to the big house anyway.

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