Ah! Another page of familiar faces. This woman’s stare…I have seen it somewhere. The eyebrows are a horizontal accent to an intense gaze. The mouth is held in a slight frown and she has that Minor Roman nose. Who does this woman remind me of?
Sarah Priscilla Minor (1858-1925) at about sixteen. Close up from the Minor Family Portrait, author’s collection.
Sarah Minor, that’s who! My great-grandfather’s sister.
left to right: Owen McClure (1843-1925) , Owen’s daughter from first marriage, Anna McClure (1872-xx), daughter of Sarah and Owen, Florence McClure (1889-1968); Sarah’s daughter by first marriage, Beatrice Herrington (1880-1964); Sarah Minor Herrington McClure (1858-1925). Photograph taken by TW Rogers in about 1891.
The story here is of a blended family, thrown together by society’s constraints and family tragedy. Both Owen and Sarah lost their first spouses and were left with a daughter each to raise alone. They joined forces to make a stronger family unit, and created one more daughter–Florence. Or Flossie as I knew her.
Yes! That little girl grew up and lived down the street from my Minor grandparents in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, though I remember Flossie as an old, very old lady. Flossie and Arthur Titus were regular visitors during our summer visits, and it pleases me no end to have a photograph that unites my ancestral and my childhood pasts.
Shoots, Roots, and Leaves 
What a great photo.
Thanks!!
Not too different from looking in the mirror at your very own intense eyes, eh? I read recently that what we call a “smile” is a sign of fear in chimpanzee language. Their happy sign is lips over teeth…can’t remember which teeth…anyway, it interests me that the face of photography has changed so quickly from “say prunes, plums and persimmons” to “say cheese!”…perhaps modern dentistry did the trick.
When photography was getting started, folks had to sit so still that part of the photographers’ equipment package was a set of braces to hold people in place. No wonder there are no smiles!!!!
Wonder photos. Great to see the relatives. Thank you for sharing. I can’t wait to show them off.
And there are more to come!! This project has been very exciting for me, uncovering clues through photographs. There is nothing like looking into the eyes of those who came before me.
Hello Kay Strickland, I am contacting you as Town Historian, Town of Independence, Whitesville, NY. I have some questions on Samuel S. White, early settler of the Town of Independence, for a project the Independence Historical Society and I are working on. Would you provide me with a personal email or phone number I would be able to contact you at. Thank You, Roger Easton Town of Independence Historian Phone – 607-356-3536 Date: Thu, 5 Jun 2014 16:50:50 +0000 To: reaston72@hotmail.com
Thanks for the invitation, Roger. I will be in touch!