My mothers side of the family came from Waterbury, CT. At that time Waterbury was a very large thriving city with lots of different manufacturing companies one of which was Scovill Mfg. They made brass buttons and metal snaps and such. I think they still make metal snaps for western wear.
My mother was born in 1901 in Waterbury, CT. Here is a picture of her at around six months.
This family group was inseparable at least for picture taking. On the left is my great grandmother Mary Bates Thackeray Dunworth and clockwise is her younger daughter Bessie M. Thackeray Wheeler, her older daughter (my grandmother) Mae Thackeray Beckerhouse and in the middle my mother Anna Mae Beckerhouse around the age of three. My great grandmother was married first to a Harry Thackeray and we have traced him to Ohio sometime after 1892 but Mary stayed in Waterbury. We think he relocated and they were divorced although we haven't found that evidence. She later married Ezra Dunworth and thereafter became known as Grandma Dunworth to my mother.
My grandmother and grandfather were still married at this time when my mother went to have her picture taken at a photo studio in a 'balloon basket'. She was about eight years old in this picture. The original is an old tin type.
I think a lot happened in the household during the years between the eight year old picture and this one taken in 1920 when my mother was 19 years old. The Thackerays were divorced in a particularly ugly divorce, my grandmother claiming physical and mental abuse and my grandfather claiming adultery. My mother lived with Grandma Dunworth for several years during the upheaval and she always hated it. They lived upstairs over a tavern that my great grandmother and her second husband (the Dunworths) ran in Waterbury. She saw a lot of sights that made her a teetotaler all her life.
She met my father a year later and they were married in 1923.
Of course there is more to the story...both before and after!
5 comments:
Hi Priss,
Think about this;; no indoor plumbing, no hot water, heat with a wood or coal stove and no washer and dryers! I remember the no hot water and the wood and coal stoves. We did have indoor plumbing then. I lived in the same house they did until I was married.
These photos are delightful! I've wanted to tell you that for days, but tonight's the first time I could get my computer to cooperate. I'm looking forward to more stories from you.
WHEN I SAW THIS PICTURE I WAS SHOCKED.I HAVE THE SAME PICTURE.MY GRANDMOTHER IS BESSIE THACKERY BORN 11/12/1884 IN WATERBURY CT MY MOTHERS NAME IS MAE
my grandmother is Bessie m Thackeray and I have the same picture . my moms name is mae
Judy I would love to hear from you. We lost tract of Bessie and couldn't find anything about her and her marriage. Can you email me at noelh2@sbcglobal.net and give me some background so I can add it to our family Ancestry Tree?
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