(I'm sending this to several county lists and surname lists, so apologies in
advance to everyone who receives multiple copies. . . )
In cleaning out a closet today we unearthed a photo that we believe to be my
grandmother, Sadie (Porter) Slavens, with her mother Rosetta "Carrie" (Cook)
Porter, and grandmother Louisa Jane (Utterback) Cook of the North
Salem/Jamestown, Indiana area.
The grandmother appears to be missing both arms, from just below the
elbow. The long sleeves of her dress lie in her lap and from the way the
fabric lays it's not a case of the sleeves covering her hands; the sleeves lie
flat until almost her elbows. Does anyone know if Louisa Utterback Cook,
second wife of Samuel Cook, was missing her forearms? She was the
daughter of Martin and Elizabeth (McDowell) Utterback.
The photo was held in the frame with a chunk of a posterboard advertising
the reopening of some theatre(?). It's the top left corner of the sign, and the
banner across the top has "TE " on the top line and "BRO " underneath
it,
then "Reopens Satur ". Below that would seem to be the schedule: there's a
box with "Opening Saturday Ev'g, Aug. 31. Extra Matinee Labor Day and
continuing during week" and next to it a box containing "HENR ". Below
those boxes is another set which is missing the bottom half but appearing to
say "Week of Sept." and "WILLI ".
Years with a Saturday, Aug. 31 in the time period of the photo were 1907,
1912, and 1918. The girl in the photo looks to be about 12, so if it is my
grandmother, 1907 would be the year. This would make her mother about 46
and grandmother about 73, which fits the women in the photo.
1907 would be awfully early for the re-opening a movie theatre, so might it be
for an "opera house" or a chautauqua, and the "HENR " and "WILLI
" featured
speakers or actors? Can anyone check the Jamestown Press for an ad for
such a re-opening in the end of August 1907 or 1912?
Thanks to anyone that can help or offer tips. I'd be glad to send a scan of the
photo or the poster chunk to interested parties.
Larry Slavens