Edna McConick Horan is the reason I have a lot of these things

Edna was my great-aunt, the sister of my grandmother, Irma McConick Nelson.

She was born in 1880, and died in 1909.  This photograph is a smaller version of one that I had framed years ago and carried around with me from move to move to move until I finally gave up and let it go to one of my sisters.  I'm not even sure they still have it.

The back of the photo is labeled as follows:

  "This is Edna's new photo taken at the studio in Mankato, while at college Feb. 1903.  To mama.

Other handwriting on the bottom of the photo says:  "Edna McConick, later, Horan.  Given to Elna Horan, in summer of 1923 by Grandma McConick.

I wonder if what college she may have attended and what she might have studied?  There are no other records that I'm aware of or a way to easily obtain this information.  Perhaps it will show up down the road.

This woman gave birth to a baby girl, and five years after she was married, she fell down the stairs in her home, broke her neck and died.  What a sad ending to what seemed like a promising life.

Edna seemed to have the family gene that is missing from my grandmother.  She passed things to her daughter that were important to her who in turn passed them to my mother who passed them to me.  I don't like to see Edna's story end, and maybe it won't, but just due to time constraints, I feel like I need to continue the research into my direct bloodline.  I like to fill in the missing pieces with these other people because they are still family, still ancestors, but focus needs to take priority over quantity.

One of the cool things about this photo is the eyes.  If you cover the face right below the eyes, it's like looking into the eyes of my middle sister, Sue.  It's uncanny.  I find it interesting that certain features remain in families and then others are lost.

A Saint Patrick's Day card and a house fire

The card is vintage.  It has a little girl dressed in the emeralds holding an umbrella and looking up with the big eyes.  It says:  "A daintier maiden never was seen, Than this dear little, sweet little, Irish Colleen.  She is making for you a courtesy so gay Because she is happy on St. Patrick's Day."  The back of the card has a postage stamp worth two cents.  It's dated Burlington Flats, New York, May 17, 1919 a.m.  It's addressed to Miss Elna Horan, Friendship, Wisconsin.  

It says:  "Dear Elna:  Hope this still finds you all well.  We are all over the flue now and hope you will not get it how is your father i am looking for  Hughs(?) people here next week it is a long way to move.  Wish you were coming.  With love from grandma."

I don't have any context for this postcard.  I am assuming it is Jim's mother since it originates in Burlington Flats, but I don't have any desire to dig into that side of the family since it's not my bloodline.  I'm trying to stay with the direct line as much as I can.  Yes, these other lines give me clues to the family of origin, so that's why I'm including these tidbits.  Perhaps future genealogists will take a different approach.

The next postcard is an extensive house fire.  The house looks like a classic design, and it's definitely not a poor person's home.  There is a buggy sitting out front and you can see the water shooting out of the hose.  There are lots of people trying to put out the blaze.

The card has a one cent stamp and is dated Burlington Flats, New York, August 23, 1909, 11 A.M.  It is addressed to James Horan, Friendship, Wisconsin.  It says:  "Friend Jim, This is a photo of our recent fire.  Was very sorry to hear of the death of Edna.  Are you going to stay where you are?  Your friend, I.D.H."  

I have no idea who this person is but he mentions the death and shares a personal photo on a postcard.  Who says there wasn't social media?  

Again, I can only surmise that Jim Horan was some person of means.

The marriage of Edna McConick to James Horan

Edna was my great-aunt on my mother's side.  Many of the materials I have are because of her daughter, Elna Newell.  Elna was a great friend to my mother in addition to being her cousin.  They lived together for a time when my mother first arrived in Wisconsin from Florida.  My mother spent many years visiting Elna as she aged and grew more frail.  I think she hoped Elna would leave her something from her estate, but to my knowledge, that didn't happen.

There are two newspaper articles about the marriage.  The skinny one says the following:
"Married.  Horan - McConick.  A quiet, home wedding took pace at the home of the bride's parents, Mr. and Mrs. D. Frank McConick on Wednesday, September 21st, 1904, at 5 o'clock p.m., when their eldest daughter, Miss Edna Orville and Mr. James F. Horan of Burlington Flats, N.Y., were joined in the holy bonds of matrimony.  Only relatives and avery few intimate of the contracting parties were present.  Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Sweet acted as matron of honor and best man.

The bride and matron of honor were attired in costumes of white silk, and the gentlemen in the conventional black.

The ceremony took place under a beautiful archway of autumn-tinted leaves, fees and wild flowers, Rev. A.H. Smith officiating.  After the ceremony the happy couple were congratulated by all present, after which the were ushered in the the adjoining parlor where the many beautiful wedding presents were displayed.  Following this the company adjourned to the dining room, where the wedding dinner was served.  One pretty incident, was the wearing by the bride of a beautiful, heavily embroidered, white silk shawl, which was worn by her great-aunt upon her wedding day.

The bride is a Friendship girl, most of her life having been passed in the village.  She has many friends among her former schoolmates and people of the village, and is a bright, amiable young lady. The groom is to be congratulated upon winning so fair a bride.

Mr. Horan is a stranger here coming just a few days before the ceremony, but is of a gentlemanly and pleasing appearance, and has favorably impressed the people who have had the pleasure of meeting him.

The young couple will make their future home here, and the PRESS joins their many friends in extending congratulations and best wishes.

The next article is longer and I hope I can piece it together because it's beginning to fall apart.  It is over 100 years old.  The date is September 21, 1904.  This article says:

Married.  McConick-Horan.  A quiet wedding took place at the home of the bride's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank McConick, Wednesday evening of last week, at five o'clock p.m. when Miss Edna McConick and Mr. J. F. Horan were united in marriage.  Only relatives and a very few intimate friends being invited.  Mr. and Mrs. Sweet acted as matron of honor and best man to the young couple.

The ladies were attired in costs of white silk while the gentlemen ______ (word there is gone) the conventional black  The ceremony took place beneath a beautiful arch of autumn tinted ferns, leaves and wild flowers, the Rev. A.H. Smith speaking the words that made them forever one.  Congratulations were then t_ ____red (tendered?) by all present and the united _____ (couple?) were ushered into the adjoining parlor to view the many beautiful gifts presented.  They were next led to the dining room _______ take of the sumptuous dinner ________ there spread.

The bride is one of the popular among women of the village with many friends.  She has lived here from childhood and is graduate of our high school.  She possesses the qualities requisite to _____ a happy home, the plan where woman is queen.  The groom is a native of New York state having been morn at _____r.  (?)  He now come from Burlington Flats N.Y. where is has lived many years.  He is a stranger in these parts but comes well recommended as a man of good character and business ability.

The list of presents were as follows:  A.F. Hill, check for $25; G.H. Campbell, check for $5, J.R. Vroman (this would be my great-great-grandfather) check for $5, Mrs. J.R. Vroman (my great-great-grandmother) table cloth and one dozen napping; Miss Holm and Mr. and Mrs. E.E. Smith, fine center table; Mr. and mrs. Sweet, silver mounted carving set; Mr. and Mrs. M. H. Clark, Chicago, silver pie knife, meat fork and gold lined berry spoon; Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Stafford, silver mounted crumb tray and brush; Mr. and Mrs. E. Stafford, silver pickle fork; Mrs. O.E. toilette, Delton, Wis., china fruit dish; Mr. and Mrs. Rev. Smith, china cracker jar; Mr. and Mrs. J.K. Osgood, silver nut picks and cracker; Miss Irma McConick (my grandmother), silver cake basket; Mr. and Mrs. W.A. Whiting, Portage, Wis., pair fancy linen towels; Miss Mary Girling, pair fancy towels; Mr. and Mrs. F. McConick silver gold lined set of teapot creamer, spoon holder and sugar bowl, 1 doz. silver knives and forks, 1 doz. silver teaspoons 1 doz. silver dessert spoons, 1 doz. silver tablespoons, 1 silver butter knife, 1 silver sugar spoon; Mrs. F. McConick, wash bowl and pitcher, 1 table cloth and 1 doz. napkins, 1 doz. linen towels and bed linens, furniture and household goods to numerous to mention.

The young couple will make their home in the village.  The REPORTER _________ in wishing them all kinds of joy and a long life.

There are so many interesting things here.  It sounds like the family had a modicum of wealth. I wonder what happened?  It certainly didn't pass to us.  I wonder where all these items ended up?

Unfortunately, these two did not have a long life.  Edna was born in 1880 and she died in July 9, 1909 so she only had five years in her marriage.  My family lore says that she fell down the stairs at home and broke her neck.  She was 29 years old and left behind a small baby girl, Elna Horan Newall.  Edna died in 1973, and thanks to her, I have all these wonderful treasures.  Thank you, cousin.

Great-Aunt Edna's Reward of Merit

This card was with other documents from my mother's side of the family.  It was a 'Reward of Merit.'  The back says 'Minnie' who would have been Edna's mother, and 'Edna'.  There is something written in pencil but I can't decipher it.  I'll have to get a magnifying glass to see it.

This website talks about these cards.  https://ancestorville.com/blogs/articles/rewards-of-merit

"During the Victorian Era, school children were given paper ephemeral rewards for good behavior, called a Reward of Merit. The top of the card usually reads "Reward of Merit," with the well behaved students name written below, followed by the signature of the teacher who issued the reward. A family may have saved these tokens of merit and recognition throughout the years. "

A birth announcement and a Christmas card from Grandma and Aunt Nancy

Birth announcements in local papers were something very common in the small Midwestern town where I grew up.  So were engagements and deaths.  I believe they were our way of marking the milestones of our lives, finding a way to matter and before social media, it was the way you could notify your family and friends of your big events.  

The Christmas card is from my Grandmother Curry and her daughter, my Aunt Nancy.  It was in 1995 and my grandmother was starting to decline.  She had moved to Reedsburg to be closer to Aunt Nancy who had the responsibility for her care.  Grandma writes:  "Kimberly, The days are slipping away --- still have cards to write.  On my birthday, Bob and Pam came and took us out to lunch --- enjoyed that.  Then group I play cards with called today to come and play bridge but I didn't go.  Had a fall in house last night so was sort of lame.  Didn't think I broke any bones but I was lucky.  Don't know how it happened either --must have caught my shoes on my slacks or something."  She signs it 'Grandmother Curry.'  I wish I would have appreciated these efforts more when they were occurring.  I'm so grateful I still have the cards.  They are precious.  I think about my grandmother, health failing, falling in the house and hurting herself, yet she still took the time to sit down and write to me, her granddaughter.  That's love.

My daughter, Courtney Franklin

This is Coco, my first born.

I found the photo filed away with other documents from my family.  Courtney couldn't remember the circumstances surrounding it either, so I don't feel so badly.  She was at the home of Linda and Tom Holmes, babysitting for their daughter, Amy.  Amy recognized the landscape, and her mom, Binny to me, said that the pups were border collies.

Amy says that Courtney was the best babysitter ever.  I believe that.  She's got a way with kids and with animals.  She's an awesome auntie to her nieces, Lili and Aaliyah.

Grandpa James Curry's family members

Finding these photos was such a gift.  My Aunt Nancy sent them to me many years ago along with a letter.  She was always kind and loving towards me, and I still miss her and think of her.

Grandpa Curry's family was somewhat of a mystery to me.  I don't recall him talking about them with me, and my father never knew that side of the family very well either.  I'll try to put in what bits of information I recall from my conversations over the years.  Still, it would be interesting to know what the big deal was that kept them from speaking to one another.

This photo is my great-grandfather, William Curry.  I never met the man nor did I know anything about him.  He looks quite dapper.  Could he be a mobster?  That's my imagination running amok.  I gave my son, Ryan, his name as a middle name.  All I know is the Curry's are supposedly Irish.  There was some rift alluded to by my grandmother and my father, but it was never spoken of and I never knew enough to ask about it in the time when I could have.

The next three photos are of Clyde Curry.  The middle photos is labeled 1917.  I wonder what he did?  I hope that my research will reveal something because he looks so dressed up nicely.  He looks intelligent to me.  I hope that's true.  He played the trombone, and that tells me that music runs in both sides of my family.  Clyde served in World War I.  The photo is labeled that way, but I don't have the exact year nor do I know the location of where that photo was taken.  It looks like a rural European farmhouse but that really isn't telling me very much.

The next photo is a man and woman.  The photo identifies them as "Aunt Hazel, Dad's sister" so that would be my Grandfather Curry's sister, and the man as Uncle Clarence who I then assume to be her husband.  Again, I hope research will give me more information.  I don't know anything about Hazel. I heard her name occasionally but other than that, nothing that can fill in the blanks.  Again, they look like they are well dressed and they don't look as miserable as many photos from this era I've seen.  I wonder what their story might be?

The last photo from this collection is my grandfather's baby sister, Aunt Helen.  She's my great-Aunt Helen.  I never met her, but she's the one I heard the most about because she lived in California.  In the years I was growing up, California was Hollywood and a magical place, a land of dreams and opportunity.  Whether or not she had any part of that, I don't know.   Look at her cool flapper hat!  This is a photo she sent to my grandparents.