These three cute kids are (from left to right) my Grandpa Debs Warren Webster and his sisters Carlota Adelia Webster and Edna Lillie Webster.
They are three of the five children born to my Traveling Dentist Great-Grandfather Watson (Frederick) Emory Webster and my Great-Grandmother Esther Matus Villatoro.
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| Left to Right - Debs, Carlota and Edna Lillie Webster |
As you can see from the writing on the back of the photo (thank you Grandpa Debs for writing this!), the photo was taken in Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico on December 26, 1922, the day after Christmas. Thankfully, my Grandpa Debs also recorded their ages at the time this photo was taken:
Edna – 11
Carlota – 13
Debs – 9
This photo was taken three years after the death of their mother Esther, and about a year or so before sweet little Edna Lillie's death. Of the five children born to Watson and Esther, my grandfather Debs and his sister Carlota were the only children to survive to adulthood.
Now what these three were doing in Irapuato, Mexico, I couldn't tell you. But of course we have to remember that they are the children of "The Traveling Dentist."
Thanks for reading!
Jana
© 2013 Copyright by Jana Last
"Edna Lillie" -- what a cute name! I'm sad to read that so few of the children survived to adulthood. She certainly appeared healthy enough in this photo.
ReplyDeleteI see Carlota was wearing a cross. Were they Catholic?
Hi Wendy,
DeleteI agree with you. Edna Lillie is such a cute name. I wish I knew why she died. She looked healthy in all of the photos I've seen of her. I need to do more research. Hopefully I can find her death record. The trouble is, I'm not even sure where she died. Her father traveled around so much it's kind of a mystery.
I don't know for sure if they were Catholic, but I wouldn't be surprised if they were.
Thanks for stopping by!
Lovely photo of beautiful children, Jana. I noticed that your great-aunt Carlota's dress seems a bit more formal than what her sister Edna is wearing. If the children were Catholic and that is a cross around Carlota's neck, could it be a special occasion for her?
ReplyDeleteHi Yvonne,
DeleteHmm, that's an interesting observation. Carlota's dress does seem a bit more dressy than the one Edna was wearing. Unfortunately, I don't know what the occasion was that prompted this photograph to be taken.
Thanks for stopping by!
You are so lucky to have an ancestor who labeled things. I'd give my right arm for such precision.
ReplyDeleteHi Kerry,
DeleteYes, I'm so grateful to my grandfather for writing on the back of this photo! Believe me though, not all of the photos in his collection were labeled. Sigh....
Thanks for stopping by!
Wonderful photo, and in such great condition! If the photo was taken the day after Christmas - perhaps the family was visiting relatives (ancestors?) of their mother's family, since she (your great-grandmother) was born in Mexico? That might be the "special occasion."
ReplyDeleteHi Amanda,
DeleteI know that Esther's mother's family was from Chiapas and her father was from Oaxaca. I don't know if any relatives were from or lived in Irapuato. But that's a great idea you had. Thank you!
And thanks for stopping by!
Edna Lillie's hair has a kind of "modern" look - if it were just a headshot, she would look like a school girl today. I am struck by the shoes - I bet it took some time to get them buttoned or laced up!
ReplyDeleteHi Kathy,
DeleteWasn't Edna Lillie just the cutest little thing? I hadn't noticed before how modern her hair style looked, but your right!
I was struck by their shoes too! In fact I almost made mention of them in my post. It's too bad they weren't kept and handed down to future generations. I would have loved to see my grandfather's little lace-up boots and his sisters' buttoned boots.
Thanks for stopping by!
Cute, cute, cute photo...
ReplyDeleteThanks Devon Lee! I agree. It's such a cute photo. Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteI love these old photographs and this one is a lovely example, though the children looked so serious. Carlotta Adelia is such a beautiful name. Could that be a First Communion Dress she is wearing? It looks white and so it would be a special occasion for her, rather than her sister, dressed less formally.
ReplyDeleteHi Sue,
DeleteCarlota Adelia is a beautiful name. Unfortunately I don't know the reason for the photo or why Carlota was dressed as she was.
The children do look rather serious, don't they? Especially my grandfather.
Thanks for stopping by!