This is just a quick thank you to the Grands in my life! I love you all, think of you often, and I am so happy to be able to talk to one of you still.
Happy Grandparents Day!
Jess
September 12, 2021
A Slightly Belated Happy Grandparents Day!
Posted by JessLibrarian under Photographs | Tags: Bailey, Johnson, Photos, Trotter |Leave a Comment
February 7, 2021
Porter Photo project update!
Posted by JessLibrarian under Photographs | Tags: Photos, Zelma Porter |[6] Comments
A very overdue update! I’m hoping 2021 is looking up for everyone!
Lest you think I’ve disappeared…. Nope! While the pandemic is still seriously unsettling my work flow, I’m still here and slowly but surely making progress on scanning (and posting) pictures. I’m trying something new so please feel free to let me know if this works as a way of presenting a collection for both enjoyment and comment. The first batch have been posted here: Zelma Porter Morris Hanson Reeves Photos. I tried to put them in at least rough chronological order. I think people will be able to comment individually on photos. If you think the id’s are wrong or have any more information about the pictures you’d like to share (place, age, stories, etc.) please feel free to comment or email me.
Enjoy!
Jess
October 31, 2020
A New Family Project & Great Photos
Posted by JessLibrarian under Blog Housekeeping, Photographs | Tags: Conant, Eldred, Holden, Morris, Photos, Porter |1 Comment
I’ve actually done a fair amount of (virtual) presenting lately which has been different but fun. I haven’t quite gotten my mojo back from the ongoing “fun” of 2020–and don’t see that happening anytime soon. But I’m finding my way and enjoying my research and reading again! That said my Aunt Joan gave me a new project which some of you should get a kick out of. Porter and Holden descendents (plus any Morris, Conant, Eldred cousins out there)–heads up! I’m sorting and scanning Aunt Zelma Porter’s (Morris Hanson Reeves) pictures and I’m hoping to stick them somewhere for family to access.
Happy hunting,
Jess
January 26, 2013
Snow Days: The Blizzard of 1978
Posted by JessLibrarian under Family Almanac, Photographs | Tags: Blizzard of 1978, Photos, Snow |Leave a Comment
Today is the 35th anniversary of the Blizzard of 1978 which evidently I got to see. It dumped 19.3 inches of snow on Lansing, Michigan in two days after the region had already been hit by snow earlier in the week. The end result looked like this on our block.
Happy hunting,
Jess
January 9, 2013
Not Quite Wordless Wednesday
Posted by JessLibrarian under Photographs | Tags: Johnson, Photos, Trotter |Leave a Comment
I was going through pictures again and these two struck me as an interesting pair. The first is my mother and the second is me. I had more hair and teeth… and yes, I am rocking Oscar the Grouch on my dress. But, yeah, we’re related.
Happy Hunting,
Jess
January 2, 2013
Not Quite Wordless Wednesday
Posted by JessLibrarian under Photographs | Tags: Photos, Trotter, York |Leave a Comment
I’ve been scrounging through photos lately and I keep coming back to this set. I don’t know who everyone in the pictures is but these were taken around my Great Aunt Rachel (York) Elliot’s funeral in 1971 and the majority of the men are York brothers and in-laws.
Can any Yorks/Trotters or other Bradley County folk recognize any of my unknowns? Or, for that matter, correct our identifications?
Happy hunting,
Jess
Between Dad & I, we think we have identified…
Picture 1 (L to R): Oscar York, Levie Trotter, Arverse York, Preston York, UNKNOWN, and 
Herman York
Picture 2 (L to R): Arverse York, Preston York, UNKNOWN, Herman York, Ernest York, UNKNOWN, and UNKNOWN
Picture 3 (L to R): Herman York, Ernest York, UNKNOWN, UNKNOWN, and UNKNOWN
November 14, 2012
Not Quite Wordless Wednesday
Posted by JessLibrarian under Photographs | Tags: family hobbies, Photos |Leave a Comment
The paparazzi… Needless to say, there is a third family member (me) taking the photo. But what I could not document in this shot of my brother and his eldest child—due to tight angles and wild dancing on the part of even more family members at a raucous get together this past summer—is my father on the opposite side of the room also taking photos.
So are there any hobbies (like photography) that your family gravitates toward?
Happy hunting,
Jess
November 7, 2012
Not Quite Wordless Wednesday
Posted by JessLibrarian under Photographs | Tags: Guitar, Nehru Jacket, Photos |Leave a Comment
Somebody’s got a birthday this month… He’s the one that gave it the title, “Wanna Rock.” I could be wrong but I believe that this lovely ensemble hung out in a front closet through a good portion of my childhood. I don’t know who the other guys are but the dude in the Nehru jacket with the guitar…. Yeah, that’s my dad!
Happy hunting!
Jess
July 10, 2012
I Love Dear Photograph!
Posted by JessLibrarian under Book Reviews, Photographs | Tags: Book Review, Dear Photograph, Photos |Leave a Comment
One of the joys of working in a library is getting to see all the new materials come in. And one of my friends at work brought this lovely book to my attention. Thank you, Mariya!
Dear Photograph by Taylor Jones, based on his popular Tumblr blog, is a fabulous collection of photographs taken at the original scene of older sentimental photos. Submissions include families on porches, historic moments (such as snapshot from the sidelines of Kennedy campaigning for president), wedding shots, and shots of lost friends, as well as old black and white shots of peoples ancestors sitting in front of the family home that has come down the generations.
The genealogist in me absolutely fell for this! This is such a fabulous way to tell a story, show change in our special places and bring history to life. It can be a pilgrimage to go back to the site of the original photo, to hear the stories surrounding the site and the photo, remembering the people involved and creating the new image with whatever remains.
I really would like to do a few of these… maybe placing some of the original subjects (like my brother and I) along the side of the original picture of us as children? Or maybe with his children in our place? I’ll let you know what I decide. Either way, I highly suggest this book and blog!
Happy hunting!
Jess
October 5, 2011
Not Quite Wordless Wednesday
Posted by JessLibrarian under Photographs | Tags: Johnson, Photos, Rockford Michigan, Wordless Wednesday |Leave a Comment
I’ve always liked this shot because, from what most of my family has told me, my great-grandfather was estranged from his family for a good chunk of their lives after he and my great-grandmother divorced. But he was able to build a relationship with my grandfather later in their lives. This is a shot of Robert Eugene Johnson and my grandfather William Eugene Johnson taken at my grandparents’ home on Main St in Rockford, Michigan sometime prior to Grandpa’s death in 1980. The photo is one from my parents’ collection.
Happy hunting,
Jess
Genie Road Trip 