Military Monday - WW1 Soldier and Cosmopolitan Friend

I came across this quirky and fun photo of a World War 1 soldier and a friend sitting on a bench.  It's a fun photo; the soldier has a slight smirk on his face and his companion appears to be reading an issue of Cosmopolitan magazine.  There is no clue to identification or date on the back and I had hoped to date it by finding the date of the magazine issue, but could not find this issue doing an Internet search.

Something about the soldier's face was familiar and then I remembered a post I did from a couple of years ago:  Military Monday - Unknown WW1 Soldier.  The photos in that post were dated 1917 on the back and this is quite obviously the same person.  These photos are all small snapshots measuring 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches and are in a large envelope I have marked "Michigan Family" and which I purchased some time ago off eBay.  I searched through all the photographs again hoping for a clue to this soldiers identity but alas with no luck.  It is my belief that this was spring 1917 before this young man shipped off to war; I can only hope he returned from war and lived a long and happy life.

Sepia Saturday # 180 - World War I Era Nurses

My posts have been rather sporadic lately mainly due to the health of my husband who has needed all my extra attention because of severe back pain.  He has been unable to work for over six weeks and has been advised he needs back surgery.  Unfortunately for him, nursing is not one of my better qualities, but I have tried to do my best to attend to him. To top it off this past week my company instituted corporate cuts and I find myself unemployed and could use a little TLC.  When I saw the prompt for this week's Sepia Saturday the nurse in the photograph reminded me of a photograph that I have that fits the bill so I drug it out of my collection today for your review.  

This photo shows what I believe to be six World War I era nurses.  They are identified on the back as: (1) Mrs. Hugh Gilbert, (2) Mrs. I. Haines Dickinson, (3) Mrs. Geo. W. Heusel Jr. (4) unknown, (5) Miss Helen Heusel and (6) Mrs. A. S. Harkness.  The last woman I believe is possibly related to a woman I mentioned in an earlier post, Mary Fairlamb Harkness of Pennsylvania.  The location is unknown, but my guess that these nurses served stateside.

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Sepia Saturday #147 - The Gallant 30 (Bahamas) Sail Off to WWI in 1915

This week's Sepia Saturday theme centers around the military, uniforms, group photos, etc.  What came to my mind was a photograph I posted earlier on one of my family history blogs, RogersFamilyHistory about my husband's grandfather, Hershel Stanley Hall. During WWI many Bahamians were anxious to get into the actual fighting according to Paul Albury in his book, "The Story of the Bahamas."  The first group of eager volunteers of the British West India Regiment were trained and ready to sail for England from Nassau on 9 Sep 1915.  Hundreds of people came to see them off and the Governor's wife presented them with a silken flag bearing the colony's Coat of Arms. My husband's grandfather, Hershel Stanley Hall only seventeen years old at the time was one of them.  You can see him on the far left in the photograph above.  This photograph was taken right before they set sail.  It is actually an old photocopy that was in my mother-in-law's possession and I do not know its origin.  

Hershel Hall was descended from British Loyalists who were forced to leave the US Colonies after the US Revolution and resettled in the Bahamas.  It is believed that Hershel was descended from Nathaniel Hall who emigrated to Nassau, Bahamas from Savannah, GA around 1766 although I have yet to prove the connection.  In the book, "The Early Settlers of the Bahamas and Colonists of North America" by A. Talbot Bethell  in a chapter titled "Biographies of the Descendants" I found this mention of "Hall, Hershal Stanley - Born 1894.  Educated:  Boys' Central School; formerly Merchant.  Descendant of Nathaniel Hall, Loyalist."

Members of The Gallant 30 and other contingents returned from war on 19 Jun 1919 as evidenced by this document (again an old photocopy) which was in my mother-in-law's possession   Hershel Hall is listed on line 47.  I don't know much else about Hershel's war experience, but I thought the photograph deserved a mention.

For more great photographs and stories please join us at Sepia Saturday.

Military Monday - WWI Sailor? and Wife ca 1918

This real photo postcard shows what I believe is a WWI sailor and and wife posing for the camera.  This appears to be the type of uniform sailors wore during WWI.  The couple is mostly unidentified except for their first names which are found on the back where it says, "To Grandmother, From Ruth and Harvey." 

WWI began in July of 1914 and lasted until November 1918.  This particular type of postcard was produced by AZO and as evidenced by the photo stamp box on the back was produced between 1918 and 1930.  It is possible that it was taken in 1918, possibly at the end of the war.  Unfortunately, since it was not postmarked and mailed, I cannot be certain.

Sepia Saturday #128 - You Belong To Me - Jo Stafford

This week's Sepia Saturday prompt relates to music, song, etc and as usually happens I never know where I'm going with the theme and where I'll end up.  I remembered that I had a pile of old sheet music I bought on one of my "antiquing" junkets that I had no idea what I was going to do with them, I just liked the way they looked.  This particular piece of sheet music is a song I have heard and liked my whole life except I have always heard it sung by one of my all time favorites, Patsy Cline.  The words and music are by Pee Wee King, Redd Stewart and Chilton Price, and was recorded previously by Jo Stafford in 1952 for Columbia Records.  I have to admit I had never heard of Jo Stafford before today (she was a little before my time) but evidently she was quite famous and had a beautiful voice.

This piece of sheet music was evidently a popular piece with the former owner as you can see by all the pencil marks on the second page.  I have no idea what all these notations mean as I know nothing about playing music, I just enjoy the outcome.

According to Wikipedia Jo Elizabeth Stafford (November 12, 1917 - July 16, 2008) was an American singer of traditional American pop music and jazz standards and occasional actress whose career ran from the late 1930's to the early 1960's.  Stafford was greatly admired for the purity of her voice and was considered one of the most versatile vocalists of the era.   She came from a musical family and was also related to Sgt. Alvin York a famous WWI hero.  The article is quite interesting and lengthy - I encourage you to read it if you are interested in the music of this time period. 

Here is a great YouTube video of her recording of You Belong To Me with different photo clips of her throughout her career by mr40sfan - she does have a beautiful voice:

For more great musical themes as well as other song-worthy posts, check out this week's Sepia Saturday.

Military Monday - Two Young Men Off to War - WWI?

This picture of two young men in uniform has no identification either for the subjects or the photographer.  I suspect it is WWI but I know nothing of uniforms so cannot be sure, however they are very young so could be cadets in a military school, etc.  They are certainly handsome - wish I knew more about them.

Military Monday - Unknown WW1 Soldier

These two small snapshots are of a WWI soldier who looks quite happy and proud.  The back of the pictures are marked in pencil "1917."  There is nothing else to identify him or the location.  The pictures each measure 2 1/2 by 3 1/2 inches.  There is a large house in the background and by the foliage it appears to be summer or very early fall.  I don't know anything about WWI uniforms so have no idea what division of service he served in.