Blanche Octavia Huband is my great-grandmother. Montice Cheney Huband is her younger sister. Blanche was born 21 May 1895 and Montice was born 7 December 1897. They are the daughters of Hattie Margaret Cheney & Heber Albert Huband.
While this photo is undated, it was likely taken in about 1900. Blanche is so clear in this photo, while Montice is slightly blurred. I imagine it was hard for such a young girl to hold still enough to be in perfect focus.
Hattie & Heber were the parents of eight children:
- Lola Huband, born 21 August 1890
- Nina Huband, born 27 April 1893
- Blanche Octavia Huband, born 21 May 1895
- Montice Cheney Huband, born 7 December 1897
- Edwin Perry Huband, born 29 October 1900
- Lane Augustus Huband, born 16 December 1903
- Gene Ann Huband, born 30 November 1908
- Grant Cheney Huband, born 18 May 1911
At the time this lovely photo of Blanche & Montice was taken, they were the only living children. Sadly four of Hattie & Heber’s children would die as young children:
- Lola, died 27 July 1894
- Nina, died 2 August 1894
- Montice, died 6 November 1900
- Edwin, died 11 March 1907
I have not seen a photo of Lola or Nina. I don’t know if one exists.
As much as I love the photo of Blanche & Montice, I feel terribly, terribly sad when I look at it. How must it have been for Hattie & Heber to bury four of their precious children at such young ages? However, I’m glad this photo exists. It is the only known photo of Montice.
This is the back of the photo. I do not recognize the handwriting in blue ink at the top. Could it be Hattie’s? It doesn’t appear to be Blanche’s handwriting. The notes in black ink were written by my Grandma, Mary Margaret Ellis, Blanche’s daughter.
Happy Thursday, do you happen to have a precious “only” photo of one of your relatives? Have you scanned and shared it? If not, I hope you will today! xoxo
Oh, that breaks my heart—that beautiful little girl who couldn’t sit still died at three.
I know, so sad! No matter how many children I come across who died young, it still causes my heart to ache for those mothers (and families).
Me, too. 🙁
Darling photo, but so sad a story. Heartbreaking! My ancestors had deaths but not so many. The diphtheria epidemic took some of Mary Lake & Joseph Allen Taylor’s children. My grandma was very ill but survived. The flu in 1917-1918 killed my Aunt Floss’s baby & many families lost their dear ones. So sad.
So sad! Our ancestors had such difficult lives. I don’t know how they endured so much loss.
Beautiful photos. It’s hard to imagine Lola and Nina dying just a week apart. I wonder if there was a connection?
I’ve wondered the same. I don’t know what the cause of death was for either girl. So sad!