This album page features my great-grandparents. My great-grandmother, Blanche Octavia Huband, is the album creator. The first photo includes her and her future husband (and my great-grandfather), Claude Albert Ellis, and a friend noted only as Hazel. It was taken 24 July 1915 in Ogden Canyon.
The 24th of July is a holiday here in Utah. It celebrates the day the first pioneer company arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on 24 July 1847. I wonder if they went on a picnic in the canyon to celebrate?
There are a few details in this photo that stand out to me.
First, Grandma Blanche appears to be wearing a bracelet that my sister now has. That bracelet has Blanche’s name inscribed in the center. I wondered if it was a gift from Claude and asked their daughter Claudia about the bracelet. She recognized the bracelet but did not remember its history.
Second, Claude is holding a camera. But is Blanche also sporting a camera in a camera case? It could be a folding autographic Brownie. It would be about the right size. A general search of handbags and purses for 1919 does not bring up purse styles with a long strap. Now I am wondering if they both enjoyed taking photos.
Here is a crop of the photo:
Here is a recent photo of the bracelet:
The second photo on this page features Grandma Blanche with Hazel and was taken in July 1915. Is it the same Hazel? It is difficult to tell with the very different angles of her head and the difference in lighting. What do you think?
Hazel is likely Hazel Berrett. In her undated autobiography, Blanche wrote this:
“Then in 1914 I met Claude A. Ellis who had just returned from a mission to the Eastern States, and I thought he surpassed all the others with his refined manners and his blonde wavy hair. We were real friendly with Hazel Berrett and William Gibson who returned with Claude from the same Mission. We had all our dates together and went in a little rubber tired buggy with a black horse.”1
There is a Hazel Margaret Berrett in the Family Tree on FamilySearch who was married to a John William Gibson and is the right age and lived in the right place to be the Hazel mentioned in Blanche’s autobiography. I found a photo that included this couple in a different album created by Grandma Blanche. I have messaged a likely descendant to help clarify if these photos are of that same Hazel. Hopefully, I get a response!
All handwritten notes on this album page appear to have been written by Blanche, with the exception of the names above the first photo, those were written by Blanche’s daughter Margaret.
I wonder what photo was removed from this album page?!
This post is part of a series sharing this wonderful old family photo album. You can learn more about the album here. A digital version of this photo album can be viewed on Flickr here.
ps — I have been quite busy with lots of good things. Everyone at my house is still healthy. Hopefully, we can stay that way. The daily number of new COVID 19 cases in Utah is trending in the wrong direction. I hope you are all healthy, happy, and safe! xoxo
That’s Hazel Gibson — but I didn’t know her maiden name because that was way before my time — I only knew her as Hazel Gibson. And that IS quite a camera Daddy is holding — but I had never seen it in my growing up years. But I think they did take a lot of pictures and Beth and I seem to totality have those GENES as well.
Thank you, Aunt Claudia!!! ❤️❤️❤️
Yay! A blog post! (Did I inspire you to post? 🙂 ) So I would assume Mr. Gibson took those photographs since obviously neither of your great-grandparents did. That may mean that the missing photograph was of Hazel and William and that someone gave them or their children the photograph. Just a hunch.
Haha, in part! I knew I needed to get back to this project in particular since I have so many older family members who can help answer questions. I don’t want to miss out on their input. Your email was just the push I needed to get going. Thank you!
That is exactly what I am thinking too! Will Gibson probably took the photo. As for the missing photo, that is a very good hunch. My Grandma (Blanche’s daughter) removed a few photos from her albums, not many, but each time she did whe would write a note in the blank space saying what the photos was and who she gave it to. I am so glad she did that! I wonder if she learned to do that after looking through this album?
Definitely the same Hazel. Glad your family members are all well.
Thank you for the input, Ellen! Thank you, me too. I hope you and your family are well. ❤️
I think where the first photo was taken is in Huntsville, Utah (which is up Ogden Canyon.) Way back then, this was the sight of many artesian wells. There was a dam built up in Ogden Canyon in later years and this area where they are standing is now Pine View Reservoir.
Thank you for those details, Kristine! ❤️