Ellis Album

Black Ellis Album #1, Pages 22 & 24

 

 

Pages 22 and 24 of this album appear to have been taken on the same trip.  Page 22 includes the only writing and reads, “Claude, Lane, Grant Hiked to Bear Lake.”

Claude Albert Ellis is my great-grandfather.  The album was created by his wife, Blanche Octavia Huband.  Lane and Grant Huband were Blanche’s younger brothers.  Claude and Blanche, and Lane and Grant, lived in North Ogden, Utah.

Blanche’s maternal line lived in the Bear Lake area in Laketown, Utah.  Her mother was Hattie Margaret Cheney.  Hattie’s parents were Joseph Thompson Cheney & Louise Maria Austin.  Hattie’s oldest sister, Louise Delina Cheney, was married to George Bloomfield Willis.  The Cheney homestead in Laketown was eventually the Cheney-Willis Ranch.  It seems likely that Claude, Lane, and Grant visited their Cheney and Willis family members and hiked to Bear Lake.  But was the hike from North Ogden to Bear Lake or from the Cheney-Willis Ranch to Bear Lake?  I hope a cousin will know the answer!

Page 22 includes three photos.  The first photo is the only labeled photo and features Claude Albert Ellis, Lane Augustus Huband, and Grant Cheney Huband.  Another copy of this photo, seen on FamilySearch here, is dated 1922.  Based on Grant’s birth year of 1911 and his appearance here, this seems like a correct date.

 

l-r: Claude Albert Ellis, Lane Augustus Huband, and Grant Cheney Huband

 

The second photo includes my great-grandfather Claude Albert Ellis and his young brother-in-law Grant Cheney Huband:

 

l-r: Grant Cheney Huband and Claude Albert Ellis

 

The third photo includes brothers Lane and Grant Huband:

 

l-r: Lane August Huband and Grant Cheney Huband

 

The three photos on page 24 all include my great-grandfather Claude Albert Ellis.  Two include Grant Huband.  The other men seem to be Willis cousins.  The first photo is my favorite!  The team of horses is impressive:

 

l-r: Claude Albert Ellis, Grant Cheney Huband, and possibly Elijah Cheney Willis

 

The man in the center of the photo with the awesome chaps looks like Elijah Cheney Willis.

In the second photo on this page, my great-grandfather is seen in the center:

 

l-r: possibly Austin Willis, Claude Albert Ellis, and unknown

 

The man on the left seems to be the same man seen at the far right in the last photo.  His shirt and facial hair are a nice match.  His face is difficult to compare well because of the quality of the images, the different angles of his head, and the light and shadows.  The man at the right in this photo is unknown to me.

The last photo includes my great-grandfather second from left and Grant Huband in the front:

 

l-r: possibly Elijah Cheney Willis, Claude Albert Ellis, possibly Oral Winn Gheen, possibly Austin Willis, front: Grant Cheney Huband

 

The man on the left appears to be the same man seen wearing the fancy chaps in the first photo on this page.  He looks like Elijah Cheney Willis.  Next is my great-grandfather, Claude Albert Ellis.  The woman looks very much like Oral Winn Gheen, wife of Austin Willis, seen in this photo.  The man at the far right looks like Austin Willis.  Grant Cheney Huband is seen in the front of this group.

I hope some Cheney and Willis cousins might come across these photos and offer additional insights!

 

 

 

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.

 

 

Happy Monday, I hope you and your loved ones are happy, safe, and healthy!  xoxo

 

 

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