Page three features three photographs. Two are photos of my great-grandfather, Claude Albert Ellis. The third includes my great-grandmother, Blanche Octavia Huband. The dates of these photos are significant. 1913, June 1915, and July 1915. Each of these photographs was taken before my great-grandparents were married on 22 November 1917. I wonder if the first two photos were taken in different locations in the same yard (study the fence):
The last photo was taken in Germantown, Pennsylvania in 1913. My great-grandfather, Claude Albert Ellis, served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 4 June 1912 through 4 July 1914. He served in the Eastern States mission which included Pennsylvania.
In an undated autobiography written by Blanche, she 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.”
“After about three years of courtship, we were married in the Salt Lake Temple 22 Nov. 1917 by Alvin Smith.”
So, the first two photos on this page were taken after Blanche and Claude met, but well before they married. The remainder of this album skips around chronologically with many photos from before their marriage, and many from after.
One more noteworthy passage from Blanche’s autobiography is very relevant in light of the Covid 19 pandemic today:
“After we were married about 1 1/2 years was when the flu was so bad and everyone was dying, especially pregnant women. Six weeks before Beth was born, Claude and I were in bed with the flu. Everyone was scared to death of it, but Mrs. Emily Chadwick came every morning and took care of us. She walked all over town every day taking care of people. Beth Louise was born 17 March 1919 with Dr. Riley Brown and Mrs. Emily Chadwick present. When Beth was two months old, Hattie Storey, who was living with us, and I had diptheria and were quarantined in. Mother took the baby and kept her. Aunt Tave who had been with us years before when I had diptheria as a child, was at mothers and helped take care of the baby.”
Once again, this page includes notations made by two individuals. The note written in white pencil that reads, “Blanche & —- Campbell (Isaac’s sister)” is my grandmother, Mary Margaret Ellis’s handwriting.
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.