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Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Happily Ever After ...100 Years Ago

Fred & Beulah 1911
I haven't done a Quondam Tuesday for a while. This was meant to be posted on June 28th of this year, but I missed the date.  So, fitting to post today.  This photo was actually taken in August of 1911...
one hundred years ago.
It is the wedding photograph of my Great Grandmother (maternal) Beulah Viola Ball Rahlmann and my Great Grandfather Frederick C Ralhmann.
Apparently, "the photograph", and I say photograph, as far from it that hundreds were taken as they are today, anyway, you were lucky if you got ONE professional photograph. They usually took the photograph on a different day as the wedding, as it was a big deal and you went to the photography studio for it.

My Great Grandparents, married on June 28th 1911.
(how cool is this that I actually have an original invitation and an equally old frame that it has rested in all these years.) I don't know how this became a possession of mine, I just know I have had it for many years.  I actually used it as the basis of my own invitation...simple and timelessly eloquent.
They were married in this home:
the home Rahlmann's married in~ taken in1910
This is a photograph of what they called, "the gang".  The many close friends between them that gathered prior to the wedding.
Beulah is center white dress, with Fred above her right shoulder
I believe they were truly in love. I hold a beautiful love letter Beulah wrote Fred while they were engaged.  It is very dear.  I love the language they used, so proper yet endearing.
love letter dated 8.16.10
They seemed to have a rather Blessed life together. Each coming from prominent families. Fred holding a well educated position, and Beulah raising four daughters as well.
I have inherited so many photographs, yet I know that there are so many more throughout our family.  I am no longer in touch with cousins through that vein of my family tree, however, my Mom is.  She has been close to her cousin, and always was with her Aunts as well. I remember them all from trips out to Texas as a child, but, once I grew up, sort of lost touch once Grannie (Beulah) passed.  It's a shame.  Perhaps we should share these treasures we each hold.  How interesting it would be to see what they have as well.
 
One last photo for you, my Grands as they celebrated their 50th Anniversary, on June 28th, 1961.
Fred & Beulah 1961
Unfortunately, Fred passed not long after that.  In 1963 I believe, I was not quite a year old.  I did not get to met him, although I remember fondly my Great Grandmother who lived well up to 102 years of age. She is a sweet part of my memory of Texas visits.  She even "tried" to teach me how to play the piano.  I hold a passion for Fiestaware because of her.  I proudly cherish three of her pieces, displayed along side my own.

Interestingly Fred attended Valparaiso College here in Indiana, in early 1900.  How ironic that some 50 years later his Granddaughter would fall for a Sailor and settle her in Indiana.   I am very proud to have a Grandfather that had a college degree from 1908.

100 years ago...

How interesting and different their lives were from ours today.

12 comments:

Unknown said...

What a beautiful couple, what I beautiful post. Thank you for the snap shot into their life. I really enjoyed it.

Linda said...

Such precious, precious memories and photos. :) How neat!

1911 is a 100th anniversary in our family too. The 100th anniversary of my Grandfather's immigration to the United States from Sierakow Poland. He and my Grandma met sometime after that and married in 1915. I don't have many photos at all - like you wrote, formal ones were unique - and at least your Great-Grandparents were sort of smiling. My Grandparents don't really look very happy in their Wedding picture, lol. Very serious for sure.

Love, Linda

An English Shepherd said...

Great family story, thanks for sharing it with us :-)

Scott said...

I can't get over the great family heirlooms you possess. How lucky you are! Nothing like this exists with my family. Except for my parents, no wedding pictures. No love letters. Only one or two pictures of great grandparents. How I would love a glimpse into their lives like you've been given with your family.

Honey at 2805 said...

Your treasures are so precious! How wonderful they and your memories are.

Vanna said...

I have missed your picture posts like these!! I just love looking at these OLD pictures. It really, to me at least, captures a sort of realness to a person in that time.

Erin Wallace said...

I LOVE the first and last photo. They were a beautiful couple and God bless that they had a happy life together.

KPaine said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
KPaine said...

Hey Jan was this grandpas family or your moms side? It was such a lovely story.

janis said...

Thank you all~
Hey Kelley~ they were my Grandmother Mellie's (Ed Wright's 1st wife..Mom's biological Mother) parents. They lived in San Antonio also.

Julie Harward said...

I love their photograph...what a beautiful couple..I know times were hard but I bet they were happy. Loved all the pictures, thanks for sharing it all. :D

A human kind of human said...

Quite a history you have there! My sister (older than me) has all the old family photo albums and there are some beautiful photos in there also dating back more than a hundred years and I love looking at them. Unfortunately I do not have any contact with my parents families any longer as they are spread all over the world.