Quondam Tuesday~ Scary Oldies

For your old photograph pleasure this Tuesday I dug into the box of really old and pulled out some of the "scary oldies". I will tell you what I know, but remember, this is information past on mostly from my Great Grandmother Beulah Rahlmann. When I came into this work and met her, she was already in her 70's. So, by time I was old enough to discuss family history, her stories may have been clouded a bit.. Much of what I gather is from the backs of the photos.
I will start you with a few from my Father's side of the family. I have fewer of these relatives. But, I was very close to my Great Grandmother Mary Noel (Dad's Father's Mother). She was, well, rather cool, for an old Gal. I visited every week with my daughters when they were small as she adored watching them play and cradling them when they were tiny. Grandma Noel (As we called her), shared with me a few stories I found interesting and even some shocking stories.

Alfred & Freelove Peters

Lets start with this one. The oldest photograph I have on Dad's side. These are Grandma Noel's paternal grandparents.  I am guessing this photo to have been around mid 1800's.

*Skeleton In the Closet Fact~ while Emily was on Ancestor.com for a family tree assignment, we discovered that Alfred & Freelove lived in New York when they married. Freelove was born in Europe and her race was recorded as "Negro". Prior to  deciding on settling in Rushville Indiana, they had her records changed to "Caucasian". Most likely because, even though she was light skinned, they felt it was in their best interest to be considered white. Mind you this was in the 1800's

Mary Noel & son, Walter Meyer

Next we have Grandma Noel and my Grandfather Walter Meyer.  Grandma Noel, originally married a gentleman by the name of Meyer (oh my gosh...was it William?) whom fathered Walter.  She later married my Grandfather Noel (whom I knew growing up). *Skeleton in the closet fact~ Grandma told me she "had" to marry as she was with child.. this was scandalous in 1914.. following in her footsteps Walter, "had" to marry Peggy, was she was with child (my Dad) in 1937. AND my Aunt Nancy (Dad's sister) also followed with marrying Art in 1958 because she "had" to get married as she was with child.*

Walter Meyer

This is a photograph of Walter Meyer (my Dad's Father). I do not know the date or age. I believe this was possible a school (maybe graduation) photograph?






Moving over to my Mom's side~

Check this out. My Great Grandfather Fred Rahlmann, from San Antonio, Texas, went to college at Valparaiso College, in Indiana. Little did he know that one day his Granddaughter would raise her family in Indiana.  This photograph is from 1901 and the back simple says: "Valparaiso College Women". I believe they were just good friends of Fred. I do not think I had any other relatives there.

Ellen Furlaind 1904

This photograph tells me her name, Valparaiso, and year, but again, I do not know who she is. Must have been a friend?

Fred Rahlmann & Jesse Goodman 1900

I love this. Fred was into the Performing Arts while attending Valparaiso. Isn't this cool?

This is Granny Rahlmann's mother, Ina Nodurft, at age 16. That would make the photograph taken around 1870's?

Great Great Great Grandparents Nordurft 1924

No info other than that it was taken in Kansas. I would guess either Granny's brother or maybe Ina's? I can't tell the period.



These are the parent of Ina and perhaps a sister? (Maybe a sister that never married? I don't really know. I do know that my Great Great Great Grandmother Nordurft was 82 and Great Great Great Grandfather Nordurft was 87 when this was taken.

Great Great Great Grandparents Ball

No date on this, however, it is my Great Grandmother Beulah's paternal grandparents with their first automobile.

Beulah Ball Rahlmann

Fitting to end with my beautiful Granny's photograph of her at 16 years old. Oh how I wish I paid more attention to the history she so desperately tried to share with me. I was so uninterested in it at the time. What a foolish little girl. I did adore her. She was a bit eccentric. Not in a bad way, rather  an interesting way. I enjoyed having lemonade with her playing Parcheesi. I also wanted to learn to play piano, and she taught for many years. However, I wasn't a good student, and she would get very frustrated with me. When she was in her nineties, I visited during my Texas Summers. She had Geckos all over the house. She never harmed them, just scooped them up any gentle placed them outside. She also had the occasion bird come in through her chimney. She would just open the front door, until it figured out how to find it's way out.