Friday's Faces from the Past - Gertrude Fifield's Boy

 

"Leroy Benjamin Hopkins, Age 10 mo." is written on the back of this photograph which really helped me learn why this photo was included in the collection of old photos once belonging to my Negley ancestors of Eldorado, Clay County, Nebraska. It was easy to trace Leroy through census records and I found the connection with his mother, Gertrude Fifield. 

Gertrude was born in 1896 in Nebraska and lived in Eldorado at least through 1910. She was about 16 years younger than my Great Grandmother Sadie (Negley) McGrath, but I've learned that Sadie and/or her sister Alice were Sunday School teachers at the Eldorado Methodist Church. Gertrude could easily have been one of their students. If not through church, Eldorado was a small enough village that everyone knew everyone, so it's no doubt the Fifield's were acquainted with the Negley's. 

Gertrude's father Edward ran a general store, mother Sylvia was caretaker for her and her siblings Ralph, Otis, Earnest, Everett, Irene and Sylvia. Edward & Sylvia were very likely well acquainted with my Second Great Grandparents, Josiah & Sarah Negley.

Gertrude married Benjamin Hopkins and they moved to Logan County, Nebraska. Together they had four children, Leroy, Verlon, Eugene and Edna. In an earlier edition of my Friday's Faces, I posted a photo of an infant marked with the name "Edna" with no surname, maybe she is Edna Hopkins. 

Leroy was born in Stapleton on July 24, 1918 according to his WWII Draft registration, so this photo was taken about 1919/1920. He married Helen Elmira Foster in 1940. Leroy & Helen were the parents of eight sons: Frank, Robert, Larry, James, Ronald, Richard, William and Gregory. Leroy died in 2015 in Seaside, Oregon and was brought back to Nebraska for burial in the Aurora Cemetery. 

It was nice of Gertrude to keep in touch with her friends the Negley's after she moved away. I'd like to return the favor. I would be happy to get Leroy's photo back into the hands of his family. If you are a relative of Leroy Hopkins and would like to have the original of this photo, please leave a comment or send me an email. 

Friday's Faces from the Past - May 9, 1915

Both of the photos below have the date May 9, 1915 written on them (I cropped it off the group photo). One year earlier, May 9, 1914, was the first official "Mother's Day". Is that the occasion here? 

This looks like it might be a group of siblings or cousins. One woman is holding a baby, maybe there is an in-law included. They may be a combination of families or generations, and I can't determine whether or not they belong in my family tree. These were with the stash of photos that once belonged to my Great Grandma Sadie (Negley) McGrath. In 1915, she was married to Art McGrath, they had 3 young children and they lived in either York or Hamilton County, Nebraska. But I don't know where these were taken or where these people lived. These are approximately 5" x 7" post cards that were never sent to anyone.

Lon and Ralph look like two wild and crazy guys!  

Do you know Lon & Ralph?

Friday's Faces from the Past - JJ Willy Photo of Four Children

Here I have another photo of children who don't fit in my tree anywhere that I know. Two girls, one boy, one infant of unknown gender were photographed by J J Willy. Children whose parents were probably friends of my Great Grandmother Sadie McGrath or her sister Alice Negley. These children likely lived in Eldorado or Stockham or maybe Harvard, Nebraska around the turn of the century. It would be interesting for me to learn the identity of these children and how they knew my family. I would also like to pass this photo on to their descendants. 

Friday's Faces From the Past - Townsend in Hastings

This is a great photo of five girls - or maybe one or both of the youngest two are boys. The clothing and photo mount seems to date this in the 1890's if I'm learning much about these vintage photos. The photographer's imprint is "Townsend, Hastings, NEB", and the picture measures just about 5" x 7".

Hastings is only 20 miles from Eldorado, Nebraska. This is another photo that someone in the Negley family kept, likely of someone they knew. Unfortunately, they didn't write their names on it. These kids could be from Hastings, Harvard, Stockham or anywhere in the vicinity of Eldorado. I'm interested in finding out how this family knew mine and will be glad to give this to a descendant of these kids. 

See more old unidentified photos I have on the "Faces of Eldorado, Nebraska" on the menu bar above. 

Friday's Faces from the Past - Elarton Studio

This little man had his portrait taken at Elarton Studio in Aurora, Nebraska sometime before John Wesley Elarton's death in 1919. There is no name on this anywhere, I'd guess he is about six years old give or take a year. He has such a sweet, sad expression on his face as if he's not thrilled to be standing there in that suit. Those large ruffled collars for boys were popular around 1910. Frame measures 5-1/2 x 8-1/2, photo is 3 x 5-1/2 and is glued onto the heavy cardstock back with an embossed decorative trim. 

Boy - Aurora - 1910. Doesn't narrow down the possiblities much. The fact that this photo was in the collection that came from my Great Grandma Sadie McGrath might help me a little bit. Someone she knew must have given her this photo. I'm hoping to find someone who knows this boy.

Friday's Faces from the Past - George Negley's children

A few old photos in the collection of my Great Grandma Sadie McGrath were labeled, and other photos are identifiable because of the same people in the photo. Of the three photos here only one had names written on, but I'm positive they are all the same children. 

George Oscar Negley, a brother of Sadie, was married to Lena Fisher in 1906. Together they had nine children, three of them preceeded both parents in death. 

In this picture are Cleo (1904-1927), George D (1908-1992), and Sarah (1911-1987) Negley. Between Cleo and George D there was Mary who died at less than a year old. Guessing Sarah's age at about 2, this photo was taken about 1913. 

Here the children are with their Aunt Alice, George's sister. From left to right are Sarah, George D, Rodney (1912-1999), Cleo in the back and Alice is holding Weston (1915-1992). Guessing that Weston is just about a year old, this photo was likely taken in 1916.

Again, this is Cleo to Weston, all a little older, maybe another year later. After Weston, three more children were born, Harriet Alice (1917-1991) and Albert (1920-1924) and Elmer (1927-2001). Albert died after eating some green currants. 

George, Lena and their family homesteaded in Benkelman, Nebraska. George Oscar Negley died May 15, 1955 only a few weeks after the removal of part of a leg. Lena had died in February of that year.

The children in these photos are my Grandma's first cousins, they were all older than her. She was born the same year as Harriet Alice, 1917. Benkelman was over 200 miles from Eldorado, probably a three hour ride in those early years. By 1930, George & Lena moved their family to Eldorado near his parents and siblings. 

Friday's Faces from the Past - Not Alice's Style

Alice May Negley was my Great Grandmother Sadie's sister. Elmer Negley was her nephew, her brother George's son. Elmer served in WWII, spent some time in Mexio and brought his Aunt this apron. 

I'm not sure who Alice is writing to here, but her parents were deceased.  It could have possibly been my Grandma, but I think she would have said "your mother" instead of "Sadie". Virgil is Grandma's brother. She might have been writing to her brother Bill.  I think "here" might be North Platte, Nebraska.

Alice May Negley, July, 1946

"Yours Truly 'Allie May'
Taken by Elmer Negley July - 1946 - The apron I have on is one he brot me from Mexico. He is now in Yokohama, Japan, we had a letter from him week ago yesterday. He likes it over there, but, does get lonesome for home. 10,000 miles away is a long ways from home. You did not get out to visit us this summer, did you? I have been wanting to come & see you, but don't get any place. Virgil was here this evening, everybody is OK far as we know, we are here. Hope you are too. Wish you could come over, sure would enjoy a visit with you. Sadie was here week ago tonite said she had been to see you. With love Alice"

Back of photo

Friday's Faces from the Past - Arganbright Art Gallery, Hedrick, Iowa

Here's another unidentified picture from my "Negley collection" (photos that once belonged to my Eldorado, Nebraska Negley family members). The photographer's imprint on this 4" x 6" cabinet card is "Arganbright Art Gallery, Hedrick, Iowa". I'm not aware of anyone in my family who lived in Hedrick or Keokuk County. There were Negley cousins in Decatur and Ringgold counties, but that is at least 100 miles from Hedrick. It could be that there was some connection to Hedrick that I don't know about. This family may not be related to me, but my Negley relatives kept this copy of their picture.

The large bow ties like those on the two older boys were popular around 1910. It's hard to tell the sex of the infant. Two boys as the oldest children doesn't match up with any Negley related family I have in my tree.

If anyone recognizes the family in this photo, please leave a comment or email me. It would be nice for their descendants to have this photo.

Friday's Faces from the Past - Miss Canon City, Colorado

Not her official title, of course, but there is no name on this photograph. The picture itself measures about 2" x 4", the brown decorative cardstock frame about 3-1/2" x 6". There were flaps that fold from top and bottom to close, but they've torn off. The picture comes out easily from corner tabs. The photographer's logo is "Affleck, Canon City, Colo." which was easy to trace. In 1930, James Melvin Affleck was a photographer who lived with his wife Grace in Lincoln Park, Fremont County, Colorado. 

The collection of old photos I have once belonged to someone in the Negley family - either my Great Grandma Sadie McGrath or her sister Alice Negley, or maybe their brothers, Bill and Cal, or even their parents Josiah & Sarah. Several pictures were identified as family, and others with names were friends who also lived around Harvard, Stockham or Eldorado, Nebraska. Miss Canon City doesn't seem to fit with any family in my tree. I would guess this pretty lady and/or her parents were friends of the Negley family and likely lived near them at some point in time.

My guess is she is in her twenties and the photo was taken in the 1920's putting her birth within a few years of 1900. She would be a generation younger than Sadie and Alice. Maybe she is a daughter of a close friend. 

I tried uploading the photo to Google Images hoping there was another one somewhere on the internet, but no match was found. So, now I'm hoping someone who reads this post recognizes this woman and will tell me about her. I'm interested in learning who she is, and will be glad to return this photo to her family. Please leave a comment if you have any ideas.

Friday's Faces from the Past - Mrs Murphy

"Mrs Murphy" was written on the back of this photograph, nothing more. Several wives named Murphy lived within a 50 mile radius of Eldorado, Nebraska in 1900, but a few were in their 70's or 80's. A Mrs Mary, wife of William Murphy was 48 years old and lived in Edgar. Also Mrs Eliza, age 50, wife of J E Murphy lived in York. Both towns not too far from Eldorado. But the most likely candidate for this picture is Mrs "L L", wife of Andrew Murphy, who was enumerated just 12 households from the Negley family in Eldorado. This photo came from the stash that once belonged to my Great Grandmother Sadie (Negley) McGrath or someone in her family. 

"L L" turns out should actually be Sarah Lenora, who went by Sallie. She was 38 years old in 1900. Of course, I don't know what year this picture was taken of her. Besides her husband Andrew, a daughter named Maud, 15, was also living in the household. I've posted a photo of a Maud before, but I didn't include Maud Murphy in my list of who it could be. Either I missed her or was off in my estimation of the time of the photo. Maud's and Mrs Murphy's photos have the same type of frame, although the photographs don't look like they were taken the same year. There is no photographers logo on either one. 

If I'm right, these women are mother and daughter. What do you think?

Friday's Faces from the Past - First Names Only

Besides their cute faces, one thing these children's photographs have in common is that there is a first name only written on the back of each one of them. As with several other of my Friday's Faces from the Past posts, I don't know the identity of these children. Another thing these four pictures have in common is that they once belonged to someone in my Negley family of Eldorado, Nebraska. These children are not relatives that I'm aware of, but they must have crossed paths with the Negley's at some point in time.

Gracie and Blanche had their picture taken at G G Bruckert studio in Harvard, Nebraska. Using the 1900 census, I found a family with daughters named Gracie and Blance who lived in Eldorado. Levi (age 43) and Maggie Kaufman (41), with their children Bennie (16), Winnie and Minnie (13), Grace (8) and Blanche (5).  About 30 miles away in Fairfield, there is another possible family with a Grace and Blanche - William (35) and Clara (37) Woolman with children Daisy (13), Mamie (11), Grace (9), Blanche (7), William (4) and Deborah Woolman (67).

Edna must only be about a year old in this picture. There is no photographer's logo, nothing to help identify her, but she might have been born near Eldorado, Harvard or Stockham, Nebraska. There are too many Edna's in that area in 1900 to try to guess what her last name could be without the date of the photo.

Lester has the sweetest smile! Again, Lester is a common name and there is no young child named Lester in 1900 living in Eldorado. I can't really narrow down a list of possibilities for him. Hopefully, someone will see this and have the same or similar photo that is labeled. 

Marie was photographed by J J Willy. I haven't found a J J Willy in the 1900 census, but there is a J A Willy and also a George J Willy (age 63) in Hebron, Nebraska. In 1910 George has moved to Sutton, Nebraska (within 30 miles of Eldorado). Both J A and George J, who it appears were father and son, were music merchants. Maybe photography was something one or both of them did as a side business or hobby.

Marie Stack, daughter of James and Katherine Stack was born in 1896.  Marie Traudt, grandaughter of Adam and Katie Traudt was born in 1898. Both of these families lived in Eldorado in 1900 and either one of them could be the girl with this sweet face.

If you can tell me about any of these cute kids, please leave a comment or send an email.

Friday's Faces from the Past - A Closer Look

In September, 2014 I posted this photograph which I thought read "This is Myrtle and Deril". The "da." on the next line I thought might be an abbreviation of "daughter". After looking at it closer, I think my eyes neglected to see a hypen because the name "Derilda" was not familiar to me. That little hyphen made me take another look for Myrtle and her daughter "Derilda".

Still looking in the 1940 census because I thought the picture had been taken around that time based on the printed photograph and the way they were dressed, I found no Myrtle and Derilda. But when I searched other online family trees for a mother/daughter without using any dates, I found a family that has a connection to my ancestors. By the ages of that Myrtle and Derilda, the photo had to have been taken 20 years earlier than I was thinking.

I found a Myrtle Jessie and Helen Derilda who had the last name Hebert. This tree showed Myrtle's maiden name was Pitt. That name was familiar to me. Years ago I had heard from someone named Pitt. Myrtle's father was William Pitt, her mother was Martha Berkstresser. I knew how the Berkstresser name fits into my family tree.

For ease of explanation I'll say this photo was originally given to my Second Great Grandparents, Josiah and Sarah Negley who lived in Eldorado, Nebraska.  Sarah's maiden name was Lee, her brother was George W. Lee. George was married to Christine Berkstresser. Martha and Christine were sisters. So, Myrtle is Sarah Negley's sister-in-law's niece.

The Berkstresser and Negley families had both lived in Bedford County, Pennsylvania before moving first to Bureau County, Illinois, and then the Clay county, Nebraska area. Josiah Negley and Christine Berkstresser were both born in 1846, Martha was about 10 years younger.

Myrtle Jessie Pitt was born in 1894 and Derilda in 1914, so in this picture if Derilda is about 3 years old, Myrtle would be about 23. Between 1900 and 1910, William & Martha Pitt moved from Eldorado, Nebraska to Fergus county, Montana. That is where Derilda was born. Following Helen Derilda Hebert in the online trees, she was shown to have married Robert Chester Holmes and had at least a couple of children. She died in 1968 in Seattle, Washington.

The only explanation I have for the stamp "United Photo Service, LaCrosse, Wisconsin" is that whoever took the photo sent their film there for processing. We used to send our film somewhere to be processed. I remember the fun of getting the pictures back! Sometimes it took from Christmas to the county fair to finish a roll of film. You never knew what would be in that envelope.

Friday's Faces from the Past - Clarence L. Mann

How often can you find a photograph of one of your Great Grandparents as an infant? I feel very lucky to have this! The above tin-type was in a plastic baggie with other old pictures in a box of my Grandma Menke's things. When I saw it, I thought the little guy could possibly be her Dad, Clarence Mann. After posting it in a Facebook family group, I got word that his youngest daughter also thinks that it is him.

Clarence Mann, 1963

Clarence Lemuel Mann was born June 18, 1878 and died at the age of 90. I'd guess he looks about 2 years old in the tin-type, so it was taken about 1880 probably in Illinois. Clarence was the 11th child of 12 children born to William and Nancy (Climie) Mann, though his older siblings Stephen, Corrine and Carrie had passed away before he was born. Another sister, Elsie, was born and died in August of 1880.  All of the children were born in Illinois, and then in December of 1881 his fifteen-year-old brother Lafayette died in Nebraska. 

Like his father, Clarence farmed for many years. He married Cora Mabel Gaisford on July 5, 1899 in Fairbury and they were the parents of 14 children, one son died in infancy. Clarence and Cora moved into Beatrice about 1935. He worked for Dempster Mills for 10 years, then enjoyed retirement from 1952 until his death on October 18, 1968. 

Friday's Faces from the Past - G G Bruckert Photographer

G G Bruckert of Harvard, Nebraska took this photograph. Gustave & Emma Bruckert lived in Harvard in 1900 and by 1910 had moved to Thayer County.

I don't know who this couple is. To my knowledge, they are not related to me. I'm hoping someone who sees this will recognize them. They are likely from southern Hamilton or northern Clay Counties in Nebraska. It's another unidentified photograph from a collection that once belonged to my Great Grandma Sadie McGrath or her sister Alice Negley. 

Friday's Faces from the Past - Photographer Soderberg

Here's another unidentified photo from the Old Trunk in the Attic. This Cabinet card measures about 6" x 8" with about a 1" mat on each side. The photographer mark on the bottom is "Soderberg, Sutton, Nebr."  Pater Soderberg was a photographer in his 50's living in Sutton in 1910. His wife Anna and son Clyde were enumerated with him. By 1920, he and Anna moved to Pasadena, California. 

As for who the bridal couple is, I don't have any clues. They may have lived in Clay, Hamilton or York county Nebraska. If you recognize them, please leave a comment or send me an email.

Friday's Faces from the Past - Harry & Ethel Harter

Wedding photographs of couples in my family tree are always treasured additions. This couple is not in my family tree. They likely were from Hamilton, Clay, or York county in Nebraska and probably were friends of my family.

The white material of her dress actually has a print to it. The pleated top has blouse sleeves and beaded pearls on the collar. Her full-length veil is sheer. She has no earrings or necklace and he has no lapel pin. It's a curious thing to me but she is carrying her flowers up-side-down, and it looks like his boutonniere is up-side-down as well.

The photo measures 6" x 8" with a 1 to 1-1/4" beige colored mat around it. There is nothing written on the front or back. A photographer's imprint of "Thorne" is in the bottom right corner, but no town is given. There was a William Thorne, listed as a photographer, in York, Nebraska in 1910. 

This couple belongs in someone's family tree. If you think you might know who they are, please leave a comment.

UPDATE 7/4/17:  As it turns out, this couple IS in my family tree. Thanks to cousin Deb for reading my post and letting me know. 

Harry Winfield Harter and Clara Ethel Smith were married on February 27, 1907. Ethel was the daughter of William and Rebecca Smith. The were blessed with one son, Gerald K in 1909.  Then on November 27, 1918 after a brief illness, Harry passed away.  Ethel took charge of the Post Office in Stockham, Nebraska in May of 1920, but died in July that same year. They are buried in the Stockham Cemetery.

Friday's Faces from the Past - Unidentified Couple #1

There are no names, no date, no photographers logo on this one. Google Image search came up with nothing.  They're VERY nicely dressed, like maybe for a wedding?  I've cropped out most of the black frame, the original is 8" x 6-1/8".

As with several other of my "Friday's Faces from the Past" posts, this photo was among the personal possessions of the Negley family from Eldorado, Nebraska. It's hard to say exactly who it belonged to for sure. I think there's a good chance this couple (or one of them) was a schoolmate of my Great Grandma Sadie Negley and her siblings. The following list of students enrolled in 1895 in the Eldorado school doesn't include their grade or age (If I can find the time, I'll work on that!).  I've included the ages of the Negleys.  It's just a possibility that the people in this photo are in this list.

1895
ROSS - Conrad, Christina, Lilla, Eddie 
JAEGER - Henry 
SOUTHWORTH - Peter, Hattie 
BRADLEY - Vella, Guy 
BENDER - Albert 
ERICKSON - Erick 
CARLBERG - Oscar
OSBORN - Bertie, Charles, Mabel, Edith
ILIFF - Furman, Clarence 
HOHMBAUM - Richard 
MEYER - Thomas, Charles, Frank, Fred 
BAUER - Emil 
BETTGAR - Fred 
FIFIELD - Sylvia 
NEGLEY - Alice (18), Sadie (15), William (12), Calvin (8) 
AYER - Melvin, Clara, Geneva, Blanche
YOST - John 
BROBERG - Albert, Alfred, Arthur
ENGLAND - George, Hulda, Eddie, Rosie
PENNER - Bertha 
RATH - Samuel, Stella, Albert, Charles, Ida, Willie, Irving 
SHOREY - Rosie, Philbert 
STOCKHAM - George, Elijah, Avery
CALAN - Maggie 
TAYLOR - William, John, Bertha, Carrie, Guy, Josie 


There's also a chance this couple was from towns around Eldorado, like Stockham, Harvard, Aurora or Giltner.  For more of my "Friday's Faces from the Past" click on the label below, or see my Pinterest board - Clay/Hamilton County, Nebraska Old Photos.  

If you have any of the above names in your family tree, take a close look at the photograph and see if this couple looks familiar.  Leave me a comment if you have any clues.

Friday's Faces from the Past - Cicero & Allie Bell's Anniversary

March 17th is the wedding anniversary of my Great Grandparents Cicero & Allie Bell. When they married in 1901 Cicero was 32 years old and Allie 29.  I don't know the date this photo was taken, but it's the earliest photo of them that I've seen.  I think their clothing seems to be typical of the first decade of the 1900's.  They both look like they're dressed for a special occasion.  Whatever the occasion it's a great photo and I'm grateful to Mary Ann for sending it to me and for allowing me to share this with Cicero & Allie's descendants.

Friday's Faces from the Past - Gertrude

"Gertrude" sent these postcards, each with this photo, to both my Great Grandmother Sadie (Mrs. Art McGrath) and her sister Alice Negley.  They must have been enclosed together in another envelope, these aren't stamped or fully addressed to have been mailed. Her longer message to Alice says she was working at a hotel, but no mention of the location. There's no date here, but Sadie married Art McGrath in 1908, Alice never married.  

These postcards were in the Old Trunk in the Attic, among other things that at one time belonged to either Sadie or Alice, or both.  I'm sure Gertrude is not a relative, but a good friend of both Sadie and Alice.  I was looking through some transcribed obituaries I have that came from a scrapbook put together by someone in the Negley or McGrath family, and I found an obituary for Ezra Ayer who had a daughter named Gertrude.  So I looked at the 1900 census for Gertrude Ayer and found her in Eldorado.  She was the same age as Sadie Negley.  They went to school together in Eldorado.  



Clara Gertrude Ayer married Carlton Henry Wood about 1902.  They had two daughters, Emma Gertrude and Vivian Effie.  For two decades, they all lived in Iowa and Nebraska together until 1930 when Carl and Vivian disappear.  Gertrude and Emma are living with Gertrude's parents in Aurora, Nebraska.  In 1940, its just Gertrude and her father in Aurora.  From his obituary I learned that one of Gertrude's daughters was Mrs. Arthur Childers of California which lead me to find that Gertrude died in California in 1959.  She is buried near her parents in the Harvard, Nebraska cemetery.

"How are you all by this time?  I am fine and dandy.  Am still working at the Hotel.  We have a new cook here now.  He is about as slow as ever was.  The waiter says he makes him so nervous he don't know what to do because he is so slow about giving him his orders.  He isn't near as good a cook as the other one.  The first cook went to take a vacation.  He says he will come back in two months if they want him.  Best Wishes for Easter and write me a letter.  Read Estella's"  

"Read Estella's"  is that present tense read or past tense read?  And who is Estella?  Stella Rath was another Eldorado student in the late 1890's, maybe that's who Gertrude was referring to.

I can't be absolutely sure that the postcard photo is Clara Gertrude Ayer Wood, but it's very possible it is her.  If you know Gertrude, please leave a comment below or send me an email. 

Friday's Faces from the Past - Noon Sisters

These two young ladies are Myrtle and Viola, the Noon sisters.  They were the oldest children of Frank & Minnie Noon.   Their four younger brothers were Fredrick Marion (1899-1983), Clifford Carl (1916-1978), Raymond W (1908-1960) and Lee (1914-1975).  All of Frank & Minnie's children were born in Kansas.  Frank (1870-1926) and Minnie (1873-1932) are now buried in Mount Carmel Cemetery, Ionia, Kansas. 

Raymond (1908-1960) was the only sibling who stayed in Kansas.  The others all moved away, Fred (1899-1983) and Clifford (1916-1978) moved out to Oregon, and Lee (1914-1975) to Seattle, Washington.  Myrtle (1894-1975) married William Peters and they moved to Wray, Colorado.  

Viola Esther (1895-1979) married my Grandpa's brother Oren Bell on September 7, 1919 in Kansas.  Oren was a pastor and served in Norfolk, Nebraska, Bargersville, Indiana and also Oklahoma City, Oklahoma for many years.  They are buried in Resthaven Gardens Cemetery there.

That information is all from some quick searching on this family.  I got both of these photos from my cousin Ruth Ann, who is the daughter of Virgil, another brother of Oren.  A note was included that was written to Virgil from "Arnold" that said this is "Viola Noon Bell's home, likely taken sometime in the 1920's".  I don't know who Arnold is and I'm not sure of the location of this house, either in Kansas or Norfolk, Nebraska.  That's an interesting window, maybe a stain glass piece?  There's a rocker and a small dish (for the cat?) on the porch and the screen door is wide open.  Winter trees from the yard reflect in the windows. 

I'd love to hear from anyone who is related to Viola, Myrtle or any of the Noon's.  Please leave a comment below with any corrections or additional information.