Who Were They?

Clyde has acquired a sister named Flora. Clyde appears to be about 3 or 4 in this picture, and instead of just Mother, we have Father as well. Note the necklace that Mother is wearing. It’s the same one from Clyde’s baby picture. It appears that her dress is very similar as well. I will tentatively date this photo to 1885. One thing is odd about the photo. They all seem to be looking in different directions. Mother is looking to the left of frame, Father is looking to the right of frame, Flora is looking somewhere to the center right of frame and Clyde is looking at the middle. Makes you wonder if there was some sort of distraction just before the photo was taken.

In trying to trace the photographer – again a challenge because there is a county in Kansas named Howard, it can never be easy, right – I learned that between 1870-1880, Clay County (where Clay Center is located) saw a population increase from about 2000 to over 12,000 settlers. Apparently many of those who emigrated to Kansas after the Civil War were veterans hoping to take advantage of their veterans benefits. It makes me thus wonder if Clyde’s father was a Federal veteran, or if they had family or friends who had come out to Kansas earlier who were veterans. Considering the previous family portrait in which the father’s left leg appeared not to be there, it is possible he was in fact a war veteran who had been injured, and after the family was settled, suggested their friends/family come out as well. It’s all complete speculation, but somehow it is fun to speculate at this late date.

Hopefully soon we will learn who this family is.

UPDATE: We now know that this is George and Abbie (Streeter) Moses, Clyde and Flora.