A few years ago, I was talking with my mom about her family, and some of the pictures that we had found. Apparently I was not listening very closely, because I have located pictures again and I now have no idea who these people are. She once told me that her father served in the US Navy during WWI and that she had a picture of him in his Navy uniform. She looked for it, but never did find the picture. I never really pushed the issue either, figuring that we had plenty of time. Wrong again. When mom passed away, my brother and I cleaned out the house before we sold it. If any of our other five siblings wanted anything, they could have it. But I wound up with all of the pictures. I looked all over for that picture of my grandfather in his WWI Navy uniform, but no dice. I do have other pictures, and I finally got around to scanning some of them and I e-mailed them to my cousin Regina so she could show her mom, Aunt Florence. I thought Florence could ID some of my mom's family. Here are a few of the pictures that I sent::
Regina sent me an answer. Florence was able to ID a few people in this one. Florence says that she thinks this one was taken at a house at Coney Island. From left on porch it's her (Florence's) dad Joe Markey (he had a heart attack at
midnight mass and died Christmas day 1956), her mom (Aunt Florence-but we called her Florrie - if that is how you spell it), the kids are Bill
&Ed sitting on the rail, and Kate (my grandmother) behind them. She didn't know anyone else. I thought they looked like the Hatfields or the McCoys, and I am guessing this was taken in the late 20's.
This one was next and Florence says that this photo is of my mom, Florence and Florence's sister Joan Markey O'Keefe. I don't know the order, but I think that I got them from left to right. Next one was one of my favorites. Mom had told me once that a soldier she had dated had asked her to marry him before he left for the war. She said no (Whew!!!). When she turned him down, he asked her not to tell anyone that he had asked. I guess the statute of limitations has expired by now, so the secret is out.
I thought this was the man in this photo. Wrong again. This is my mother's cousin Arthur Riedinger. Yes the same Arthur Riedinger that I wrote the post about a couple of months ago. He married and was killed in a construction accident and was buried in Toms River, about a half hour from my house.
Now I have a couple for my dad, but there is no one to confirm any identity. Mom found this one in dad's drawer after he passed away in 2006. It is one of my favorites, but I have no idea who it is. The original in a tintype, so this is a copy.
Looks like what I would imagine Billy the Kid to have looked like. Young man with a colt hidden in his vest pocket. He does put me in mind of my two sons (neither of them owns a Colt), but there is a family likeness.
If I had to guess, I would guess it is my grandfather, but the family wrote him off and I don't know if dad would have kept his picture - my mother never saw him. He is a very well kept secret. I do, however, have a picture of my dad's father.
My cousin Linda gave me this picture and she has written on the back of her picture who every one is.
In the front from left is Mary Tully (my godmother and my father's cousin) Marguerite Brady (dad's sister), Dottie Moore (another cousin), my grandfather Thomas James Brady holding my uncle Jim, then my grandmother, Marguerite O'Dea Brady (holdin a dog or cat, or whatever that is). Next row left with her arm around Dottie Moore is Aunt Mae (Mary O'Dea, dad's aunt) behind her is her sister Gertrude (Mary Tully's mom and my dad's aunt) Mary and Gertrude are my grandmother's sisters. The boy behind my grandfather is unidentified, but he is a cousin (one of the O'Dea sisters' son). I am guessing that this was taken around 1919 which is before my dad was born in September 1920 (by the way, today is his birthday, he would have been 92).
Well, that was fun. While writing this post, I came across another photo of a female on my mother's side that I am going to e mail to Regina for positive identification. I'll let you know how that works out.
