UPDATE: The Faces of Our Ancestors

 This week I had the privilege of spending a few hours with my mother's cousin Millie (Mildred [Allen]) Stevens of Catlett,Virginia and her daughter Cheryl (Stevens) Frazier of Remington, VA. Aside from several hours talking about old times and family history, I was given a copy of this gem. 

For the first time, I was able to see my maternal great-grandmother Emma Florence (Thorpe) Allen [1874 - 1948]. It almost brought a tear to my eye. Emma was a Valley Girl having been born in Mt. Jackson, VA; the ancestral lands of the Virginia Allens. 

Here Emma is surrounded by her children: (L to R) May Virginia, Violet Pearl [my grandmother], James Paul (Jim), Harry Dewitt (Johnny), Emma Florence, Thomas Elwood and Edward Franklin (Bud). Harry Dewitt looks to be about two years old in this picture but I don't have his actual birth date. My grandma (Violet) was born in 1909. Assuming she is about seven or eight years old in this picture I would date this to circa 1918 - 1920. 

I'm also assuming that this was taken either in Catlett or just down the road in Weaversville. Emma's husband, my great grandpa (Luther Milton Allen) ran a store there (across from the Laws Farm). Both the farm and store were destroyed in the tornado of May 2, 1929. We don't know for sure but their house may have been very close to the store. Today nothing remains but an open farm field (UTM coordinates 18S 0270922, 4280107; right on Elk Run Rd. just outside of Catlett). 

UPDATE (9/21/2022)

A fellow Allen researcher (Mike Bell of Austin TX) recently came across this photo he found in his Aunt Vera Jones' genealogy records.

(click for larger image)

From 1939, here we have (left to right), Violet Pearl (Allen) Ridgley holding Virginia Lee Ridgley. Next to her is Emma Frances (Thorpe) Allen. In front are Elsie Lavenus Ridgley and Hilda Florence Ridgley. This photo is another example of a priceless family heirloom that could have been lost to the ravages of time if not for the careful eye of a genealogist like Mike Bell.