Photographs and memories...

[dee_burris]

Burris clan in Russellville, Pope Co., AR, circa 1920/1921

There's a wall of photographs over my bed. I call it my dead relatives gallery, and I'm not really joking, although some of my family and friends laugh nervously when I say it.

I'm using this journal to share information I have acquired over the past several years for surnames in my family tree. The journal is "tag intensive" to make it easier to locate information and photos about specific surnames. (Tags list is in the left sidebar of the journal.)

They say you can choose your friends, but not your family. Personally, I find my family fascinating, and even more so the older I get. Sure, we have our share of archetypes - shrill, bossy women...strong "silent type" men...and the requisite number of "crazies." But hey, this is the deep South, and as Julia Sugarbaker said in Designing Women:

"...we're proud of our crazy people. We don't hide them up in the attic. We bring 'em right down to the living room and show 'em off. ...no one in the South ever asks if you have crazy people in your family. They just ask what side they're on." Like Julia, mine are on both sides.

Primary surnames researched include Ashmore, Balding, Burris, Callaway, Chapin, Darter, Duvall, Grooms, Harkey, Hayslip, Herrington, Hill, Holder, McBrayer, Meek, Parrish, Pettit, Shinn, Wharton, Williams.

All comments are welcome, including anonymous comments. You do not have to be a Dreamwidth member to comment, and may use Open ID, i.e., Google, WordPress, etc., to comment.

ETA: Most of the photos you will find in this journal were taken over 100 years ago. Regardless of their age, these photos were falling out of albums, or lying loose among family papers and I have scanned them to preserve them for posterity. Photos of gravestones appearing in this journal were taken by me.

I said all that to say this - if any of these photos are of your family members, just right click and save them to your computer. No one associated with this journal is going to chase you down to try and prosecute you for copyright infringement, as long as you don't claim you took the photo.

The written content of this journal is copyrighted. Don't use it without my written permission.

---

Email me at sharpchick13 at hotmail dot com.

Comments

[dadadadio.livejournal.com]

First row, fifth from the left .... that kid is trouble. I can see it in his expression. He did not want to be there. There's mischief on his mind .... 90 year old shenanigans.

Love your blog

[(Anonymous)]

I'm just dipping into your posts, having found you via Geneabloggers. Can't wait to read more. What I've read so far is marvelous. Nolichucky Roots (http://nolichuckyroots.blogspot.com/)

photo with this post

[(Anonymous)]

This is about the most perfect large-group family photograph I have ever seen. It's amazing that with so many people, every single one of them is still and looking toward the camera. This is a photograph to cherish! Nice blog. Welcome to geneabloggers.
Nancy from My Ancestors and Me at http://nancysfamilyhistoryblog.blogspot.com

Just found your blog

[(Anonymous)]

I have just found your blog via Geneabloggers and I love. I am looking forward to spending this Saturday reading the entire thing.

Claudia

http://claudiasgenealogyblog.blogspot.com/

Ancestor Approved

[(Anonymous)]

I wanted to let you know that I am giving you the "Ancestor Approved" Award for your blog. Please go to http://aremyrootsshowing.blogspot.com/2010/12/ancestor-approved-award.html and pick up your badge.

[(Anonymous)]

Was seriously hoping to see a Williamson in your list there...my husband's ancestors from Russellville. :-)

I love this photo...group shots always amaze me...how did they get the kiddos to sit still?
You know Julia Sugarbaker was dead on about us southerners, we've got plenty of crazy folks!

Arkansas

[(Anonymous)]

A dear dear friend, who is gone now, was from Arkansas, and she would keep us in stitches with her "Southern Gothic" stories, as she termed it, about her neighbors, friends, and family.

How did you get the edge on your photo? - Please don't say Photoshop. The photo is so fabulous!
I can't figure out how to have the post with my ID so I will just include it in the post. . . . Margel

thanks

[thoseoldmemories.blogspot.com (from livejournal.com)]

Thank you for the nice comment on my recent series of Hannah Lee's Overland Journal @ Those Old Memories blog. Nice to find your writings and to follow along!

[(Anonymous)]

You don't have 'Google Blogger' as an option for comments, but in Blogland I'm Jinksy - not anonymous at all. LOL. I like the idea of you 'dead relatives gallery' - I sort of have one too, on the wall in my hallway. But there are lots of people in my pictures who are still alive, as well!

[(Anonymous)]

Oh I really like the term "dead relatives" and actually used it once when I took a holiday and went searching my dead relatives for Thanksgiving one year...and there are some in my living room too, as well as other places....not in the attic, never....these days our attics are like nothing...sad to say.....I loved my grandmother's old attic...not her scary basement with the octo furnance oh no! I like this family grouping photo, most everyone came with lighter colored clothes except for was is three ladies? Amazing story to be had by all these people I'm sure if we knew it!

[(Anonymous)]

Not sure why my name didn't appear but it's Karen S. email at swirlgal01@aol.com for the above anonymous post.

[(Anonymous)]

Hey, these people are better looking than my ancestors, and they look like a fine bunch of folks. Can I adopt them retroactively?

[(Anonymous)]

How lucky you are to have a family portrait like this.

[(Anonymous)]

Oh my. I often think of old photographs as time travel, but never to this extent. According to your date on this post we are now at Oct. 31, 2015. We are forward time travelers. This is not something every blog can claim!

Good Job!

[(Anonymous)]

I love reading your blog, and I have chosen you to receive the "One Lovely Blog" Award. You can find out more at my blog: The Mashburn Collection.

http://www.themashburncollection.com/2011/03/i-love-these-things.html#axzz1GXLouMiA

[(Anonymous)]

Wow, what an interesting family. Every one has a face with a story to tell. I'm looking forward to hearing them.
Barbara

[(Anonymous)]

This is a wonderful family group photo, all the age groups are in it.

I tried to leave a message showing my ID but there isn't a Blogger ID to click. I found you through Sepia Saturday.
My blog is www.mymagpiecollection.blogspot.com

[(Anonymous)]

From Alan Burnett :
Thanks for sharing your image on Sepia Saturday. I suppose we all have our Dead Relatives Gallery : and although they are often long dead, their fascination lives on.

Your blog

[(Anonymous)]

Since you left a comment on my blog (Family Matters), I found my way to yours. Your blog is wonderful and I look forward to visiting you again.

One Lovely Blog

[(Anonymous)]

Dee, I have passed on to you the One Lovely Blog Award. You can get your award at: http://aremyrootsshowing.blogspot.com/2011/03/one-lovely-blog-award.html

Enjoy, and congrats!

[(Anonymous)]

Dee, this is great! I have some posts about my relatives in Summers, AR spread throughout my blog, but I like how you are putting all of your "sepia" relatives on one blog. I love the description of your "dead relatives" wall, lol. I have them up all over the bathroom.

Have a great week, and thank you so much for stopping by to visit.

Kathy @ Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy

Crazies

[(Anonymous)]

Loved the post and really enjoy your site and what you are doing. My husband is a 'McBrayer' in fact if his gr gr grandmother had married the father of her child, our last name would be McBrayer. Would love to compare notes and see if we are on the same line.

2015

[(Anonymous)]

That is really bringing lives to the future. Thanks for the pic. Jen

[(Anonymous)]

My Mom wrote you an email. Her Daddy is Lewis Earl Burris, son of Ernest, son of George Washington Sr. Between her and a Crites family member they were able to indentify many in the photo.

[(Anonymous)]

I believe if you start from the bottom right of the children, go four over and the first young man behind them (on their knees?), I think that is Lewis Earl Burris. I know that on the back row standing, center woman with black hair is his mother Ida May McCauley Burris. Interesting note: Her daddy Patrick McCauley, who was born in Ireland is buried at Elmwood cemetery in Morrilton.