George Daniel Waswo

Subject: George D. Waswo
Age: 29
Location: Jefferson Park, Chicago, Illinois
Occasion: Unknown
Date: May 31, 1914
Photographer: Unknown

My plan was to post the wedding pictures of George Daniel Waswo and Lucy Traulsen in August; as August was the month of their marriage. However, while going through some boxes, I found additional photographs from this era of my grandfather and grandmother. My mother, Norma, gave me these photographs years ago. I forgot I had them. Near the middle of September the wedding photographs will be posted.

I know very little about this photograph other than the date and location. This was written on the back in my grandmother's handwriting. I am unsure whether he was dressed for work or to go out. The date is very close to Decoration Day, or Memorial Day as we now call it. Decoration Day was an occasion for more general expressions of memory, as ordinary people visited the graves of their deceased relatives, whether they had served in the military or not. So perhaps George is dressed up to pay his respect towards the family members that passed on.

I love looking at these pictures of my grandparents in their youth. It amazes me to see the family resemblance between Grandma Lucy and my mother, Norma, and Grandpa George and my Uncle George, Norma's brother.