As stated in the introduction to this week's theme of Favorite Photo, it is hard to ask a family historian to choose a favorite. There are so many. The photo that I chose to write about has several reasons to place it in that category.
In May of 1921, a family reunion was held by the McGuins. The McGuins are my great grandmother's family. There were several posed group photos and candids from this reunion taken but I like this one best for several reasons. First, it is a casual pose of Mom and her daughters. Even my photographer husband liked it for that reason. And next it is two generations which would not have been possible a year later. Mom, Rebecca Growden McGuin fell ill later that summer, and never recovered well, died April 17, 1922. Her daughter Theresa is my great grandmother and it is one of the few photos of her as a younger woman.
Each woman in the photo has a different expression on her face. Mom looks pleased to have all of her children about. Clara looks determined, for what reason, I don't know. Agnes looks worn and tired and sad. Mary looks funloving and pleasant and Theresa looks like don't mess with me.
This reunion made the local newspapers, as many of that time did, detailing the location and attendees and the fact that it was noteworthy for being the first time the family was all together in one place. One small inaccuracy is that there was another son, the eldest child, who died young at age 23 in 1833.
Bedford Gazette, May 20, 1921, pg 4
The women in the photo are left to right:
Clara McGuin Fisher : She was born on 30 Mar 1863 at Beans Cove, Bedford Co, PA and married John Thomas Fisher on 22 Jan 1889 at Bedford. She was Thomas' 2nd wife. He brought two daughters into the marriage. Clara and Thomas had no children of their own. Clara died on 26 Aug 1949 at age 82 in Bedford. Her husband died the following year.
Rebecca Growden McGuin : She is the mother and was born on 18 Aug 1839 in Cumberland Valley, Bedford Co. She married William Thomas McGuin on 5 Jan 1858 in Centerville, Bedford Co. They would have 9 children, 4 daughters and 5 sons. Her husband died in 1905. Rebecca died on 17 Apr 1922 in Bedford, the last of her siblings. She was living with her youngest child, Theresa at the time of her death.
Agnes Melissa McGuin Dumpert : Agnes was born on 26 Jan 1861 in Bedford, Bedford Co. She married Joseph Dumpert on 6 Feb 1878 in Beans Cove, Bedford Co. They would have 5 children, 2 daughters and 3 sons. This family appeared to move frequently. Between 1879 and 1900 they lived in Bedford PA, Ohio, Nebraska, Indiana and finally back in Bedford. According to her death certificate she was divorced at the time of her death on 24 Dec 1949 in Harrisburg, PA. Her former husband died in 1936.
Mary Josephine McGuin Will : Mary was born on 4 Feb 1876 in Bedford. She married Peter Will on 21 Nov 1897 in Bedford. They would have 3 daughters all in Bedford. Mary passed away on 14 Jan 1943 in Bedford. Her husband died in 1949.
Theresa Beatrice McGuin Arnold : My great grandmother, Theresa, the youngest child of Rebecca, was born on 9 Oct 1880 in Cumberland Valley, Bedford Co. She married William Ralph Arnold on 18 Jun 1902 in Bedford. They would have 10 children, 5 daughters and 5 sons all in Bedford, PA. Her husband died in 1961. Theresa died on 22 Dec 1967 in Bedford.
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