Sometime ago when my brother sent along this picture, I was so very happy since I had never seen this particular photo before. I had some that were taken on the same day, but not this one of our father holding the three of us. There are so very few pictures of us in our childhood and even less of Dad at that time. More when we were teenagers and older but not as little kids. I really treasure this picture. I don't think I have posted this on this blog - maybe on Funoldhag -but if I have, I'm sorry. I do want it here, though.
Here is another of the three of us. I probably was around 13 or 14 at the time. Wearing what they used to call a "bobby suit" and an awful perm. Probably was going through my awkward stage! We are standing in front of Dad's garden. Jo was probably 11 and Bud maybe around 9. 
On AOL's page this morning, there was an article about Penney's phasing out their big catalog - the last of its kind. They are going for more individual catalogs and the online shopping. No surprise since the way people shop has changed so much. Online shopping is great, especially if you can get free shipping. That reminded me of two old Spiegel catalogs I have saved from 1961 and 1965 - I used to shop Spiegel a lot, especially when we lived in Iowa.
Some lovely knit sheath dresses. I used to really love this style and have even made some. That was back when I had a nice waistline.
There are some that I have posted before but I think this makes a nice addition to my blog. Also in my group of pictures is one of my sister, Jo, my brother, Bud, and me. I am the oldest sibling. Ray was an only child. The one of me and my friend, Shirley, in the boat was the day three of us spent most of the day on the river and ended up with terrible sunburns. Shirley was in bed a couple of days. Elinor (taking the picture) and I were both hurting really bad but we had much darker complexions and not as bad off as Shirley. That is one of the only times I have ever had a bad sunburn. It was a hazy day, too, but I guess the reflection of what sun there was on the water set up a bad scenario. (Click to enlarge)
Here is Maggie, dear Grandma Pearce, probably now about 85 years old, with my little kids, Sherry and Bill at my parents' home in Rome, Illinois, on a summer day in 1956. Doesn't it look like Bill is concentrating on a word for Scrabble, which is on the picnic table. Smart little kids I had! Sherry was born on Maggie's 80th birthday as I have mentioned before and she would have been five and Bill two and a half. Maggie had really aged. She lived to be 87 years old and had a good life and good health. She was a hard worker and a lovely lady. I so enjoyed my grandmother and loved the times I got to go stay with her and my granddad and Aunt Leah. Leah never married. She worked at Bergner's in Peoria for years and years. After I was out of high school and working in Peoria myself, I used to stay down sometimes and spend the night with Grandma and Leah. My grandfather was gone--he died when I was in the late years of grade school. And, if you enlarge the picture, there is her cameo. That nostalgic, beautiful piece of jewelry is in my keeping and I know what I wish to do with it. I will pass it to someone to take good care of it and keep it in the family to be cherished and enjoyed for many years to come. It is precious to me. 
Here are two ladies I loved so much - Leah and my sister, Jo. I am assuming this picture was taken at the same time as the one above. So many years have gone by - and each one goes faster than the one before. It's so nice to think of the people we love who are no longer with us.
Sometime during the late twenties or early thirties, Grandma Maggie took a trip to California to visit daughter Nelle and her family.
The two little fellows in this photo are my cousins, Ken and Bob, who are both older than I. Next to them is their father, Lambert. Maggie is behind them and Nelle is in the last seat. Don't know the other lady.
A good picture of Nelle and family and Grandma Pearce. Again, an unknown lady is with them.
The writing tells the story. Ken, the little one at the back of the boat, my brother, and I were in contact by e-mail when I was working on my family history about seven years ago. He has been into geneolory for many, many years on both sides of his family. He has much on the Pearces and shared all kinds of things with me and Bud. Living so far away, he didn't get to see our grandparents very many times and he loved to hear stories about them. These, of course, are some of the pictures that Bud had from Ken and that he sent along to me. Thank you, little brother! (Click to enlarge)
Chillicothe, Illinois, probably some time in the late thirties or the forties, was the scene of a parade for some occasion. I am guessing that it could have been the Santa Claus parade held in early December each year - the trees in Cutright Park that is just past the building on the left are devoid of leaves. Leading the parade is a handsome fellow on a horse carrying the flag. My brother speculated that it might be Kenny Koch, a prominent young business man who started out with almost nothing and was extraordinately successful. However, his life was cut short by a tragic snowmobile accident. In the background, the band can be seen marching down Second Street, the main drag in Chilli. The building at left is Kelly's Department Store. How I wish I could see it as it was back then. I wasn't in it too many times, but even I as a young girl knew that they still had some of the stock on their shelves that had been there for years and years. Small towns are wonderful! (Click to enlarge)
The other day I was thinking about Sadie Hawkins Day - thinking it was November 2nd. I looked it up on the internet and here is a little explanation of this fun holiday created by Al Capp the man who is responsible for the great old comic strip, Lil Abner---
In the early to mid- forties when I was in high school, Sadie Hawkins Day had taken on a mind of its own. Everyone had SH dances where the girls got to ask the boys. Never was that supposed to happen otherwise!! Wow, were we in a different world back then.
Here is Sadie! And following this picture is a comic strip about the first Sadie Hawkins Race which I think explains what happens.
This girl may have been Moonbeam McSwine. The minister, of course, is Marryin' Sam.
Here is D. B. Pearce, my granddad, standing in front of his car and the cottage that they had upriver.
The Pearce family spent many happy days at the Sionilli, in Rome, Illinois. Here are Dan and Maggie with some folks who were visiting them. Dan was into politics in Peoria - at the time I was born I think he was City Treasurer and with a third grade education. The visitors here appear to be a sheriff or police officer and his wife. I love looking at the picture of my grandmother, Maggie, on the right end. She was so very pretty when she was a young woman.
Here are some of the young Pearces. Ed and Leah are the first two in the back row, and I think Ham is in the middle in the front row and my mom, Nan, is on the right. Methinks Ed was a little dickens - he was that way even when he was older. Always had a joke and was fun to be around. My late memories of him included when he and Aunt Henrietta would watch wrestling on television. She was the cutest person and I really liked being around her. 
Cooling off in the river. Back then it was nice and clean - notsomuch anymore. 
Pictures sent by my brother that are sweet but of unknown children. I believe he mentioned that he got them - or one of them - from the daughter of the owner of the old general store in Rome, Illinois, where we grew up. These pretty little girls were all dressed up - was it for a birthday party? I just thought you might enjoy looking at the pictures. I love their pretty dresses - some look as if they have pantaloons underneath. Stockings with stripes must have been very stylish, too.
Lots of children - of all ages - by an old car and I think the driver is the fellow with the cap on the left side of the picture. Might this have been a school outing or a Sunday school picnic? So many things you can think of in regard to the reason for the gathering. These children go from very small to maybe junior high age. Regardless, these are two very sweet pictures from long ago. Enjoy. (Click to enlarge) 