This is apparently a photo of a photo, printed on postcard stock. There is nothing written on the back, but there can be no doubt about the identity of the man with the long, white beard, even though there isn’t a clear view of his face. He is Nathan McClain (Great Grandpa McClain to many of my readers). This photo is interesting because it is the only photo I’ve seen that shows a bit of the apple orchard Nathan and Mary had in North Albany.

I suppose this photo could have been taken anytime between when Nathan and Mary moved to North Albany in 1911 and when Nathan passed away in 1919.

The identity of the children (presumably grandchildren) in the foreground would probably narrow down the date range, but I don’t know their identities, or even whether the child in back is a boy or a girl. Ideas welcome.

Jim (Nathan’s son) and wife Susan McClain and their four children at the time (Elmer, Howard, Mary, Myrtle) moved from Nebraska to Oregon about 1912, and remained there until about 1916 before returning to Nebraska. I don’t know the reason for this. It is possible that Jim and family actually lived with Nathan and Mary during this time, but I am far from certain of that. I am inclined to guess that they fell on particularly hard times in Nebraska and had no choice but to move in with Jim’s parents for a time. But I am way out on a speculation limb on this.

I bring this up because this photo may have been taken during that period, in which case the grandchildren may be Elmer and Howard, Jim’s oldest sons, who would have been six and three, respectively, in 1912 when the family moved to Oregon. But that’s a wild guess as to the children’s identities.