As far as I know, this is the only photo in the archives showing the inside of any part of the Hammell’s home at 122 N Sherman.
The bare-bulb lamp on the table with a cord going up (presumably) to a light socket in the ceiling is a bit scary. I suppose that’s how they had to do such things when this photo was taken, since houses generally didn’t have wall sockets.
The debris on the floor (which looks like scraps of wallpaper, maybe) leads me to think this photo was taken right after this corner was completed (that is, wall papered, plate rail with cup hooks put up, plates and cups displayed). The fact that a photo was taken at that point says something about the importance of the project (presumably to Sarah Hammell).
The type and condition of the photo (printed on post card stock) points, I think, to a date in the teens, or possibly even earlier.
As I understand and remember the story, Mom (Florence) really liked her grandmother’s plates, cups and cream pitchers that you can see on display here. This was significant, because in general Mom wasn’t someone who liked a lot of “stuff.” When Sarah Hammell passed away in 1941, Mom may have thought she would inherit some or all of these items. (Perhaps her grandmother had promised them to her. I don’t remember the details clearly enough to say that with confidence.)
What happened instead was that John Hammell remarried. I’m not sure anyone in the family even knew the name of his new bride. I came across one hint that it might have been Charlot or Charlotte. Anyway, the woman he married didn’t stick around long, and when she left she took a lot of the contents of the house with her (including these plates, cups and cream pitchers). Let’s just say that this did not endear this woman to Mom. (The term “floozy” may have been used. ;–)
The seeming implication of the story as it came to me was that this woman was running a con on Great-Grandpa Hammell. I don’t know to what extent that accords with what actually happened (which we probably will never know).
My older siblings may know better than I whether Great-Grandpa Hammell lost the house at this time (or was forced to sell it, or his new wife sold it out from under him, or something), or whether that happened later. I know only that at some point after this, John did not have the house any longer and had a room at a hotel in Albany. (Was it the Saint Francis?) At least these were his living arrangements by the time he passed away in 1955.
Those are pretty much the facts as I recall hearing them. Except “Floozy” was used in place of her name! So it wasn’t a may have been used!, Poor Mom!
I’m sorry. “May have been used…” was intended in jest. It definitely was used. I heard it with my own ears. I’ve added a smiley to maybe clarify my humorous intent.
An in-person conversation with Donna today added what may be a tiny bit of clarification regarding Mom’s interest in these plates and cups and cream pitchers and sugar bowls (evidently there were sugar bowls, too). Donna explained that she used to stop to visit Great-Grandma Hammell on her way home from Madison School when she was in first grade. She remembers Great-Grandma explaining to her that she had picked out specific items in this collection for each of her great-grandchildren. In fact before Great-Grandma passed away, she gave Donna the items she had picked out for her. So they were saved from the fate that the rest of the collection suffered.
Mom must have known something of her grandmother’s plans, and knew that the collection was to be divided up in some fashion. Her concern, therefore, may have been less about her personal interest in the items and more about seeing that they stayed in the family and that her grandmother’s wishes were carried out.
All your conclusions seem quite accurate to me, Lloyd. Very well done, as usual. Thank you!