Picnic in Waterloo Park (near Lebanon) in 1927 occasioned by the visit of Will and Emma Wright from Hoquiam, WA. Present were four Wright siblings (the progeny of William P. and Angeline Wright): Will, John, Lottie and Persis. Also two Hulshof siblings (the progeny of Evert and Willemina Hulshof): Minnie and Gerrit. Also the children of John and Minnie, Gerrit and Lottie, and Persis and husband Charles McCormack (not in picture). (Tap/click image for photo with identification key.)

The distortion on the left side of the image is in the original print, sadly.

There probably wasn’t another gathering like this after this one. By 1930, Gerrit and Lottie had moved to South Dakota (though they returned to the Willamette Valley sometime between 1935 and 1940). Also by 1930 Charles and Persis had moved to Los Angeles (though they were–or at least she was–briefly in Oregon in 1933 because their son Eugene was born here). Will passed away in 1931.

Almost all of John and Minnie’s and Gerrit and Lottie’s children ended up settling within 75 miles of this park, though. I think the only exceptions are Ann and Mina (California), and Richard Hulshof and Charlotte Hulshof (South Dakota).

I don’t think I’ve seen a picture of Grandpa where he is smiling more broadly than in this picture.

Will Wright (if it is indeed him) is hard to find in this picture even with the identification key. If you’re having trouble, look to the left of Aunt Ann’s neck. It blends into the background, but there is a head in profile with a hat on. See it? It is identified as Will pretty much just by process of elimination. If it is not Will, it could be Charles McCormack, Persis’ husband. Whichever one of those it is not may be the person behind the camera. But that’s just a guess.