Many of you have probably seen a copy of this photo at one time or another. This is the wedding portrait of Arthur McClain and Addie Hammell. They were married June 3, 1908 in Albany.

Addie basically grew up in Albany, having moved there when she was about four years old. Arthur moved to the Albany area about 1902, when he was about 18. Somehow between 1902 and 1908 he met, courted and married Addie, as has been mentioned previously.

The only hint I have about how Arthur and Addie met is a vague memory from their daughter Betty. She recalled that Addie was friends with Oral McClain, older sister of Deo McClain and cousin of Arthur (Arthur’s mother Mary and Oral’s father John were siblings). Oral was two years younger than Addie. Oral’s family moved to the Willamette Valley about the same time as Arthur’s family. Addie somehow met Arthur through Oral.

That doesn’t help very much, because it just changes the question from “how did Addie meet Arthur?” to “how did Addie meet Oral McClain?” It seems like the answers are equally obscure.

Whatever the case, Arthur and Addie did meet and they did marry. And they did have a wedding portrait taken (as you can see) at the well-known J. G. Crawford studio in Albany.