Tag Archives: Bessie Frances Hammel

Celebrating John Hammell’s 80th Birthday, July 1, 1940

2 Comments

Evidently the family gathered on July 1, 1940 to celebrate Great-Grandpa John Hammell’s 80th birthday. Here are a couple of group photos of the attendees:

The three girls in front: Donna, Clara and Kathryn Wright. Next row back: John and Sarah Hammell, Bessie Radford, Floyd Hammel, Addie (bending over) and Arthur McClain. In back, Florence and Lloyd Wright, Betty Scott, Billy Hutchins.
Same group as above, with the addition of Lee Scott to the right of Betty.

Mom (Florence Wright) was three days away from delivering her fourth child, Arthur, and Aunt Betty Scott was 30 days away from delivering her first, Jim. So there are two quite pregnant ladies hiding back there. (I think things were beginning to change, but in 1940 pregnancy was still something to be hidden, generally, and even using the word “pregnant” was socially unacceptable. A holdover from Victorian times, I guess.)

I’m not sure why Uncle Lee Scott appears in the second photo, but not the first. Perhaps he was setting up the camera (?).

Just over a year after this photo was taken (14 months, to be exact), Sarah Hammell passed away. John lived another 14 years after Sarah’s death, and even entered into another (seemingly ill-advised) marriage in 1945.

It goes without saying that the girls in front are cute. In the second photo, Donna’s attempt to deal with the bright sun brings a chuckle.

I’m not sure where these photos were taken. Maybe the back yard of 122 N Sherman (?). (If you recognize the location, please leave a comment to that effect. Thanks.)