Expanding Horizons Together

Living during times when many women felt society holding them back, Grandma Carson always believed that women could accomplish anything they set their mind to. She would be proud of how her granddaughter and great-granddaughter continue to support each other and improve on their talents. Patti described what they've been up to recently: "In the past two years, we’ve enjoyed taking classes together, meeting for weekend painting retreats & visiting art museums. During one retreat, we took a week and each painted a portrait of the other."


Above: A still life by Kim

According to Kim, Patti is definitely the one who pushes them to increase their skills and knowledge. "Mom tells me were classes are, when shows are held and she links me to articles on the web about color, composition and styles. She is directly responsible for getting me started. She is also my motivator." Of course, Kim tells us, some of their trips are worthwhile for more than art's sake. "She wants to go to Italy for our next class. How can I deny her?"

But they don't just do things together, they include the family. For example, "This year, we’re planning on painting a mural for Tami’s tea room." Kim's subjects have included Grandma Carson. Patti has painted for Aunt Joanne, and done several portraits with her grandson Drew as the model.

Taking classes as mother and daughter also affects others in the classroom. "We are a mother/daughter sensation when we take classes together. Everyone thinks it so endearing that we share an interest and practice together."


Above: A painting by Patti

Memorable Photo Monday #3

This is one of the photos that Bernice was kind enough to share. I am fairly certain that the picture was taken at the Carson Home in Brentwood, Maryland. The year, as written under the photo (not visible here), was 1957.

From left to right are: Bernard Brooks Pendergraph, Janis, Kathleen Carson, Jimmy, Patti, Jean.

UPDATED 27 JUNE 2005: After viewing the apparent ages of those in the photo, I now believe that the date written under the photo was incorrect. I would be interested in hearing other opinions, but I now think the year was about 1954 or 1955.

UPDATED 18 JANUARY 2005: I found another copy of this photo with the names written on the back. The names listed above are correct, according to the note on the back.

Notice that everyone in the photo is dressed up. I think I know why.

While Patti and I were going through Bernice's trunk of photos, we kept checking for notes on the back side. After a while we noticed a pattern. If you found a photo that included people who were dressed up, and it listed names on the back, it was likely to also include the year, and the occassion: and the occasion was almost always "Easter".

So chances are, if you have family photos where some of us are dressed up, it was taken around Easter.

Painting Together, Apart

Patti and Kim live in homes that are over 150 miles apart, yet they critique each other's work, provide encouragement, take classes together, and participate in art shows together. How did such coordination get started, and how do they manage to keep it going?

Patti recalls, "I think what started our interest together was as I would paint, I would e-mail Kim digital copies of what I was working on and ask her to critique for me."

For Kim, working together was a direct result of the mother-daughter shopping trip for supplies. "It was definitely the trip to the art store that started it. After my purchase, I was a little lost for both a subject and a starting point." She continued, "Mom helped me layout a painting of Grandma Bernice. I worked from a black and white picture taken when she was 14. At the end of every setting, I sent Mom a digital picture via e-mail so she could make suggestions and provide guidance."

Kim and Patti have worked together long enough that they seem to see a bit of each other in their work, and they seem to take more care when recommending changes. Kim describes how her comments about her mother's work has evolved, "Initially, when she asked me to critique a painting she was working on, I was so flattered to see her paintings change with my suggestions. Now if she doesn’t change it, she has to offer up a pretty good reason why not."


Above: Patti, painting on her porch.

Patti, Kim and Their Long-Distance Shared Hobby

Mom's and daughters spending time together. It brings to mind walks in the woods, reading stories, chatting over breakfast on a Sunday morning, and - for Patti and her daughter Kim (see photo) - award-winning paintings.

You might imagine that a such a shared love of painting would be the result of talents identified and nurtured from a young age. But, for each of them, painting is a skill pursued and developed as an adult.

How did they become interested in painting? Thinking back, Patti says, "I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t doodling something." Then, in her mid-twenties, perhaps hoping to nurture this untapped talent, her mother gave her a set of paints and brushes. Patti soon found that learning to paint, like learning any other subject, would require both formal and informal help from others. "I started trying to mix colors, and quickly saw the need for assistance." She took her first oil-painting class a few years later.

At the time, "Kimberly was very young... I didn’t envision a time when she would paint with me, but I saw her talent early and tried to encourage her."

Kim started years later, taking a class in her early 20's. She recalls that she "completed three paintings that had promise, but when the class ended I did not pursue it." (see "Floating Fruit", at right)

Then, with Kim not really following up on her interest, and with Patti having spent little time painting for several years, it was time for another gift. Kim recalls, "Heather, my youngest sister, called upon her siblings to take up a collection to buy art supplies for Mom’s birthday, hoping that she would start painting again." It worked! Patti was certainly energized. In fact, Kim says, "After that, Mom started pressuring me to pick up where I left off too. She found out that I had gotten a bonus from work and came over for a specific visit where we went art-supply shopping."

So now, Mom and daughter are painting. But how did they end up painting together, when they no longer lived close-by? Find out in the next posting.

Memorable Photo Monday #2

Here is another photo that brings back memories for many of us. This image was taken at the home of Bernie and Helen. I don't recall the name of the town, but I know that we drove out Indian Head Highway, WAAYYY out into the country to get to their house.

I also recall hikes to the nearby pasture, where I always imagined that some wild-eyed bull was lying in wait for a few unsuspecting children, just out of eyesight.

Shown are (left to right): An unidentified boy, Debbie (seated) Bernie (Sr.), Bernie (Jr.) an unidentified person behind the screen door, Jimmy (seated).

UPDATED 21 June 2005: The youth on the left, speaking to Bernie, is Joey. The town was Accokeek, MD.

For those of you following along on the web-site, this week I begin a series of articles on Patti and Kim. Read along and find out about their shared love for painting.

Final Notes on William L. Carson

William has been described as quiet, but one of the original male chauvinists. Amazingly, he did not get along well with his daughter-in-law (Kathleen), but the reason is not clear. She had been known to say that he would live to be 100, because he was too ornery to die young. Some were known to jest that none of his wives were strong-willed enough to out live him (William was repeatedly widowed).

William died on February 5, 1974, in Albuquerque, New Mexico after falling from the roof of his home (see the picture, below). He was 93. His will was probated in Roanoke, Virginia.

William and his wives

Several family members remember William. They say he was often called “W.L.”, and ultimately had five wives. Maude was the first. Ivy was believed to be his second wife, probably followed by Zetta. His last wife was Ethol. I do not have the name of the other wife recorded.

Sometime after 1940, William and one of his wives (possibly Zetta or Ivy) traveled from Albuquerque, New Mexico, to Washington, D.C., to visit with family. During that visit, they stayed with Chester and Kathleen Carson. The visit was unusual for W.L., as he was not deeply involved with Chester and Kathleen’s family.

Here is a photo of Ivy, who passed away in 1947, and W.L. with another wife (who, I believe, is Ethol - Can anyone confirm this?)


Ivy Carson in Washington, D.C., 1940


W.L. Carson and Ethol?

Memorable Photo Monday #1

You have all done such a great job identifying the people in our old photos that I need some time time to review what I have and update the names of those identified. So, I've decided to start sharing some photos you may remember. These are pictures where I know who most or all of the people are, and sometimes the date and/or location. If you can provide additional information, let me know.

Also, if you have photos that you think others will enjoy, and would like to have them posted - send them to me and I'll be glad to post them. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the memorable images I have for you!

We'll kick off the first Memorable Photo Monday with a photo from the 1994 family reunion, held at the home of Jim and Debbie, in Ellicott City, Maryland.

This photo shows a group of family members who had gathered to tell family and personal stories. Does anyone remember some of the stories?


Family stories were told and enjoyed by (from left to right): Bernie, Patti, Helen, Joanne, Roy, Maryanne, Joe, Eddie, Jimmy, Bernice, Sid, Kit, Libby, Jennifer, and Debbie (seated on the floor).

Maude passes away, William leaves a record

Maude died of a brain hemorrhage sometime after April of 1930, perhaps as late as early 1931. Her will was probated in Roanoke, Virginia. At the time of her death she reportedly had more than one hundred heirs. This apparently caused problems with some family members, and very little inheritance for any given person.

As shown in the first posting, William provided us with additional information on his life when he filled out his application for a Social Security Number. Dated March 14, 1938, he signed the application W. L. Carson, and listed his name as William L. Carson. At the time he lived at 1916 S.W. Lindley Avenue, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He was 57 and worked at Gulf Production Company, in Edmond, Oklahoma. He gave his birth date as August 19, 1880 and his birth location as Hancock, Maryland. He verifies that his father was John K Carson, and his mother was Rachael Truax.

Here is the only photo I have of Maude:

William and Maude, through 1930

I have not found a record for Maude or William in the 1910 or 1920 U.S. Census, however from the obituary for John K Carson we know that they had lived in Oklahoma in 1927.

In April of 1930, William and Maude lived in a home that they owned on Lindley Avenue in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. On the same property, which was valued at $2000, were his sons Chester and Virgil. Chester and his wife Kathleen had two children: Bernard and Bernice. Virgil and his wife Zetta were childless. Each rented and lived in smaller homes on the property.

All of the men worked in construction. William was a contractor; Chester and Virgil were carpenters.

One interesting fact recorded in the census is that all of the males in the family, William, Chester, and Virgil, were married at the age of 22.

Below: William L. Carson and an unknown youth work in the garden.

Mystery Photo Monday #14

Mollie and I traveled to Florida for Bernie's memorial service. During our visit we spent time at Bernice and Roy's home. Patti and I decided to sift through the chest of photos they have accumulated over the years. We went through hundreds of photos before finally reaching the bottom. I'm now in the process of scanning some of them, and will soon post a few here. As I work on converting the photos to electronic files, I plan to start posting some other photos I have. Since most of the folks in these photos are known, Mystery Photo Monday's will become Memorable Photo Mondays, at least for a while. I hope you enjoy the first posting, next week.

In the meantime, here is another Mystery Photo. The gentleman is W.L. Carson, and yes, that is a racoon on his shoulders. The mystery is the two women in the second photo, shown with the same racoon. One of the women is probably a wife of W.L., but which one? And who is the other woman? Where did W.L. live with a pet racoon?

The quality of the second photo is not very good, but maybe it's just enough for someone to recognize them.

UPDATED 14 JUNE 2005: This photo was taken at the house W.L. built in Alburqueque, New Mexico, His wife (nearest the racoon) is Ethel. The woman in the background may be Kathleen Carson.

William Lloyd Carson and Maude Delilah James

William and Maude Carson were the parents of Chester Carson.

• William Carson and Maude James
  
  • Chester Carson and Kathleen Rogers

William Lloyd Carson (sometimes found on the Internet with the additional middle name of Bernard, in front of Lloyd) was born on August 19, 1880 in Hancock, Maryland. He was the fourth of five children for John K Carson and his wife Rachel. Earlier in the year of his birth, his parents were living in Fulton County, Pennsylvania. Perhaps William was born during a short stay in Maryland, the birthplace of his father.

At the age of about fifteen, William and his parents moved to Kansas. However, by 1900, William is apparently on his own, as the census record of his parents residence in Oklahoma does not include him.

Maude Delilah (sometimes found as Deleilah) James was born in May of 1882 in Virginia, probably Botetourt County, but this has not been positively established. Maude’s parents were John MacNeil James and Mary Elizabeth Amos. She was one of at least seven children.

By 1900, Maude’s family had moved to Hutchison City, Reno County, Kansas. The details of how she and William met are unknown, but they were married in about 1902.

Below is a portion of William's Social Security Application, which verifies his birth information, names his parents, and identifies his place of residence and employment.

Final Tidbits For Thomas and Maria Rogers

I have additional information about Thomas and Maria, such as their death dates and burial locations. But information that should be readily available in these days of online records research are mysteriously missing. Where were they in 1880, what about 1920? Was their daughter, Fannie, married? If so, what happened to Fannie’s husband?

Here are the final tidbits of information I have:
Maria, who’s middle name was probably Ann, died on 17 June 1923, and is buried in the Millcreek Baptist Church in Towncreek, North Carolina. Thomas was buried in the same cemetery after passing away on 18 January 1929.