We will get back to Theresa Pake, but I am working on so many branches of the family. I can’t let the other leads I have lie there untracked. I need to follow them, too ;).
Let’s start to explore the wonderful scrapbook of the DeKorn-Culver family again (while not forgetting about Theresa or Jennie DeKorn Culver’s sister Mary DeKorn DeSmit’s family either). For more information on this story, see the related posts below.
To remind you, I had wondered what happened to one of the sisters of Richard DeKorn (my great-great-grandfather). Her name was Jennie, or perhaps Jennie Adrianna, and at some point she moved with her two daughters, Lela and Rhea, from Kalamazoo, Michigan, to Seattle, Washington. She may have been divorced in Kalamazoo. A lot needs must be explored at this juncture because why would a woman with two daughters move so far away from home–especially in those days?
A reader in the northwest United States who happened to have a scrapbook that belonged to Jennie’s family contacted me. What a surprise! She was so kind to send me the scrapbook. When I finish making both .tif and .jpg copies of the photos I will send her a CD of the photos. My daughter did the preliminary work on the copying, but I need to do more and to “cut apart” the copies that were taken of multi-photo scrapbook pages. In other words, my daughter copied pages so as not to damage the book, but I want to copy the copies and then crop the photos so that they appear separately on the screen.
I wrote to Bayview Manor in Seattle to try to find out if this scrapbook belonged to Lela or Rhea Culver. This is the facility where the scrapbook was found. Unfortunately, I have not heard back from them.
To begin to identify these photos I need to start with what I know. I have a photo of Jenny when she was a young woman. And there is a photo in the scrapbook which I think looks strikingly like Jennie. I want to see if you agree or if you think these are different women.
THIS IS JENNY DEKORN CULVER (1857-1947):
Jenny DeKorn Culver
1857-1947
HERE IS THE WOMAN IN THE VELVET COAT. IS IT JENNY?
And is the coat velvet or fur? I am assuming it is velvet, although I did find a picture of a fur coat from around 1920 that had a similar look. However, the main reason I think it’s velvet is that it looks like velvet at the points where the fabric bends.
What do you make of the shadow at the bottom of the photo? Is the setting a garden or a lawn?
The Family Kalamazoo 
Their mouths seem similar. Is the shadow the photographer?
Definitely that same mouth! I think it is the photographer. Doesn’t it look like someone wearing a jester hat? 😉
I agree with the above comment. The set of their lips are very similar. The shadow on the ground is most likely the photographer and the sun is shining into the model’s eyes, hence the shadow appearing in front of the model.
Deborah, yes, I think the mouth is the same, too–at least the same with age. You’re right about the sun in her eyes. Maybe that is why she’s squinting and looks so grumpy. That shadow is oddly shaped, don’t you think?
I think whoever was taking the picture was wearing a really cool hat with feathers. So likely the photographer was female.
Oh, that must be what it is! It was probably one of her daughters!
And the camera was likely one of those box cameras that was held at the waist level, instead a modern camera which would have been held at eye level.
That’s a good point about the camera being held at waist level. What year range do you think this shot is?
Based in the jacket I would say between 1915-1920. The photograph could be later (into the 1920s) if the jacket was old. The elements I am looking at are the size and shape of the collar, length of the skirt, and where the belt hits the waist (high).
I appreciate that, and I think it fits perfectly with when I thought most of the photographs were taken!
Sure loks like the same woman to me. And she is sure stern looking!
I thought so, too, Amy, but in reading Deborah’s comment (above) I was thinking her look is made worse because she’s squinting because she’s facing into the sun.
Could be, And I don’t think people smiled as much back then—bad teeth, maybe? Or just trying to look dignified?
If I were to hazard a guess, I’d have to say they were the same! 🙂
I’m glad you agree with me hehe! I really do think it’s the same woman. All the features seem to be the same, just much older.
She looks something like one of the 3 pictures you sent me of the DeHorns.
Hi Ed, she does look like a DeKorn, I think. Like Richard and her dad (if it’s Jenny) Boudewijn. Posting about your mother again next week!
I agree with the others that it could be the same woman in both photos. She has such a serious look in both photos.
She does. And I’m starting to find some information on her and have found cause for her seriousness ;).
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