Home of Benj. Dow 1897

Submitted by Les Niemi (Dec. 2004):
Thought you might like this photo of my gg grandparents (Benjamin F & Sarah DOW) - my g grandparents are also in the photo (Lauer and Daisy DOW). This photo was taken at the Fairfield Township home of Benjamin DOW in the fall of 1897 (based upon the apparent ages of the children in the photograph).Les Niemi

Captions do not show up - Photo, L-R: Son Durrell, wife Daisy nee Hogeboom, Lauer Dow. Patriarch Benjamin Franklin Dow Wife Louvilla nee Scott, Matriarch Sarah nee Jones, Pleasant Dow, daughter Olive Rose Daughter of Wm. Darlene "Nellie", wife Zilla nee Dow, husband Wm. Shere.

Les Niemi added the following revised information on May 16, 2008:

We know the photo of the Benjamin DOW family contains the following adults (left to right):

Daisy & Lauer DOW (m 1893)
Benjamin DOW (Father of Lauer,
Pleasant, Zilla)
Louvilla & Pleasant DOW (m 1892)
Sarah DOW (Mother of Lauer, Pleasant, Zilla)
Zilla and Will SHERE (m 1895)
We also know the dates of their children:
Daisy & Lauer - Durrell b Sept 1897
Pleasant & Louvilla - Olive b Sept 1893, Orville b April 1895, Viva b August 1897
Zilla & Will - Temple b 1897 (m?,d?)

If Durrell is in this photo (on Daisy's lap), it would put this photo in the late spring or early summer of 1898 (leaves are in the trees.) BUT...Where are the other 2 babies born in 1897? They could be in the house sleeping; however, I am rethinking the date of this photo.

If the photo were taken when or slightly after Will and Zilla married (June 12, 1895), then:
Olive, dau of Pleasant and Louvilla, would have been about 2 years old and Orville would have been a baby. But, Durrell, Temple and Viva (all born in 1897) would not have been born at the time of the photo).

Who then would the little girl near Will and Zilla be??

I now think the little girl is Darlene SHERE, dau of Will and his first wife Charity nee WILSEY, b April 1894.

Thus, the child on Daisy's lap would have been her nephew Orville DOW, the girl next to "Grandma Sarah" would have been Olive DOW and the girl next to Will & Zilla would have been Darlene SHERE. Les

See the message thread on this photo on our MESSAGE BOARD:Ben DOW Family Photo Mystery - Little Girl?
http://www.tampicohistoricalsociety.citymax.com/board/board_topic/23882/353001.htm
started May 16, 2008. You can cut/paste the URL above to go directly to the message thread.