Keeping up with the Joneses Pt 1 of 12

I haven't forgotten this blog, just things have taken more precedence, mainly school. But I was emailed recently asking why I haven't been blogging lately. Well, family history is why! It takes some time to compile names, photos and most of all making sure all the sources are correct before I go to publishing on the great ole interweb. So, without further ado... Keeping up with the Joneses

Dating the ages of the Rock Springs School class photo

• The picture was most likely taken in 1894, maybe 1893.

Three Jones brothers are standing together in the back row. Beginning with Charles,(2nd from left), age 11 or 12, next to him is older brother Samuel, age 15 or 16, and then Albert, about age 10 or 11...

Sister Esther was three years older than Sam making her about 19 at the time of the picture. If she is there I sense that she might be fourth from the right in the back row due only to the shape of her face which is mindful of her older sister Mary Lou reflected in a later family photo. If I have the photo dated but one year earlier, 1893, then Esther would have been 18 and probably still in school.

The two girls cropped near the center of the picture are most likely Martha Elizabeth, about age 8, on the left with sister Pearl, about age 6, next to her. This is only an educated guess since the two have dresses of the same patterned material meaning they are most likely from the same family and the age difference of the two is about right in the photo. I see a strong resemblance to Pearl and somewhat less in the face of Martha.

Grady, Eula, and Ruth would have been younger than six and most likely not in school at all. However, the front row has some rather young children present so it is possible that some of the younger family members were present. I can't recognize any strong facial features within the younger children, however. Ruth was born the year of this picture, 1894, Grady would have been about 4 years old and Eula about 2 years. It is possible that Grady may be present but I am doubtful at this point. If I were to hazard a guess if any, Grady might be fifth from the left in the front row but I really have no confidence in that at all.