Mam-ma's Southern Family

Two photos in my grandmother’s photo collection were taken on the same day and they are some of my favorite photos. The first one has a bit of humor in it. My mother, Lela, is the child in the middle and my grandmother is the woman on the right. To the left is Maggie Self, my grandmother’s aunt, and her father’s younger sister. It’s humorous that they are lying on the floor and perhaps Lela couldn’t hold her laughter and that is why she is a bit blurry in the photo. The second photo taken the same day and in front of the same door has four generations. You can see that Maggie, Pansy, and Lela are wearing the same outfits. In the rear are Maggie Lancaster Self and her brother, Warren Lancaster. Seated are Carl and Doll Lancaster, Maggie and Warren’s parents with their great-granddaughter, Lela, between them. On the floor is Pansy Johnston, Warren’s daughter. Four generations of Lancasters: Lela > Pansy > Warren > Carl & Doll. I just noticed the treadle sewing machine in t...

This is is a photo of my great-grandfather, George Warren Lancaster, my Mam-ma's father. On the front is written "Bud" at the top and "George Warren My bud" at the bottom. He looks pretty dashing standing in the yard with his bow tie and hat.  This photo is a photo postcard and has been trimmed. I I cannot read completely what was originally written on the back in pencil, however, my grandmother wrote in dark ink "George Warren Lancaster. Dorothy sent this to me 10-8-2005. She found it in some of her mother's pictures. My father. Pansy L. Johnston." I recognize my grandmother's handwriting. There are clues in this written description. Dorothy is Pansy's double cousin, Dorothy Loveless. Her parents were William Hutson Loveless and Josephine Hazel Lancaster. Pansy's father was George Warren Lancaster, Josephine's brother and her mother was Lela Ann Loveless, William Hutson's sister, thus making Dorothy and Pansy double cousins. Th...