Smile for the Camera, 11 Edition--Frederick Family Children

The word prompt for the 11th Edition of Smile For The Camera is brothers & sisters? Were they battling brothers, shy little sisters, or was it brother & sister against the world? Our ancestors often had only their siblings for company. Were they best friends or not? Show us that picture that you found with your family photographs or in your collection that shows your rendition of brothers & sisters.

Children of Alfred Frederick and Lucinda Orr Frederick of Columbiana County, Ohio
Photograph circa 1886

The Cast of Characters (a pretty sober bunch!):

ALBERT L. FREDERICK—the oldest born July 21, 1869, Franklin Square, Columbiana County, Ohio. Known as Bert

WILLIAM WALTER FREDERICK—born October 2, 1871, Franklin Square, Columbiana County, Ohio. Known as Walter.

ROBERT BELL FREDERICK—born October 25, 1873, Franklin Square, Columbiana County, Ohio

EDNA MAY FREDERICK—August 24, 1876, Columbiana, Columbiana County, Ohio

MARTHA MARIE FREDERICK—the baby and my grandmother born April 8, 1880, Columbiana, Columbiana County, Ohio

Martha Marie was my maternal grandmother. My pet name for her was “Teek” because we had to take a “teek-car” (streetcar) to get to her house back in the early 1950’s in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I spent quite a bit of time with Teek over the years as a child, teenager and young adult. She lived several years past my marriage, but I cannot remember her ever talking about her family. It’s odd since her father and I share the same birthday! Even my mother did not have any knowledge of her Frederick grandparents or her two uncles, Albert and Walter. No one ever talked about them!

Three of the Frederick children ended up in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area. Edna lived in Squirrel Hill and my mother told me that she and Teek talked on the telephone, but were not close. I also understand that Edna was very domineering toward Teek….maybe the older/younger sister thing! When Teek's husband, my Grandfather Stark died, folks at the funeral said that now that both sisters were widows, perhaps they would be closer--but that didn't happen!

Robert, called Bob, lived in Avalon, Pennsylvania with his family. Teek and family lived several streets away, so they saw each other frequently. According to my mother, when the Frederick’s got together for an evening or a meal, it was always “very stiff.” Not a lot of silliness or animated conversation.

Albert is missing in action. All I know of him is that he lived in Chicago in 1910 and must have died around 1925-1930 as my mother had no knowledge of him. I blogged about Albert as one of my brick walls and have had an inquiry, but I am beginning to think it is the "other Albert Frederick" who lived in Columbiana County, Ohio.....too bad!!!

Walter was a very social fellow according to his obituary; however his life was cut short by influenza in 1899.

I love the photo. It is one of the oldest pieces of personal history that I own. I am amazed at the clarity of the image as it has not been handled with much care over the years. I found it in a cardboard box along with other “old stuff” after Teek died. For years I held on to the box…….from city to city…from house to house….from attic to basement…until the genealogy bug bit me in 1993. Now it has found a home in an archival folder.