Thursday, January 7, 2010

The Henry and Jean Wessman Family

A photo of the young Wessman family with Jean's parents.
Another copy of the photo has names written on each figure, but some are a bit hard to decipher.
Front: John, Jean, Phil, Betty, Bobby (cousin Robert Edwards, son of L.R.J and Elizabeth Hayward Edwards)
Middle: Merle, Harry, Paul, Dick, Ernest (baby)
Back: Jean, Grandpa Henry Hayward, Henry, Grandma Elizabeth Pugsley Hayward

1946—after the war.

The people in the photograph aren't identified, but I am guessing the following from looking at other photos in which family members are identified. Please leave corrections in the comments. [Thanks for all the comments. It looks like we have everyone correctly identified now. 1.28.2010]

Front: Barbara (Harry's wife), Jean, Marilyn, Elaine Shirts, JoAnn Shirts, Harry (Henry H. Wessman)
Middle: Richard, Elaine (Ernie's wife), Elizabeth Jane (Betty; Phil's first wife), Norinne, James (Harry's son), Jean, Beverly, John
Back: Phillip, Henry H. Jr (Hank; Harry's son), Gammon, Ernest (Ernie), Joseph Shirts

After Jean's funeral.
Front: John, Keith, Liz, Boyd, Gam
Back: Ernie, Harry, Jean, Phil, Norinne, Paul

14 comments:

  1. In the photos titled "1946-after the war" and "After Jean's funeral" "Noreen" should be spelled "Norinne".

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  2. Aunt Jean with Joe behind her is next to Beverly. Aunt Norinne is in the middle with the dark hair and beautiful dimples. I think that the woman on the left end middle row is Elaine who is married to Ernie. This is a guess. Then Margaret next to her. Aunt Norinne would know. Aunt Marilyn is in hospice and things look bleak for her. Aunt Norinne is going to Chicago this week. Thank you for all of your work, we love reading it. I love our family! xoxoox Aunt Judy

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  3. OOPS, my comment are on the 1946-after the war photo.
    judy

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  4. one more comment:
    On the left front I think is Margaret who was married to Richard sitting behind her.
    So on the middle row from left: Richard, Elaine, Liz, Norinne, Keith?, Jean, Beverly, John
    Good nite! Aunt Judy

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  5. If I recall a story someone (either Grandma Beverly or Aunt Jean) told me, Bobby is the neighbor boy who insisted on being in the photograph. Instead of ruining the moment (as he may have been a fractious, troublesome boy) they simply let him be in the photograph.

    I can't verify that story, though.

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  6. 1946-after the war First Row: Barbara (Harry's Wife), Jean, Marilyn, Elaine and Jo Ann Shirts (Jean's granddaughters) Harry aka Henry H.
    Second Row: Richard, Elaine (Ernie's wife) Elizabeth Jane aka Betty (Phil's first wife) Norinne, James (Harry's son) Jean, Beverly, John
    Back Row: Phillip, Henry H. Jr aka Hank (Harry's son) Gammon, Ernie, Joseph Shirts

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  7. Correction from Norrine: In A photo of the young wessman family with Jean's parents. Bobby is Robert Edwards, Aunt Bess and Uncle Bob's son. Aunt Bess is Elizabeth Cripps Hayward Edwards, her husband Uncle Bob's is Lewis Robert Joseph Edwards.

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  8. Per Norinne, Bobby is not the neighbor boy who insisted on being in the photograph. This must be family legend that isn't true.

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  9. In the after war photo, JoAnn Shirts and Elaine Shirts are the grandaughters. They are the daughters of Jean Hayward Wessman Shirts.

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  10. Ernest Hayward Wessman passed away yesterday, 2/19/2010. I was Googling to try to find a story I had remembered and came across this blog. I hadn't seen these pictures before so I was delighted to see them. Thanks for putting them online. ~Coralee (granddaughter of Ernie)

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  11. Do you have any contacts for the family of Henry Hayward and Barbara Wessman? Barbara was the half sister of my great grandpa. I don't know how to find any of their living descendants.

    Jeran Farley

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  12. Yes, send me an email at the address listed in the sidebar.

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