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A Birthday Spent with Ancestry.com



Oldest daughter headed back to college this morning; John went to work.  Youngest daughter had schoolwork to do.  I decided to enjoy my birthday by spending time with family history research.  It paid off.  I found a birthday photo that someone had uploaded to ancestry.com.   

The bearded man seated in the middle is Richard Dolph.  He is my great-great-great grandpa, and this picture was taken on his 90th birthday.  Back row:  Annie Martin, William Dolph, Hattie Martin, Alta May Dolph Hunt .  I don't know who is seated to the sides of Richard Dolph, though I am suspecting more of his children, based on the family resemblance.   I'm not sure exactly who the Martin women are, but William and Alta May are Richard's children.  Alta May is my great-great grandma, and my grandma was named after her. 

I  love this photo. Can't you just hear John McCutcheon's recording of "Cut the Cake" playing to describe this scene?  (I'm assuming that they were smiling sometime!)  Then, of course, because this photo is of my ancestors, I also think of "Water from Another Time." 

Thankful thought of the day:  Thanks to Richard Dolph, who raised Alta May, who raised Edna Anna, who raised Alta Mae, who raised my dad, who raised me!  And thanks to the spouses of said individuals, who did the same.  And thanks to the ancestry.com contributor who shared the photo. 


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