Treasure Chest Thursday: The Wilson Family

Selig Wilensky arrived in the United States in November 1891.[1] In his new land he became Saul Wilson. It was more than five years before his family joined him from Kasan, Russian Empire (today Kozyany, Belarus).[2] From 1898 through 1904 they lived in Hudson, New York. Their youngest daughter, Esther, was born in September 1898 in Hudson - their only child born in the United States.

Saul Wilson, Nina Wilson Herman, Benjamin Wilson, Esther Wilson Marwit Wasmflash, Joseph Wilson, Hoda Wilson (circa 1903); family collection.

I have a copy of this photograph and, therefore, have no information about the studio in which it was taken. I do not know if any family members have the original.

Hudson city directories for 1901 and 1902 list four photography studios:

Charles Booth, 551 Warren
Sullivan Brothers, 425 Warren
Nelson E. Weeks, 609 Warren
Volkert Whitbeck, Forshew's Photograph Gallery, 441 Warren [3]

Weeks' studio is no longer listed in 1903 and 1904 Hudson directories.[4]

Notes:

1."New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957," digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 20 October 2008), manifest, Polaria, Stettin to New York, arriving 23 November 1891, passenger number 196, Selig Wilenski; citing National Archives Microfilm Serial M237, Microfilm Roll 579.
2. "New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957," digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 7 September 2009), manifest, Pisa, Hamburg to New York, arriving 1 June 1897, list 7, Hode, Nachame, Josef and Benjamin Wilensky; citing National Archives Microfilm Serial M237, Microfilm Roll 579.
3. J.H. Lant, Hudson City, Claverack and Stottville Directory (Hudson: J.H. Lant, 1901), 176; also 1902, 179; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 28 August 2014). 
4. J.H. Lant, Hudson City, Claverack and Stottville Directory (Hudson: J.H. Lant, 1903), 174; also 1904, 170; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 28 August 2014). 

Treasure Chest Thursday: Wilson and Garber Photo

Left to right: Joe Wilson, Bernard Garber, Lee Urbass Wilson, Ira Wilson, Norma Wilson Garber, Tillie Liebross Wilson

I supposed if several of us in our family put our heads together we might be able to hazard a guess where the family was when this photograph was taken. There were just a handful of favorite fancy restaurants in my family. Regardless, I love this picture.

Everyone looks so comfortable, relaxed and happy. My grandmother, with her auburn hair, is as I remember her (she died when I was only 7). Joe (we always called my grandfather just "Joe") is the same, as well. He was a doting and generous grandfather and my only grandparent with whom I really had the opportunity to grow up. He died when I was 22. And my parents and my aunt and uncle look stunningly young. So much more life to be lived!

The photo was likely taken in the late 1940s. My grandmother Tillie is wearing a large corsage; so somehow she was being honored. Joe and Tillie were married on 31 May 1917, so this would be too early to be a 50th anniversary celebration. Perhaps it was a birthday bash? Although I have no idea when her birthday actually was or when/if it was celebrated.