Moody Women

No these women are not having a temperamental moment. They are the wife and daughters of George Washington Moody (1855-1908).

Minnie Stringellow Moody (1868-1932) is pictured here with four of her six daughters. From left are Lillie (1893-1982), mother Minnie, Eula Mae (1897-?), Julia Lavinia (1886-1965), Bernice (birth and death dates unknown).

The other children not in the photo are Melissa V. Moody (1889-?), Robert M. Moody 1891-?), Viola Moody (dates unknown), and Joe Moody (dates unknown).

What observations can you make about the differences in the hairstyles and dress fashions of these five women? They all lived in a rural western Mobile County, Alabama, farming community. Do they look as you would expect farm women and wives to look?

The Problem of Lewis Monroe Pierce:1832-1902

The above photo is believed to be of Lewis Monroe Pierce and Sarah Stringfellow.

Lewis Monroe Pierce (b. April 15, 1832, d. March 1, 1902) creates a problem for Pierce family researchers. We're not sure who his father is. Many researchers list him as the son of John Pierce.

The problem is that there are two men with the same name, the other being Louis Monroe Pierce (b. Feb. 6, 1835, d. May 25, 1927). In the 1850 census for Mobile County, Louis is living in the house of John Pierce and Lewis is living next door. But all these Pierces are probably all related.

Lewis had two wives, Sarah Stringfellow (b. abt. 1831) and Elizabeth Turner (b. May 1837).

The closely spaced buttons on the woman’s bodice suggest the photo was taken between 1870 and 1900. The center parting of her hair with it tied back was practically the only way women wore their hair before 1870 and style remained common well into the 20th century.

This is a real brick wall in my Pierce family research. Any suggestions about how to break through?

Photo Source: Original print in the possession of Virgie Holland, Lucedale, Mississippi.

Did you have an ancestor who was also a great photographer?

This photograph is one of my favorites and is interesting because it is a photo of someone taking a photo. It also pulls in your attention, as though you could step into it and back into time.

Probably taken during the early 1920s, the photo shows the three women very fashionably dressed with the short hairstyle popular at the time.

The woman wearing the hat is Ina Mae Pierce (1903-1977), the oldest child of N.B. "Bonie" Pierce and Julia L. Moody. The names of the other two women are not known. Also the location isn't known, but is clearly beside a large body of water, perhaps Mobile Bay.

Photography had become a popular and affordable hobby for many people. And even amateurs could shoot great photos.

Did you have an ancestor who was also a great photographer?