.

Here, gathered in our beloved South Dakota, are a few members of our Williamson / Mattson Clan. Charles and Luella are to be blamed (be kind, they didn't know what they were doing). We're generally a happy bunch and somewhat intelligent (notwithstanding our tenuous grasp on reality). I'm also proud to say that most of us still have our teeth.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Charles Williamson's Baby Book

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello All,
Winter has us in its grasp today. The weather hasn't quite figured out whether it wants to snow or rain so we have a bit of both. The snow on the driveway is heavy with slush making shoveling difficult.

On days like this it is good to be sitting in one's easy chair with a Coke Zero to my right looking out on the cold and wet. The clock above me is ticking away the day. Its 4:44 P.M. and growing dark prematurely. The sun doesn't want to stay up in this dreary sky. Who can blame it?

I'm thinking I should go out and shovel the drive. But the thinking hasn't evolved into action so until I'm feeling more enthusiastic about moving mountains of slush I think I'll finish this project.

A few days ago Charles Williamson (my dad) found his old baby book of pictures. He gave the book to me for the family history blog and today I send it all to you in the form of a slide show.

Some of the people you'll see in the pictures are:
  1. Charles Ray Williamson (my dad).
  2. Charles Williamson (his dad).
  3. Elda Vercellino Williamson (his mother).
  4. Uncle Ed Vercellino (Elda's brother).
  5. Uncle Maurice (Charles Williamson's brother).
  6. Gail is Gail Williamson. She was the oldest daughter of Walt and Francis Williamson. She is one month younger than Charles Ray.
  7. Buddy, Hallie and Darleen Williams were neighbors from down the hill.
  8. Jimmy Oates was the son of the Sanato's. The Sanato family were friends of the Vercellinos.
  9. Jessie was another friend. Dad stayed three weeks with her in Hot Springs on summer.
Dad wanted me to point out that the people you see in the pictures were mostly dressed up.

"In the 1930's you never went down town unless you were dressed up," Charles said. "My dad wore 3 piece suits with spats over his shoes. Spats were felt coverings you wore over your shoes to keep the leather from getting dirty. They were a fashion statement of the 30's and 40's. The men always wore a hat when they went downtown also. My dad was always dressed to the 9's. He prided himself in his appearance."

In one of dad's five year old pictures you'll see him standing in front a 1934 Plymouth Coupe. It was the family two door car with no back seat. The roof of the car leaked so they couldn't drive it when it rained. When dad was 5 years old he slammed the door on his pinkie finger as he was getting out of the car. His parents thought his screaming was him goofing off but quickly realized he wasn't. They took him to the Homestake Hospital in Lead. The whole top bone of his finger was smashed so badly all the doctor could do was removed the small section of protruding bone, apply a bandage and sent the family home. Ask him to see the scar the next time you see him.
"We were tough in those days. Not like kids today," Dad said.

And now, the pictures from Dad's baby photo book.

Simply,
Victor