Historical Research

Mike says I should be more philosophical in these posts, rather than simply narrative. He says it adds value. Methinks he overestimates my depth.

I am still working on the Wu family pictures from the 1800s. I could try to explain why I find these photos so endearing, even though I don't know anything about the people in them. I prefer to find out as much as I can about them. I can sometimes guess where they lived from the photographer's studio. I can sometimes guess relations from the physiognomy. But, if all else fails, I can make stories out of whole cloth.

I love being able to put a picture into a family tree. It's like putting together a jigsaw that actually means something. I created a family tree on Ancestry.com, starting with Michael and moving back in time. You can view it as a guest, if you are interested.

I am throughly stuck when the families are still in China but the Munroes and Watkins go back quite a ways. 

I have also been stumped in my search for information about "C.P. Munro, the man who plays E flat", as he appears in last week's blog. There are many pictures of him and his wife but I can't find them in the census. I know they played the Haymarket Theater in Chicago when it was vaudeville before it got racy. I also have a picture of his wife playing the trumpet.

I am looking forward to starting on the photos of Tiam, Frankie's dad. He was a good-looking guy and apparently enjoyed having his photo taken. And there is more information about Tiam and Mae because of "My Chinese Marriage."