In the mid-1940s – my early years – frequent summer visitors to Dayton were the family of my mother’s 3-year-older sister Thelma Augusta Crouse Ames (1910-1977) with her husband Merton, aka Phat, and their children David, Sally and Steven; first cousins I’ve not seen since the latter of these family-picnic snapshots were taken. 1) The Ames family posed in front of the blue spruce, with myself – the youngest – in front, held by brother Clark, with brother Wally taking a shot at the photographer, probably our mother Lois; 1945.
2) Family picnic the summer of 1948 down by the Saco River’s ole swimming hole, a popular retreat. left to right: David Ames (1933- ), Sally Ames [MacDonald] (!935-??), Wallace Cole (1938- ), Thelma Crouse Ames (1910-1977), Charlotte Cole
(1905-2005), Alden Cole (1944- ), Richard Cole (1910-2009), Clark Cole (1936- ), Merton Ames (1904-??), Steven Ames (1940- ), photo by Lois Crouse Cole (1913-2009).
3) In the second photo from the same picnic, my parents switched places doing the honors as photographers; Lois is now seen between her niece Sally and sister-in-law Charlotte. Interesting to note that in the first photo, taken by my mother, she stood back putting lots of space between herself and her subjects; whereas in the second photo, taken by my father, he got closer to his subjects, more intimate; as in life. 4) Below, the nuclear family – Richard, Lois, Clark, Wally and Alden – photographed while visiting another sister Musa Doris Crouse Porter (1901-1974) in 1948.
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Remind me again what Clark and Wally are doing now? Do you think they are fairly happy? Did they also do well in school and was your family behind them getting a college education? Was there any encouragement for agricultural studies,large animal vet,etc. Your father looks very confident…? I would say your homestead looks successful!