This is a spin-off of my 52 Ancestors: #14 Albert Spencer LILLIE (1848-1913) ~ Old Photographs Saved From Trash Can blogpost in which I featured a few photos from a collection of old photographs my 4C1R Joe Rooney shared with me. I asked Joe about using the photos and he kindly wrote, “Please use them at your will. I feel it is keeping it in the family and don’t need credit. If anything, I appreciate your evaluations, identifications and detective work. I’m hopeful you and yours enjoy them. On a blog, in a book, above a cloud.”
Links to previous posts in this series may be found in Old Photographs
#5 Thomas Nathaniel “Tom” LILLIE (1881-1944)
Albert Spencer LILLIE and Pernecia Elizabeth GLASS most likely married about 1871 and had their first child in 1872 in Kentucky before moving about 1872-1874 to Pope County, Illinois, where they made their home and welcomed ten more children into the family, one girl and the rest boys. In the collection of old photographs scanned by Joe Rooney there were photos of two of the sons, several daughters-in-law, and even more of grandchildren.
Thomas Nathaniel LILLIE, also known as Tom, was their fifth child and fourth son. Following the 1900 census he married Fannie DAVIDSON (1880-1903). She was a year older than Tom. They most likely lived in Pope County, Illinois. There were no known children. Update: Joe Rooney contacted me a few hours after this was posted with information on children of this couple. Per his notes Tom’s sister-in-law Florence LILLIE was the attendant at the birth of twins, Fannie’s 2nd and 3rd child, Hal and Guy, on 29 January 1903.
This photo of Tom and Fannie had to have been taken between 1900 and 1903 as Fannie died in 1903. It is my belief that it was taken on their wedding day. I found an article Weddings Through the Ages: From 1900s to Today that includes photos of bridal couples by decades. Even though Tom and Fannie were photographed from waist up their clothing is almost identical to the photos in the article for the 1900s. Fannie’s dress bodice with frills up to the shoulders giving the impression of accented shoulder flaps above puffy sleeves and Tom’s stand up wing tip collar, striped cravat, and wide lapels suit jacket appear to be formal attire suggesting a wedding picture.
After Fannie’s death, Tom married Ethel SWEENEY (1885-1934) with whom he had two children, Bessie LILLIE born about 1905 and Raymond Linvel LILLIE (above) born on 18 March 1907 as seen on the back of this photograph. They lived in Vanderburgh County, Indiana, in 1910. Ethel and Tom divorced following the 1910 census and Ethel remarried in January 1911.
In September 1918 when the World War I Draft Registration cards were filled out Tom was living in Springfield County, Ohio, and was married to his third wife (above) Florence Sibbie KAUFMAN (1880-1947).
Tom enjoyed a good cigar.
Tom and Florence in later years.
Tom and Florence didn’t have children. They lived in Clark County, Ohio, in 1920 and 1930 and moved before 1940 to Rutherford County, Tennesse where they both died in 1944 and 1947.
Joe Rooney kindly gave me permission to use these photographs on my blog.
© 2015 Cathy Meder-Dempsey
Opening Doors in Brick Walls 