Wandering Around The Family Tree

 When I was growing up, every now and then, my Dad (Philip Charles Hankins) would talk about his childhood in Collegeville, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. One story he mentioned (more than once) was that he and his brother Ralph sold produce from the farm to their neighbors during the depression. I had the impression that it was the two of them an little red wagon going from house to house!  Last night, I found a copy of a Class of 1948 newsletter for Collegeville-Trappe High School in Trappe, Pennsylvania likely from late winter/early spring of 2004. Apparently my Dad had emailed a classmate, Gene Pressler, to ask a question about someone who played basketball for the school in 1945! Gene looped another classmate, Jerry Wien, into the conversation - and away they went reminiscing about growing up in Collegeville.  ]]]Suddenly my Dad started writing about selling produce during the depression! And I finally have a better picture of what happened. I'll just share what my...

 This snapshot of my grandfather, Francis William Hankins, is dated 1901 - when he would have been 3-4 years old. It is one of three snapshots glued to a piece of paper - likely originally in an early family photo album. I only have five photos from that album, I would, of course, love to know what happened to the rest of the photos! These are the earliest snap shots, as opposed to what likely were studio photographs, of my Hankins ancestors.  Frank's parents, William Lucas Hankins and Mary Jane Kellam were living in Auburn, Cayuga County, New York when this photo was taken. So it may have been taken in Auburn, or possibly at Hankins, Sullivan County, New York where his Kellam grandparents lived, or Equinunk, Wayne County, Pennsylvani where his Hankins grandparents lived.  Francis William Hankins, the son of William Lucas Hankins (1872-1930) and Mary Jane Kellam (1874-1944) was born 8 September 1897 in Auburn, Cayuga County, New York. He married Evelyn Clara Call (1895-19...

 TThis photograph of my grandfather, Francis William Hankins, was probably taken in December 1897. On the back it says aged 3 months. Since he was born on 8 September 1897 - three months later would be December.  The photograph was taken at Joseph French's studio, located over 125 Genesee Street in Auburn. French was a longtime photographer in Auburn. He first appears as a proprietor of Standard Copying Co in 1882. Two years later, he did photo copying. Between 1885 and 1898, he was listed in city directories as a photographer.  Francis William Hankins, the son of William Lucas Hankins (1872-1930) and Mary Jane Kellam (1874-1944) was born 8 September 1897 in Auburn, Cayuga County, New York. He married Evelyn Clara Call (1895-1962), daughter of Charles Joslin Call (1859-1939) and Elizabeth Ann Coe (1862-1956), on 31 December 1920 at her parents home in Stafford, Genesee County, New York. Francis and Evelyn had three children, Ralph William (1927-1997), Elizabeth Ann (1929-...

Long before FindAGrave  and other genealogy websites existed, genealogists still photographed family markers in cemeteries. I found this set of photo of my great grandparents William Lucas Hankins and Mary Jane Kellam's graves in Lake View Cemetery in Skaneateles, Onondaga County, New York. Their son, Francis William Hankins, was one of many previous family historians in the family.  William Lucas Hankins died in 1930, his widow, Mary Jane died in 1944. Since William's death date is on the stone, but Mary Jane's isn't, my guess is the photos were taken between 1930 and 1944. I noticed the fourth photo has a car in the background - so I ran the image through a couple of LLM's to see if it was possible to narrow the time frame. Google Gemini 3.1 dated the car to the late 1920s/early 1930s based on the wooden spokes on the tire and the boxy shape of the car. Gemini also said the spare was mounted on the front of car (it looks like it's on the back to me!).  Perplex...

This photograph of my great grandfather William Lucas Hankins was likely taken about 1893-1894 in Auburn, Cayuga County, New York.   City directories indicate that he moved to Auburn sometime between August 1893 and July 1894. His brother, Howard Ross Hankins, moved to Auburn in 1892. When William moved to Auburn, he boarded at the same location as his brother.  The photographer, Horatio Seymour Squyer (1849-1905) had a studio in Auburn for many years. He was first listed in the city directory in 1871, and maintained his studio until his death in 1905. Looking at the photograph itself, it likely dates from before 1895. The centered monograms at the bottom of the card were popular between 1889-1894. William's shirt and tie are consistent with fashions of about 1893-1894. His hairstyle also would indicate the photo was taken about 1893-1894.  So William may have had his photograph taken by H. Seymour Squyer shortly after arriving in Auburn.    William Lucas H...

This photograph of my grandfather Francis William Hankins and his parents, William Lucas Hankins and Mary Jane Kellam likely dates from about 1898. My grandfather was born in September 1897, and he doesn't look much more than a year old in this photo.  The photograph was taken by photographer F.L. Tournier of Auburn, Cayuga County, New York. Fred L. Tournier seems to had a long career as a photographer. He had a studio in Auburn between 1884-1903. He later worked in both Johnstown, Fulton County, and in Albany. [1]  I provided the identification of William, Mary Jane and Francis based on other individual photographs of the three of them.  William Lucas Hankins, son of Lucas Wurtz Hankins (1831-1910) and Mary Ellen Ross (1835-1914) was born 11 October 1872 in Manchester, Wayne County, Pennsylvania.  Mary Jane Kellam, daughter of John Ross Kellam (1830-1903) and Frances Maria Shafer (1846-1924) was born 2 September 1874 at Hankins, Sullivan County, New York.  Will...

 This carte de viste photograph of my great grandmother Mary Jane Kellam was likely taken about 1875-1876, when she was probably no more than one or two years old.  The photographer was likely either J. Watson Vail or his brother Alzono. The Vail Brothers had a studio at 254 Main Street in Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County, New York, for about 20 years in the 1870s-1890s. [1] This may be a "hidden mother" photograph, where a child's mother held her still for the photograph. The flowing cloth on the right side of the photo could be covering her mother's arm, and that could be the top of her mother's hat sticking up behind the chair.  Written in pencil at the top of the back "Weren't you a sweet little darling. I used to take you out in your carriage when you were like this" in an unknown hand. I have to wonder if it was written by someone in the Hankins family, since they lived next door to the Kellam's in Hankins, New York, if it was passed down thro...

This photograph of Susan Abigail (Hankins) Bush likely dates from the mid-1870s. The photographer, Addison Delavan Harding, opened his studio in Susquehanna in 1873. [1] Susan and her husband David Tyler Bush were living in Susquehanna by 1870, and remained there until at least the 1880s.  The script words "Cabinet Portrait" indicate that this may be an early cabinet card, where the photographer was trying to distinguish a new format of photography from earlier formats such as carte de vistes.  The identification of the subject as "Aunt Abbie Bush" suggests that it was labeled by one of her nephews - either Howard Ross Hankins or William Lucas Hankins. While Susan Abigail had other nieces and nephews, this likely belonged to someone in her brother Lucas Wurtz Hankins' family, since it has been passed down through is part of the family. This next photograph of Susan Abigail Hankins was likely taken about 1894-1896. The photographer was G.E. Priest of Tully, New Y...

 My guess is this photo of Angeline Elizabeth (Hankins) Johnson dates from the 1870s, based on the elaborate lace collar on her dress. There is no information about the photographer or where it was taken.  On the back, it says Aunt Angie Johnson in unknown handwriting. This was possibly written by her nephew, William Lucas Hankins, my great grandfather. While Angie had many nieces and nephews, given what I know about the passing down of photos in my family, William Lucas Hankins is the most likely person to have provided the identification.  This second photograph of Angie likely dates from about 1894. There is nothing on the photograph itself to indicate the date. However, she appears to be wearing the same dress that she wore in the group portrait with her siblings taken at Harding Studio in Binghamton that year.  The date on the back, 1 February 1903, is her death date, so unlikely to be the date the photograph was taken.  Angeline Elizabeth Hankins, daughte...

  This photograph of Rebecca Thomas Hankins was taken by the photographer Sighi of Binghamton, New York. Wellington G. Sighi had a photographic studio in Binghamton between 1872 and 1885, which gives a date range for this photo. [1] Sighi's bio on the Nineteenth-Century Photographers of Binghamton, New York makes him out to be quite a character!  During those years, Rebecca lived in Hankins, Sullivan County, New York. She first appears in the records in Binghamton in the 1899 City Directory. Her brother, Samuel Howard Hankins, was living in Binghamton by 1888.  The identification of Rebecca T. Hankins is in an unknown person's handwriting. The dates of her birth and death are in the handwriting of Barbara (Schickler) Hankins, who was born fifteen years after Rebecca died.  This photograph has been digitally enhanced.  Rebecca Thomas Hankins, daughter of John Hankins (1803-1847) and Susan Thomas (1811-1885), was born 20 October 1835 in Pennsylvania. She was a sch...

 This photograph of Howard Ross Hankins was taken in Owego, Tioga County, New York. The dark color of the card indicates it was taken in the late 1880s, which is consistent with what is known about Howard's life and when he was in Tioga County.  On the back, the photo is identified as Howard Hankins in an unknown person's handwriting.  The photo has been digitally enhanced.  Howard Ross Hankins, son of Lucas Wurtz Hankins (1831-1910) and Mary Ellen Ross (1835-1914), was born 4 August 1863 in Manchester, Wayne County, Pennsylvania. He married Emma Chappius (1862-1889), daughter of Mark Chappius (1827-1918) and Mary (1835-1883) on 6 March 1888 in Berkshire, Tioga County, New York. Howard and Emma had a daughter Mabel (1889-1890). On 26 May 1907, Howard married Martha M. Hanning (1874-1960), daughter of John Hanning (1842-1929) and Martha (1845-1918) in Syracuse, Onondaga County, New York. Howard died in Los Angeles on 27 March 1922.  Newspaper accounts link Howard...

 There is a label on the back of the photograph identifying it as Lucas W, William L and Mary Ellen Ross Hankins, with a date of c 1875-1880 we think. The handwriting for the identification is in my mother's handwriting (she's also the person who stuck labels on the backs of photos and wrote on them with ink after I told her not to write on the backs of the photos in ink! I said use a soft pencil!) I suspect mmy grandfather Francis William Hankins provided the identification of his father William L Hankins in the photograph. There are enough other photos of Lucas and Mary Ellen to compare that would confirm their identities.  No information is provided as to where the photograph was taken. My guess is Manchester, Wayne County, Pennsylvania, since that is where Lucas Hankins and his family lived.  I suspect the photograph dates from the early 1880s. William was born in 1872. So for the photo to have been taken 1875-1880 - he would be between 3 and 8 years old. He looks old...

 I'm starting to digitize a notebook of Hankins family photographs dating from the 1880s-1920s. I'll probably do a post for an individual photo or group of photos, depending on what I find.  According to information written on the back, this photograph dates from 1894, and was taken at the Harding Studio, 33 Court St. in Binghamton. New York. These notes are in my handwriting and I have no clue where the info came from. The photo itself looks to have been peeled off a larger cardboard backing board. People are identified in a typewritten note, taped to the back of the photo. In the original ttypewritten information, Mary Ellen Ross Hankins is included in the list - crossed out an in my handwriting replaced with Mary Hankins Main. Samuel and John Hankins are indicated by ? on the typewritten note, and I wrote in their names. My guess is the information about who is who and when the photo was taken is from another copy of the photo in another part of the family. These are the su...

 I'll be sharing photos of my Grandmother Evelyn Clara Call, her husband Francis William Hankins and her children here on this page. I'm working my way through old notebooks of photos, scanning, doing some clean up in Photoshop, etc and sharing them. If you are related to any of the people in the photos - please let me know. I'm always happy to share larger files of the edited photos.  Evelyn Clara Call c 1918-1919 Evelyn Clara Call c 1905 Scanned from a modern print Evelyn Clara Call c 1905 Scanned from a modern print Dot Cushman, Evelyn Clara Call, Helen Fraht, Frances ??? 1918 Hike to Six Mile Creek  Evelyn Clara (Call) Hankins Cambridge, Mass 1920s  Elizabeth Ann (Coe) Call, Evelyn Clara Call, Charles Joslin Call 1919 Probably at Cornell University  Marie Charlotte Call, Evelyn Clara (Call) Hankins 1924 Eileen Evelyn Jones, Elizabeth Ann Hankins July 4, 1929 Evelyn Clara (Call) Hankins Botanical Garden on S. Park  1920s Evelyn Clara Call late 1910s Evel...

  The fourtieth and final photo in the album is Lucas Wurtz Hankins (1831-1910), husband of Mary Ellen Ross.  Lucas Wurtz Hankins was born 31 October 1831 at Ten Mile River, Sullivan County, New York, son of John Hankins (1803-1847) and Susan Thomas (1811-1885). He married Mary Ellen Ross (1835-1914), daughter of John Ross (1791-1837) and Sarah Kellam (1797-after 1850) on 5 August 1857 at the home of Benjamin Tyler.  Lucas and Mary Ellen had three children: Laura Ardella (1858-1859) Howard Ross (1863-1922) married first Emma M. Chappins, second Martha M Hanning William Lucas (1872-1930) married Mary Jane Kellam Lucas Wurtz Hankins died 11 December 1910 at Manchester, Wayne County, Pennsylvania, and is buried in Hillside Cemetery, Damascus, Wayne County. This is a composite image created in photoshop. The album page the photograph was originally in was in very bad shape so I moved it digitally to a similar page in the album with Lucas' name on the nameplate.  About th...

The thirty-eighth photograph in the album is Samuel Howard Hankins, brother of Lucas Wurtz Hankins. Samuel Howard Hankins was born 26 May 1848 at Hankins, Sullivan County, New York, the son of John Hankins (1803-1847) and Susan Thomas (1811-1885). He married Lillian Celestia Waite (1853-1915) at Hollisterville, Wayne County, Pennsylvania.  Samuel and Lillian had five children:  Frederick Waite (1876-1877) Nellie Harriet (1878-1880) Walter Howard (1882-1931) married Minnie Edna Gilchrist (1884-1939) and Elizabeth J Francisco (1879-1974) Eva Lillian (1883-1884) Maud Winifred (1885-1932) married Clarence Homan Twitchell (1881-1958). Samuel Howard Hankins died on 17 July 1917 in Binghamton, Broome County, New York and is buried at Floral Park Cemetery, Johnson City, Broome County.  About the  Hankins/Ross Photo Album Previous Photo in the Album:   Delezenne R Tyler Next Photograph in the Album: Unidentified Woman  

  The thirty-sixth photograph in the album is Jessie Lillian Bush, niece of Lucas Wurtz Hankins.  Jessie Lillian Bush was born 17 August 1869 in New York, the daughter of David Tyler Bush (1838-1876) and Susan Abigail Hankins (1841-1917). She died of consumption on 22 March 1885 in Summerville, Charleston County, South Carolina, and is buried in Grand Street Cemetery, Susquehanna, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania.  About the  Hankins/Ross Photo Album Previous Photo in the Album:   Rebecca Thomas Hankins Next Photograph in the Album: Delezenne R Tyler

  The thirty-fifth photograph in the album is Rebecca Thomas Hankins, sister of Lucas Wurtz Hankins. Rebecca Thomas Hankins was born 20 October 1835 in Pennsylvania, the daughter of John Hankins (1803-1847) and Susan Thomas (1811-1885). Rebecca taught school for many years in Sullivan County, New York. She died on 20 July 1918 in Binghamton, Broome County, New York. She is buried in Floral Park Cemetery, Johnson City, Broome County.  About the  Hankins/Ross Photo Album Previous Photo in the Album:   Charles Akers Johnson Next Photograph in the Album: Jessie Lillian Bush