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Brown children, Derby, Vermont (obverse)
Brown children, Derby, Vermont (obverse)

I purchased this photograph from an antique shop in South Burlington, Vermont, on Saturday, March 24, 2012. The reverse side identifies them as the "Brown children, at Derby" which I interpreted to be Derby, Orleans County, Vermont. The reverse is also printed as a divided-back post card which would date the photo to after 1907. I searched the 1910 Derby, Vermont census for all Brown surnames having at least nine children, with the oldest of them being girls. The best candidate by far was Rufus S. Brown, farmer, age 42, in his second marriage to Elfrida Welch Brown, age 32. The 1910 census indicated they had been married 13 years and Elfrida had born 9 children with only 7 surviving to 1910. They were listed as Kathleen W., age 11, Grace S., age 10, Gladys M., age 8, Hattie M., age 6, Helen M., age 5, Horace S., age 2, and Cornelia E., age 9 months. See census Series: T624 Roll: 1615 Page: 112

Since the oldest boy in the photograph is obviously beyond two years old, and there are two children unaccounted for, the photograph post-dates 1910. Searching the 1920 Derby, Vermont census, I found Rufus, Elfrida, and family. After Cornelia, there were six more children listed. They were Bernard W., age 8, Wells B., age 7, Alton W., age 6, Annis i., age 4+, Eloiese W., age 2+, and Donald E., age 1+. Since Alton does not appear in the photo, I date the image to 1913 or 1914. See census Series: T625 Roll: 1874 Page: 86

I learned a good deal about this family from Descendants of William Hillard site. Rufus Stuart Brown's first marriage was to Ella Clifford, and his second was to Elfrieda Welch, 16 Jun 1898.

I have added names to the photo (do a mouse-over), but I'm a little unsure which one is Helen, Hattie, or Gladys. I am seeking descendants.

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Taken on: March 24, 2012
Tags: Everybody's photos tagged with dboucher1 dboucher1
Sets appears in:   • Rescued photos   
Groups appears in:   • Vermont People and Places    • Found Photographs    more » • Genealogy    • Abandoned Relatives    • The Museum of Found Photographs    • Old Photographs    • Vermont    • Found Photos    • The Family Portrait    • The Vintage Group Portrait    • Photographs with writing on back    • Vintage Vermont    « less
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Brown children, Derby, Vermont (obverse)

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