The Epworth League Album 26, Finally The Epworth League

I was intrigued by this album because it seems to show the migration of one family from the mid-west to southern California at a time in history when the Los Angeles area was going through one of it's first major expansions. I was also irritated by it because there is not a single caption of any kind. Well, this image is as close as I'll get to an actual written clue. The badge on the front of the car is the logo of The Epworth League. The league was founded in Cleveland, Ohio in 1889 as an organization within the Methodist Church for members from ages 18 to 35 in order to promote "intelligent and vital piety among the young people of the church." The league is named for Epworth, England, home town of John Wesley, founder of the Methodist Church. But was the owner of this album an Epworthian, (Epworthite? Epworther?) or did they just think it was nice looking float at the Rose Parade.

The Epworth League Album 23, Horses In Los Angeles

I've always know that, there was a time, when people got around the Los Angeles area by horse. Still, it's nice to see some photographic proof. Note the palm tree in the background, while the two ladies with suitcases could still be back home in the mid-west.

The Epworth League Album 22, Kids

This one falls under my no editing of albums rule. The first photograph is faded to the point of being almost unrecognizable and the second isn't much better. Though, the second kid does have a great, look at me, I matter, pose. I'm willing to bet that around about the age of thirty, he ran for office. Local school board, county commissioner, or maybe mayor. Wouldn't it be something if we were looking at a future senator, or maybe even a president. Unlikely?

The Epworth League Album 21, A Mystery?

If I find an old photo album and an image has been torn out, I think someone along the line wanted a photo from the album, but not the who collection itself, or a dealer found a picture that they thought they could sell for a nice price. This album is so complete though, It makes me wonder if the missing picture had a third person (Take a close look at the bit of remaining photo, and it looks like it could be the same location.) that had a falling out with the owner of this album. "That bastard!" rip and a bad memory is gone.

The Epworth League Album 20

The frustrating thing about this album is that there isn't a single label, a single line of text. The nice thing about this album is that there isn't a single label, a single line of text. With nothing more than my best guess, I think that the photos on the first page are from back home, where ever that might be. The second page, the new life in California. But, were they carried west or were they mailed from parents to their children far away. I think the young lady in the first picture looks a little disappointed that she's not off having an adventure.

The Epworth League Album 18, Hats

What can I say. Gotta love those hats!

The Epworth League Album 17, Back Home

I have to wonder if the two faded prints are from back home in the mid-west. There's a lot of old growth, far more than there would be around a new home in a new neighborhood. Remember, click on Epworth League in the labels section to bring up everything to date. Start with the first post and see the album in order.

The Epworth League Album 14, A New Reality

In my last couple of Epworth League posts, I mentioned that things were changing for the people in this album. Look closely at the second photo on the page. Palm trees. The mid-west has been left behind and now it's life in California. In the first decades of the twentieth century Harry Chandler, publisher of the Los Angeles Times and son-in-law of Harrison Grey Otis, the Times owner put out special national editions of the paper, publicizing the advantages of L.A. Snow covered mountains but a snow free city. Sunny days and beautiful beaches. Wide open spaces, orange groves and low cost homes. (Many built by real estate developer Harry Chandler.)

The Epworth League Album 13, Still Transitioning

Take my word for it, this is going somewhere. Hint, the clue is in the second photo. And remember, click on Epworth League in the labels section to review all of the posts to date.

The Epworth League Album 12, Transitioning

In this post we're transitioning from the dead of winter to spring and summer. The more I look through this album, the happier the subjects seem.

The Epworth League Album 11, The Dead of Winter

Only one picture on today's page. Imagine having to get around in the dead of winter in an open sleigh. No heater, exposed to the elements, it would be possible to die of hypothermia just going to town. A broken runner or a lame horse, and no public transit and one could be snowed in for weeks or even months.

The Epworth League Album 9, What's In Those Baskets?

So what's in the baskets that's so heavy that it takes three people to support? Probably nothing. I've got lots of old photos where one or a group of people just stand there and stare into the camera, and that's fine. The old clothing, the expressions can be be quite interesting. But it's also nice when the subjects are doing something. The silent child star wanna be, the smiling ladies and the two older men to the rear, nice composition. One can imagine that they're all headed off to the local general store in an era before paper or plastic. And maybe, they had to take the horse and buggy on the ferry to get there. As far as the two photos of the large, generic, institutional style building...too boring for a separate post.

The Epworth League Album 8, Wooing

Well, the break is over and it's time to return to the Epworth League album. (Just a suggestion, but it might be time to click on Epworth League in the labels section and review.) I like to think that the young man in the poorly exposed picture has taken his young lady out to the river bank for a bit of wooing. Oh for the good old days when all it took was a picnic on a river bank and a few well thought out words. Of course women didn't have a lot of choices in life back then, so standards were low. But which of the two young ladies pictured was the intended? And what were the old folks thinking? Perhaps they were worried that their daughter might hook up with the bum in the funny hat.

The Epworth League Album 7, Old Folks (And Young) At Home

The picture of the little girl and her cats seems somewhat out of place on this page. A grand daughter, perhaps, of one of the older seated men, she looks like a model for silent movie star Mary Pickford from Rebbecca of Sunnybrook Farm or Mary Miles Mitner from Anne of Green Gables. Looking at those old silent films, I've always assumed that the look of those actresses was an idealized notion of a rural America that the film makers thought would sell tickets to an urban audience living in tenements. It's surprising to find an actual child who has that care free and innocent image.

Most people have at least heard of Mary Pickford, but Mary Miles Mitner's name may not be familiar to non silent movie fans. During the silent era, Mitner was a very successful child actress who rivaled Pickford in box office appeal. Her career ended in 1923 when she was implicated in the murder of director William Desmond Taylor. Born in 1902, the 21 year old Mitner was involved with the much older and married Taylor. Though never charged, Mitner never made another film. Mitner's mother and Mabel Normand were also said to be involved with Taylor.

The Epworth League Album 6, Ethnic Dress or Strange Fashion?

Are the ladies in the second image wearing some sort of ethnic dress or did they have similar tastes in fashion? I've been looking through Google images searching for a match, and so far no luck. Click on Epworth League in the labels section to bring up the lot.