Monthly Archives: October 2008

James and Nancy Hennesy’s House

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I took this photo from Jeff Hennesy’s website. The house is identified as being the old home of James and Nancy Caroline Hennesy.

However, Ethel Hennesy identified this photo as being of their house that was destroyed by a tornado, she said, in 1909-1910, and Curtis Hennesy said instead it was in 1912.

The first house looks close to a sidewalk or a very smooth earthen street that has little definition left, and shows no tall trees behind. The second house has tall trees in the background, seems far removed from a road or sidewalk, and seems to show no indication of the chimney that would have been on the right. The first house couldn’t be post reconstruction (if it was reconstructed) because it would have taken some time for the foliage in the yard to grow up around the house as it has. And why would it be identified as James and Nancy’s house if this was one rebuilt after he had died?

Questions, questions.

Curtis Hennesy noted that a letter from a C. C. S. (abbreviation by C. Hennesy) reported that the Hennesys lived in Bailey’s Mill, 1st Ward, which is near old Nebo Church in what is now Tangipahoa Parish. He mentioned elsewhere that they lived between James Hennesy’s store and Lular Hennesy’s House.

I’ve never been able to locate Nancy in the 1920 census.

Photos of Nancy Caroline Welch Hennesy

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These are 2 photos of Nancy Caroline Welch Hennesy that would have been taken on the same day. Nancy was born Feb 9 1848 in Franklinton, Washington Parish, Louisiana to James Daniel Welch and Caroline Bullock. She married James Hennesy 1868 March 19 and died 1925 Nov 6.

Jean Hennesy Kearns believed that since the little girl was holding flowers, these children were Mildred and Leon at the grave of their mother Zula Hennesy Knight. However, Zula didn’t die until 1926 when Leon and Mildred were about 10 and 9 years of age, and Nancy Caroline Hennesy had already died in 1925. It seems the attire of the children, however, is 1920s. The children couldn’t be Leon and Mildred so they’re at present unidentified.

I took the below photo off Jeff Hennesy’s website. It clearly shows Nancy’s bonnet and further some other white head covering worn beneath. I’m assuming this isn’t long before Nancy’s death, so she would be about 76 years of age.

There are certain portions of the attire that are puzzling to me such as the seeming high belt on what appears to be a jacket over her dress.

Her attire seems a world and century apart from that of Alice Ranager Crabtree who was only born 3 years later than Nancy.

James and Nancy (Welch) Hennesy’s Home Destroyed by 1912 Tornado

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Home of James Hennesy and Nancy Caroline (Welch) Hennesy destroyed by a tornado 1909-1910. Stoney Point, Washington Parish, Louisiana.

Quick touch of color to give definition.

Ethel Hennesy identified this photo as possibly being of the home of James and Nancy Hennesy which was destroyed by a tornado in 1909-1910. Curtis Hennesy writes the home was instead destroyed in a 1912 tornado and was located between the Hennesy store at Stoney Point and Lular Hennesy’s house. There was no indication on the photo of photographer or date, nor any identification of the children. I wonder if Esmond, Jewel and Zula are among the children.

I love the big, broad-brimmed straw hats protecting some of the children. The way all are wearing hats and a couple pairs huddle under umbrellas, it seems it might be drizzling but I’ve a hard time imagining a camera being taken out into the rain. The ground doesn’t like muddy and the boards don’t look wet. The sun appears to be out and high in the sky.

I’ve not news yet on a 1912 tornado but there was a terrible storm with a number of tornadoes that swept through several states in April 1908, including Louisiana, and devastated Amite City. Wikipedia has listed a tornado outbreak occurred April 20-29 in 1912 that also affected the southeastern states.

Image from Ethel Simmons Hennesy’s collection.

Photo of Mildred Knight, daughter of Zula Hennesy and Wilbur Knight

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Mildred Knight

Mildred Knight as a young girl. Daughter of Zula Hennesy Knight and Wilbur Knight. Mildred was thus related on the Hennesy and Simmons side of the family. Her aunt was Annie Clarinda Knight who married Lucius Theodore Simmons and Lucius was the father of Ethel Lorena Simmons who married Esmond Edward Hennesy, brother of her mother.

Mildred was born circa 1917 in Washington Parish, Louisiana. Her mother died when she was about 9 years of age and her father married Ethel Crowe second. I would guess this photo was made when she was about eight to ten years of age, in the mid 20s.

One gets a glimpse of a Washington parish town street in the background, its wood houses and wire and picket fences. I imagine it being a hot summer evening, shadows long, crickets hummings. She stands like a child who is used to playing jump rope.

From Ethel Simmons Hennesy collection.

Photo of Lucinda Pounds Hennesy

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Lucinda (Pounds) Hennesy as young woman, 2nd wife of James Leon Hennesy. There is no date on the photo and from the attire I’m assuming it’s about 1910 to 1914.

My attempt at livening up the photo with a touch of color.

The picture’s jacket frame reads on the front: Stanton Photo Co., Springfield, Ohio. On the back reads the ad, “Trilby Photos, only 25 cents a dozen. How to get them. Send any photo well wrapped, with 25 cents and a 2 cent stamp. We will promptly return postpaid your photo, with 12 “Trilby” photos made from it, size of this groups same price. Send for illustrated catalogue of Photo Jewelry, latest style Photos, 25 cents to $3 a dozen. Stanton Photo Novelty Co., Springfield, Ohio.”

This photo then was a mail order photo. One would send a photo to Stanton for small copies to be made. This may have been done at the time of the photo or perhaps when Lucinda died these copies were made for family.

Lucinda was born circa 1887 in Louisiana and died before 1924.

1920 LA WASHINGTON BOGALUSA
pg. 13A
Richardson Town
198/208 HENNESY James 47 married b. LA father b. GA mother b. LA clerk in grocery store
POUNDS Lucy Cousin 34 married b. LA parents b. LA
HENNESY Jule son 18
Elzy son 16

Lucinda here is listed as a cousin rather than a wife and her married name is given as POUNDS. The census is enumerated the 16 of January 1920. On the 19 of July 1920, daughter Lucille will be born, so Lucinda would already be pregnant. Why is she given as Lucy POUNDS rather than Lucy Hennesy?

In the Hennesy cemetery is Amanda Jane Pounds born 1861 July 19 who died July 16, the year not listed. Online she is given as dying in 1936 and is Amanda Jane Welch. Her husband was George Washington Pounds b. 1843 in MS.

Mary Hennesy b. 1827 in Marion, Mississippi, daughter of Isaac Hennesy and Judith Ann Gill and a sister of James Leon, married a John J. Pounds b. circa 1815 in Mississippi. They were the parents of George Washington Pounds. John J. Pounds’ parents were Isom Pounds b. circa 10 Jan 1775 in Marion District SC and Margaret Parker.

I ransacked the census and I couldn’t find an easy candidate for Lucinda/Lucy in 1910 and 1900. I’d first assumed she was a Pounds, then I’d reasoned, with a woman born about 1887, that Lucinda stood a good a chance of being previously married, that Pounds was a married name and that we don’t know her maiden name. If she married a Pounds then we don’t see it in 1910 when she was about 24. I also don’t see in the online Louisiana marriage records anything for her era of a Lucinda marrying a Pounds. Neither is her marriage to Hennesy listed, but James Leon Hennesy’s 3rd marriage isn’t listed either, only his first marriage to Lucy Myles.

We know Lucy, the first wife, was buried at the Hennesy Cemetery. We know that the third wife, who had been first married to a Nobles, was buried at the Nobles Cemetery. We have no burial information on Lucinda. She’s an elusive one, the woman seeming as vague as the photo which shows her alone, with no family.

I return and find the above Amanda Pounds, now widowed, on the 1910 census:

Source Citation: Year: 1910; Census Place: Police Jury Ward 1, Washington, Louisiana; Roll T624_534; Page: 6A; Enumeration District: 124; Image: 13.
Amite
64/69 POUNDS Manda 47 widowed 5 children b. LA parents b. LA farmer
Mary L. 23
William A. 21
John W. 19
Leon J. 17
Mollie J. 15

Further down the page is the father of James Leon Hennesy, James Hennesy. And I realize that Lucinda is likely Mary L., daughter of George Washington Pounds and Amanda. They were first cousins, once removed, through the Hennesy line, and second cousins through the Welch line.

The photo is from Ethel Simmons Hennesy collection.

More on the Stanton Photo Company.

Photo of James Leon Hennesy and Lucy Virginia (Myles)

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Original photo.

Black and white restoration.

Colored restoration.

Now this colored restoration I think worked very well. I like how it glows and I think it does bring them to life a bit.

James Leon Hennesy (4 May 1873 – 1938) and Lucy Virginia Myles Hennesy (abt 1871 Jan 28 to 22 July 1906) married 1900 Jan 28 in Washington Parish, Louisiana. There was no indication on the photo of photographer or date. I don’t know which of their five children this might have been, but I would imagine it was a christening photo.

Zula was the oldest child but we don’t have a secure birthdate on her. Their eldest son, Jewel, was born, it seems, Dec 25 1901 (someone had given me a date of Oct 25 at one point). Zula in the 1910 census is given as being 8 years of age and in 1920 she is 19. Her Louisiana death record gives an estimated birth of 1901. Impossible. Even if Jewel was born in December, Zula could not have been born in 1901, not with Jewel having been born in December of 1901. So I suppose we should figure on a birthdate of 1900 for Zula.

I’ve seen a photo of a relative wearing a dress similar to Lucy’s, the same ornamental ruffle at the shoulder, and that photo is given as being from 1902. Zula and Jewel were born so closely together that it’s going to be difficult to fix on who this child is by a time frame. The picture could even be possibly of Esmond Edward Hennesy, b. June 1903. The child looks to be perhaps a month or two months at most, but the landscape is such that it’s difficult to tell whether it’s spring or fall. For instance, the flowers in Lucy’s hair would indicate spring, but a tree behind appear to be defoliated, and what if the flowers were instead decorative costume flowers? So it could be fall. Or it may be spring and they’re simply seated before that woodsy kind of undergrowth that is always more branches and vines than foliage. The forest palate is mostly piney evergreen so it’s near impossible to say, at least for me.

To be considered then is whether they would have had a special photo made of only one child or would they have included the other children as well. If one is inclined to think they would have had a family photo made then as there is only one child this may be Zula. Or perhaps this photo ended up with Esmond and Ethel because it was a photo of Esmond.

Lucy had 5 children between 1900 and 1906. That’s a lot. Too many. Her death was associated with the last birth. She perished and the child, Zeta, died two days later.

LOUISIANA GENEALOGICAL AND HISTORICAL SOCIETY, BE IT KNOWN AND REMEMBERED
Volume Two Bible Records 1961: Pages 1 – 60 Bible of Samanthy Lewis. Gives 28 January 1871 as dob.

US GENWEB: ABSTRACT ARTICLES FROM WASHINGTON PARISH’S ERA LEADER IN FRANKLINTON, LOUISIANA 1894-1920 WASHINGTON PARISH, LA
“Died – Mrs. Leon Hennessy of Aurora, La., died at her home Sunday morning, July 22nd at 10 o’clock. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Myles. Mrs. Hennessy had _____ children. Funeral services were conducted Monday at 11 o’clock am and the body was laid to rest near the home.”

James Leon Hennesy’s store

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James Leon Hennesy’s store in Washington Parish, Louisiana.

Original photo.

My restoration. The face of one of the young women had been scratched out (it even looked as if it might have been deliberately scratched out) and I replaced it as the faces in that section are so undefined that there is no possibility of identifying them.

A descendant of James Leon Hennesy has written a litle of her memories of James Leon’s stores. She describes one of the stores as having been the “company” store for the Simmons sawmill. She gives the Bogalusa-Franklinton Highway as a place name, but for which store I don’t know as he is noted as having had “stores.”

This is a fascinating shot. Apex Red Shoes are advertized (for men, $4 and $5 dollars) made in New Orleans. Arny’s drink, 5 cents, is also advertized (name on every bottle).

James Leon Hennesy is standing in the far right window. No one else can be identified and the picture gave no indication of photographer or date. The two men in the cart appear to be brothers. None of James’ children by Lucy (now dead) appear to be in the photo. The woman in the window opposite James looks like she would be a wife, seeming to have a certain sense of entitlement about her and it is suggestive of ownership, James in one window and her in the other. Is she Lucinda Pounds? The dating on the photo could be anywhere between 1906 to 1914, my guess leaning towards 1910. But about 1910, Lucinda would have only been 23 and this woman looks older. Lucinda and James are supposed to have married about 1920 and guesses have been made the photo was as late as about 1920, but I have a difficult time imagining this being post WWI. I suppose it could be but I don’t believe James looks in his late 40s here, and it’s difficult to imagine at least the young women in the photo not dressing more to a 1920 aesthetic. I do believe this is pre war.

Some close-ups from the photo.

The man and woman in the cart.

The men in the cart on the right.

The individuals in the doorway.

James Leon Hennesy in the right window.

The woman in the left window.

First Restaurant owned by James Leon Hennesy

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First Restaurant owned by James Leon Hennesy

My attempt at restoration.

Ethel Hennesy had written on the back of the photo that this was the first restaurant owned by James Leon Hennesy, the father of E. E. Hennesy. It was in Franklinton, Washington Parish, LA. James Leon stands behind the counter with Della Nobles Hennesy, his third wife. Lucille, his child by his second wife, Lucinda Ponds, is seated on the stool. Her birthdate was 19 July 1920 so perhaps the photo is from about 1928.

The African-American woman in the background is perhaps the cook and I imagine the kitchen is to the rear, behind the partial wall. The two women on the right, with jackets on, were probably waitresses. The man in the background was perhaps someone employed as something like a bar keep, toting and doing some of the heavier work? The woman seated beside Lucille looks like she would probably be a relative since she is to the fore.

There is a small window to the right that is open and one can tell that it is dark outside, so the image was either made early morning or at night, before or after the work day. An ad for Prince Albert is on the wall. One gets a good feel for the work environment from the photo, the division of responsibility, and it seems that the restaurant probably also functioned as a store. I can imagine Lucille getting out of school and going to the restaurant to sit while Della and James worked the counter.

Two waitresses seems like a lot for such a small restaurant but perhaps without certain modern conveniences like dish washers there was more work entailed.

Ethel Hennesy noted, “Restaurant purchased from Fleming Morgan.”

However, Della’s first husband ran a restaurant, which is no doubt why she looks as confidant as she does. She knew the business.

1920 Louisiana, Washington Parish, Bogalusa
pg. 2B
27/31 NOBLES Joe head rent 53 b. LA parents b. LA restaurant
NOBLES Della 43
HARDEN Bertha 21
HARDEN Paul 35? b. LA parents b. KY carpenter
NOBLES William 18 b. LA parents b. LA laborer
NOBLES Wilber 17 laborer
NOBLES Alford 15 laborer
NOBLES Willis 14

Ethel (Simmons) Hennesy on her wedding day, abt. July 17 1924, with Zoe Hennesy

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Ethel (Simmons) Hennesy on her wedding day, abt. July 17 1924 (the day the license was granted), with Zoe Hennesy. She was married in Franklinton, Washington Parish, Louisiana.

Original photo

Restored, colored photo

Not knowing the color of Ethel’s wedding dress, I tried a variety of shades. My first inclination was to go with this shade of blue. I also tried various yellows (too bright) and pink. The pink was a nice option but eventually I returned to this shade of blue because it brought out the dress’ texture more than any other color. Zoe’s dress also I chose to do in blue as yellow was far too bright, and pink flattened the image rather than adding any depth to it.

This is a nice photo of Ethel. In later photos she is more severe, quickly becoming the matron. Here she looks like a strong matriarch in the making, but there is a relaxed confidence that is replaced with a certain stark quality later. Her arm thrown about Zoe’s shoulder…it really is a very casual wedding photograph. Her attire also markedly contrasts the more formal attire of her mother’s wedding, and the formal wedding of her daughter Jean. Aware that she had a hard childhood in which she took care of her siblings, one could read into her expression, “All right, I’m out of there. Going to have my own home now.”

Ethel was 18 years old.