Eleanor Osborne Jewett - Heritage Photo Album

Eleanor Osborne Jewett Dwyer Buhl.
Staunch Democrat. Detroit Social Butterfly. Once referred to as a Great American Beauty
(by a newspaper!)

Here's the deal. My printer has decided it does not like to scan and in fact, it has ceased all scanning operations whatsoever. As I have a couple of priceless scrapbooks and photo albums on loan for my genealogy research, I decided these must be digitized! So I took photos. Of photos. Albums propped on pillows with a bedside light? Best way to do it if you gotta. If genealogy is as exciting to you as it is to me, you won't even notice the poor quality - you're used to it, eh? Poor excuse, I know...

They're not candids, they're portraits. Stunning portraits. This is one big long picture parade, guys. If you see two in a row of the same photo, it's because one is a larger or more detailed photo. Also, because Blogspot isn't err, terribly photo friendly, you will need to click on any given photo for its full effect.

Left to Right: Mary Wendell Jewett, Eleanor Osborne Jewett, Mary Williamson Visscher

Left to Right: Gertrude Osforne Jewett, Diane Dwyer, Eleanor Osborne Jewett, Harry Mulford Jewett. I simply adore seeing Harry Mulford Jewett, or "Hal" (we're pretty tight) in family photos and aged. Always exceedingly calm. His expression was difficult to capture because his eyes are an extremely light, placid, translucent blue. Eleanor seems to say, "take the photo while the baby is still, mister!"

An attempt to capture Harry Mulford Jewett. I don't think I noticed quite how substantial his ears were until now. It doesn't detract from his dapper yet familiar charm, though.

I understand this charmed maternal pose well. It's easy to get caught up in that little person that is your very life and soul. Mary Wendell Jewett, Eleanor Osborne Jewett. Gorgeous dress! Slightly creepy bangs on Eleanor. Tres Victorian!

Same photo, close-up.

Mary Wendell Jewett Bridal Portrait close-up. Do wedding gowns get more elegant and feminine than this?

Larger photo, a heavenly cloud of train wrapping around her like a divine pastry. A photo that could melt in your mouth or at least make you sigh. Let's see, how else can I tell you how much I love this portrait?
Eleanor Visscher Wendell. She knows what you're up to over there. And I think she disapproves. Shame, shame. No, I'm unfair! It could be that eyebrow, lifted in suspicion (which I inherited) but I think it's her choker that makes her look so intense.

John Henry Wendell, looking prophetically into the distance. I'm inclined to think this is his "golf clap" expression.

How does the quote from Swingers go? Oh, that's right. You're so money. Well lookatcha, H.M. Jewett with your cars and your foxhunting uniform. All he needs is a monacle and a proper moustache. A curly one. Like Moneybags from Monopoly (or whatever his name is.) If you've never seen Swingers, the movie, you probably think this caption is completely inappropriate and disrespectful. Quite the contrary! Watch Swingers. You'll see, mon ami. It's a compliment of the highest order.

Another shot of a photo above, Harry Mulford Jewett.

Gertrude Osforne Jewett. You just know that the Osborne in Eleanor Jewett's name is derivative of this, but why change the F to a B, I wonder? I don't quite know if I've ever seen a photo of an older woman wearing sheer lace sleeves before, but I like the warm grin and her understated Flapper style.
An aged Mary Wendell Jewett. It's settled: she is obviously the source of the Alton women's slow outward aging process. My mother has been mistaken for my sister, so I'm in a good class of genes here.

It doesn't feel right to exclude Eleanor's husband here. John Vincent Dwyer. I haven't included the Dwyer side in this post intentionally: that's for some other time. And I should also add, his forehead isn't really as large as it appears! It's just the angle at which I took the photo. Of his photo. That's my nose! That is my nose precisely!

And now for the Genealogy candy! Make sure you click on these photos - the text is very clear.

The Wendell - Jewett Genealogy written in Eleanor Osborne Jewett's hand.

Left side, same page, detail.Right side, same page, detail.