A Pioneer Day Celebration

Update: October 10, 2010: Just found a full shot of the float photo. The back is captioned: L-R: Hary Hale [?] , ____Moffit ?, Annie Rebecca Seward Kennington, unknown, Elizabeth Lee Kennington in striped top, _____Anderson [in flowered top], unknown with baby, Eliza Ann Lee Hale, sister to Elizabeth K, in black top, ___Moffit right of curtain, unknown, unknown. Standing: Mother Hill, unknown girl, ____Cazier.
This 24th of July photo gives us a glimpse of our grandmothers' world. Annie Rebecca and Elizabeth Ann are 2nd and 4th from the left. Elizabeth's sister is second from the right. They resemble each other.

This photo is interesting on several levels:

• First, it illustrates what 24th of July decorations looked like around the turn of the century: lots of fabric tacked on to a farm wagon or bowery stand of some sort. Enlarge the photo and look at the framework of rough cut lumber which has been tacked together. Annie and Elizabeth both died before 1920. Here they still look vigorous, but older, so I would guess it's taken around 1905-plus or minus a few years.
• Second, the older women in the photo represent the first wave of settlers into Star Valley in the 1880's. The mix of ages may point to something to do with the Relief Society organization. The younger woman holding a baby on the front row makes it look like an presidency of some kind. Maybe someone out there could fill us in on the details.
• Third, their clothing indicates that a degree of prosperity had come to the area and commodities (fabric and notions) were easier to get. They are dressed up for the occasion. I wonder how hot some of the older women were in their dark colors and several layers. July in Star Valley is the time to begin haying and harvesting the gardens. It's usually warm, dry and dusty with a wonderful scent of pine in the air.
• Lastly, the body language seems to indicate that all the women are comfortable with each other. You can almost hear the photographer telling them to get closer so he can get everyone in.

If anyone has observations or comments on the photo or who the other ladies are in it, please contact us. We'd love to know more.