The Price family in the 1880s. From left to right: Mary “Pearl” Price, John Preston Price, Eliza Ellen [Cook] Price, and Lilly Catherine Price. Photograph from Sandra [Hunt] Alger.
Is that a cool picture or what? I’m not sure I would have believed that the 1800s actually existed if not for this family photo (I don’t believe everything I read). And now, here they are, just thrilled to be on the Internet.
I was trying to envision what the photographer had said to them right before snapping this photo:
Him: Okay, big smiles, everyone. Say Muenster cheese…
Them: … (no smiles, only dour expressions)
Him: It’s okay, no one’s looking. You can smile a little. Someday, your picture is going to be up for the whole WORLD to see.
Them: … (only looks of suspicion)
Him: You’re right. Let’s not overestimate her readership. Five people will see it. Maybe six. But, not even a teensy-weensy hint of a smile for your descendants whose pampered lives are the result of your relentless toiling?
Them: … (utter disgust, girl on right shakes head)
Him: Yeah, I hear you. Screw ‘em. (snap)
Anyway, the little girl on the left was my great-great-grandmother, Pearl Price. Mary was her given name, but her father always called her “my pearl,” so that’s what she went by. She was born in 1879 to Eliza Ellen [Cook] and John Preston Price. The name Price was anglicized from Preisch, and the family was traced back to Offenbach, Germany (just across the river from Frankfurt).
The first Preisches had arrived in Philadelphia in 1738, traveled south, and then eventually settled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of southwestern Virginia (not far from the West Virginia line). Pearl and her family lived in the area now known as Price’s Fork, just outside Blacksburg and the Virginia Tech campus.
Most of my early recipes are from Pearl’s daughters, Ethel (my great grandmother) and Claribel. A lot of them are just methods, without specific amounts or any of the exhaustive detail we’ve come to expect in a recipe. I get the impression people didn’t have much time for measuring back then, what with all the endless chores. Boy, was I born at the right time.
And speaking of lazy, I said I’d have a recipe for you today, but look, we’re out of time. Next week, I swear.
Don't let your number of comments fool you -- I read your blog everyday nearly (and many others) and hardly ever comment.
Posted by: Jane | April 19, 2008 at 01:08 AM
O.M.G.....Claribel! TFF! Anyway - so "Pearl's" real name was Mary (no middle name I take it?)? Makes it confusing for tracing back, doesn't it? Aunt Della's real name was Sarah Adelia. Not that you'll find that listed anywhere (like on her grave stone) (or her obit). Anyhoo...where's the recipes?! Hrumph!
Posted by: Sally | April 19, 2008 at 07:50 AM
I'm sure more than five or six people read you. We just forget to comment sometimes. I love the unsmiling old photos. I think it was something like a rule that you don't smile for photos. Or something like that. I asked my mom once when I was a kid, but I forget what she said.
Posted by: Mary | April 19, 2008 at 10:22 AM
They're probably not being dour on purpose. The exposure times for cameras in the 1800s were really, really long (ten minutes or more). And it's difficult to hold the same smile for that amount of time.
Posted by: Adele | April 19, 2008 at 10:56 AM
Adele: That makes a lot of sense. Who wants to hold a smile for 10 long minutes? Only the deranged.
Mary: Maybe there wasn't anything to smile about in the 1800s.
Sally: Sorry to fake you out. There was a reason, but I won't bore you with the details. I'll bore you with them next week.
Jane: Thanks for commenting!! Typepad tells me how many people really visit, but the number has been going steadily down ever since the weather got nice. It's hard to compete with sunshine.
Posted by: Tammy | April 19, 2008 at 03:56 PM
I don't tend to spend that much time on the Internet on weekends. I'm either dial-up or hike to the library, which I do Sunday afternoons and I'm doing now.
But I do look in most other days.
I've an aunt named Claire, except it was really Clara, and everybody, except her commanding officer, called Doll, including her father and the General she was secretary to in the occupation of Japan.
Posted by: ntsc | April 20, 2008 at 02:44 PM
You're so lucky Tammy to have all that information about your families. And you're forgiven for the lack of recipe - your running comment about the snapping of the picture more than makes up for it :)
Posted by: Inne | April 21, 2008 at 09:36 AM
Long exposure times? Here I thought the natives were concerned that their souls would be taken.
Or, perhaps they were just hungry for breakfast. Afterall, the albumen print process was all the rage back in the day...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albumen_print
Posted by: Tim | April 22, 2008 at 11:35 AM
Tim: Egg whites, salt, and silver, huh? Yummy. All I know is that this picture is remarkably detailed and has held up unbelievably well over time. A quality process, whatever it was. (P.S. I didn't know you were still reading me!)
Inne: I am lucky, but it did taking some digging to get all these photos. And lots of threats.
ntsc: I didn't mean to guilt trip you guys. I'm just happy anyone reads me at all!
Posted by: Tammy | April 23, 2008 at 12:54 PM
My wife (younger than me by 20 years!) grew up dirt-poor in Appalachia. She was lucky enough to find me, though. Now she is a registered nurse, a caberet performer and a small business owner (laser hair removal).
Appalachia is a beautiful region of our country (at least parts of it are) but anyone who saw "Coal Miner's Daughter" knows it's better to get out while you're young.
My wife is certainly glad she did.
Posted by: DocChuck | April 23, 2008 at 03:48 PM
DocChuck: I'm sure she counts her blessings everyday that she found you. And I'll bet she makes a mean possum!
Posted by: Tammy | April 23, 2008 at 10:00 PM