Old Photos

Jim's brother, Steve, is scanning old family photos that their mother put in an album she made for him many years ago, probably in the late 1970's. He sent several to me via email, and I got so excited I could hardly stand it. Steve has more photos to scan. I can hardly wait to see all of them. I will share a few now.

The first photo is Jim's great grandfather and great grandmother's family. I knew it had to be them because I had seen a picture of him before. The photo was probably taken about 1906 or 1907. Margaret Gaines (younger girl) was born about 1905 and the youngest child, Richard Gaines, Jr., wasn't born yet. He was born about 1908. I wrote about Richard and Willie Vandivere Gaines in January, 2012, in "Happy Dance 1" and "Happy Dance 2." Guy Gaines (the young boy in the photo) was Jim's grandfather.

The Richard M. Gaines Family, L to R Mattie, Richard, Guy, Margaret, Willie

The second photo is of Guy Gaines and Daisy Victoria Parker Gaines. I think this was taken at their home in Wilmington, North Carolina. They are Jim's grandparents.

Daisy and Guy Gaines

 I don't know the year the third photo was taken, but it looks like it was taken at Christmas time. Jim and his brothers called Daisy Victoria Parker Gaines "Granny." The house in the previous post, "The Parker Home in Taylorsville, Georgia," was where Granny grew up. She was probably 8 or 9 years old when her family moved there.

Daisy Victoria Parker Gaines

The Parker Home in Taylorsville, Georgia

On February 18 I wrote an email to Vivian Alexander in Taylorsville, Georgia. She is the listing agent for the house I wrote about in a post titled "A Great Find" on Wednesday, November 9, 2011. My email said:

Dear Ms. Alexander,

I am interested in finding out more about the property at the address above. (http://listings.listhub.net/pages/FMLSGA/4221674/?channel=homes)

I believe this house was my husband's great grandfather and great grandmother's home, James T. and Cora Parker. I wanted to know if you know any history of this house and/or have the abstract.

I have a post card that was made when the home was new. The roof line of the house, the porch, and the footprint in the advertisement are very similar to the old post card. The post card postmark is Dec 22, 1908 5 PM Taylorsville GA. On the front is written "Residence of J. T. Parker Taylorsville." Their address on the 1910 census was listed as Stilesboro Road. Was the house moved from this location to the current one or did the road name change?

I would appreciate any help in confirming or not if this is the same house.

Thank you.

I sent her pictures of the original house and two that were posted on the realtor's web page.

On the evening of the same day I received a reply from her. She wrote:

Well, it really looks like the same house.  It is a bank foreclosure so I really do not have much info.  I would think that probably was Stilesboro Road and that is the correct age. 

Have you been to the courthouse?

I've got some history books on Bartow and will check them.

Vivian Alexander

So it looks like the houses in the two photos are one in the same!!! I love it when a hunch pays off. 

I would love to see the house. It's just too bad some of the lovely exterior details don't exist anymore.

Original home built in 1908, Taylorsville, Georgia

The home as it looks today.

Back and side view.