An
elderly relative said Babe would be around ninety two years old if she is
still living. Never was she called by her Christian name. She was known as
"Babe". The date of this picture is around 1906.
This was the youngest child
of Henry and Juda Jones Bockius, Sister to Joseph Hubbard Jones. They
lived at Ralston, Oklahoma around the turn of the century before and
during the oil boom of the Osage Oil fields.
This picture shows the
pride Juda had in her children.
With a magnifying glass one
can study Juda's expression in the picture with her standing in the cotton
field. She certainly is not happy with the photographer catching them in
this position. There was, no doubt they were having a struggle to survive.
There is no understanding as to the hardship these people endured today.
Maybe the photographer did not know of her background, her pride and
certainly her unwillingness to be caught in this pose. On the other hand,
maybe he did. If the photographer was someone like John Brewer of
Bellzona's family this would be another situation. There is a great
mystery in these old photographs that will never be told. Nevertheless,
her expression well expresses her feelings. The picture of her youngest
child as she is dressed to attend Church is a most precious reminder.
These Joneses were able to overcome the hateful life they had thrust upon
them during the early pioneer days of Oklahoma with their ability to live
and love life to it's full, joyfully and with a sense of humor. |