Errol Wong

The store run by George Burbank
People in photo include: George E. Burbank

A photo of Greenwood Hardy found in an antique store. Written on the back is "Greenwood Hardy age 5". This is an unusual name for a girl. I may be misreading it, so I uploaded a separate image of the inscription.

Whoever she is, she's adorable. The photo is a refreshing change from the formal poses I usually see from kids in this era.

UPDATE: thanks to the comments, I was able to identify her and added her family information to her biography page.

This is my Great Grandmother, Nancy Jane (Wright) Hughes (1849-1915)

A photo of Phineas Gage in 1850, holding the tamping iron that caused his brain injury. He was a construction foreman (in charge of blasting) on the railroad, age 27, when an accidental early explosion occurred. The explosion drove a tamping iron (large iron rod, 1.25 inches in diameter) into his head. A large part of his left frontal lobe was destroyed.

After the accident, with the bar still in his head, it is reported that he sat up, talked, and walked to a wagon. Sitting in the wagon for the 3/4 mile ride into town, he was seen by a doctor. The doctor said:

"When I drove up he said, "Doctor, here is business enough for you." I first noticed the wound upon the head before I alighted from my carriage, the pulsations of the brain being very distinct. The top of the head appeared somewhat like an inverted funnel, as if some wedge-shaped body had passed from below upward. Mr. Gage, during the time I was examining this wound, was relating the manner in which he was injured to the bystanders. I did not believe Mr. Gage's statement at that time, but thought he was deceived. Mr. Gage persisted in saying that the bar went through his head. Mr. G. got up and vomited; the effort of vomiting pressed out about half a teacupful of the brain [through the exit hole at the top of the skull], which fell upon the floor."

The doctor removed some coagulated blood, some of the protruding brain, and some skull (bone) fragments, then bandaged his head and cheek.

Gage survived but his personality and temperament were changed. Later in his life, some social skills and personal skills returned and he worked as a stagecoach driver in Chile and later as a farmworker in Santa Clara County, California.

He died of an epileptic seizure (which was being treated by bleeding) in San Francisco, CA on May 21, 1860 at age 37.

A photo of Valerie Kathryn Harper.

Known professionally as Valerie Harper and born (a Catholic) to a lighting salesman and a nurse in Suffern, New York, Valerie was the middle of three children.

She trained as a dancer and began her career in NYC as a chorus girl. She moved on to the comedy group Second City, where she met and married comedian Dick Schaal. They were married in 1964 and divorced in 1978.

In 1970, while living in Los Angeles. she auditioned for the role of "Rhoda" on the Mary Tyler Moore Show - and starred on the show for 4 years. Her spin-off from the Mary Tyler Moore Show, "Rhoda", was on tv for another 4 years, making her a fixture on 1970s tv.

A popular actress and comedian, she appeared in numerous television shows, movies, and theater productions and was nominated for Emmys (won 4), Golden Globes (won 1), and a Tony . She was also an activist for the E.R.A. and the Women's Liberation Movement and co-founded a charity that feeds the needy in L.A.

In 2009, she was diagnosed with lung cancer and in 2013, with brain cancer, both of which she courageously fought for several years.

On August 30, 2019, Valerie succumbed to her illnesses at age 80. She was survived by her husband, Tony Cacciotti, her husband since 1987, and their (adopted) daughter, actress Cristina Cacciotti.

A photo of June Carol Kenyon

There's no name or any other identifying information on this photo. I found him in central Texas, so I think it's likely the photo was taken somewhere in that area. He looks like he's enjoying that rare snowfall.

Internet searches revealed that the winter of 1894-1895 was unusually cold in much of the northern hemisphere. The coast of the Gulf of Mexico got unusually heavy snowfalls in February 1895. Much of Texas got hit around the middle of February, especially along the coast.

The National Weather Service website says this: "February 12-15, 1895 - Widespread snow over the state, even as far south as the lower Valley. North Texas received between 3-5 inches, but a band of 10-20 inches blanketed the upper Texas coast, including Houston and Beaumont/Port Arthur."

A photo of Lenka (Ehrenreich) Markovits

A photo of Ruth Lansaw.
People in photo include: Ruth Lansaw

A photo of Gladys (Simmons) Van Kleeck and her cat Patsy. I'm amazed that the cat is calmly sitting for the portrait. All the cats I've known would have panicked at the strange setting and found some large piece of furniture to hide under.

A photo of Elenor Virginia Drewry

A photo of Rip Torn taken early in his acting career.

Born in Temple TX in 1931, Elmore Rual Torn Jr was the son of "Tiger" Torn Sr. and Thelma Mary (Spacek) Torn (aunt of Sissy Spacek). His nickname Rip was a traditional family nickname.

Rip studied acting at the University of Texas in Austin and went on to be an MP in the Army. After the Army, he moved to Hollywood and in 1956 had a part in his first movie, "Baby Doll."

Moving to New York, he began his stage career - studying at the Actors Studio. (While he was there, he helped his cousin Sissy enroll at the Actors Studio.)

A very long career on stage, in films, and on television followed. (Remember him as "Zed" in Men in Black?) But many conflicts were also involved - he, himself, said: ""I have certain flaws in my make-up. Something called irascibility. I get angry easily. I get saddened by things easily." These conflicts went beyond just the set - in 2010 he was arrested in Lakeport CT (his hometown) for trying to break into a bank while intoxicated and carrying a gun (he claimed that he thought it was his house). He plead guilty and was sentenced to 3 yrs probation.

Rip may have had some personal demons, but his talent provided us all with many hours of entertainment (and often laughter). He died at home at the age of 88, survived by his wife, 6 children (from 3 marriages), 4 grandchildren, and his sister.

RIP Elmore Rual Torn Jr.

Carroll family hoeing corn in Florida.

A photo of Arte Johnson, actor and comedian.

He was best known as a versatile comedian on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, which ran from 1968 through 1973. This photo of him is as the character "Wolgang" - a "cigarette-smoking German soldier" who believed that World War II was still raging. His recurring comment was "verrrry interesting".

He also played a dirty old man - "Tyrone F. Horneigh" - to Ruth Buzzi's prim old spinster and the man who rode the tricycle, always falling over, as well as numerous other characters.

Before retiring in 2006, Arte performed in numerous guest spots as well as doing voice overs. Dying of cancer on July 3, 2019, he is survived by his wife and brother.

Mary Jane Barnett (1907 -- 1997) and sister Elizabeth (Barnett) Doyle.
People in photo include: Elizabeth (Barnett) Doyle

Albert Kaczka
Nationality: French (Jewish)
Residence: Paris, France
Death: 1942
Cause: Murdered in Auschwitz (buried in Auschwitz death camp)
Age: 9 years