Ohio Photos

Family of Edward "Ned" Rodgers and Anna Cunningham


Ann Rodgers was the first of the Rodgers’ children to be born in the United States, being born March 3, 1873, in Cleveland. I estimate this picture was taken in the early 1880’s. You might be a better judge of her age than I am. It is the oldest family photo we have from the Rodgers side:

1880s Ann Rodgers Tintype

1880s Ann Rodgers Tintype

Ann was married in June of 1891 to George McCracken. Their son John Edward was born in October of that year, and George died the following February. Guessing that John is no more than five in this photo, I place it in the mid 1890’s:

1890s Ann (Rodgers) McCracken and son John McCracken

1890s Ann (Rodgers) McCracken and son John McCracken

On March 1, 1915, Edward and Anna celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. This photograph was taken for the occasion and includes, I believe, all their surviving descendants, most of their marriage mates, children from previous marriages, and a friend of the family:

1915 Edward & Anna (Cunningham) Rodgers 50th Wedding Anniversary

1915 Edward & Anna (Cunningham) Rodgers 50th Wedding Anniversary

This is a template outline of the wedding anniversary photo with each subject numbered. Use it in connection with the list of names:

1915 Anniversary Photo Template

1915 Anniversary Photo Template

This is a numbered list of names of the persons in the anniversary photo. It matches the template:

1915 Anniversary Photo, List of Names

1915 Anniversary Photo, List of Names

Don’t we wish we had a template and list for the next picture and the other reunions included here? The only ones I can identify in this photo are my mother and her immediate family, most of whom are in the second row from the front. Based on their likely ages I would say this was taken about 1930:

Rodgers Reunion, 1930's

Rodgers Reunion, 1930's

By the 1940’s only four of the Rodgers’ children were still alive: from left to right: Margaret Cushing, Lucy Sloan, Ann O’Rourke, and Helen “Nell” Gallagher. Margaret died in September 1943, which helps date this photo:

Margaret, Lucy, Ann, and Nell Rodgers in Mentor, Ohio, 1940s

Margaret, Lucy, Ann, and Nell Rodgers in Mentor, Ohio, 1940s

I’m wondering if this next reunion photo was taken at the same gathering as the previous picture of the four surviving sisters. Margaret is in this group shot also and the house in both pictures could be the same:

1941-1943 Rodgers Reunion

1941-1943 Rodgers Reunion

My uncle by marriage, Tom Murphy, used to talk about the Rodgers’ “Cousin’s Club.” I thought he was joking, but no. Here is one “meeting” held at Lucy (O’Rourke) Smith’s house in 1944. Tom’s wife, Mary O’Rourke, is on the left in front. Her sister Ann Telzrow is across from her and next to Ann is their sister Theresa “Tiny” O’Rourke. Down back and seated on our left facing the camera is another sister Ellen Guarnieri and to Ellen’s right is a fifth sister Elizabeth “Betsy” Sackerson:

October 11, 1944, Lucy O'Rourke Smith Cousins' Club Group

October 11, 1944, Lucy O'Rourke Smith Cousins' Club Group

This is the same group as the previous picture, in a more informal pose:

October 11, 1944, Lucy O'Rourke Smith Cousins' Club Group, 2

October 11, 1944, Lucy O'Rourke Smith Cousins' Club Group, 2

The Rodgers’ clan continued to grow and by the time of this next picture, taken in 1947, they were down to at least great-grandchildren. I recognize some of my oldest cousins in the first row, and the last few marriage mates to join the family are here as well:

June 29, 1947 Rodgers Reunion

June 29, 1947 Rodgers Reunion

Family of William O'Rourke and Ann Rodgers


1900s-1910s

This first picture from the O’Rourke family is of Ann O’Rourke in the 1900’s. We had a version at home which had been colorized much later, but this is from the original:

Ann (Rodgers) O'Rourke, 1900s

Ann (Rodgers) O'Rourke, 1900s

William and Ann O’Rourke were married November 3, 1904; William’s brother James married Mary Keyes about 1906. Since William appears to be more “dressed up” in the photo, I’m guessing it was for his wedding, not James’. I could be wrong:

William and James O'Rourke, 1904?

William and James O'Rourke, 1904?

An easier photo to date, this next is of Ann and William O’Rourke and their first child Ellen, who was born November 16, 1905:

1905 Ann, William, and Ellen O'Rourke

1905 Ann, William, and Ellen O'Rourke

The O’Rourkes’ third and fourth children were Bill, born October 1908, and Ann, born September 1910. Ann was called “Sis” to distinguish her from her mother. So say about 1913 for this picture. What I don’t know about determining children’s ages could fill a book:

Bill and Ann O'Rourke on Finney, about 1913

Bill and Ann O'Rourke on Finney, about 1913

Daughter Ann looks about a year older in this photo so lets assign it the year 1914:

Ann (Rodgers) O'Rourke and her daughter Ann, about 1914

Ann (Rodgers) O'Rourke and her daughter Ann, about 1914

The younger Ann O’Rourke and her brother John McCracken:

John McCracken and his sister Ann O'Rourke, on East 91st, about 1915

John McCracken and his sister Ann O'Rourke, on East 91st, about 1915

1920s

The youngest O'Rourke daughter, Rita, was born in June 1918. I'm guessing this picture of her with her sisters Betsy and Lucy was taken in late 1920 or so:

Rita, Betsy, and Lucy O'Rourke about 1920

Rita, Betsy, and Lucy O'Rourke about 1920

Theresa was born in 1913, Lucy in 1914, and Elizabeth in 1915. Three sisters, three different dresses, I wonder if their grandmother was still been sewing. I'm guessing that the youngest, Elizabeth, was required to be seven for First Communion:
Theresa, Elizabeth, and Lucy O'Rourke, First Communion, about 1922

Theresa, Elizabeth, and Lucy O'Rourke, First Communion, about 1922

Lucy O'Rourke's second grade class photograph from Holy Name Parish, Cleveland, Ohio. Lucy is the fourth student from our left in the second row from the front:

1922 Second Grade Class Holy Name, Cleveland

1922 Second Grade Class Holy Name, Cleveland

Back Row: Helen Finnerty, Mildred Gaughn, Bernice Hurley, Genevive Parle, Catherine Elwell, Coletta Kearns, --------, Sadie Kruger, Mary McGraw, Evelyn Presgrave, Catherine Conrad, Mary Thornton, Eileen Quinn

3rd Row: Dan O'Brien, Ed Kennedy, Al Elwell, Vincent Hurley, Paul Downs, Tom Murray, Rob Redig, ___ Del Pizzo, --------, Steve Byrne, Lucille Dickle

2nd Row: Dorothy Vincent, Mary Raimer, Madeline Gutbrod, Lucy O'Rourke, [Marguerite] Tully, -------, Vera Looby, -------, Rosanna McNamee, Adelaide ___

Front Row: Leonard Kohn, James Kennedy, James Cusack, Dan Orschak, Joe Murphy, Bernard Conrad, Michael Harwood, Peter Bolan, George Welling

-------

Lucy O'Rourke's list of her and her second grade classmates, shown in the previous picture. This is on the reverse side of the photo itself. She numbered the rows from back to front:
1922 Second Grade Class List, Holy Name, Cleveland

1922 Second Grade Class List, Holy Name, Cleveland

This was identified for me as the 1928 Holy Name High School Girls' Basketball Team:
1928 Holy Name High School, Girls' Basketball Team

1928 Holy Name High School, Girls' Basketball Team

Ann O'Rourke was born in September 1910. Since she was on the 1928 basketball team this graduation picture is possibly the same year. Ann is in the third row, the fourth girl from our left:
Holy Name High School Graduation Class, probably 1928, Ann O'Rourke in third row

Holy Name High School Graduation Class, probably 1928, Ann O'Rourke in third row

Ellen O'Rourke married Nick Guarnieri in June 1930. This was taken with her mother about two years earlier:
1928 Nick Guarnieri, and Ellen and Ann O'Rourke, on Harvard Ave

1928 Nick Guarnieri, and Ellen and Ann O'Rourke, on Harvard Ave

This picture of Ellen, Theresa "Tiny", and Ann "Sis" O'Rourke seems to be from Harvard Ave in the late 1920s:
Ellen, Tiny, and Sis O'Rourke, late 1920s

Ellen, Tiny, and Sis O'Rourke, late 1920s

Ann (Rodgers) O'Rourke looked after some of the neighborhood children after school, etc. Some of these kids in this picture are O'Rourkes and some aren't. My best guess is (seated, l to r) Ann, Ellen, neighbor, Bill, Mary. (standing, l to r) neighbor, Theresa, Lucy:
1928 O'Rourke Children

1928 O'Rourke Children

Did you notice the strapped shoe of the girl coming out the door in the last picture? She was coming out for this next one. And is that Bill's sweater on the step? (Seated, l to r) Theresa, neighbor, neighbor, Lucy, (standing) three neighbors:
1928 O'Rourkes and Neighbors

1928 O'Rourkes and Neighbors

1930s

I'm guessing this next picture was taken about 1930. Left to right: Lucy, Theresa, Ann, and Mary O'Rourke with their mother Ann. In back is Ellen's future husband Nick Guarnieri. The young man in front has been identified by a relative of his as Elmer Giuliani, a neighbor of the O'Rourkes, who grew up to be a successful defense attorney in the Cleveland area:

about 1930 O'Rourkes, Nick Guarnieri, and Elmer Giuliani

about 1930 O'Rourkes, Nick Guarnieri, and Elmer Giuliani

The first marriage in the O'Rourke family was on June 21, 1930, when Ellen married Nicholas Guarnieri. These next few pictures are from the wedding day. The first is of the maid of honor, Ellen's sister Ann, and Nick's best man, his cousin Humberto Rososco:
June 21, 1930 Ann O'Rourke and Humberto Rososco

June 21, 1930 Ann O'Rourke and Humberto Rososco

Ellen's brother Bill and her father William:
June 21, 1930 Bill O'Rourke and his father William

June 21, 1930 Bill O'Rourke and his father William

The father of the bride:
June 21, 1930 William O'Rourke

June 21, 1930 William O'Rourke

I'm guessing this was taken earlier on the day of Ellen's wedding because of the formal attire. This is William O'Rourke and his brother James:
possibly June 21, 1930 William and James O'Rourke

possibly June 21, 1930 William and James O'Rourke

This picture of four of the O'Rourke daughters came to me with a date of March 1931. The car might belong to Ellen's husband, Nick Guarnieri. Clockwise from the left are Theresa, Lucy, Ann and Ellen:
March 1931 Four O'Rourke Daughters

March 1931 Four O'Rourke Daughters

A photo from a 1932 O'Rourke family picnic. I'd like to think that the reason my grandfather isn't in this picture is because he took it. But if he was like me, my mother, my uncle, my cousin, etc., you couldn't have dragged him to anything less important than his son or daughter's wedding. Nick Guarnieri is the best bet for being the photographer. Rear, left to right: Bill and June (Fitzgerald) O'Rourke, Betsy, Ann (Rodgers) O'Rourke, Sis, and Ellen. Front, left to right: Mary, Tiny, then Rita and Lucy, or Lucy and Rita, I can't tell for sure.
1932 O'Rourke family picnic

1932 O'Rourke family picnic

This photograph looks like it was taken when Theresa "Tiny" O'Rourke graduated from nursing school. With her are her sisters Ann and Lucy:
mid 1930s Theresa O'Rourke, with sisters Ann and Lucy

mid 1930s Theresa O'Rourke, with sisters Ann and Lucy

Taken at the same time as the previous picture, but without the graduate:
mid 1930s Ann O'Rourke and her sister Lucy

mid 1930s Ann O'Rourke and her sister Lucy

The 1936 Holy Name freshman girls' basketball team, with Rita O'Rourke seated first from our right in the front row:
1936 Holy Name girls basketball team

1936 Holy Name girls basketball team

This picture was taken in 1936 in Beechwood, Ohio. In the foreground are Nick Guarnieri and Mary and Ann O'Rourke. Behind the car are possibly Theresa and Lucy O'Rourke. I assume Ellen Guarnieri took the picture. I think the dog might have belonged to Nick and Ellen:
Nick Guarnieri, Mary, Ann, Tina, Lucy O'Rourke, 1936

Nick Guarnieri, Mary, Ann, Tina, Lucy O'Rourke, 1936

The O'Rourke's only son, Bill, was married to June Fitzgerald on November 25, 1936. Here he is, on the far left, with his parents, on the day of the wedding. At the right in a white hat is Bill's cousin, Matt Sloan. I don't know the others in the scene:
Bill O'Rourke, parents, Matt Sloan, November 25, 1936

Bill O'Rourke, parents, Matt Sloan, November 25, 1936

The next O'Rourke wedding was that of daughter Ann to Jack Telzrow, August 5, 1939. This is the bride and groom with their mothers at their side:
Ann (O'Rourke) and Jack Telzrow, Ann (Rodgers) O'Rourke and Catherine (Egan) Telzrow

Ann (O'Rourke) and Jack Telzrow, Ann (Rodgers) O'Rourke and Catherine (Egan) Telzrow

In front of Holy Name on the day of the Telzrows' wedding are Ann's brother John and her sister Rita. Behind John is Carl Toomey, a first cousin:
John McCracken and Rita O'Rourke. Walking behind John: Carl Toomey, August 5, 1939

John McCracken and Rita O'Rourke. Walking behind John: Carl Toomey, August 5, 1939

A Telzrow family photograph, taken on the day of Ann O'Rourke and Jack Telzrow's wedding, at the O'Rourke home on 12916 Beechwood Ave., Cleveland
Telzrow family

left to right: Lucille Telzrow, Ann (wife of Willis), Willis Telzrow, John C Telzrow, Ann (O'Rourke) Telzrow, Jack Telzrow, Franny Telzrow (behind Jack), Catherine (Egan) Telzrow, Jimmy Telzrow, Edwin Telzrow, and Tommy Telzrow

1940s

The O'Rourke's second daughter, Mary, was married to Thomas Murphy on August 3, 1940. They are facing each other in the center of the picture, and Tom is partly hidden by an unidentified man. In the foreground on the left is the maid of honor, Mary's sister Theresa. If the other gentleman in white is the best man, I am wondering if it is one of Tom's brothers. From the side there is a resemblance:

August 3, 1940 Theresa O'Rourke, unknown, Mary (O'Rourke) Murphy, Thomas Murphy

August 3, 1940 Theresa O'Rourke, unknown, Mary (O'Rourke) Murphy, Thomas Murphy

On June 7, 1941, Elizabeth “Betsy” O'Rourke was married to Joseph Sackerson at Holy Name Church. Here is the couple leaving the church. In the background is Betsy's sister Rita, maid of honor:
Betsy (O'Rourke) and Joseph Sackerson, Rita O'Rourke, June 7, 1941

Betsy (O'Rourke) and Joseph Sackerson, Rita O'Rourke, June 7, 1941

The bride and maid of honor:
Betsy and Rita O'Rourke

Betsy and Rita O'Rourke

The father of the bride, June 7, 1941:
William O'Rourke, June 7, 1941

William O'Rourke, June 7, 1941

On March 18, 1944 the youngest O'Rourke daughter, Rita, was married to Mitchell Kollin while he was home on leave from the USS Essex in the Pacific. Here is Rita in her parents' home on the morning of the wedding:
Rita O'Rourke, March 18, 1944

Rita O'Rourke, March 18, 1944

The bride and groom:
Mitch and Rita (O'Rourke) Kollin, March 18, 1944

Mitch and Rita (O'Rourke) Kollin, March 18, 1944

I have a vague memory that this picture of Lucy O'Rourke was taken to send to her future husband, Charles Hamilton, while he was in the SeaBees in the South Pacific. That would give it a date of 1943 to 1945:
Lucy O'Rourke, 1943 to 1945, maybe

Lucy O'Rourke, 1943 to 1945, maybe

Lucy O'Rourke's marriage to Charles Hamilton was on May 29, 1947:
Charles and Lucy Hamilton's wedding, May 29, 1947

Charles and Lucy Hamilton's wedding, May 29, 1947

1950s-1960s

Here are three pictures of John McCracken, favorite step brother of the O'Rourkes. I remember him with an airedale, but not necessarily this one:

John McCracken, undated, maybe 1950s

John McCracken, undated, maybe 1950s

Another of John, possibly a few years later than the last:
John McCracken, undated, maybe 1950s

John McCracken, undated, maybe 1950s

When John retired, he and May moved to St. Petersburg. This was taken there in 1967:
1967 John McCracken, Florida

1967 John McCracken, Florida

Mary O'Rourke's husband Thomas Murphy had a daughter Marilyn from his previous marriage to Margaret McHugh. Marilyn was married in the early 1950s to Robert Wonsick. This next photograph is from the Wonsicks' reception:
Wonsick Wedding group

Standing from left to right: Ann Telzrow, Rita Kollin, Elizabeth Sackerson, Tom Murphy and Charles Hamilton. Seated left to right: Lucy Hamilton, Nick Guarnieri, Joseph Sackerson, Mary Murphy, Ellen Guarnieri, Theresa O'Rourke and Mitch Kollin

My best guess for the date of these next two pictures is 1954 or so. They were taken in the Hamiltons' backyard in University Heights:
O'Rourke Children, 1954

Left to right: Rita Kollin, Elizabeth Sackerson, Lucy Hamilton, Theresa O'Rourke, Ann Telzrow, Bill O'Rourke, Mary Murphy, and Ellen Guarnieri

I could go on forever with memories and stories of the people in this picture, the in-laws and one cousin of the O'Rourke family. Someday I will. For now, here are their names:
O'Rourke inlaws and cousin

from left to right: Nick Guarnieri, June (Fitzgerald) O'Rourke, Jack Telzrow, a cousin Elizabeth O'Rourke, Charlie Hamilton, Tom Murphy, Joe Sackerson, and, in front, Mitch Kollin

I only remember meeting my grandfather twice: once at his son Willliam's home, and once at Jennings Hall, a nursing home. Here he is at Jennings Hall in the 1960′s, I would guess:
William O'Rourke, 1960s

William O'Rourke, 1960s