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
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
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
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
This is a numbered list of names of the persons in the anniversary photo. It matches the template:
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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?
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
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
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
The younger Ann O’Rourke and her brother John McCracken:
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
Theresa, Elizabeth, and Lucy O'Rourke, First Communion, about 1922
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
1928 Holy Name High School, Girls' Basketball Team
Holy Name High School Graduation Class, probably 1928, Ann O'Rourke in third row
1928 Nick Guarnieri, and Ellen and Ann O'Rourke, on Harvard Ave
Ellen, Tiny, and Sis O'Rourke, late 1920s
1928 O'Rourke Children
1928 O'Rourkes and Neighbors
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
June 21, 1930 Ann O'Rourke and Humberto Rososco
June 21, 1930 Bill O'Rourke and his father William
June 21, 1930 William O'Rourke
possibly June 21, 1930 William and James O'Rourke
March 1931 Four O'Rourke Daughters
1932 O'Rourke family picnic
mid 1930s Theresa O'Rourke, with sisters Ann and Lucy
mid 1930s Ann O'Rourke and her sister Lucy
1936 Holy Name girls basketball team
Nick Guarnieri, Mary, Ann, Tina, Lucy O'Rourke, 1936
Bill O'Rourke, parents, Matt Sloan, November 25, 1936
Ann (O'Rourke) and Jack Telzrow, Ann (Rodgers) O'Rourke and Catherine (Egan) Telzrow
John McCracken and Rita O'Rourke. Walking behind John: Carl Toomey, August 5, 1939
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
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
Betsy (O'Rourke) and Joseph Sackerson, Rita O'Rourke, June 7, 1941
Betsy and Rita O'Rourke
William O'Rourke, June 7, 1941
Rita O'Rourke, March 18, 1944
Mitch and Rita (O'Rourke) Kollin, March 18, 1944
Lucy O'Rourke, 1943 to 1945, maybe
Charles and Lucy Hamilton's wedding, May 29, 1947
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
1967 John McCracken, Florida
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
Left to right: Rita Kollin, Elizabeth Sackerson, Lucy Hamilton, Theresa O'Rourke, Ann Telzrow, Bill O'Rourke, Mary Murphy, and Ellen Guarnieri
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
William O'Rourke, 1960s