Today I have one of my personal photos to share with you – Grandmother and Granddaddy holding their first two children!  These are my maternal grandparents.

Mary Alice Montgomery married Joseph Reuben Carrico, November 24, 1920, in Washington County, Kentucky.  Alice was the daughter of Robert E. Lee Montgomery and Frances Barber Linton.  Rue was the son of Joseph Benedict Napoleon Carrico and Melvina Ann Smith.

Son Joseph Robert Carrico, held by granddaddy, was born September 18, 1921, and Francis Reuben Carrico, held by grandmother, was born November 5, 1922.  Unfortunately both these lives would be cut short.  Reuben died just before his tenth birthday of appendicitis.  Robert fought in World War II and was killed while manning the guns in Sicily, Italy, September 14, 1943, just four days before his 22nd birthday.

The two young women standing on the sides are my great-aunts – Lillian Catherine Montgomery, on the left, and Anna Margaret Montgomery, on the right, grandmother’s sisters.  Aunt Lil married Guy Goodrich, but they had no children.  Aunt Maggie, who supposedly fell in love with a man who her daddy thought was not worthy, remained unmarried.

What puzzles me are the boy and girl in the seat of the old car!  Grandmother had two brothers at that time – Robert and Edward Montgomery (Benjamin, the youngest, died as an infant).  At this time Robert would have been 20 and Edward 18.  Since my grandmother is 30 – and looks much younger in this photo – this may be one of her brothers.  The young lady in the front seat is a mystery.  It could be a young cousin of granddaddy’s – since he was a younger child in his family.  Or it could be a Montgomery relative.  Unfortunately this is a copy of the original photo – with no names written on back!  And why I didn’t ask my mom about this before she died – how many times I’ve thought that in the last two years!

Granddaddy died at the age of 76, when I was four years old.  I honestly have no memory of him.  But I must have loved him dearly.  Mom said that when we visited grandmother and I heard a noise in the house, I would ask if that was granddaddy coming home – which, of course, brought about much weeping.

Grandmother lived another 25 years.  I have many happy memories of visiting, climbing the trees in her yard – especially the cherry tree when the fruit hung thick on the branches!  Grandmother loved to play cards, and when I was old enough I joined in the fun.  We would sit on the front porch and watch the cars go by!  And on the Fourth of July we sat on her front porch and watched the huge fire works sent up to the sky from across the street at the drive-in theater!  And we would eat!  I remember her as a wonderful cook – she made the best baked chicken and dressing (in a cast iron skillet)!  I’m sure I got my love for cooking and baking from her!  Grandmother died in February, 1986, at the lovely age of 92.  All her children were born at home.  She had one brief stint in the hospital around age 80 due to a slight case of pneumonia.  In 1986, in the hospital, she still had her sharp mind and wits around her.  My mother saw her the day before she died and complained that grandmother had taken the oxygen from her nose.  True to form my grandmother said, “Now, Catherine, I can’t enjoy my breakfast with it!”  I hope to have her spunk and determination and longevity!

In any event this is a wonderful moment frozen in time – a young couple with two little babes, surrounded by happy, loving family members!