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Charles Otis Pitts 6 Jul 1893- 2 Mar 1920 probably in Headsville, Robertson, Texas
He died young and I have two places of death for him
From from gravestone:
Charles Otis Pitts
son of R.H. & Ella
Pitts
July 6 1893
March 2 1920
Co D 55 Tel
Bat.  SC.
U.S.A.
yet Family Search indicates Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, United States.
I have family photos of him in the 1915-1920 range that shows him with early aircraft and uniforms that indicate possible WWI participation. I am looking for a record of his death and, if possible, WWI participation.

Along with the large bundle of old family photos I am scanning for family I have one marked on the back "your Uncle John and his sister Annie". Charles had a brother John A. "Fred" Pitts but, there is no sister Annie in the family group. There is one sister who lived to the times span of the photo and her name was Exah "Mimie" Pitts Gustine. I am wondering if that woman could be the mysterious Annie. I may have just answered my own question writing that out.... Any help With Charles is most appreciated.

I was recently handed a large box with about 1000 photos of varying ages. This one is very dark and I have enhanced it to my best ability on my canon software. I am trying to identify the man and am not sure which of two family lines he belongs in. However if anyone can improve the image and give clues I would be most thankful

Would appreciate anyone able to "improve" poor Benjamin Franklin Jones (possibly).

He was taken prisoner during the American Civil War and died in Alton Illinois Prison in 1863. I know this is in very bad shape and this is the only copy I have of the image...please do your best to make him look good!

Much thanks.

This was shared with me by someone living in the upper penninsula of Michigan

lJune 10, 1893 Page 1
Made a Match. .
At the residence of Mr. and Mrs. K. B. McDonald, on Portage avenue, next
Wednesday morning at 9 o'clock, there will be a wedding, the
circumstances leading up to which are somewhat romantic. The principals
in the affair are Alfred Videon, a well known and prosperous farmer
resident of Iroquois, this county, and Miss Elizabeth Davis, who for
five years past held the position of cook at the Michigan Exchange
Hotel, of this city. A little less than a year ago Mr. Videon sustained
the loss of his wife. He mourned her loss and lived on all alone until
this spring. Then he came to the Soo to visit Mr. and Mrs. K. B.
McDonald. Mr. McDonald, who was an old friend of Mr. Videon, of course
tried to comfort the afflicted husband. They talked over old times and
Mr. Videon finally intimated that he would like to get married again if
he could find some good women to accept him and added that Mrs. Videon
on her death had requested him to have Mrs. McDonald pick out is bride,
if he ever married again. He told Mrs. McDonald he would give her one of
his finest cows if she would get him a wife. Mrs. McDonald laughingly
accepted the offer, but though no more of it until he reminded her of it
again soon after. One evening Miss McDonald sent for Miss Davis and
introduced Mr. Videon to her. They became friends at once. Their
intimacy continued until finally they became engaged and the wedding day
was set at the time above. After the wedding the couple will go to
Iroquois to reside, and Mrs. McDonald will no doubt soon be the
possessor of a fine cow as the result of her successful matchmaking.

I got to thinking about some of those family Christmas traditions passed along from year to year.

My mother decorates our house to the hilt with Christmas in every room and every corner. Overboard is not the appropriate word, but you are aware that Christmas is in this house. None of her children or grandchildren will go to the extreme that she does after she is gone. However, we all will have good memories of a house full of Christmas.

I have, on the other hand, given my daughter Christmas gifts in the same two boxes for over 28 years. They are just those folder style of boxes that department stores used to freely hand out with purchases of shirts and
blouses. These boxes struck my fancy because they had a large Thomas Nast drawing on the cover of Santa holding a pipe. I loved the Victorian look.  It is never a large gift to go in the boxes, this year she is getting fuzzy socks and a couple of other small items. But if the boxes were not under the tree she would be disappointed and so, I am afraid, would I.

What does everyone else do to make a special Christmas tradition?

Granma Anne