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Latest update is 8/17/01
This photo was taken December 7, 1884 in the home of the Joseph W. Greenen family at 120 N. Arsenal Avenue in Indianapolis Blanche (4) is seated on her mother's lap and her 4 brothers are shown (left to right:) Alfred Clement (8), Thomas William (8, seated on his father's lap), Charles Peter, and John Joseph ("Joe.") J.W. Greenen's age was 42 and his wife, Sarah Catherine ("Katie") Ryan Greenen was 36.
Date of this photo is about 1898. The place is not identified. The gentleman in the background (Seated up on the porch) is "J.W." Greenen. There can be NO DOUBT that the young lady on the lower step is his daughter, BLANCHE CECELIA GREENEN... Later Drew. The young man behind Blanche might be one of her brothers (perhaps Alf?) The young lady seated on the top step is Blanche's cousin, RUBY KRUEGER, (Daughter of Julia Ryan Krueger.) The young man might also be Ruby's brother or some other cousin. It is believed that the picture was taken at a "Ryan sisters (Greenen-Krueger) gathering" ...as there are other photos taken on this same day which tend to confirm that.
This is Charles Peter Greenen; eldest son of "J.W." and Sara "Katie" Ryan Greenen. Someone probably labelled the back of the picture after Charles Dewenter Greenen was already an adult... and the "Sr." thing was needed to distinguish the two "Charlie Greenen's"
This photo was taken in 1910 at Fort Benjamin Harrison in Indianapolis. Other photos taken the same day are clearly labelled. This photo was not labeled, however it is believed to show Charles P. Greenen at the wheel with his mother, Katie Ryan Greenen in the passenger seat.
This photo from about 1922 was taken at the home of "Joe" & Esther Greenen at 1530 Sturm Avenue in Indianapolis. Jim & Dan Drew are the two boys in ties... with Jim above & left and Dan at right. The three girls in dresses are "Joes" daughters: On the top step are Dorothy Helen (left) and Mary Esther (right.) In front of them is their youngest sister, Grace Frances. The boy in the hat and tie is Charles Dewenter Greenen, son of Charles P. Greenen. The little girl in the overcoat with her hand in her pocket is Blanche "Cecelia" Drew.
No longer any need for the question mark! This is definitely John Joseph ("Joe") Greenen... second born of "J.W." Greenen and Sarah "Katie" Ryan Greenen. Andy says photo was taken about 1903... at age 30. "Joe" assumed the name "Joseph J. Greenen" on many formal documents throughout his life but was baptized "John Joseph Greenen." He had the nickname "The Dude."
This photo shows Thomas William Greenen in Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus garb. It has been identified by Tom's daughters. The photo was taken in the back yard of the family home in Pittsburgh Kansas in 1924.
This photo was taken at Thanksgiving 1911. Joseph W. ("J.W.") Greenen is seated in the center in his wheelchair. [One theory about the garment he is wearing is that its purpose was to hide his wheelchair... the back of which is visible nonetheless.] Shown from left to right are: Esther ("Essie") Gagan Greenen holding her firstborn Mary Esther, Sarah ("Katie") Ryan Greenen, Blanche Cecelia Greenen Drew, Mary Elizabeth Kruse Dewenter & her husband, Casper Dewenter, James H. ("Harry") Drew holding his firstborn, James J. Drew, "Joe" (John Joseph) Greenen, and Amelia Dewenter Greenen, wife of Charles P. Greenen whom we assume took the picture.
The actual label (that goes in the black space) will come later when we are more certain of things. We now feel certain that the two adults are Joseph W. ("J.W.") and Sarah "Katie" Greenen. We also feel certain that the little girl is Blanche Greenen (later Drew.) Obviously, the picture shows only two of Blanche's four brothers... which is what throws us a little. The boys are probably Charlie and Joe. The two younger brothers (Tom and Alf) were either not at home... or were misbehaving too badly to have their pictures taken. The boys in the picture look like they'd rather be playing baseball or swimming. The photo, I believe, was taken in 1883... and obviously in the summertime... with baseball and bat ready Fourth of July Flag out, and vines climbing all over the porch. Note that in 1884, all girls had to have their legs covered at all times... even on the Fourth of July! Again, I do believe J.W.'s rheumatoid infirmity is visible in this photo if you look closely at his hands.
This photo was taken about 1910 in Indianapolis. Seated in the back seat are Joseph W. ("J.W.") Greenen and his wife, Sarah ("Katie") Ryan Greenen. Seated in the front seat is Amelia Dewenter Greenen, their daughter-in-law, wife of Charles P. Greenen. It is assumed that "Charlie" (an avid photographer) took the picture.
This is Blanche Greenen (later Drew.) The occasion was possibly her graduation from St. John's Academy in 1899, but may be a later occasion. The dress she is wearing in this photo is NOT her wedding dress (see wedding photos) Graduation would make her 19 in this photo... She was 29 when she got married.
I believe this is probably Charles Peter Greenen. He would have been about 32 at turn of the century; so this photo would "jive" with his birth date and our estimate of when the photo was taken. I would not argue with anyone who said it was one his younger brothers.
It is surmised that these two young men might be the sons of Julia Ryan Kruger, and therefore brothers to Blanche Greenen's cousin and "soulmate" Ruby Krueger. The photo was found in a collection handed down from Blanche to here children; so it was a prevailing assumption for a while that this photo shows two Greenen brothers. More recently it has become clear that they are NOT Blanche's brothers; but the fellow at right (with the handle bar mustache) shows up in other photos with Ruby Krueger. Estimated date of the photo is 1895 - 1900. Unfortunately, as of August 2001 there is no documentation regarding Ruby's siblings... and therefore this photo remains a mystery.
This photo is a BIG MYSTERY! It was found in all the "turn of the century" Greenen stuff and the dress etc. looks that way too. I have two ideas in mind about who this might be. [Both my ideas might be wrong] One would be that this could be one of Blanche's two "girl cousins" that are written about... either Ruby or Sarah.
Definitely Charles P. Greenen. Info on the photo says so!
Mystery photo. This picture was found in a collection of "turn of the century" Greenen photos passed down by Blanche Greenen Drew to her children.
This photo is a mystery. Can anybody help?
Too bad the question marks were on the back of the photo. This is a MOST INTERESTING one! After much study, the best assumption is that this photo shows Mary Conway Greenen (born 1810) with two of her grandchildren... but they do NOT appear to be the children of Joseph. They are probably the children of one of here other children, Mary, Anna, or Michael (See Greenen Family History posted at http://www.wildirishroots.com/GREENEN/1810Peter Greenen/1810PeterGreenen.html
Mystery Photo!
Mystery Photo! One guess would be Julia Ryan Krueger. Another guess could be Ellen Coffield Greenen, wife of Michael Greenen.
The pencil mark you see on the photo was (perhaps) put there by the same person who labelled the back of the picture "Blanche?" Neither the pencil mark or the question mark were my idea... and were probably made by a contemporary... (Who else would call her by her first name?) The arrow points to a little girl of about 10 in the front row. If that is Blanche, then this is about a 1890 photo.... and that date would jive with the properties of the photo. At this time, Blanche would have been attending St. John's Grammar School in Indianapolis.