DARNOLD FAMILY ALBUM

This photo album has quite a history, most of it I will never know, like how the heck did it wind up in Kentucky. In 2006 I was looking around the Rootsweb site when I saw a post from Don Howell, directed at my sister, Lori. She had posted a message looking for information about our grandfather and Don was responding to let her know he had found a Darnold family photo album in a western Kentucky antique store. He purchased it knowing that somewhere back in his family tree, there were some Darnolds. After determining that this book was from a different line of Darnolds, he was offering it to Lori. She never saw his post and it would be another year before I happened by and read it. By that time he had sold the album to Melissa Butler, who believed the album contained photos of her grandmother's distant relatives. Once it was discovered that I was a direct descendant of the central character in the album, Melissa sold it to me.

The album seems to revolve around my great grandmother, Lillie Mae Johnson. Based on the original notations, I believe that it was put together by one of her children. For instance, Lillie is once referred to as "Mother Darnold."

Lillie married George Burton Darnold in June of 1895. Together they had seven children, six of them surviving to adulthood. Their second child, Russell Raymond, was my grandfather. Russell married Opal Dell Gorrell and they had three children. Their second child, Wendell George, was my father. Dad is gone now, but lived long enough to see this collection reunited with its family and to delight in seeing photos of his grandparents again.

Below are the photos, resized for easier viewing. I've included the original notations from the album along with some additional notes of my own. Relatives interested in receiving higher quality scans can contact me at janicewald@hotmail.com. I would love to hear from anyone with additional information about these people, especially if you can help identify some of the unknown images.

Since originally posting these photos in 2006 I have heard from several distant relatives. Their input and my own research has lead to many updates on this site. To help returning visitors keep track of the changes I have creted an UPDATES page.

I've treasured connecting with all of my new found relatives and hope that this collection will lead to more connections for all of us.
Janice Darnold Wald, June 2010


Johnson
Sinah A and Jonathan R J Johnson. These were Lillie's parents. There is much discussion about the spelling of Sinah's name as it shows up in records as Sinah, Sina, and Sinar.
Grandpa & Grandma Johnson & family
(Another photo of Jonathan and Sinah, this time with part of their family. The woman on the left of the back row appears to be Sinah's younger sister, Jemina F Bell. I've been told that at least one of the other women in the back row looks like another sister of Sinah.)


Wedding Picture few weeks after wedding
(This is George Burton Darnold and his wife, Lillie Mae Johnson. Dad was most excited when he saw this photo and confirmed their identities by exclaiming, "That's him! That's my grandpa!")
May Wright, Jerry Johnson, Lillie Johnson
(Jeremiah Johnson is Lillie's brother.)


See next photo for original notations
(This photo was taken in 1891 and includes Anna Cusick, George Cusick, Lillie Johnson, Harve Enric, Jerry & Loretta Cusick Johnson, Robbie Cusick, and Edna Burch. Loretta is Jerry's wife. I don't know how Harve and Edna fit into the family tree, if they do. The Cusicks are all siblings.)
(This is the back side of the previous photo)


Mother Darnold and nephew
(This is Lillie Johnson. I don't know who the nephew is.)
Aunt Miam Johnson-Kent
(This is Jemina F. Bell, the youngest sister of Lillie's mother, Sinah. She was married to the photographer, Isaac Newton (Newt) Kent.)


Letta Roger mother's sister's girl
(In this notation "mother" refers to Lillie. Letta is the child of George and Emma Johnson Rogers. The following is an excerpt from Russell Darnold's written collection of memories: "Dad being of an adventurous nature, went to a land drawing in the Dakotas in 1901, but did not think it worthwhile so in about 1903 he decided to go to Billings, Montana. Mother had a sister there. George Rogers had taken land there laying alongside the Yellowstone River - seven miles from Billings. The best dad could do was nine miles up the river. Two of us boys were ready to start school and would have had to ride nine miles horseback to school with Indians everywhere and drunken cow hands. To this - Mother said no. We stayed out there nine months.")
Letta, Jessie and Issel Rogers mother's sister children Billings Montana
(Children of George and Emma Johnson Rogers.)


Lessie Johnson, Ed's boy
(Ed Johnson is Lillie's brother.)
Ora Johnson
(Ora M Johnson, son of Jerry, nephew of Lillie.)


Clarance Johnson & Meta Frost
(These photos were placed together in the album. Clarance is the son of George and Arilda Johnson. George is Lillie's brother. Meta may be the daughter of Newton B and Rebecca Ella Johnson Frost.)
Sell Darnold, Dad's Brother
(This is Lillie's brother-in-law, Silvester K Darnold. He is the brother of George B Darnold.)


Annie, Emma, Minnie Darnold
(These are Lillie's sisters-in-law. They are George's three sisters. Or are they? Click here to read about the mystery surrounding this photo. )
Uncle Andrew Erickson & Aunt Emma Darnold
(Emma is Lillie's sister-in-law, George's sister.)


Dad's sister Minnie
(This is Lillie's sister-in-law, George's sister.)
Dad's sister Annie Moore
(This is Lillie's sister-in-law, George's sister.)


Aunt Annie & Child
(Anna is Lillie's sister-in-law, George's sister.)
Frank Moore
(This is Franklin Albert Moore, Son of Anna Darnold. He is Lillie's nephew.)


Harry Moore Los Angeles Publishing Bus.
(This is Harry Willis Moore, son of Anna Darnold. He is Lillie's nephew.)
Arthur and Cora Darnold
(This is Arthur James Darnold, brother of George, and his first wife, Cora Mae Combs.)


Rose Darnold Rose Smith, Jim - Bedford Iowa
(This is Rosa Nell Darnold, daughter of Arthur James Darnold. She is Lillie's niece.)
Arthur Darnold's Daughter
(This one is a bit of a mystery. There are indications that it is Arthur's daughter, Myrtle, but his other daughter, Doris, believes it is herself.)


Letha Genevieve Darnold
(This was Lillie's daughter, Aletha Geneva Darnold)
Clifford Shipley
(Clifford is the son of Lillie's sister Della and her husband, Thomas.)


George Ross, Independence Kansas 1948 Penn. Ave
(George is the son of Lillie's sister Mary and her husband, Hile.)
(This photo was tucked into the slot that said "Frank Kent, son of Miam" I don't know if it was originally there or not.)


Lillie Darnold - Bill daughter Omaha
(This is Lillie Ettie Darnold, the daughter of William Jackson Darnold. William was the brother of George B Darnold)
Metropolis, IL
(This is an unmarked photo that was in a slot with the title shown above. I think it is William Jackson Darnold and his younger brother Silvester (Sell) Darnold. Click here to follow my steps in reaching this conclusion.)


Nell Combs dad's girl
(I'm not sure it this belongs in this slot or not. It is an AZO Post Card photo that dates from 1918 to 1930. On the back it says, "This is my friend and her boy. to Aunt A & Thomm & all of the kids. From Clyde Minerva Ridge")
Rob's youngest daughters Hazel and Fern
(These are the children of Robert Lee Darnold, brother of George B Darnold.)


(Taken in Humboldt Kansas)
(I do not know who this is.)


(I do not know who this is.)
(I do not know who this is.)


(I do not know who this is. Someone who has looked at a lot of Combs photos speculates that this could be Nell and Cora Combs.)

(I do not know who this is.)


(This paper was in the back of the album. It is a drawing done by Russell R Darnold. He was Lillie's son, and my grandfather.)
(On the back side of the paper, Russell and his brother, Chester, practiced their handwriting.)

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS 1 | ADDITIONAL PHOTOS 2 | UPDATES

janicewald@hotmail.com