Picture of John William "Wiley" Swain b 1893

I realized that while I had this picture posted on my other blog I hadn't posted it here. It's nice to have all the important things about one family in one place.

This picture is of Milus Swain, his wife Kate, and their children. I'm guessing it's taken circa 1905. My great-grandfather John Swain, b 1893 is the little boy (and only one I think) in the picture. His older sisters are to the left of him, and his half sisters are to the right. In 1905 John would have been about 12. To me the little boy in this picture looks like he could pass as a 12 year old - be it a small one. John was just two when his mother, Margaret, passed away. His father remarried Kate in 1897 and Kate's mother (also in the picture) lived with them for over a decade. In 1905 Kate would have been pregnant with her first son.

As a note, I only have record of Kate and Milus having four little girls before their first little boy. The child in Milus' arms could have been their first boy Harvey LeRoy but if that's the case then this picture would have been taken circa 1908, making John 15. In this picture he doesn't look to me to be 15 yet. However, in 1908 one of John's older sisters died which could explain why only three of his sisters are in the picture when four or five (if it was taken in 1905) were still living at home. If this picture was taken in 1905 then I only have record of four little girls being born before Harvey LeRoy and five are pictured. One of their daughters could have been born and died between the censuses of 1900 and 1910.