Category: Benita (McGinnis) McCormick

Benita (McGinnis) McCormick           (1889 – 1984) How appropriate that this unidentified cousin is standing in front of a stark, cold brick wall. Mystery Cousin, what is your name? Photo from Benita (McGinnis) McCormick’s scrapbook.  Taken outside Mountjoy Prison between July and August, 1913. Ironically, though I don’t know the man’s name, … Continue reading "Those Places Thursday: A Brick Wall the Size of a Prison"

Benita (McGinnis) McCormick           (1889 – 1984)   Though in her later years my great-aunt Detty, Benita (McGinnis) McCormick, often reminisced about her trip to France and Ireland in 1913, I don’t recall her talking about her pilgrimage to Croagh Patrick (Gaelic for Saint Patrick’s Mountain and pronounced Crōk Patrick). Luckily, these photographs from her scrapbook show … Continue reading "Those Places Thursday: Pilgrimage to Croagh Patrick"

Benita (McGinnis) McCormick           (1889 – 1984) I have spent the last couple of weeks poring over my great-aunt Benita (McGinnis) McCormick’s collection of photographs from her trip to France and Ireland, amazed by the almost unseen details that reveal so much more about her than she ever told us.  But I am … Continue reading "Wisdom Wednesday: The Perils of Unlabeled Photos"

Benita (McGinnis) McCormick           (1889 – 1984) A 23-year-old Benita McGinnis is lowered to kiss the Blarney Stone, Ireland, 1913.  From her scrapbook.  Though my great-aunt Benita (McGinnis) McCormick enjoyed her art studies in Paris during her 1913 trip to Europe, the photographs in her scrapbook hint that she was happiest in … Continue reading "Sentimental Sunday: She Had the Gift of Gab"

Benita (McGinnis) McCormick           (1889 – 1984) The photographs below are from my great-aunt Benita’s scrapbook, in which she reminisced about her first trip abroad.  Here, a few of her memories of Paris. Benita McGinnis, possibly in the Bois de Vincennes, Paris, France, about 1913.   2″ x 3″ photograph from her scrapbook. … Continue reading "Almost Wordless Wednesday: Benita in Paris"

Benita (McGinnis) McCormick           (1889 – 1984)   “Early Mass,” by Benita (McGinnis) McCormick. Pen and ink over watercolor on parchment. Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Christmas 1922. Original in Benita’s scrapbook.  Sometimes you just have to take some time off to make memories, not only remember them.  And that’s why it’s been a bit quiet … Continue reading "Sentimental Sunday: A Blessed Christmas to You"

  “The Photographers” from the scrapbook of Benita (McGinnis) McCormick, 1908, School of the Art Institute of Chicago Over the past week, we have seen photographs from my grand aunt Detty’s (Benita McGinnis) scrapbook of her life’s memories.  Today, we get to take a peek at some of the people who may – we are … Continue reading "Friday’s Faces from the Past: The Photographers"