52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks #43: "Dig a Little Deeper" -

 Prompt #43 (Oct 22 - Oct 28): "Dig a Little Deeper"- Laverne Kallman

A picture given to me by my cousin, handed down through his mother. My cousin recognized our grandmother Lydia (as I did also) but did not know who the infant was she carried in her arms.

Who is the infant she carries? In order to figure that out I have to "Dig a Little Deeper".

 • Since Grandma Lydia only returned to Sweden once, that being in 1913, this infant was either hers or a child of either her sister Ruth or sister Anna. Photographs being somewhat dear I seriously doubt a photo would have been taken of an infant unrelated to Lydia.

• I blew up this photo on my computer and find that on the piano above Lydia's right shoulder is a photo of her sister Ruth on her wedding to Andrew Soderstrom. They married 1917 so I eliminate Anna's children born before that date. Rudolf b.1907, David b.1908, Betty b.1910, and Evelyn b.1915 are out. Grandma's first three children, Albin b.1912, Eva b.1915 and Melvin b.1916 are also out of the running.  

• The photo on the wall behind Lydia's right shoulder is a photo of my great grandparents, Albin and Anna Abrahamson. I have a copy of that photo and it is dated 1923. So Harry Soderstrom b.1922 and his Jacobson cousins; Harry b.1918, Arthur b.1920 and Paul b.1922 are also ruled out. Lydia's daughter Ebba b.1920 is also a "no".

• The additional photo on the piano is difficult to name but I believe it is Ruth and Andrew Soderstrom with their oldest. This appears to be the home of the Soderstroms. Their family unlike the Jacobsons or the Kallmans had quite a few photos taken as their family grew. Possibly due to finances? No photos of Melvin b.1924, Esther b.1926 or Evelyn b.1935 Soderstrom are displayed. I tentatively also rule them out.

• That leaves Laverne Kallman b.1923 in Lydia's lap. Laverne was also the one that saved this photo and why? Perhaps this was the only baby photo she had of herself?

Sometimes you just have to "Dig a Little Deeper".

 From Amy Johnson Crow, a genealogist, far more experienced then I. "The data that we've accumulated in our genealogy software and in our binders and folders doesn't do a whole lot of good just sitting there. We need to do something with it." Each week she sends out a prompt to share a bit about an ancestor, collateral relative, or family friend.