Grandma Made the Dress

I picked up this cabinet card photo in Allegan, Michigan.  Although it’s a lovely portrait I added it to my collection because of what was written on the back.  In addition to the Victorian couple being identified as Aunt Maude and Uncle Perry, there was a note signifying that this was their wedding day and that “grandma made the dress.”

I quickly located a married couple named Maude and Perry living in Lexington, Illinois where this image was captured and discovered their last name was Jenkins.  Maude Dailey wed Perry Jenkins on October 30, 1890. She was about twelve years his junior.  Look closely and you can see Maude’s very fancy hat sitting beside her husband.  I wonder if grandma made the hat as well.

The couple had four daughters; Roena, Ada, Ila, and Leta, and three sons; Leslie, Shirley, and Orla.  About 1920 the family relocated to Scottsville, Michigan where the Maude and Perry lived until their deaths.

Perry passed in 1947 and is buried in Brookside cemetery.  Maude died in 1957 and is buried beside her husband.

Sources:
Census records
Find a Grave
Illinois Marriage Index 1860-1920