Historic Hood River
Blowers Family
Notes
The Blowers family posed for this portrait on Edith’s wedding day. Once again we see an exterior portrait posed with an empty chair, this time with a hat in it. There must be some symbolism to this. If you have a theory, share it.
The wedding party is, from left to right, Eva Blowers, Minnie Blowers?, Lawrence Blowers, (in front)Samuel Maurice Blowers, Ellen Blowers, Amby Silas Blowers, Will Sheets, Blanche Blowers Sheets, Charles Early, and Edith Blowers Early. The man on the extreme right is identified as the Reverend, though I can’t make out his name. The young girl is not identified.
The note indicates the house is the one in which A.S. Blowers was born, yet that seems unlikely as he was born in New York and the wedding occurred in Hood River on April 21st, 1891.
charlott
The empty chair represents someone who has passed away.
l.e.
Enjoyable to have a photo with names to the faces.
We saw Will Sheets and his bicycle in photo
https://www.hoodriverhistorymuseum.org?showimage=704
Both Amby and Lawrence served as mayors. Supposedly Amby had a library of several hundred books. I wonder what happened to those books?
l.e.
Aubrey Sinclair Blowers, was born Dec. 10, 1891. I wonder if Ellen, standing at Amby’s side, knows that yet?
l.e.
I think this photo might be a little bit deceptive.
Will Sheets did marry Blanche Bowers, but not until 1906. Blanche is probably the little girl in front. Blanche was born in 1886.
Which leaves the lady next to Will Sheets unidentified. Perhaps she is Laura Blowers Yates who gave birth to Eva Yates July, 1891.
Still don’t know about the hat in the chair. Maybe for Laura to hide behind and show that she does have a husband.
The groom, Charles Early, became president and general manager of Oregon Lumber Company.
Longshot
There is certainly a lot of commonality in the faces and body builds of the Blower family members.
Wonder why the one piece of siding at the roof level is cut to a long taper? Was the second floor an addition, or did the person doing the siding just want to level his work out when he reached the second floor?
Margaret Bendler Jacob
Ellen Blowers married my Uncle Conrad Jacobson. They had two children before she died young from cancer. There are write-ups about them in the History of Hood River books.
L.E.
Evidently Captain Blowers and son Lawrence lived for a time in White Salmon. The July 02, 1892 HR Glacier says…
"Captain Blowers has moved to White Salmon, having purchased the Hunsaker place and store. Lawrence and his wife have also located at that point, he taking a half interest in the store, of which he will be in charge. They will put up a new store building at the turn in the road, just south of the present store, and Lawrence will build a residence, the Hood River Manufacturing Company already having an order for all the doors, windows and dressed lumber…."
Leslie Blowers-Hays
Amby Silas Blowers is my great-grandfather. There are so many characteristics that mirror both my father and my son.
Chris Nickelsen
Minnie Blowers was my grandmother. She gave birth to my father, one of twin boys, in 1915. She died in 1954 when I was 2 years old. I can really see the Blowers family resemblance in my late father’s face.
L.E.
July 11, 1912 HR Glacier:
Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Sheets, of Portland, were here on the Fourth visiting Mrs. Sheets’ brother and sister, Lawrence Blowers and Mrs. Chas. T. Early.
Kelly Dodd
Great to see the old family home! Samuel Maurice Blowers is my grandfather.