Teenage Years - a Telling Photo

 I don't know where this photo was taken or the occasion, but I'm guessing that it was taken by John R. Hlavaka, the only one missing from this photo living at 5354 Oakdale Avenue, Chicago. 

In the center is his wife, Loretta (Sparkie) and baby Lonna. On the left is my grandmother Florence. Between the columns are my Great-Grandfather Frank J Vokoun, his wife Bertha and my dad Geroge (Chub). Next to him is his cousin Bertha (Bert) and in front of her is older brother George.

My guess is that Chub and Bert are about 16 here and George is 17, making this about 1942. This photo brings into perspective the 14 year age difference between Bert and Lonna who appears to be under 2 in this photo.

The Dancing Cousins - Bert and Chub - Russian Dance

 

This is a scan of a large 8X10 inch glossy photo with the name Bertha Hlavaka written in script on the back. Our guess is that Bert is the girl behind Chub (our dad George Lilly).

George is the boy on the left without a doubt.Our age guess is 6, so this would be 1932. Interesting that several of his children also attended dance classes. John, Rose and Sue all have memorable videos on our old movie share.

 Phil Pusateri's hosted share of old Lilly Family Videos

George Hlavaka, Bert, and George (Chub) Lilly

 My father, George P. Lilly, was born in Chicago in 1926 (July 4) and was raised in a brownstone duplex at 5354 Oakdale Avenue. He lived on the second floor with his mother, whose sister lived on the first floor along with my father's cousins, aunt and uncle. The two sisters' parents, my father's maternal grandparents, occupied a basement apartment. In many ways, my father was raised as a brother to his cousins, pictured here in about 1934. My father is at right (we assume) wearing a sailor suit and his left arm in a sling. The young fellow on the left is George Hlavaka and the girl is Bertha (Bert). A second daughter (Lonna) was born into this family in 1940. The children were very close growing up, and my father always spoke of his cousins fondly. Although they were in fact second cousins to us, we were instructed as children to refer to them as "Aunt Bert," "Uncle George" and "Aunt Lonna." Interesting note: My father was known to his Oakdale Avenue family as "Chub" rather than George. Relatives on that side of the family still refer to him as "Chub," although he was quite slim for most of his life. Looking at this photo, however, helped me to understand why his family felt that he needed a nickname. Separated by no more than a year in age, his elder male cousin already bore the name George. To avoid constant confusion in their household, they needed a new name. Somebody must have thought my father made for a chubby baby. Hence the name!

George P Lilly (born 1926) at Age Two - Portrait Always Displayed in His Mother's Home and Office

 

This is our dad at age two. The 9 1/2 X 7 inch portrait was in a nice frame and always prominently displayed at Grandma Lilly's house. 

 One story told to us grandchildren by was that Florence also had this photo on her desk as a secretary at Kellogg's Cereal company and one of her bosses liked the photo and that it inspired one of the 2 characters "Snap, Crackle or Pop" on the box of their Rice Krispies. 

The legend was born. 

Frank Vokoun (born 1878)

 We believe this to be a photo of Frank Vokoun and his sisters Anna and Julie. Not to be confused with his father of the same name born 1858 who was believed to have immigrated from Bohemia in 1875 or1876. No direct records exist to confirm any details of the passage, we rely on inference based on public census data and similar records.

I was named after one of these gentlemen, presumable the older one. Some of the controversy Scott Vokoun mentions on whether they were named Frantisek, Francis or Frank involves me. I was definitely named Francis James after the saints Francis and James. My parents were very religious (Catholic), my mother had a particular affinity for St. Francis. so Francis it was not Frank. Here I am in the St. Francis costume my mom made for me (by hand) in first grade for halloween. We wore these costumes to St. James Catholic school - run my Franciscan nuns that day. The first graders were paraded around all the upper grades. I of course was the star being so well decked out as the patron saint of all the nuns. But being introduced as "St. Francis of Assisi" didn't go over so well with the kids who of course took it as "Francis is a sissy". By the end of the day I was crying and my little bald wig fell off. Emotionally scarred for life! lol

That being said, it is more than possible that while I was named "Francis", my predecessors where indeed named "Frank". Catholic church baptismal records have not been found to verify this. They may well be recorded in Latin. I highly doubt a Catholic priest is going to baptize a Frank in 1858 or 1875 though. Public records do show Frank however. 

Scott Vokoun's (3rd cousin) Blog post about Frank Vokoun

I'm Pretty Sure the Gentleman on the Right is Frank J Vokoun

As I personally knew my great grandmother Bertha Vokoun (who died in 1964 when I was 11) mother shown on the left and the right at a younger age, as well as my dad and Florence Lilly (ne Vokoun), I am certain of everyone but the well dressed man with the big nose on the right in this photo.

The assumption would be that it is Frank J Vokoun, Bertha's husband and my great-grandfather. As he died in 1955 when I was 2, I have no recollection of him. If it is, this would be the "upstairs household" my dad grew up with on 5354 Oakdale Avenue in Chicago. Below is Bertha standing in front ofthat brownstone where she lived upstairs. I have the same setting with Loretta and John Hlavaka standing on those steps. They lived on the main floor.

Other family photos of Bertha and Frank Vokoun. this first with daughter Florence. 

I don't know who the lady on the left is below. Looks like Bertha and Frank Vokoun are the other two.

Our Parents with Dad's Aunt Sparkie, Uncle John and 5 Others Dressed Up at a Table

 

What's the occasion? 

I don't know. 

Who are these people?

Starting from the left John R. Hlavaka standing behind his wife Louise (Sparkie) Hlavaka (Vokoun). To John's right is Myrtle Lilly (Sheber) and her husband George P. Lilly. To his right is Cherie Conlon (Hartman) and her husband Lou Conlon. To the right of Sparkie is Lonna Czlak (Hartman) and her husband Lee. To his right is Bert (Bertha) Hartman (Hlavaka) in the wheel chair.

How are they related?

Sparkie and John are parents of Bert who is the mother of Cherie, and Lonna. Lou is Cherie's husband and Lee is Lonna's husband. George is the son of Florence Lilly (Vokoun), Sparkie's sister, Myrtle his spouse. 

Some Background and Context

John and Sparkie, raised their family, daughters Bert and Lonna above and son George Hlavaka (not pictured). They resided in a house on Oakdale Avenue in Chicago.  Sparlkie's sister Florence raised her son George in the apartment on the second floor along with Sparkie and Florence's mother Bertha Vokoun (Vanderbiest). 

In many ways Bert and George were raised as siblings walking to and from school together and the same age. Hence some confusion among some of George and Myrtle's older children of Bert and Lonna being referred to as their "Aunt" when they were actually George's first cousins, his children's first cousins once removed. (Quite a mouthful for a kid to digest).