Dapper ancestor

[Gideon_Trigg]

At this point all I can guesstamate is his short stature. Unfortunately, I'm the only one in the family that does any geneaology.  I've been trying to gather info for some time now from other sides of his family with no luck. 

[CinnamonAndSpite]

This is Frank and Fiina Nurmi, my great Grandparents. Dosen't Frank have a lovey mustashe? I look a great deal like Fiina IMO, although I think I need to take a pic of me in the same pose to prove or disprove that thought. The last is a picture postcard with Frank at one of his winter logging camps.

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[J. Draughtsman]

I believe this dour group is my great-grandfather Felix and family. It would seem that in most photos of this era the phrase "smile for the camera" had yet to exist.  Instead, the expressions seem more to be a reaction to "You've been sentenced to the Gulag".  Even children and infants seem to be suitably horrified. I guess life was a bit more grim in days of yore.

[Vienna Fahrmann]

     I heard that photographic suubjects were tolod to keep at straight face for the camera because, due to the long exposure times, smiles would turn out blurry.

     Vienna

[JingleJoe]

This is Frank and Fiina Nurmi, my great Grandparents. Dosen't Frank have a lovey mustashe? I look a great deal like Fiina IMO, although I think I need to take a pic of me in the same pose to prove or disprove that thought. The last is a picture postcard with Frank at one of his winter logging camps.

Anyone else feel hypnotised by frank's amazing eyes ? I can imagine them being startlingly blue
p.s. he does have a nice tash too

[CinnamonAndSpite]

Anyone else feel hypnotised by frank's amazing eyes ? I can imagine them being startlingly blue
p.s. he does have a nice tash too

From the stories passed down, I understand his 'normal' eyes were a pale pale grey-blue, but when he was angry, they would turn silver. Being that he was abnormally tall for a Finnish man, the silver eyes were more than enough to make sure he was evaded by anyone who wasn't a darned fool. ^_^ and I was always facinated with these family pics as a kid. I always thought it was just me.

I also think Great Uncle Niilo got his picture charisma ^_^

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[Jacob Squirrel]

At first glance I didn't really see it, but I knew something was a miss

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At a second I narrowed it down...

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Ah, there it is... oh, sweet insanity

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Anti-zombie instincts... taking over!

[CinnamonAndSpite]

^_^ Its a great regret of mine that I didn't get those creepy translucent blues.

[Mr. Ethan Grammatikidis]

At first glance I didn't really see it, but I knew something was a miss

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At a second I narrowed it down...

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Ah, there it is... oh, sweet Jesus

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Those, eyes! THOSE EYES!!!

Isn't that the equivalent of red-eye? The father and the infant seem to have something of the same problem too,

[CinnamonAndSpite]

Isn't that the equivalent of red-eye? The father and the infant seem to have something of the same problem too,

No... Their eyes are a very pale hue.

[Igaus N. Wierzba]

Ah, Familly.
I have just on recent years many sad tales about my familly.
Not going into detail my great-grandfather fleed Finland with his wife, his son (my grandfather) and their daughter.
This was during the WWII and Russia invaded Finland.
Shortly after arriving to Sweden my great-grandfather and his beloved wife died in a horrible accident leaving my grandfather and his sister alone in this cruel country.
Some years ago he too passed away, mentally ill in the end sadly.
We have been able to find famillies related to us around the world, most in Finland though. But this is just in modern time, anything going back beyond the 1900's is lost. Not for ever hopefully.

Talking about eyes. That is quite funny.
My sister changes her eye color too when she gets angry.
She have these blue-green eyes that switch from blue-green to green whenever she gets very upset.
I found out this the hard way, being a brat when I was younger 

Everyone in my familly have beatifull blue eyes.
I also have managed to change the color of my eyes but in quite a diffrent way.
I have, as stated before, blue eyes. However, serten events have triggered me to go from blue to, as the people that have been there at the moment described it, extremley blue. As they were of the cleraste blue they have ever seen. I am quite proud of this fact, however I hope that I never have to experince these "blue angel eyes" (not words of mine but a dear lady that stood me close once)

Actually I do know of my great-great-grandfather also. He was supposed to be the Finnish champion in wrestling back in the days.
Also a genetic thing, all the males in my familly are quite large. Myself coming in at a 1.96 meters or 6.43 feet. If we are not tall we are round  My father being a good exampel of that. A very jolly man. Me and my sister are still convinced that he is the real Santa.

[Duncan Hawthorne]

Talking about eyes. That is quite funny.
My sister changes her eye color too when she gets angry.
She have these blue-green eyes that switch from blue-green to green whenever she gets very upset.

mine change too.  Normally they are a multi-hued hazel-gray normally, and tend toward green (ie: the yellow becomes more predominate) when I get angry or excited.

[Igaus N. Wierzba]

Talking about eyes. That is quite funny.
My sister changes her eye color too when she gets angry.
She have these blue-green eyes that switch from blue-green to green whenever she gets very upset.

mine change too.  Normally they are a multi-hued hazel-gray normally, and tend toward green (ie: the yellow becomes more predominate) when I get angry or excited.

It's good to hear that there are more people out there that have this "condition".
I have only talked about it with my familly and my close friends so I have never actually given much though that this is a multi-occuring genetic? condition?
Or... Well what is it actually? I am totally in the dark when it comes too this.

But you must agree that it is pretty cool, for lack of a better word. 

[CinnamonAndSpite]

Ah, Familly.
I have just on recent years many sad tales about my familly.
Not going into detail my great-grandfather fleed Finland with his wife, his son (my grandfather) and their daughter.
This was during the WWII and Russia invaded Finland.
Shortly after arriving to Sweden my great-grandfather and his beloved wife died in a horrible accident leaving my grandfather and his sister alone in this cruel country.
Some years ago he too passed away, mentally ill in the end sadly.
We have been able to find famillies related to us around the world, most in Finland though. But this is just in modern time, anything going back beyond the 1900's is lost. Not for ever hopefully.

Talking about eyes. That is quite funny.
My sister changes her eye color too when she gets angry.
She have these blue-green eyes that switch from blue-green to green whenever she gets very upset.
I found out this the hard way, being a brat when I was younger 

Everyone in my familly have beatifull blue eyes.
I also have managed to change the color of my eyes but in quite a diffrent way.
I have, as stated before, blue eyes. However, serten events have triggered me to go from blue to, as the people that have been there at the moment described it, extremley blue. As they were of the cleraste blue they have ever seen. I am quite proud of this fact, however I hope that I never have to experince these "blue angel eyes" (not words of mine but a dear lady that stood me close once)

Actually I do know of my great-great-grandfather also. He was supposed to be the Finnish champion in wrestling back in the days.
Also a genetic thing, all the males in my familly are quite large. Myself coming in at a 1.96 meters or 6.43 feet. If we are not tall we are round  My father being a good exampel of that. A very jolly man. Me and my sister are still convinced that he is the real Santa.

Wow! That's quite a story. My family fled Finland around the Turn of the Century, Frank was kidnapped by the Russians to serve in the Tsar's guard. He was gone for seven years, and manage to run away, he was on patrol, and just got up and walked away. He knew he couldn't stay in Finland, so he (as was habit) Procured a passport for himself and his lovely Finance, and they ended up in Wisconsin.

I'm also glad to know there are other Finn descendants to tend to be tall. There are some that doubt Frank's Finnishness because he was so tall.

As for the eyes, that is interesting! Also glad to know other people are like that. Even my mother's eyes scared people a bit, or were considered unusual because the blue wasn't the typical aqua-cornflower hue, but like 'marble'.

Mine change as well, the brown is more often a reddish sort of hue (that looks particularly odd when my hair is also red), and changeable. Happy is Amber, Angry is Orangey, Depressed is Olive... Again, mom always said its because Finnish people were descended from Faerys. Lol.

... Santa IS Finnish after all... Yer dad is Santa. Yay.

[Igaus N. Wierzba]

Ah, Familly.
I have just on recent years many sad tales about my familly.
Not going into detail my great-grandfather fleed Finland with his wife, his son (my grandfather) and their daughter.
This was during the WWII and Russia invaded Finland.
Shortly after arriving to Sweden my great-grandfather and his beloved wife died in a horrible accident leaving my grandfather and his sister alone in this cruel country.
Some years ago he too passed away, mentally ill in the end sadly.
We have been able to find famillies related to us around the world, most in Finland though. But this is just in modern time, anything going back beyond the 1900's is lost. Not for ever hopefully.

Talking about eyes. That is quite funny.
My sister changes her eye color too when she gets angry.
She have these blue-green eyes that switch from blue-green to green whenever she gets very upset.
I found out this the hard way, being a brat when I was younger 

Everyone in my familly have beatifull blue eyes.
I also have managed to change the color of my eyes but in quite a diffrent way.
I have, as stated before, blue eyes. However, serten events have triggered me to go from blue to, as the people that have been there at the moment described it, extremley blue. As they were of the cleraste blue they have ever seen. I am quite proud of this fact, however I hope that I never have to experince these "blue angel eyes" (not words of mine but a dear lady that stood me close once)

Actually I do know of my great-great-grandfather also. He was supposed to be the Finnish champion in wrestling back in the days.
Also a genetic thing, all the males in my familly are quite large. Myself coming in at a 1.96 meters or 6.43 feet. If we are not tall we are round  My father being a good exampel of that. A very jolly man. Me and my sister are still convinced that he is the real Santa.

Wow! That's quite a story. My family fled Finland around the Turn of the Century, Frank was kidnapped by the Russians to serve in the Tsar's guard. He was gone for seven years, and manage to run away, he was on patrol, and just got up and walked away. He knew he couldn't stay in Finland, so he (as was habit) Procured a passport for himself and his lovely Finance, and they ended up in Wisconsin.

I'm also glad to know there are other Finn descendants to tend to be tall. There are some that doubt Frank's Finnishness because he was so tall.

As for the eyes, that is interesting! Also glad to know other people are like that. Even my mother's eyes scared people a bit, or were considered unusual because the blue wasn't the typical aqua-cornflower hue, but like 'marble'.

Mine change as well, the brown is more often a reddish sort of hue (that looks particularly odd when my hair is also red), and changeable. Happy is Amber, Angry is Orangey, Depressed is Olive... Again, mom always said its because Finnish people were descended from Faerys. Lol.

... Santa IS Finnish after all... Yer dad is Santa. Yay.

An standing joke in my familly is that my oldest brother and sister are actually Finnish forest trolls, not to be confused with the more common Troll that appears in fantasy and such.
A forest troll is a small lump of joy that runs around in the forest and lives of what the forest gives you.
Specieally my sister =_o
She loves everything that have with children and the forest to do. Wanted to build a cottage made of poo.
I kid you not!

But I am quite sure that alot of those that have ancestors that have fleed Finland sometime for some reason is atleast a bit magical 

and having Santa as your dad dosn't really bring down the chances

But I must say; your story is quite fascinating too!

[CinnamonAndSpite]

An standing joke in my familly is that my oldest brother and sister are actually Finnish forest trolls, not to be confused with the more common Troll that appears in fantasy and such.
A forest troll is a small lump of joy that runs around in the forest and lives of what the forest gives you.
Specieally my sister =_o
She loves everything that have with children and the forest to do. Wanted to build a cottage made of poo.
I kid you not!

But I am quite sure that alot of those that have ancestors that have fleed Finland sometime for some reason is atleast a bit magical 

and having Santa as your dad dosn't really bring down the chances

But I must say; your story is quite fascinating too!

Hooray for that quirky sense of humor! I wonder if its genetic.

Thanks! Its always been a facinating story to me as well. ^_^ I think my Grandfather being some of my closest family made me a bit more obsessed with the Finnish part of my family, cause he was always a great teller of stories, especially about his parents.

[Igaus N. Wierzba]

Hooray for that quirky sense of humor! I wonder if its genetic.

Thanks! Its always been a facinating story to me as well. ^_^ I think my Grandfather being some of my closest family made me a bit more obsessed with the Finnish part of my family, cause he was always a great teller of stories, especially about his parents.

You should try to swing by Sweden and Finland someday! It is quite a country, both of them really.
Just the archetectur is quite amazing. Alot of old houses are still left.

[Radio Saturday]

My Great-Grandfather, Claude.



I think he's a pretty dapper chap, and my grandfather and great uncle take after him. (I don't have any pictures of them, though.  )

[Vienna Fahrmann]

     I'm afraid most of my ancestors were less than dapper.  The ones who could afford to have their portraits painted wore the silliest "fashion victim" clothes of their day.

     Vienna

[The Infernal Mr Adams]

This is my great uncle or something like that, his names Omar, nothing really special about him, this photo is of him and his equally uninteresting friend Harry fooling around with some weird little golden star business that I never quite understood.

Yeah, that Harry....Someone, nothing special about him, HA!

Also, somewhere in my family tree Samuel Adams is my (Im not sure how many "Greats") Grandfather...



...we have no documents or rights to an Adams fortune, if such a thing exists, the family has split to many many sections by now, but I was always told by my father that John Adams was my Great, great..(however many)...Cousin....and that Samuel was part of our branch.

[CinnamonAndSpite]

You should try to swing by Sweden and Finland someday! It is quite a country, both of them really.
Just the archetectur is quite amazing. Alot of old houses are still left.

I need to. I have a few cousins, and apparently a few Steampunks to visit in the Vast frozen North. ^_~

[Stefan Freestate]

Richard Warren Waller, puritanical officer in Oliver Cromwell's New Model Army during the conquest of Ireland, 1649. Baronet and founder of Castle Waller in County Tipperary. Noted for looking good in breastplate.

[CinnamonAndSpite]

Ooohhhmyy. Lovely plate indeed!

[Quebrith]

Ah, bless you, you've finally gotten me off my keister in order to digitize a few of my old photos. (You may be sorry you asked....)   

Firstly, my paternal grandfather, Roy William Riegel (1889-1972):


His mother and father, William Henry Riegel (1863-1928) and Ellena Beagle Riegel (1871-1947):

Yes, that was her real name.

The William H. Riegel family. Grandfather is 2nd from rt in back:


His father, my great-great grandfather, Josiah Riegel (1835-1885):


HIS father, my great-great-great grandfather, Jesse Riegel (1809-1891):


Ellena's father (G2 GP) William Broadus Beagle (1841-1914). Now THAT's a beard!

Interestingly, his right arm was a prosthetic, carved from a single narwhal tusk!
(OK, I made that last statement up.)

William's father (G3 GP) John Augustus Beagle (1801-1888):


And his wife, Elizabeth Ann Kennedy Beagle (1802-1861):


I had to include her, because I adore her smile so!

[CapnHarlock]

I have no extant photos of my ancestors, and I suspect they would be by no means dapper, but reading this thread has reminded me of a distant childhood memory -

My grade-school best friend had a framed picture of his grandfather, who had left the Ukraine in the late 1890's to move his family to New York City to become a very successful dealer in horses. The photograph was memorable because the gentleman was very large and imposing, wearing  an elegant suit,  a long, heavy beard, and a shaved pate, except for the still-proudly-worn Cossack scalplock.