A second set of photos from the $15 bag followed a woman through decades of her life. Trips to Europe, restoring a colonial style house, a birthday party at Nelson Eddy's house in Hollywood. Only one photo had a name on the back and a photo postcard of the woman had a message and address on the back. Could I identify these people?

The photo was stamped EDDOWES CO., NYC PHOTOGRAPHERS 440 FOURTH AVE., N.Y.C. on its back. Handwritten in black ink was Alonzo E. Wilson Jan 1919.

Alonzo E. Wilson.

The photo postcard showed the woman holding a lion cub. It was postmarked 1958, was dated November 9, and had an Italian stamp. The message read: AIR MAIL Dearest Mother: We spent an afternoon at the Zoo, and as we came out this happened! Swarms of children then appeared! So fascinated. A real lion! Hope you are still well. We are too. Also fattest. Leaving for Naples tomorrow. All our love- thanks for your most welcome letters. Va. 

The card was addressed to Mrs. Marie T. Wilson, 278 East Willow, Pomona, Calif. U.S.A.

Postcard front.
Postcard back.

I started by looking in the 1950 census for a Marie Wilson living in Pomona, Los Angeles County, California. I also checked city directories. In 1950 there was a Marie N. Wilson living in Pomona. She was a 78-year-old widow, born in Sweden. There were no other linked records.

I then decided to check Ancestry Public  Member Trees for an Alonzo Wilson married to a Marie. Twelve matches came up. The last was for Alonzo Ecles Wilson married to a Anna Maria Nelson. When I checked his page there was a photo of a younger version of the man in my photo. His wife Anna Maria Nelson was born in 1872 in Sweden (matching the 1950 census) and died in California. The couple had three children- Grace, Virginia, and James. The woman in the photos was Virginia.

Virginia H. Wilson was born in July 1905 in Illinois. She had a sister Grace Esther Wilson born in April 1898 in Illinois and a brother James Voorhis Wilson born on 3 April 1907 in Wheaton, Illinois. Virginia was married on 10 May 1924 in Porter, Arkansas to Alfred Franz Wallenstein.

As it turns out, Alfred was a prominent person- he has a Wikipedia page. He was born on 7 October 1898 in Chicago, the son of Franz Wallenstein and Anna Klinger. His career in music started with playing cello in vaudeville and symphonies. He became principal cellist for the New York Philharmonic. In 1930 he and Virginia played at the White House for President Hoover. He was an early pioneer in radio broadcasts. In 1943 he became the conductor for the Los Angeles Philharmonic until 1956. Afterward he was a guest conductor before joining the Julliard School faculty in 1968. 

The couple had homes in New York City; Holmden, New Jersey; Beverly Hills, and Palm Springs. The homes were occasionally featured in articles in newspapers and magazines. Other articles focused on Virginia's role in helping organize Alfred's career, often describing her as being beautiful but also mentioning her skill in playing piano. 

Click on the articles to make them bigger.

Indianapolis Times (Indianapolis, Indiana), 3 September 1927, page 6.

Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California), 5 February 1932, page 32.

Asbury Park Press (Asbury Park, New Jersey), 19 July 1942, page 5.

Los Angeles Times, 5 March 1944, page 67.

Los Angeles Mirror, 18 October 1955, page 18.

Virginia died on 10 September 1973 in Los Angeles. A small obituary was printed in newspapers throughout the country.

The Fresno Bee (Fresno, California), 12 September 1873, page 12, column 8.

THE PHOTO COLLECTION

There are about 189 photos in the collections, a few of which may not be from the Wilson-Wallenstein families. About 90 of the photos are scenery- trips to Europe and homes in Holmdel and Beverly Hills.

I sorted the photographs by type, hoping that would help to identify them. I then decided to enter the Wallenstein and Wilson families into Wikitree, creating a page for each family member. This was crucial to identify some of the people in the photos.

Four of the photographs were of a couple getting married. As I was entering family members into Wikitree I discovered a newspaper article for Virginia (Wilson) Wallenstein's niece, Virginia Jean McClain, about her upcoming wedding. Her photograph was published.

Memphis Press-Scimitar (Memphis, Tennessee), 5 August 1946, page 5, columns 1-3.

Virginia Jean was in the military. She was the bride into the photo, marrying Donald Allan Lawson in 1946 in Washington, DC.
Virginia Jean McLain and unknown.


Unknown, Virginia Jean (McLain) Lawson, Donald Allan Lawson, unknown, unknown.

Unknown, unknown, Virginia (McLain) Lawson), minister, Donald Allan Lawson, unknown, unknown, 1946.
Virginia Jean (McLain) Lawson and Donald Allan Lawson, 1946.

There are photos of the couple's homes in Holmdel, New Jersey and Beverly Hills.

Holmdel house after it was restored.


713 No. Crescent Dr. Bev. Hills 1946-1956.

Virginia loved dogs, something noted in an least one newspaper article.

Virginia and dog, 1930s?

Virginia and dog, late 1930s to early 1940s.

Virginia and her dog at Holmdel.


Virginia and her German shepherds in Beverly Hills.


There are a few photos of the Wallestein family. The key to identify them was the first photo, written on the back was "1 October 1939 74 Years old." Alfred Wallenstein's mother Anna Marie (Klinger) Wallenstein was born on 1 October 1865.


Anna Marie (Klinger) Wallenstein, 1 October 1939.

A younger Anna appears in other photographs. The first has her husband and son Alfred. It was taken prior to June 1934 (when Franz died).

Franz Wallenstein, Alfred Wallenstein, and Anna (Klinger) Wallenstein.

The next photo is the entire Wallenstein family. I am uncertain whether Virginia is the woman on the left or it may be Margaret and Gertrude, are present. I am uncertain who is who.

Margaret or Gertrude or Virginia, Alfred, Anna, Gertrude or Margaret, Franz.



Alfred Wallenstein on a trip to Europe.

Other photos are of Virginia's family.

Virginia's mother Anna Marie (Nelson) Wilson.


Virginia, mother Anna Marie (Nelson) Wilson, and sister Grace Esther (Wilson) McLain.

An interesting project with interesting people.











 










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