I really don’t know who this is a photo of. Somewhere along the line I thought it was Mary Elizabeth Wilcox (the first Mary) but I really am not certain. It could be a photo of my father. It’s undated and there’s no way to know the sex of the child in the photo because little boys were dressed like little girls.
But let’s pretend it is Mary Elizabeth Wilcox. Just because there’s a story here.
My grandfather, Fred Orson Wilcox (“Fritz”) was born in 1898. August 30, 1898, to be specific. When he was 8 years old, his parents brought him a little sister.
Mary Elizabeth Wilcox was born on November 2, 1906.
In August of 1907, she died. It was a tragedy that haunted his parents and my grandfather.
Gramps was thrilled to become the father of a little girl on the 4th of January 1927. He named her after his sister: Mary Elizabeth Wilcox.
The whole family in 1943: step siblings Dick, Peggy & J.R. Bromley on the left with their mother, Thelma Wilcox. Fritz is beside Thelma (I knew Thelma as my “Granny”). Mary E. & Jack to the right with Fred Phillip (“Mike”) Wilcox on the very far right. Mike is my dad’s half-brother. That’s “Midge” in the background (I find it funny that all the old family photos name the dogs or cats).
Mary E. and John T. (“Jack”) were born to Gramps’ first wife, Sylvia Cusick Wilcox. Sylvia died in 1930. I never think of her as my grandmother because I never knew her – I only knew Granny.
There was a second wife in there (Uncle Mike’s mom, Virginia Newby).
Fast forward to 1945:
Mary E. Wilcox looking all sultry and divine, modeling an outfit some sailor sent her. (I love the shoes. I would own those shoes. I want those shoes.)
Fast forward to 1948 when Mary was 21. I don’t know much of the details. She had a daughter in Montana and she was married. But she was driving home to Montana by herself and she was not sober. She rolled the Jeep she was driving and she died.
On the 2nd of November many years later, my father became father to a little girl. I’m sure that freaked my grandfather out a little bit: I now shared the same birthday as his long-lost baby sister. But I wasn’t named after her.
That came later. My parents had another little girl in the very late 1950’s and this child they named after the two Marys. Except for one thing: they changed her middle name so she would not carry the “curse” of early death. It was assumed that the name Mary Elizabeth Wilcox was a cursed name.
Sadly, the middle name had nothing to do with the curse. It was just the combination of “Mary” and “Wilcox” that did the deed.
My sister, Mary Denise Wilcox, died at the age of 40 (almost 41).
My mother, Mary Lou Melrose Wilcox, died at the age of 63.
The moral of this story is: don’t name your baby girl Mary Wilcox.
I made all that up about the family curse.
I still don’t know who is in this photo. But I think it makes a great family legend to perpetuate the myth that it is Mary Elizabeth Wilcox and her name was cursed.
My brother will bop me on the head. He’s a “Just-the-facts-ma’am” kind of guy.
Me, I like the mystery.
(I did not make up the dates or the deaths. Those are facts.)
So what skeletons are hanging in your closet?
Jaci Dawn 
Good story, even if some is imagined. BTW, I’d heard the stor of Aunt Mary many times, but never with the “she was not sober” remark – maybe a difference between your dad’s telling and my dad’s telling.
Thanks Chuck! Good to reconnect, too.
The only version I know about Aunt Mary’s ill-fated drive back to Montana included the not-so-sober part. Dad can be pretty vague about much of his childhood but he was pretty plain on his beloved older sister.
Take care!
Dear Jaci:
I read the story. I am quite certain that the grass skirt outfit was sent to the folks by JR from Hawaii when he was headed to war in the Pacific. That is when he got the tatoo of the dancing girl on his forarm. Mary loved to dress up. I noted on the family picture that you had 1943; it was 1941. Mary and JR graduated from high school in 1944 and after summer with the forest service JR left for boot camp at Farragut Idaho (now Sandponit). After a short leave he left for the war in the Pacific and did not return home until about August 1946. I took the last picture of Mary before she was killed. It was out in the backyard with I think Geronimo. Ther is also a picture of me with Geronimo that Mary took. Those two pictures were taken just mniutes before she left for her place near Sunset lodge. As you know she was killed before getting home. Uncle Mike
Thank you for your insight Uncle Mike. The info on the photo of Aunt Mary is written in Dad’s handwriting. I only have three photos of Aunt Mary. 😦 I don’t have any photos of my dad’s mother, Sylvia. But I do have her journal and that is precious to me.
Love Jaci
Dear Jaci
My mother Sylvia Annetta Cusick was named after your grandmother Sylvia. Your dad (Jack) was my mom’s favorite cousin. I met him once when I was a teenager.
Fritzie
Hi Fritzie! I think I met you when I was 15 – you were in Natchez when we came through? I’m really sure it was you. You told me something I have never forgotten: that the Cusicks have a strong connection to the “second sight”. I have that connection and it meant the world to me to know that it came down the DNA line. Do you still live in the PNW? email me privately at presleymom@msn.com, if so. I would like to meet you (again, and for real). Cousin Sylvia meant a lot to my dad. I don’t know very many of my Cusick side of relations (except for Cousin Eloise in Nampa). I would love to connect.
Jaci Dawn, your blog post about photos reminded me of something that may interest you or other family members. After my father passed away in 2019, I was cleaning out his file cabinets and came upon a box with a trove of Melrose family photos going back to tintypes. If they are of interest, I could scan them and email them to you. I have story about the photo of Philip Melrose (1799-1865) that may be of interest.
I would be very much interested, William. I believe your father and my mother often corresponded on such things as genealogy. I would love more information! Sincerely, Jaci (presleymom@msn.com)