1957 (or 1958) Christmas - My Betsy Wetsy!

Here's a photo of me, my brothers, Mark and Jeff, probably on Christmas Morning 1957 or 1958, Gosh, we were beautiful kids! We are sitting in our new Radio Flyer red wagon. I'm holding my new "Betsy Wetsy" and Jeff's got a new ball. Click on the highlighted words here --> to see a 1950s Betsy Wetsy Doll Commercial. Or watch below.  It's classic!

On 1-5-2014, this Betsy Wetsy, "new in box" was being sold on Ebay for $149.99..
A brunette doll, not new-in-box, sold for $9.50.

Today on Ebay... Yep. That's the face I remember. I always wondered why SHE got to wear lipstick!
My Betsy (pictured above) might have had longer hair...(?)  If she did, I'm sure
I eventually clipped it to make it as short as this Betsy's... and I'm sure I did not do a good job of it!

"Betsy Wetsy was a "drink-and-wet" doll originally issued by the Ideal Toy Company of New York in 1934. It was one of the most popular dolls of its kind in the Post–World War II baby boom era.

Named for the daughter of Abraham Katz, the head of the company, the doll's special feature was simulating urination after a fluid was poured into her open mouth. Betsy Wetsy was also one of the first major dolls to be produced in African American versions.

Betsy Wetsy was produced with either molded plastic hair, caracul wigs, or brown, blond, or red plugged hair. It had blue sleep eyes with eyelashes and its arms and legs were jointed. A layette, baby bottles, a plastic bath tub, and other accessories were available.  Effanbee had previously manufactured a similar doll, "Dy-dee," and a patent infringement lawsuit resulted. The judge ruled that drinking and urinating are natural movements and cannot be patented.The doll was made in several sizes in the 1940s. It saw a spike in popularity in the 1950s. A made-in-China version was issued in the late 1980s by Ideal to boost sales, but the doll never reached the success of the original.In 2003, the Toy Industry Association named Betsy Wetsy to its Century of Toys List, a compilation commemorating the 100 most memorable and most creative toys of the 20th century." Wikipedia.org

The Martineau Women of Tupper Lake, Franklin County, New York

The first photo is my great-grandmother, Rose (Labounty) Martineau (1859 - 1931) and daughters, Leona and Lottie of Tupper Lake Junction, New York (around 1924). Rose's first language was Canadian French. She worked as a cook in Adirondack logging camps and then in hotels and boarding houses including The Faust and The Grand Union. The Faust was owned by her son, Victor Martineau and the Grand Union was managed for a few years by her husband, Oliver Martineau. Before that, it is claimed that he managed The Tobin House for a time. As a child, I enjoyed several trips to Tupper Lake to visit my Aunt Leona, Aunt Lottie, and Uncle Elmer. The photo the Grand Union Hotel was taken around 1904. My grandmother, Alma Martineau Ricketts is the little girl peering over the balcony. She lived there when her father managed the hotel (about 1903 - 1908) and her mother was the cook there. It was across the street from the railroad depot in Tupper Lake Junction. She told me that it was exciting growing up there since she met a steady stream of people from all over. As the youngest of 10 children, Grandma was "progressive," resilient and adaptable. Grandma (Alma Martineau Ricketts) met her husband, Charles Julius Ricketts, while visiting her sister, Altina, who had moved south and married Robert Steven Thetford (points: Blitheville, Arkansas, Memphis, TN, and Vicksburg, MS). The photo of the five females shows the Martineau sisters around 1915 (left to right: Alma, Altina, Julia, Lottie, Leona). Leona and Lottie married brothers James Alfred Farmer and Elmer Farmer of Tupper Lake and never left. Julia married Henry Prespare. They lived in Tupper Lake for a time and then moved to Plattsburgh.

Leona (Martineau) Farmer, Rose Martineau, Lottie (Martineau) Farmer in Tupper Lake.
My best guess is this was taken  sometime around 1914 - 1924.

The Grand Union Hotel about 1904. The Martineaus were proprietors from 1903-1908.
Alma Martineau Ricketts is the little girl peering over the balcony (center).

The Tupper Lake Martineau sisters, youngest to oldest.
Name and year of birth (left to right): Alma 1900, Altina 1895, Julia 1889, Lottie 1892, Leona 1886 

Chester Clark and the Thomas Payne Family of West Chazy, NY

This photo taken about 1917:  (sitting) Chester Clark (1846 - 1934)  of West Chazy, NY; (standing left to right) Clark's daughter, Mallie Clark Payne, and her family; husband Thomas Payne and their children (left to right: Clark, Phyllis, Ward, Hillary) with one yet-to-be-identified individual in  the Canadian military uniform.

I'm thankful for the resilient individuals who I descend from. This photo was sent to me in November by a Payne 'second cousin' (thanks David Gollinger!). This is the first time I am SEEING my great-grandfather, Thomas Payne (1862 - 1926) and my great-great grandfather, Chester Clark (1846 - 1934); both hardworking men of West Chazy, Clinton, County, NY. I recognize my great-grandmother, Mallie (Clark) Payne (1873 - 1971) with whom I was acquainted - and that's my paternal grandfather, Ward Payne (1897 - 1959) behind her. Thomas and Mallie's daughter, Hillary (my father's aunt), is on the far right. I am fascinated by how much a few of the women in my family (including my daughter and myself) look like her!  (I will be attempting to identify the kilted man on the left who appears to be wearing the WWI uniform for the Canadian 42nd Battalion of Royal Highlanders. If he is not a family member, he is likely a family friend.)