Yearbook Cover

The Jackson County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society (JCOGS) has recently made copies of the Jackson (OH) High School Osky Wow yearbooks available in PDF format. I received the files for the following years: 1937-1948 and 1968. The 1941 Osky Wow is the junior yearbook for my maternal grandmother, Madrith Jean Williams (Williams).

Jean was in the “A” Glee Club, Vice President of Girl Reserve, and Vice President of the Charm Club.

My great uncle, Don Williams, was a member of the Freshman class. Bob Williams, my first cousin twice removed, was in the 8th grade and the Jackson spelling champion.

Please check back, as I will be posting images from the rest of the Jackson (OH) High School Osky Wow yearbooks in the coming weeks.

Brian Davis – Christine Davis (Williams) – Madrith Jean Williams (Williams)

Yearbook Cover

The Jackson County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society (JCOGS) has recently made copies of the Jackson (OH) High School Osky Wow yearbooks available in PDF format. I received the files yesterday for several years: 1937-1948 and 1968. The 1942 Osky Wow is the senior yearbook for my maternal grandmother, Madrith Jean Williams (Williams).

Jean was: an honor student, played Lola Pratt in the senior play Seventeen, on the student council, voted school citizen by the student body, and a band majorette. She was also compared to Lily Pons, a French-American coloratura soprano.

My great uncle, Don Williams, was a member of the Sophomore class and on the reserve basketball team. Bob Williams, my first cousin twice removed, was a member of the Freshman class.

Please check back, as I will be posting images from the rest of the Jackson (OH) High School Osky Wow yearbooks in the coming weeks.

Brian Davis – Christine Davis (Williams) – Madrith Jean Williams (Williams)

Jean Williams Majorette Pictures

1941 Jackson High School Band Picture

1941 Jackson High School Band Picture

My maternal grandmother, Madrith Jean Williams (Williams), was a Jackson (OH) High School Band majorette during her senior year 1941-1942. I’ve included a portrait and a few newspaper clippings that appeared in the Columbus (OH) Citizen on 12/21/1941. In the above band pictures, Jean is on the far right. Many thanks to my mom, Chris Davis, and aunt, Terry Kaiser, for providing the portrait and newspaper.

Brian Davis – Christine Davis (Williams) – Madrith Jean Williams (Williams)

Ralph Scott “Button” Williams Jr., my grandfather, was born 1/24/1922  in Lancaster, Ohio.  He died 6/20/1967 from cardiac arrest at the University of Virginia Hospital in Charlottesville, Virginia.  Ralph was 45 years-old at the time of his death.

Madrith Jean Williams (Williams), my grandmother, was born 11/5/1924 in Portsmouth, Ohio.  She died 10/15/1968 at the age of 43 in Minford, Ohio.

Their gravesite is located in Maple Hill Cemetery in Stoutsville, Ohio. The headstone was recently purchased by their daughters: my mother, Chris, and my aunt, Terry Kaiser. The headstone photo was taken on a recent family research trip to Ohio on 7/29/2010. Many thanks to my cousin, Jane Mason, for the portrait of my grandparents.

Brian Davis – Christine Davis (Williams) – Ralph Scott Williams Jr. and Madrith Jean Williams (Williams)

Williams Family Picture

Although it’s damaged, I really like this picture of my mother’s family.  The Williams Family (Left to Right): my mother, Christine Davis (Williams), my grandmother, Madrith Jean Williams (Williams), my aunt, Teresa Lynn Kaiser (Williams), and my grandfather, Ralph Scott Williams Jr.  Picture taken approx. 1955 in Goodlettsville, Tennessee.

Brian Davis – Christine Davis (Williams)

This is my first attempt at creating a video out of family photos and home movies. It took me about two days to complete the project and I’m very happy with how it turned out. I created the project using Apple iMovie ’09. The video centers around my maternal grandparents and an inscription on one of their photographs, “Remember.” I’m hoping to create several more videos in the near future.

A couple of tips when viewing the video:

• Depending on your download speed, you may need to do the following: After clicking on the play button in the center or bottom left-hand corner of the video screen, pause the video in the bottom left-hand corner and wait for the entire video to load (you can tell it’s completed when the entire status bar at the bottom is full.) After it is completely loaded, press play.  This will prevent the video from stopping to load while it is playing.
• Set the resolution of the video to 720p. You may not be able to tell a difference, but this will guarantee you are watching it in the highest resolution available.

I hope you enjoy the video. Any feedback is greatly appreciated.  If you’d like to subscribe to my YouTube channel, click here.

Brian Davis – Christine Davis (Williams) – Ralph Scott Williams Jr. and Madrith Jean Williams (Williams)

I recently purchased Adobe Photoshop Elements 8 for my iMac.  I’ve been using the program for years on the PC. Now, I’m learning to use it on the new computer.  This was my second project.  The first was the Flickr Repository collage picture in an earlier post.

I really like this portrait of my grandmother, Madrith Jean Williams, but, unfortunately, it had been cut to fit a picture frame.  I copied a small section of the background and repeat pasted it over the gray edges.  After the background was filled-in, I used the bandage tool to smooth it out.  The results are impressive and I’m hoping to retouch more photos in the near future.

Brian Davis – Christine Davis (Williams) – Madrith Jean Williams (Williams)

My grandfather, Ralph Scott Williams Jr.  Photo taken approx. 7/1922 on Walnut Street in Lancaster, Ohio.   My grandmother, Madrith Jean Williams (Williams).  Photo taken approx. 5/1925 in Portsmouth, Ohio.

Brian Davis – Christine Davis (Williams) – Ralph Scott Williams Jr. and Madrith Jean Williams (Williams)