The Cousins from New York

This is Cecelia Ford McMurtry (left). She is the sister of William Ford -- my great-great-grandfather.

William Ford was the father of Nancy Thomas (my great-grandmother), Alice Ford Miller, Kate Ford Adams, Charles Ford, Stephen Ford, and Effie Ford Smith. All of these lived in Van Buren County, Michigan during the years my father was growing up. Many of the Fords and Thomases had migrated from New York to Michigan in the 1800s. Cecelia was among the Fords that stayed in New York. She married James McMurtry, and was the mother of Elmer and Wilsie -- the "cousins from New York" who wrote on the backs of some of the photo cards in my collection. She also had a daughter named Minnie, who married Frank Davis -- they were the parents of Ruth M Davis. She is the young woman on the right in the photo above.

The back of this photo was apparently written by Elmer McMurtry (by comparing the handwriting from other postcards).