Preserving Family Photographs

Ella Keith Harrell: 1885-1960
Photo Courtesy: Monteral Harrell

My maternal Great Aunt Ella Harrell Keith died January 17, 1960, at the age of seventy-four in Amite, Louisiana. She was the daughter of Alexander and Emma Mead Harrell.  Ella was born in 1885 and she died the year I was born. I wish I had a chance to meet the lady who preserved the rich collection of Harrell members photographs. A couple of months back, my maternal first cousin, Jo-Ann Lewis Frazier told me that Aunt Ella was a picture collector. Everyone who took pictures had to make sure they gave her a picture. When she passed away, a cousin named Gertrude Love kept the well-preserved collection in her neat white frame wooden home.

I remember visiting Cousin Gert, but I don't recall her taking out the photographs when we went to visit with my mother. My Uncle Raymond loved pictures, and he often visited her, so he knew the collection was there. After she passed away, he went down there and got the photos, and I'm glad he did because they could have gotten lost. When my uncle passed away, his daughter Monteral became the heir of the collection. 

The legacy of Aunt Ella lives on to this day through her photo collection. Recently Monteral was talking to the third and fourth generation of nieces and nephews of Aunt Ella about the collection. Monteral shared electronic copies for the book entitled "Images of America" African-Americans in Tangipahoa and St. Helena Parish. 

Aunt Ella gave all of the descendants of Alexander and Emma Mead Harrell a gift. Some of the images were over a hundred years old. That made me proud to know that the photographs have been in the family for five generations. Many people wish they could find pictures of their family members. 

Aunt Ella will forever live in our hearts and I really appreciate the legacy she left. I know that the collection was passed down the right person when Monteral became the heir of the collection. Most important I thank her for sharing the collection with me.


Link:

https://youtu.be/19H2DBIdys0