The Gusts

Between the early 1860s and the early 1870s, seven siblings were born and grew up together. They were the children of John and Catherine (Saylor) Froman. For most or all of some of their lives, they were fatherless. This post focuses on three of those siblings -- and two boys.

• Elizabeth Froman was born in January, 1866. She grew up, married a man named George Proud, and they had four children.
• Tressa Froman was born in August, 1867. She grew up, married a man named William Doyle, and they had three children.
• Gust Froman, the sixth of the seven siblings, was born in October, 1870. He grew up to be a coal miner. Gust was his most commonly used name but his name was also recorded as Agust, Gus, and Gustave. No matter which given name was used, everyone who knew him recognized him by any of the names.

In 1887 or 1888, when Gust Froman was about 17 or 18, his sister, Elizabeth (Froman) Proud, had her third child. The baby was a boy and she named him Gust. Maybe Gust Froman was her favorite brother.

Gust Proud was known by other variations of Gust, too. Sometimes he was Gustus, or Gustaphus, or even Augustus. It didn't matter because everyone knew who he was. He grew up to be a coal miner like his uncle.

This is Gust Proud in the summer of 1902. He's standing near his cousin, Hazel Doyle, who's holding Gust's newest sibling, Lina. Gust/Gustus/Gustaphus/Augustus would have been about 14 in this photo.

Hazel was born on Dec 9, 1891 and Lina (that little bundle of glow on the left) was born in July, 1902. In this mediocre photocopy of a perfect original photograph, Hazel's dressed to the nines for a portrait by an itinerant photographer. (Hazel always dressed to the nines!)

Look at Gust Proud. He's a cute boy who looks like he could have a lot of fun making a little trouble for others -- just teasing, of course. It pains my heart to think of him working in a coal mine, returning home day after day with skin blackened by the soot of the earth's deep gift of coal when he was so very young. I can't change his past but I appreciate that he at least had some pleasant times in his life.
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In November, 1888, when Gust Froman was 18, his sister, Tressa (Froman) Doyle, gave birth to her second child, a boy. She named him Gust. Maybe Gust Froman was her favorite brother.

Gust Doyle was recorded as Gust, August, Gus, and Gustave.

The two Gust cousins -- Gust Proud, above, and Gust Doyle, at left -- were born just a year apart (possibly the same year). I think the boys look about the same age in the photos so they may have been taken around the same time. The photos of Gust Doyle, left, may have been taken at a fair or carnival or they may be early photobooth photos.

Gust Doyle lived on a farm and helped his father with farm work but he eventually worked in the mines, too, but not at such a young age as Gust Proud and not full-time.

Finding these Gusts in the same family and making the connection between them is a recent discovery to me. I was surprised when I learned of my grandfather, Gust Doyle's, name variations. When I found his uncle, Gust Froman, and saw his name variations, I chuckled. But when I found Gust Proud and saw his name variations, I laughed outright. Imagine a family reunion with two cousins nearly the same age and an uncle just 18 years older -- all with the same name and with similar variations. I don't know about the Froman side of the family but I understand that Gust Doyle and his siblings had a good sense of humor. Imagine the "trouble" they could get into -- er, the fun they had!

Research continues on these individuals and their families. I wonder how many more variations of Gust I'll find!

This post is a contribution to Sepia Saturday 232. Trains and transportation are the topics of those following a theme this week; others may post a variety of topics.

--Nancy.

© 2014 Copyright by Nancy Messier. All rights reserved..
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