Raw images (arbitrary organization) from Charles & Dorothy's photos. Click on a photo to view an expanded version



Charles is wearing sunglasses, Dotty is the woman in the same photo as he is (three photos). The other individuals are unknown.

Pat and Bea


In the swimming photos, Bea is wearing the cap; Bea is on the left in the remaining photo.


Captions on back:
Our "Imp" First car of our years together
The "Imp" again
"Imp" believed to be short for [Chrysler] Imperial, as they had a couple of such when I (Rick) was growing up in the late 60's early 70's

Olive St. Home, 1936 - 1939 timeframe

Captions on back: <Our "Imp" First car of our years together> and <The "Imp" again>


"Imp" believed to be short for [Chrysler] Imperial.

A set of photos labeled Aug. 1936.


Charles is wearing sunglasses, Dotty is the woman in the same photo as he is (three photos). The other individuals are unknown.

A set of photos labeled July, '37


Unknown individuals in these.

Two photos of the Gorton factory in Racine, presumably on Racine St.

Various photos from Newman Rd.


The fence, trellis, and wooden cabin are no longer there, and there are a LOT more (and larger) trees on the sides of the road. In the pictures with snow, one clearly has three kids and an inner tube; the other has a dog, and at least one kid.

April 27, 1951 photo of some sort of 'tribute' car

More Newman Rd. photos


The photo with the car appears to be of Pat and Dick

Pat and Bea


In the swimming photos, Bea is wearing the cap; Bea is on the left in the remaining photo.

A set of photos labeled July, '37


Unknown individuals in these.

Two photos of the Gorton factory in Racine, presumably on Racine St.

April 27, 1951 photo of some sort of 'tribute' car

Various photos from Newman Rd.


The fence, trellis, and wooden cabin are no longer there, and there are a LOT more (and larger) trees on the sides of the road. In the pictures with snow, one clearly has three kids and an inner tube; the other has a dog, and at least one kid.

More Newman Rd. photos


The photo with the car appears to be of Pat and Dick

Olive St. Home, 1936 - 1939 timeframe




Excerpt from "The Tower", the Wheaton College yearbook. 1932. The flip side of this batch3/page of his wife-to-be
Given to Jane Gorton in 2004 by "a dear elderly" [acquaintance].
Presumably also from "The Tower" possibly a different year.
Given to Jane Gorton in 2004 by "a dear elderly" [acquaintance].
Obviously from the yearbook of someone who had a thing for him at the time.
Given to Jane Gorton in 2004 by "a dear elderly" [acquaintance].
Charles' 12th grade report card, 1926-1927 year.
Charles' 11th grade report card, 1925-1926 year.
Charles' 10th grade report card, 1924-1925 year.
Charles' 9th grade report card, 1923-1924 year
Outer lining of Charles' high school diploma. Some sort of translucent (decaying) plastic.
The diploma is enclosed in a booklet of leather, dyed purple.
Charles' 8th grade diploma.
Funeral service notice for John G. Earhuff, Dorothy's grandfather.
Funeral service notice for John G. Earhuff, Dorothy's grandfather.
Obituary of John G. Earhuff, part 1
Obituary of John G. Earhuff, part 2
A "society pages" picture from 1934
Writeup for the newspapers regarding the 55th wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. John G. Earhuff.
Copy of Dorothy's birth certificate.
Back of a blank envelop of Gorton Machine
Front of a blank envelop of Gorton Machine
Charles' company stationary. Very strong watermark of "Western" was obvious when holding it.
Some more content for the Gorton Machine "E" Award, Feb. 1943.
Another invitation to the Gorton Machine "E" Award, Feb. 1943.
Left half of a June 1, 1936 photo of all of the George Gorton Machine Co. employees. Original print is about 8.5" x 17"
Right half of a June 1, 1936 photo of all of the George Gorton Machine Co. employees. Original print is about 8.5" x 17"
List of employees in the photo (plus a list of those not in the photo)
Four photos of the construction of the enlarged facility.
George II at his 75th birthday party (1940) Perhaps in the Gorton Social club facility? He obviously was having a lot of fun. Rest of the individuals are unknown.
Another photo of all of the employees at George II's 75th birthday party (1940) Perhaps in the Gorton Social club facility? This from the front of the room Standing, George II is 5th from the left; Charles is 3rd from the right; George III is at the right end. Unfortunately, the rest are all unknown.
1940 photo of the factory floor.
1940 photo of the factory floor from the other end. Notice the patriotic slogan banner at the far end: "The man who relaxes is helping the Axis".
A scan of a copy of Bea's birth certificate: 27 July, 1946
Back of a formal photo of Betty Gorton (about 1924)
Formal photo of Betty Gorton (about 1924)
Cover of a photo of Betty Gorton (probably around 1905-1907)
Photo of Betty Gorton (probably around 1905-1907)
Page 1 of some content transcribed by Betty from her mother's diary regarding Charles and James.
Page 2 of some content transcribed by Betty from her mother's diary regarding Charles and James.
Page 3 of some content transcribed by Betty from her mother's diary regarding Charles and James.
Back of a photo postcard of James and Charles on a burro. Note indicates location as Park St., Racine, 1916
Front of a photo postcard of James and Charles on a burro. Note indicates location as Park St., Racine, 1916 Charles sitting in front.
Formal photo of James (on left) and Charles. Probably around 1916
A plastic laminated birth registration card for Charles. Issued March 13, 1909 Why it was laminated is unclear.
A three-panel framed set of pictures of Charles from 1911
Back of a postcard from Charles to his mother
Front of a postcard from Charles to his mother
Back of a postcard from Charles to his mother
Front of a postcard from Charles to his mother
Allowance bookkeeping for Oct. 1919
Allowance bookkeeping for Sept. 1919
Scan of a (faded) copy of Charles' birth registration
A formal photo from 1931
A formal photo, year unknown
Formal photo of Charles, looks to be about age 10
Photo of James (on left) and Charles, probably about age 3-4
Photo of James (on left) and Charles, probably about age 5-6
Formal photo of Dorothy, year unknown
Formal photo of Dorothy, year unknown
Dorothy's [Magna Cum Laude] Wheaton College diploma. Bachelor of Science. and if my guess at latin is correct from 1931
George II at his 75th birthday party (1940) Perhaps in the Gorton Social club facility? He obviously was having a lot of fun. Rest of the individuals are unknown.
Another photo of all of the employees at George II's 75th birthday party (1940) Perhaps in the Gorton Social club facility? This from the front of the room Standing, George II is 5th from the left; Charles is 3rd from the right; George III is at the right end. Unfortunately, the rest are all unknown.
A formal photo of George II. Year/age difficult to tell; my guess is around age 70.
Formal photo of Kenneth Ney Findley (about 1924).
Formal photo of Ken Findley (about 1924).
This looks like (from left to right): James, Betty, Charles. Around 1915?
Charles carving, with Dorothy in the background; sometime in the late 1960s
Left half of a three panel formal of Marge and Dorothy Lains, 1911. Dorothy is the younger of the two.
Right half of a three panel formal of Marge and Dorothy Lains, 1911. Dorothy is the younger of the two.
Left half of a three panel formal of Marge, Dorothy, and Harold (Jr.) Lains, 1913, accompanied by their mother, Charlotte.
Right half of a three panel formal of Marge, Dorothy, and Harold (Jr.) Lains, 1913, accompanied by their mother, Charlotte.
Back of a Gorton Machine envelope, from Charles to Dorothy.
Front of the envelope. Pretty mundane for such a love letter.
Tostenson family photo, back says about 1873. Anne, holding Sophy; Cora (Thora) in the middle; Gesina Marie next to Ole.
Back of the photo.
Person unknown. Faint writing on the left says "Potters Patent March 7, 1865". Blank back; size is 2.5" x 3.75" Metal plate for the photo proper
Unknown individual
Back of card of older woman sitting at a table
Unknown individual
Back of card of head and shoulders of older woman. "Honey"? Gorton
Unknown individual
Back of unknown male teenager standing
Unknown woman sitting
Back of unknown woman sitting. However, since this says "Douglas", and George I and Lizzie lived in Douglas in the 1865-1867 timeframe, that this photo is roughly from that time.
Unknown, but definitely related to unknown teen above (if not the same person only younger) Metal plate.
No description at all. Darker (of two) prints of this photo. Child sitting on someones lap.
Unknown child.
From appearances, the three leftmost men in the back row and the man sitting on right end, sitting on the ground (front row) may be brothers. Likewise the front row, left most, front row, 3rd person (hands clasped about right leg) and back row, right most may be brothers.
No identities known for sure.
Back side of the "Camp Modoc - 1908" picture postcard
Addressed to Mr. George Grennis, 663 Pomeroy St. Kenosha, WI.
Racine, Wis 11/30/08
Dear Geo. - "Camp Modoc" meet Thursday night 12/3 at our place - 1629 Hamilton St. Be sure to come, we want everybody present. With regards, Chris A.
S&J
Drop me a postal so I'll know you got this. C.
The man on the left, middle row, appears to be related to the leftmost man, front row of the Camp Modoc photo. Also, the man wearing the black bow tie in the back row, center, seems to resemble J.G. Earhuff (dorothy's grandfather)
Back of above photo. Either "92" or "02". Unclear if this is random scribbling, or a year.
Definitely the "Camp Modoc" crew, with wives or girlfriends.
Tru Svenenson. Presumably a photo taken in Norway, by Aug[ust] S. Ludt.
Complete unknown, photograph taken in Arendal, Norway. Possibly Tostenson relative
No identities known. This photo is on a very thin steel or iron plate.
On "Velor" paper; Foto Fahlstroumlautm Drammen A1093
Soumlautsten Marie.
Unknown.
Unknown; the writing at the bottom of the back is simply too faint to read.
Text says "Auntie + Grandma". The young woman (Auntie) certainly looks like the mom in the photo above of a woman and 4 children.
Unknown.
The man might be the same person as in the uniform a above.
Another photo exposed and developed on a metal plate.
Same as the two on the left in the above photo
Unknown individual
Translation assistance by Ellen Perkins
Script is:
Til Anne Gregersen! Lad intet dig i Bonnen hindre Til Fader tidt at ile hen; Jblandt die og da vil erindre En dig oprigtag trofast Ven
Iver
(Hard to make out last name)
This is formal written Norwegian; the literal translation is:
Let nithin you in prayer prevent to Father often rush toward Occasionally and and then remember One your sincer faithful friend.
Which translates to:
Let nothing prevent you from praying Rush frequently to God. This will help you to keep in mind a faithful steady friend. Iver(the friend being God)
Note: Anne Gregersen married Ole Tostenson.
Unknown.
Unknown.
Unknown.
The photo on the right was inside the paper jacket, so what was seen is the left column. All individuals unknown. Pretty whimsical picture, though. Back row, left seems to be carrying a rifle (possibly a cane), 2nd from left is holding a broom; 3rd from left is holding a frothy cup (beer?). The barrel says "Milk on TAP".
Ole Hanson.
Might this be a photo of Arendal? The blur in the foreground is presumably a moving pedestrian (who wasn't willing to stay still for the long exposure)
Bea is front row, right; Pat is to the left of her. Probably a class photo (grade unknown)
Bea is front row, right; Pat is to the left of her. Probably a class photo (grade unknown)
Taken 27 Sept. 1946, Bea and Pat are two months old. Bea on the left.
Taken 27 Sept. 1946, Bea and Pat are two months old. Bea on the left. Extra comments on the back: "Would like that film if I may", and "Sent 12/17/46"
Taken 27 Sept. 1946, Bea age two months. Unknown person holding her.
Taken 27 Sept. 1946, Pat age two months.
A letter to Dorothy from the doctor who delivered Bea & Pat:
Dear Mrs. Gorton,
Thank you very much for the beautiful leter which reached me last evening. I shall always cherish it - along with the wonderful letter which Mr. Gorton sent me after your first little girl was born.
Not only did your letter add to the pleasure of
my day - but - the knowledge of your confidence in me - and your kindness and underdstanding - win or lose - does something to me which is exceedingly difficult to put into words.
It was wonderful to have you and the babies come along so nicely - and it is to see them grow and develeep [develop] - However, I am confident that it was a part of the plan that
the prayers - of all - were answered.
Thank you again - for your kindness and thoughtfulness and your cooperation.
Sincerely,
Beatrise O. Jones [perhaps 'Q'?]
The letter seems to me to imply complications and/or that it was not an easy delivery?
Betty, Charles (in the middle), and James. Year unknown.
Betty, year unknown.
James (in the back) with Charles 'driving'. Year unknown, photo postcard.
Photo postcard with George III and Betty. Sept 21, 1907.
Text is:We have been spending the day in Milwaukee. How do you like our pictures? With Love, Geo. + Betty.
Back of above postcard. Relationship to Mrs. Chas. Johnson of Chicago is completely unknown.
Christmas photo/card, dated Dec. 1924 (but it seems unlikely that the photo was taken in December...)
And all of the signatures on the back. The chopped off content on the right hand side says: "Delay unavoidable"
A photo postcard: James on the left and Charles on the right. The identities of the two women are unknown.
Charles and George III, year unknown.
Buildings in Cement, OK. Probably "Gortonville" area. Based upon the map on the inside front of George III's book, the well is probably the No. 1 Surbeck (oil) well, or possibly the No. 1 Wade (gas) well.
Probably from March, 1921. A cropped version of this photo exists in George III's book, with the caption "Breaking a road through the drifts."
Yes, the fuzzy/obscured thing on the left is a car. Someone was moving pretty quickly when they hit the drift. It also seems that there is someone watching from the door of the office building (marked "A").
The envelope from the family's 1929 christmas card.
With two inserts inside, both signed by the family members.
Marguerite (on the right) and Dorothy Lains, Oct. 1911
Margie and Dorothy, Aug. 1912
Aug, 1912: Dorothy Lake at Sarah, MN.
Dorothy (left) and Margie, 1912
Harold G. Lains (Dorothy's father) Taken June, 1913. Glenwood, Minn. Just after the C.E. election meaning of "C.E" unknown, possibly "Christian Endeavor"
[Dorothy] 1913, Silver Lake.
Summer, 1917: Harold Lains, Jr. Born Dec. 5, 1913; Died 1920
Dorothy, 1922
Dorothy, 1922
Charlotte Earhuff Lains (Dorothy's mother), 1920s
John Gottlieb Earhuff, 1923 (Dorothy's grandfather)
Grandma Mary Johnson Earhuff (Dorothy's grandmother), 1923
April 17, 1927: Charlotte Earhuff Lains and Harold Lains
Marge (on left) and Dorothy, 1927
April 12, 1928: Dorothy and John Gottlieb Earhuff
March, 1928 Wheaton, Ill. (at college)
[Duplicate]
[And another copy] "Tooty" March, 1928 Wheaton, Ill.
Oct. 11, 1930 Aunt Margie Olds wedding
Another picture from Marge's wedding day (Oct. 11, 1930)
June, 1931 (Presumably graduating day @ Wheaton)
Dorothy, Christmas day, 1931
Dorothy, Christmas day, 1931
July, 1932
Near the bird bath in our yard: 26 Dec. 1932
Lains' yard, Aug. 1934
Thanksgiving day, Nov. 1934. Dorothy on the right, Charles in front of the closed door. Rest unknown.
Dec. 29, 1934
August 1936. Charles, Dorothy, & unknown (Charlotte?)
Yard, Summer of 1936
New Years Eve, 1937. All unknown.
Interior of Olive St. home, 1936 - 1939 timeframe (duplicates elsewhere on this web site)
Interior of Olive St. home, 1936 - 1939 timeframe (duplicates elsewhere on this web site)
Interior of Olive St. home, 1936 - 1939 timeframe (duplicates elsewhere on this web site)
Interior of Olive St. home, 1936 - 1939 timeframe (duplicates elsewhere on this web site)
Interior of Olive St. home, 1936 - 1939 timeframe (duplicates elsewhere on this web site)
Olive St. home, 1936 - 1939 timeframe
May, 1938. Back row: Dorothy, Charlotte, Marge
Front: unknown, (possibly)Dorothy Olds Woodside, Harold, unknown
1-18-39: 236 19th Ave N.E.
Nov. 1940
Summer of 1941. Huntleys dock. H.G.L sailboat
May, 1944 Aunt Ruby Jackson
This is a truly weird "photo"; Date unknown. Presumably Harold Lains. The woman doesn't appear to be Charlotte. Click on it and look carefully. They aren't standing at the corner of a house. It's two separate photos cut and connected, and a photograph taken of the joined result.
Date unknown - presumably the Lains' home at 19th Ave (guess post 1939)
Date unknown - presumably the Lains' home at 19th Ave. (probably post 1939)
Date unknown - presumably interior of the Lains' home
Date unknown - presumably interior of the Lains' home
Date unknown - presumably the Lains' home at 19th Ave. (probably post 1939)
Cabin and cottage at Cedar Lake, New Richmond, WI. Date unknown.
Blanchard house, Wheaton (College) Ill. Dorothy lived here during her freshman year at college.
Family photo: no date listed.
Florence on the left, and Maybelle. Photo taken on Maybelle's birthday, Jan 21, 1961. She worked for Dotty helping with cooking, baking & various household chores from 1946 until the late 1960s or possibly early 1970s. Rick remembers a couple of things:
She was always a cheerful soul, happily chatting with [this] inquisitive small boy and explaining "whatcher doing?"
watching her knead bread (and the smell of the bread),
homemade apple butter on said bread, fresh out of the oven.
She waddled, with a noticable side-to-side gait, rather than walking.
She lived on Green Bay Road on the east side about half a mile to a mile south of Highway C. I recall being in the car when mom occasionally picked her up or dropped her off.
1102 Monroe - George & Dorothy's house. Photo quite possibly taken in 1932 (a sequence number on the back matches one on the back of one of the photos below)
Betty Jean - 7 Mo. old. Mar. 6, 1932
Betty Jean - 7 Mo. Mar, 1932 (sequence number match with above photo)
A christmas card from the Kuesters. [Karen indicated that] the Kuesters did a house swap with Charles & Dorothy.
The house on Newman Road (which the Kuesters moved out of) is on the left, and the house they moved into in West? Racine is on the right.
Back of card (boring, huh?)
35th wedding anniversary photo of Harold and Charlotte Lains, taken 31-aug-1939
Harold Lains' father: Augustus Lains (photo taken 1850-1875 timeframe)
A bit of random memorabilia Dorothy kept - the calendar of August, 1935 when she and Chuck got married.
A Christmas card (1930s) from Harold and Charlotte
Cover of Charles' and Dorothy's wedding ceremony booklet
Charles Tiffany Gorton (Charles' and Dorothys first child) August 9, 1936
Charles Tiffany Gorton August 30, 1936
Charles Tiffany Gorton Nov. 15, 1936
Charles Tiffany Gorton Nov. 1936 (specific day unknown)
Flora Lains, 1923 wife of Augustus ('George')
Charlotte Lains, 1938
Charlotte, graduation dress, circa 1900
A note from Charlottes' bible, written 1896
A note from Charlottes' bible, written 1896 (back of previous)
A note from Charlottes' bible, has two dates: may 20, and christmas 1896
Undated note from charlotte's bible
Undated note from charlotte's bible
note from charlotte's bible, Feb. 3, 1943 (possibly July 3, but more likely Feb) A condolence letter from a friend (William Burrows, st. paul) on the death of Charlotte to Harold.
Pages 2,3 of same note.
Charles, 1911
Dorothy baptism document, 1922
A "cradle roll" church certificate for Doroty, 1913.
Dorothy Joanne Olds (Woodside), Aug. 1935 (Dorothy Lains' niece)
1928 photo. 'Much love to my dearest sister "Sally"' (why "sally" is unknown to this author
Dorothy, 1929
Dorothy, 1931
Page 1 of a note by Dorothy about her wedding day
Page 2 of a note by Dorothy about her wedding day
Page 3 of a note by Dorothy about her wedding day
Dorothy, feb. 1927
Dorothy's grades, from some unknown newspaper, year unknown.
Daguerrotype of Harold Lains' grandfather and grandmother Lains, about 1855, Troy, Ohio
Dorothy formal High School photo
Dorothy, June 1931 (presumably college graduation)
Dorothy and Marguerite, 1912
Dotty, unknown year (probably 1950s)
Earhuff family photo, 1932. Taken at 236 19th Ave. E. North St. Paul (Silver Lake)
Earhuff family photo, 1932. Taken at 236 19th Ave. E. North St. Paul (Silver Lake)
Golden Wedding celebration note for John Gottlieb and Mary Johnson Earhuff. Dunn County News, date unknown
Two notes re: dorothy's engagement to Charles.
Another engagement note
Family photo, christmas, 1923.
Dorothy in wedding dress
Dorothy, unkown year.
Nov. 2. "1941" of Dorothy, Margie, Harold Jr. (is more probably 1914...)
Grandma Charlotte Lains, ("Flora") wife of Augustus. Photo Circa 1850-1875
Flora Lains (Dorothy's grandmother), dec. 1923
Harold G. Lains, Dorothy's father, 1906
Harold G. Lains, Dorothy's father, age 50+ (year of photo unknown)
A card, found in Harold's bible.
Flower, found in Harold's bible.
Flower, found in Harold's bible.
Flower, found in Harold's bible.
Wedding photos, Aug 30, 1904 Harold George Lains and Charlotte Earhuff Lains.
Wedding certificate, Harold and Charlotte, Aug. 30, 1904
Formal photo of Harold, date unknown
Harold G. Lains, obituary (age 70) December 6, 1948
Dorothy & Charles' wedding invitation, Aug. 30, 1935, 8:30 PM. which is rather late in the day for a wedding
John Gottlieb Earhuff. In a fairly deep frame, which screws up the resolution when scanning. Year unknown.
Charles Tiffany Gorton (1936, prior to his death)
Marguerite [Lains] and Charles Olds, year unknown.
Charles and Dorothy visiting Harold and Charlotte, Aug. 30, 1936
News article about Dorothy's high school graduation (as salutorian) following her graduation in 1931 from Wheaton College, Magna Cum Laude.
Envelope and page 1 of a note from Dorothy to Harold and Charlotte
Pages 2, 3 of the same note
Description of Charles & Dorothy's wedding.
Wedding photo of Dorothy, in St. Paul press. (newspaper unknown)
Bea & Pat's baby rattle, bracelets, and some sort of pendant (for shoe laces to keep track of them?) Turquoise stones inset on bracelets, some sort of ball inside of the pendants. All items appear to be solid (definitely heavy) silver.
Dorothy and Harold Jr., winter 1916
Harold Jr. "Sonny" circa 1920
Unknown early photo. Based upon other family photos, this may very well be Anne and Lizzie Buffham, prior to Anne's death in 1862
Unknown person. Based upon above photo, this is from the late 1850s or very early 1860s.
Very faint writing on the back, believed to say "1880 Harold age 4 years, mother". TinType
Wedding description notes
photos of the wedding setup at the Lains' house, Silver Lake, St. Paul
Certificate for "Scholastic Honor Society" for Dorothy, 1931

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