This postcard photograph is a portrait of Wilfred Washington Knowles. Wilfred, commonly referred to as Bill, was born March 14, 1888 in Chicago and is the youngest child of William and Isabella Knowles. Margaret Jane Knowles and Muriel Knowles are his sisters.

Wilfred was married three times:

  1. The first to Margaret Elizabeth Rardin on June 11, 1908 in Chicago.
  2. The 2nd to married Mabel Darlinger Bender on May 5, 1919 in Chicago.
  3. The 3rd to Gertrude Wolfenden before 1935, perhaps in Rock Island.

In the 1930s, Bill lived at 2506 8th Street, Rock Island, Illinois. He had a 4-acre farm and also ran a trucking company.

The front of this postcard portrait is labeled Wilfred Washington Knowles - about 1910 and labeled Uncle Bill Knowles on the back. My best guess is that the photo was a wedding or engagement photo for his 1st marriage on June 11, 1908. Back then couples sometimes sent postcard photos to announce a wedding and perhaps this is the reason for the postcard portrait.

Beverly Lynch inherited this photograph from her father Charles J. Jordan, the 3rd son of James Oscar Jordan. Beverly gave this portrait to Dave Jordan in the late 1980s. William Washington Knowles was a brother of Margaret Jane Knowles Jordan. He was therefore Uncle Bill Knowles to Charles J. Jordan, father of Beverly.

If you would like to add information about this photo, please contact Dave Jordan, a 1x g-grandson of James Oscar Jordan and a a 2x g-grandson of William and Isabella Knowles. The Picture Reference Numbers are: 19080611a1 and Digitized Negatives: 143-08 and 161-24.