Wallace Petterson – A Mason for Over 50 Years, 1924 – 1974

Because it looks as though Wallace  is wearing a masonic lapel pin, I’m including a copy of his membership card with this photo. I have no idea when this photo was taken. I was given a very small (1.5″ x 1.75″) print  after my grandfather died.

In 1924, Wallace Petterson became a member of the Athelstan lodge, one of the 9 lodges in existence in Worcester, Massachusetts.  He was 24 years old and listed his occupation as “Insurance”.  He received his “50 year Masonic Veterans Medal” in 1974. And with nothing else to go on…. I’m estimating that this photo was taken then.

 

Sources:

Photo scanned from my collection.

 Ancestry.com. Massachusetts, Mason Membership Cards, 1733-1990 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013.
Original Data: Massachusetts Grand Lodge of Masons Membership Cards 1733–1990. New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Massachusetts.

Lars Petterson & Sons – est. Jan 1908

Elmer (21), Harry (19), Wallace (8), Oscar (17) and Lars Petterson (50).

I don’t have a date for this photo, so for now, I’m assuming my grandfather was 8 years old and the picture was taken in the spring.

It’s interesting how little the brothers resemble each other. But what really stands out is though at first glance, this looks as very formal photograph of my great-grandfather and his four sons, their clothing indicates that the photo was taken at the last minute.

It appears that Elmer might have recently gained weight. Not only does his ring looks painfully tight, his pants are hitched up quite a bit.

Harry looks as if he dressed in a hurry. His tie is crooked and doesn’t seem to be the right choice for that shirt. I don’t know much about men’s formal fashion of any era, but I think that shirts with that type of color require a bow tie.

Wallace appears to be playing dress up. That jacket is far too big for him.

Photo scanned from the collection of Pete Petterson.