A cavalcade of family cars

One thing that always happens when my brother is here: we spend time (lots of it) on old family pictures. One result -- this post which is dedicated to the American automobile down through the years, all in the family.

Starting in South Dakota circa 1908 or thereabouts. Called the family's first ever car in the album. The boy in the cap is Pop (born 1899); my grandmother is one of the two ladies in the back seat & there are very young versions of my two aunts.

A subsequent vehicle, also from the Dakota days. Note wire wheels.

By the time Pop had his racer, the family had moved to Phoenix because his father suffered from asthma. (By the way, the six of them drove all the way from the Dakotas.) Pop learned to drive when he was 9 or 10, as kids did back them; he gave the racer to his younger sister to drive to school when he went into the navy in 1917.

Here he is loading into the family phaeton for his brief tour in the armed service.

On Mom's side of the family, there were only one or two cars -- the California grandfather walked to and from town as long as I can remember. He had two elaborate string bags in which he carried the family groceries. The date is 1922; Mom is wearing a black velvet outfit & nobody remembers whether this was a family -- or a friend's auto.

Mom and her best friend of 90+ years shovelling snow, probably up in the San Jacintos, which was a favorite playground for Riverside young folk in the winter. Also 1922.

Meanwhile, back in Ohio, an aunt and her college mates pose with a car probably older than the 1928 date on the picture -- an early version of the college jalopy?

Same crowd of marceled coeds, newer & different wheels. Approximately the same date.

Bro and I argued about the vintage of this fine vehicle owned by the Phoenix grandfather. (We're even arguing as I write this.) The point being that I recall this machine from the 30s & bro says it dates from the 20s. Of course, both could be true!

How is this for a pair of late 20s-early 30s automobiles? We found them on a Mormon Lake post card among the family mementos. Great for motoring Arizona back in the day.
At last, the bro & I show up -- 1936-7, our two-door 1936 Studebaker, on the drivable beach at Jacksonville, Florida, where we had moved from the West.

Many years later, into the 50s, the maternal grandfather posed on his SILs "city vehicle" -- a delivery tricycle.

And, here in the 60s, Pop, who lusted after sporty cars all his years, stands next his TBird. (Yes, he couldn't resist the Raymond Lowey designed Studebaker and did buy one.) Less exotic, less exciting cars followed in the later years. When Mom was widowed down in Sun City, she drove Pop's last car, a huge Ford 4-door hardtop until her mid-90s.