Aunt Claire and Uncle Ben

"I was born under a wondering star."


This is a photograph of my wife's great Aunt Claire and her Uncle Ben. They had a "modern" marriage meaning they lived together for economic reasons (and perhaps a little love) without the benefit of clergy or state approval.

The sanctity of their union lasted longer than most legal marriages last today. Further, they didn't care what others thought of their relationship. Remember this was in the 1930s, and some called their lifestyle scandalous.


See the truck in the picture? It started without a key. When he first got it, Uncle Ben at night would run a log chain through the front axle and padlock it to his ankle while he slept. Uncle Ben drove the truck, Aunt Claire drove the car and pulled the house trailer.