An embarrassment of riches

It's odd that Larry and I come to dry spots in our research, and I think, ok, maybe that's all there is to discover about Jansons.  Then all of a sudden people like Steve and Carrie show up and bring possibilities to the table that we didn't know about, or that didn't make sense when we did see em.  

Today, I'm thinking "Woohoo! Where do I start??!"

Steve Janson (great grandson of the 1889 immigrant to Michigan Stefan Janson) sent vintage pictures of his family.  I haven't posted most cuz I'm not sure which generation I'm looking at.

This one he labeled "Great Grandma and Grandpa Stephen Janson".  Well, the immigrant Stefen was born in 1857, and came here about 1889.  If he's 60 years old in the photo, then it's 1917 and perfectly possible, both re the car and how they look, ya know?

Now this  photo was labeled Joseph Janson. Was this Stephan's brother?  If so, he was born in 1848, so no, this Joe had to be Stefan's son.  Maybe he owned that cool car? Probably the white clapboard house in the background was the same one too.

And IF this man was Stefan's son, then the next pic was earlier when he and sibs made their first communion (usually about 12 years old).

Wow, this photo really shows the "dark Janson" look, tho it might be an illusion against white clothes.  Steve labeled this one "Valentine, Joe and Marie Janson".  They were Stefan and Anna's oldest three kids. (Valentine b 1896, Marie b 1898 and Joseph b 1900).  I'm guessing this pic was taken about 1913, so Marie would have been 15, Val was 17, and Joe was 13.

  
If this was first communion, how come Joe had no prayer book to hold?  Cuz a kid didn't need his own book--they shared. 





Aww, a boy and his dog.  It's labeled "Grandpa Janson"--the fourth kid in the family, Stephan Anthony Janson.  He was born in 1902, and I assume he was our Steve's grandpa? Just imagine a beard and mustache on the pic below and you have Johannes, huh? 


BTW, I'm using the spelling STEFAN for the immigrant here, STEPHAN for his son, with STEVE for our contemporary Janson.   
We're missing a generation, I think!

"Stephan A Janson II",  b 1902.