Wordless Wednesday: Fianlly, A Face for the Name

I've been fascinated with the gent in this picture for quite some time. Austin McClain Brendel (1878-1935) was the first cousin of my grandmother.

Why the fascination? I first heard the name when I was looking at the old cemetery records at Southside Cemetery in Allegheny Co, PA back in the late 1980s. Who was this man buried in our family plot? A cousin of my dad's told me it was some cousin who didn't have any place to be buried when he died. So the search began.

It took some years for the life of Austin to be told in bits and pieces. You can read more of Austin at http://genitalesga.blogspot.com/search/label/brendel.

Now, a picture of Austin has made its way to me just this week. When was it taken? Perhaps in the early 1900s? Do I see a family resemblance? I think not, so perhaps he took on the looks of his father's family?

Ah, genealogy. What great cousins I have who take the time to keep me in the loop with their new finds.

Thanks, Frank. I just went speechless with your kind genealogy gift.