Lydia Vangsness as a young woman

Lydia was raised as a daughter of John E. Vangness, but she is actually the daughter of Ida, who died in 1903 in child birth. Lydia was, of course, that child.
Here are some photos of Lydia as a young girl and woman.

Could this be Lydia's Confirmation Photo?

Lydia & Unni, who raised the Vangsness children

Lydia as a grown woman.

Lydia loved those round eye glasses!

Formal photo of Lydia

My mother told me that Lydia did not know about the circumstances of her birth or what happened to her real mother. She must have thought it odd, that everyone else's mother, Synneve Berge, John E.'s wife, had died in 1891. My mother said she was told some time before her wedding to Reuben Sjoquist. Lydia immediately told Reuben. Reuben is reported to have said something like this: "Oh that! I have known that for years. It makes no difference to me! Everyone knows."

Here is the Sjoquist Farm in Goodhue, Minnesota, where Lydia and Reuben lived. Phyllis, Robert and Don were raised here.

Sjoquist Farm