Mystery of History

The picture above is one of hundreds I'm working through in totes of family history. I know her name. The back of the picture says she is Margarette Morton of Fairbury, Illinois. A search on Ancestry indicates she was born in Ireland on January 18, 1855 and died on September 25, 1929 in Fairbury, Illinois. She was the daughter of Kathryn Lytle and Edward Morton. There begins my questions. My great great grandfather John Sutor was married to Martha Lytle and emigrated to the United States from Ireland. Was Kathryn Lytle related to Martha Lytle? I can think of no other reason for this picture to be included with all the other family pictures. Why have a picture saved of someone you don't know? She will, for now, remain a mystery.

The two little girls pictured above are even more of a mystery to me. Genevieve Lucy McKenzie was born on July 3, 1896 and died on April 25, 1978. Her sister Gail McKenzie was born on November 12, 1897 and died on April 23, 1976.  It appears from records in 1900 they lived on North Prairie Street in Galesburg. My great grandparents John and Emma were married in 1900. John would have been living on the family farm near Wataga and to the best of my knowledge Emma would have lived on her family's farm near Henderson. In this case I can find no possible common relative. Was Emma a friend of their mother from the time she attended Knox College in the 1880's? It is now and perhaps forever a mystery how this picture ended up in one of the totes. In checking on Ancestry the same picture is available and ensures I am accurate with the birth and death dates of both individuals.

I have in the past advocated for everyone to take a few moments to identify individuals in the pictures they have. It is clear that more than that is actually required. If possible some context for the picture. How do you know them? Why was the picture taken? Why do you have a copy? As you can see, sometimes these pictures survive and we are left with mystery.