Audeca Etta Brower

The third photograph in the antique album was of Audeca Etta Brower, wife of DeWilton Emory Curtis. The photographer was Frank D. Halsk, artist, place of business is unknown. Written on the back of the photo was "Friend of Mama's," meaning friend of Mary Lavantia Curtis (original owner of the antique album).

While attending a White family reunion in northern Utah, the descendants identified the person in this photo. Some of the descendants had a picture taken at her funeral of the flowers that adorned her casket. Among the flower was another copy of this exact same picture.

"Etta" was buried at the Preston City cemetery in Preston, Idaho. Her headstone is small and only says "Etta"

Audeca Etta Brower

The third photograph in the album was that of Mary Lavantia Curtis, a friend of Mary Curtis, owner of the album. Her name was Audeca Etta Brower and she eventually became Mary's sister-in-law when she married her brother DeWilton Emory Curtis. Audeca Etta Brower was born 19 March 1880 in Lewiston, Cache Co., Utah. Audeca Etta and DeWilton were married 27 March 1901 in Preston, Franklin Co., Idaho. We assume Audeca Etta went by the name "Etta" because of the headstone at the Curtis family plot in Preston that bears the name Etta. DeWilton and Etta had two daughters, but sadly Etta passed away when she was 25, on 18 october 1905 in Preston, Idaho.  Her death occurred shortly after the birth of her second daughter. The story handed down in the family was that Etta's passing was something DeWilton was never able to deal with and he left his two daughters with other family members to be raised without him. The pain of his wife's passing was too hard to bear, so the girls were raised without knowing their father. The two daughters born to DeWilton and Etta were:

Grace Curtis - 1902-1960

Loretta Curtis - birth between 1903-1905, death date unknown