Great-uncle Lebbeus Woods

1920s or 30s, Minnesota or South Dakota. Not the architect by the same name. The story whispered among the family was that his wife, May, had been a showgirl, perhaps even a prostitute, when he met her in Minneapolis after WWI. She wore makeup, smoked and had beautiful flapper dresses made of velvet and decorated with beads and rhinestones. Several times per year she sent her elegant hand-me-downs to her husband's nieces on the South Dakota ranch. One of them was my mother.

I have one of the dresses. It's deep blue velvet with beaded bodice.