Elmira (Smith) Wilkey
Elmira's great grandfather Hilaire Smith ( hear explanation for Suzanne Pruchnicki's—Elmira's sister—explanation).
Elmira's great grandfather Hilaire Smith ( hear explanation for Suzanne Pruchnicki's—Elmira's sister—explanation).
Suzanne (Smith) Pruchnicki's (Elmira's sister) painting of her great grandfather's (Hilaire Smith) first H. Smith Sons' farm machinery store in Manteno, Illinois (on Walnut and First Street).
Suzanne (Smith) Pruchnicki's (Elmira's sister) painting of her great grandfather's (Hilaire Smith) second store.
Above is a re-creation Hilaire Smith's (Elmira's great grandfather) office in the H. Smith Sons' farm machinery store—this recreation is located in the Bronte History of Printing Museum in rural Bourbonnais, Illinois.
This photograph of Elmira's great aunts (Emma Smith Renaud, Marie Antoinette Smith, and Grace Smith) was taken while they were visiting Emma in Montreal in early 1900.
Suzanne's painting of her grandfather Edouard Smith and his sons (Samuel, Zephiere, Joseph, Raul, Napoleon, and Armand).
Suzanne's painting and calligraphy about their paternal grandmother Winifred (Riley) Smith who was also a teacher.
Suzanne (Smith) Pruchnicki's (Elmira's sister) painting of their father Edmond A. Smith.
A photograph of Elmira's father.
Elmira's Uncle Maurice "Clipper" Smith as a football player at Notre Dame.
Maurice Smith as a coach in California after a meeting with Knute Rockne (hear Suzanne Smith Pruchnicki's explanation).
Maurice with his daughter Caroline Ann (hear Suzanne's explanation).
In 2000, Elmira and her sister Suzanne, at left, were photographed at Notre Dame in front Sorin Hall (where their Uncle Maurice lived) with the Golden Dome in the background as they attended a calligraphy conference, hear explanation.
Elmira with her sons and daughter-in-law at Jeremy G. and Kim Wilkey's December 2005 wedding—from left to right: Lowell Gene Wilkey (Elmira's husband), Tad, Kim (Mancuso) Wilkey, Martin, Jeremy, Eric, Elmira, Barry, and Anthony, hear explanation.
Elmira's painting of a typical home (hear explanation)
Elmira's painting of a barn in the L'Acadie, Canada area from where her Smith ancestors emigrated (hear explanation).
This photograph of Elmira with her sister and brother-in-law, Suzanne and Paul Pruchnicki, was taken on April 4, 2006.
Elmira made the above sketch in Bourbonnais, Illinois during a 1977 reenactment of Chevalier Sieur de La Salle coming from Lake Michigan, down the Kankakee River, to the Illinois River, and then the Mississippi River, hear explanation.
Elmira made The sketch representing the priest that came on the trip, hear explanation .
Elmira's sketch includes details regarding reenactor Kenneth Lewis, hear explanation .
Elmira has attended several Theatiki (Kankakee) reenactments at Davis Creek just northwest of Bourbonnais, Illinois. Her sketch above represents the French voyagers at the reenactment (hear explanation).
Sketches represent more activities and style of dress at the Theatiki reenactment, hear explanation .
Sketches represent more activities and style of dress at the Theatiki reenactment.
Sketches represent more activities and style of dress at the Theatiki reenactment.
Elmira was drawn to the pewter cup at bottom left as she sketched this voyager, hear explanation.
Elmira has a painting on exhibit at Linda Powles' Clifton, Illinois "Sanctuary Gallery." Elmira's painting is a pseudo window entitled "The Winter of the Three Oranges"—it is to the right of the couple in the first photo seen in the video clip, hear explanation.