In honor of the Heroes in the Maybelline Family.
This is what Chicago looked like when my grandfather William Preston Williams joined the Navy in 1917. He was just 18 years old with visions of being a War Hero. Like so many boy's from the Lost Generation he imagined the war would quickly end and he'd return unscathed by the ravages of battle - only to be greatly disillusioned with a broken spirit.
This is what was going on in the Maybelline Family at the same time. Tom Lyle introduced Maybelline to the public as Silentilm became popular and Silent Film Stars were seen on screen with heavily made up eyes.
My grandfather, Preston Williams, with his parents Susan and TJ. His mother was grief stricken after already losing her first son, Pearl to TB and the thought of losing another son to War was too much for her. TJ on the other hand was proud his son was fighting for his Country like so many Patriots that went before him in the Williams Family. He also thought the Navy might straighten his wild card son up a bit.
Preston would return from WWl, with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. Here he is with his little sister Eva on the left, Frances Allen, Tom Lyle Williams Noel James Williams and Bennie Gibbs.
My Father's first cousin, Noel A. Williams, joined the Navy right out of High School.