Those were the days: The Soares clan, with friends & neighbors

Vintage photographs from the 1930s and beyond from the family of Victor Faria Soares, Sr. and Rose Raymond Soares of Somerset, Mass., my grandparents. These were digitized by my uncle, Arthur Faria Soares, who also provided me with many stories about my family and his experiences growing up. The children of Rose and Victor Sr. were: Victor Jr., Beatrice, Raymond (my father), and Arthur.

Another great shot from the Portuguese-American Civic League convention on Martha's Vineyard in 1948. My pépère, Victor Faria Soares, Sr., wasn't a politician (though he was a leader in the Somerset PACL and served on the town's finance board)--but when I look at this photo, all I can think of is a 21st century congressman with two constituents! — at Martha's Vineyard.