MAJOR-SMOLINSKI | PORTRAITS INDEX

Buster Major From star athlete to mayor, a practical joker featured as a cartoon character in a Solvay Process newspaper, a politician who sang his way to office. See Buster's songbook.

Helen Smolinski Major A doting mother and grandmother and the Jiminy Crickett who always had good advice for her politician husband.

John W. Major, son of William J. Major, father of Buster. He married Rose McLaughlin and moved to Solvay from Skaneateles. They had six children.

Sister Mary Antonia, cousin of Rose McLaughlin, the family's published author (From Convent to Conflict, based on her experiences in Belgium during World War I).

Emmett The only photo of Emmett Leo Major, first child of John and Rose Major, who died of diphtheria during childhood.

Maggie Major Nicholson, eldest daughter of John and Rose Major, mother of Kathleen Mullally Johnson.

Lola Major Kane Cullen was the middle daughter of John and Rose Major, and the mother of Bobby Kane and Loretta Kane Orlando Lindsay (right).

Billy Major, second son of John and Rose Major, became a Solvay policeman, eventually chief of the department.

Irene Major Rand was the sixth and youngest child of John and Rose Major, who grew up to become a nurse.

Liz Major Family historian, poet and teller of tall tales – Liz Major was quite a character.

Jack Major, son of Buster and Helen, former TV columnist and features editor at the Providence (RI) Journal. Retired in Bluffton, SC; he's to blame for this website.

Mary Major Chard, daughter of Buster and Helen, finally fled the snow and lives with husband Fred in Naples, FL, the Hurricane State. As a young child she had some very strange friends ...

Olinda Johnson Major Born in Brazil, raised along the Hudson, but lucky for Jack, she moved to Rhode Island. [THIS PAGE IS BEING REVISED]

Jeffrey Major Husband of Elyse Press, father of Jonah and Ethan, a Star Wars fanatic, possessed by the spirit of SCTV's McKenzie brothers.

Laura Major Now a resident of Charlotte, NC, a New England Patriots fan in Carolina Panthers territory. [NEW]

Meridith Major Now and always a night person who from day one challenged everthing her father and mother thought they knew about parenting.

Helen Kalinowska Smolinski Married in Poland at 16, she became a single mother of four in Solvay, NY, when she was 23.

Stella Rydelek Pawlik, lifelong best friend of Helen Smolinski Major. When Stella and her husband Al came to visit it was like suddenly we were part of a goofy '50s sitcom.

William (Bimby) Smolinski It was always a beautiful day in Bimby's neighborhood. He was Fred Rogers, Peter Pan and Jack Armstrong combined.

Alma Kaldowski Furcinito (pictured as an infant, above, with her mother, Wanda Smolinski Kaldowski).

Ed Smolinski, the family handyman, married Sally Eldridge and had four children – Tom, Sandra, Linda and Kathy.

Tom Smolinski, son of Ed and Sally, distinguished educator (oh, he'll love that description) and now grandfather of six – and counting.

Johnsons and Donnans:

Oel Johnson, father of Olinda Johnson (Mrs. Jack) Major, survived the Bataan Death March to become a vice president at Coca-Cola.

Bruce Stewart Donnan and Ruth Webb Donnan, the Jock and Miss Ellie (forgive the Dallas reference) of a sprawling dairy farm in York, NY.