Mary Annette Van Sant
November 11, 2022My mother, Mary Van Sant Wheeler (1927-2020), and her three siblings grew up during the Great Depression in Augusta, Georgia.
Mary was the third child of Clarence Rowley “Van” Van Sant (1891-1963) and Sarah Theresa Casey Van Sant (1895-1992). After Van lost his sales manager job in 1932, one of the worst years of the Great Depression, the family moved to the home of Sarah’s mother and stepfather at 1259 Ellis Street in Augusta, Georgia. Unable to find a job to support his family, Van went back to his parents in California to look for work. The family never reunited, and Sarah and Van eventually divorced.
Van was a widow when he met Sarah. His oldest child, Catherine Gertrude “Trudy” Van Sant Sanderson (1914-2004), was from his first marriage to Agnes May Shanks (1891-1915). Trudy was raised by Van’s parents in Los Angeles. As adults, she and her half-siblings in Georgia visited and stayed in touch until her death in California in 2004.
About 1929
Mary around age 2
This photo was printed as a postcard on the back so it could be mailed. Somewhere among all of our family photos, there is another copy of this without the corner missing.
Late 1931 or Early 1932
Mary around age 4
Printed on the back side: Fleet Photo Service, 1024 Broad Street, Augusta, GA. Written in pencil in Mary’s handwriting: Mary age 4.
About 1932 and 1933: The Van Sants
About 1932: The photo on the left was taken at Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina. It was probably taken in 1931 or 1932. Uncle Gerald and Aunt Anna, Sarah’s brother and sister-in-law, often rented a beach house on Sullivan’s Island in the summer and invited the family to visit.
From left in back row: Van, Sarah, and Sarah’s sister, Frankie Casey. From left in front row: Bill (in shorts), Mary (in striped pants), Nippy Morrison, Sarah’s half-sister (with umbrella), Pat (in dress in front of Nippy), and Barbara (in flowered jumpsuit).
About 1933: The photo on the right of the four Van Sant children was taken in front of 1259 Ellis Street in Augusta. Known in the family as the Big House, it was the home of Sarah’s mother and stepfather. Sarah’s older sister, Frankie Casey, and her mother, May Armstrong Casey Morrison, are standing on the porch behind the children. This photo was probably taken around 1933, a year or so after Van left.
About 1934 and 1935: Mary and Pat
Lefthand image: Pat and Mary at about 6 and 7
Righthand image: Pat and Mary at about 4 and 5
These snapshots were probably taken in or about 1934 and 1935. Mary was the third Van Sant child and Pat, on the left in both photos, was the fourth and youngest.
About 1941: Mary and Sarah
Mary at age 14 and her mother Sarah (aka Muh) at age 46
This photograph is of Sarah and Mary on Broad Street in Augusta. It was printed as a postcard on the back.
About 1942
Mary at 15
Late 1943 or Early 1944
Mary at 16
Mary graduated from Mt. St. Joseph Academy in Augusta on May 29th, 1944. She turned 17 a month later.
1948
Mary at 21
Mary graduated from St. Louis University’s School of Nursing in St. Louis, Missouri in the spring of 1948. Because of his military service in WWII, her brother Bill graduated from Georgetown University the same week. After Sarah announced that she was going to Bill’s graduation, Granny Morrison, Aunt Frankie, and Aunt Nippy decided to go to Mary’s.
Late 1949
Mary at 22
This snapshot of Mary was taken the night she and Tom became engaged. She is sitting in her future mother-in-law’s living room on Johns Road Extension in Augusta. Mary and Tom were married in the spring of 1950 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Augusta.