This photograph collection was owned by William R. Windsor (1913-1988). William arrived in Alaska an infant from Fort Blakely in Washington state in 1916. His family had homesteads in the Mendenhall Valley and on Admiralty Island. William was the son of Nellie Sparks Windsor (d. in Washington, 1 September, 1970), and Hal Windsor. Hal Windsor was William’s adoptive father. He was chief lineman for the power company. Nellie later married Douglas mayor, William Kilburn. Nellie and Ida’s mother was Lavina Sparks. Lavina married Harry Starr who managed the fish hatchery at Grouse Lake near Seward.

Nellie’s sister Ida Sparks was married to Al Forsythe. Ida and Al owned Colt Island, in-between Douglas Island and Admiralty Island, Alaska. The Forsythes had what the donor described as a “huge garden and strawberry farm” on Colt Island. The Forsythes employed local people to harvest strawberries, and there was a Juneau farmers’ market at that time. The whole of Colt Island, including tideland rights, was sold to a Gig Harbor, Washington realtor in 1956 for $6000.