Happy Rankin

Everyone meet Happy Rankin, aka Hands of Time. Some of this may be true, false or just flat out wrong and if you feel the need to clarify anything, go right on ahead. I will try to fix as info is given. From what I am told this is my grandfathers mothers brother, ha did you get all of that. There was a photo studio in Alton called the "Picture Nook"( Get your picture took at the picture nook) in the sixties, that is maybe where this photo was hanging at. Not sure how or when or why my grandfather got it from the studio. This photo has been in the basement for over 40yrs, just hanging there. When I was little, it scared me and even today it's still a creepy photo. It has never been cleaned nor has it seen daylight in all that time. Briefly outside to shoot the photo posted here but that's all. My family tells me that it was in a museum somewhere in northern Illinois, not sure where though. They also say it has won awards and was famous for the hands on the cane. Hence the name Hands of Time, somewhere out there are small cards of just the hands from what I am told. Who is Happy Rankin, well like I said my grandfathers (John C Lankford) mothers brother, that's all I have for that part. I was told he lived in Litchfield, Illinois on Tyler avenue in a camper type travel trailer and was very poor. No money and food scarcity or variety was an issue and someone offered him some cash and dinner for his photograph. Most likely a man from the depression era and hard times lived. Who took the photo of Happy, well Bill Morton did. Him and his wife lived in Litchfield ,where they raised their family. Morton studio was quite popular in the area , as the portrait studio of Litchfield. Bill was on and president of APPI, not sure what the reason was why he got interested in shooting this photo. I think there was a contest or something and he needed a subject and Happy had all of the character just for that. From what I understand Bill offered a meal and some cash for the photo, makes you wonder what the meal was and how much cash, interesting unknown.More about Bill Morton More info pending. Oh before I forget there are file to download if you would like to see a larger version.