Monday, December 3, 2012

Mystery Monday - Two Ladies from Indiana - Are They One and The Same?

Some time ago I bought a large group of photos from the same vendor and most were from the same few counties in Indiana.  Initial research seemed to indicate that several of the people who were actually identified were most likely related in some way.  The two cabinet cards I am posting today feature women, one from Tipton County, IN and the other from Wayne County (Richmond), IN.  The features on these two women are so similar that I strongly believe it is possible they are one and the same.  Of course, neither photo has anything to identify either subject.  They both appear to have been taken in the same time frame, late 1880's to mid 1890's.

Unk Tipton, IN Woman & Children ca late 1880s - early 1890's

The first photograph shows a young woman in her late twenties to early thirties posed with two young girls, most likely her daughters.  This photograph was probably taken between 1888 and 1892.  The photograph was taken at Hysman's Studio in Tipton, Ind. Hysman was Henry Hysman born ca 1840 in Indiana, married Mary Thatcher May 1865 in Tipton.  He enlisted in the Civil war as a Private on 15 Aug 1861 and served in the 22nd Regiment, Indiana Infantry.  He was promoted to a full Corporal and mustered out on 24 Jul 1865.  He suffered some type of injury as he applied for an invalid pension on 27 Jul 1872.  He died on 21 Jan 1892 and is buried at Fairview Cemetery in Tipton County.  The inscription on his stone says, "Died for His Country."

Unk Richmond, IN woman ca 1890 - 1894
The second photo shows the subject in a traditional singular pose and was probably taken about 1890 - 1894.  The photographer was West End Studios, Stigleman & Son, Richmond, Ind established in 1867 by George Walter Stigleman.  Stigleman was born in 1836 in Wayne County, Indiana, married his wife (Elizabeth) Caroline Bailey about 1859 and  and their first son Edward followed his father into the family business as evidenced by the 1890 Richmond City Directory, "GW Sr. & Son (Geo W. & Edward Stigleman) proprs of the East End Gallery, photographers, 826 Main." There was a second son George, Jr. and it appears he  moved to Denver, CO and started his own photography business there.  In 1894 the Stigleman's Indiana studio was destroyed by fire as reported by the  "Photographic Times & American Photographer, Volume 25 (Google eBook).  Most equipment and negatives were a total loss.  The mother had died in May of 1892, George Sr. died a year after the fire in May of 1895.  I could not find any record of what became of son Edward but it appears that a third son Rollin rebuilt and took over the studio until 1898 when he sold it to Edwin F. Dalby of Richmond.

1 comment:

  1. I have to admit that I am in love with the graphic design on the back of the photo. I agree with that the women appear to be related. I compared their eyes and I feel like the eyes of the woman are more recessed in her face than the second woman. My vote is siblings!

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