Here is a great CDV photograph of a woman wearing mourning. She is wearing a black dress and black head covering/scarf. She appears to be holding a handkerchief in her right hand and something unkown in her left. In my blog "Rogers Family History" last year I wrote a post titled How to Wear Mourning based on an article I found in the Trenton (NJ) Evening Times. The rules were certainly much different then!
The photo was taken in Terre Haute, Indiana by Elsam 328 Main Street between 3d and 4th. I Googled Elsam and found in the 1900 census for Laconia, Belknap, New Hampshire an Edwin A. Elsam, photographer, born in Indiana in 1840, married to Mary Elsam birthplace New Hampshire, both age 60. I also found a marriage date for a Edwin Elsam, photographer, born in Bombay, India to William and Sarah (Hudson) Elsam, and his bride Mary Houghton, residence Laconia, NH in May 1889. Assuming this is the same person, he probably came from Indiana to New Hampshire before 1889 which would date this photo before that time, probably between 1860 and 1889. Whew!! However, I believe this CDV to have been taken in the 1860's.
My mother became a widow in the 1960's and had to wear black for 6months. A long veil for one month and a short veil for 2 more months. So the tradition with mourningclothes didn't go away until the start of 1970's.
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