Fashionable Friday - 1860's Woman, Mad About Plaid

The lovely young woman in this mid 1860's CDV is standing with lovely posture behind a chair and I suspect she is quite tall.  She is wearing a beautiful plaid taffeta dress with long sleeves, large dark buttons down the front of the bodice, white collar and dark, perhaps velvet trim at the wrists. Her hair is worn in typical 1860's fashion, parted in the middle and pulled back at the back of the neck.  She has an unusual look on her face, perhaps a bit wistful.

The photographer was Theo. F. Chase located at No. 69 Westminister St., Providence, Rhode Island.  I did not find much information on Mr. Chase but he was listed in the 1864 Providence City Directory under "Daguerreotypists and Photographists."

Wedding Wednesday - 1890's Iowa Bride and Groom

Here we have a cabinet card of a very stylish and attractive young married couple from Oelwein, Iowa taken in the 1890's.  Look at the puffy sleeves on the shoulders of the bride's dress and the high neckline - this was the style in the 1890's.  Also note her very tiny waist with the matching bow.  What I think is interesting is that her corsage is a dark color, in the picture it looks black, but probably was green foliage and I can't make out the type of flower.  The groom is quite spiffy in his suit and is sporting quite the handlebar mustache. He is not wearing a wedding ring and I can't tell for sure if his bride is wearing one. Unfortunately, there is nothing to identify this charming couple.

The bride's dress and the photo's backdrop as well as the wicker chair all  lend credence to the 1890's date.  Additionally in Ancestry.com I found a mention of the photographer William H. Jacobs in the 1895 Fayette County, Iowa Census, born Sep 1858 in Pennsylvania , occupation, "photographer."  In the 1900 census, same location, his age listed as 41, he was married to Jane Jacobs aged 36 for eleven years with two children, Lorienia aged 10 and William H. aged 3.  No further information was found.

TinType Tuesday - Proud Papa & Grumpy Children at the Seashore

This week's Tin Type Tuesday photo shows a beaming father and what may be his five children most likely posing for a boardwalk photographer.  What is interesting is that the man is wearing a suit and the kids are all wearing bathing costumes.  And these children, particularly the boys, do not look happy! I'm guessing they were in a hurry to get to the seashore and Dad wanted to have a photo taken first.  

But wait, here's another tintype of the same gentleman wearing his own bathing costume posing with three children.  I believe the boy is the same boy from the first tintype (right side both photos) but these girls do not seem to be the same as the first picture.  The boy is wearing a different shirt so I believe these were taken on different days.  So are all of these his children, are any of them his children?  Guess we'll never know.

I would date both of these tintypes in the 1890s or early 1900's.  Tintypes first became popular in the Civil War because it was easy for soldiers to send them home to their families in the mail, plus up to twelve duplicate images could be produced on a single exposure with a multiple lens camera.  They were popular until around the late 1880's. They experienced a revival in popularity in the late 1890's at carnivals and boardwalks as a quick and cheap way to have a photograph taken.  This trend lasted until about 1930.

Source:  http://www.forensicgenealogy.info/History_of_Photography.html

Mystery Monday - Three 1860's Women from Louth, Lincolnshire, England

This CDV of three unidentified women from Louth, Lincolnshire, England was probably taken in the 1860's. Wikipedia lists a number of "Louths" but in doing a search for the photographer "Willey" I found many books for sale for which mentioned Joseph Willey (1829 - 1893) of Louth, Lincolnshire.  I also found a number of listings for Joseph Willey on Ancestry.com including census listings between 1851 and 1881 for the Louth, Lincolnshire area. Additionally, a death record and probate index record were found as well.

The three subjects in the photograph, I am guessing, are a mother (left) and two daughters. The girl seated is leaning on a small skirted table and looking at something, perhaps a photograph. The other young woman is leaning on the chair and has her other hand resting on a basket that is sitting on a pile of books on the table.  This Cartes de Visite was damaged a bit, something was stuck to it, but it is still an interesting photograph.  Too bad we do not know the identities of these women and their story.

Those Places Thursday - Crossdoney Cottage, Whitby, Ontario 1909

I came across this photograph of a house and on the back is written, "Crossdoney Cottage, Whitby, Ontario, Taken Sept. 15th, 09."   Whitby is located in Southern Ontario on the north shore of Lake Ontario and named after the seaport town of Whitby, Yorkshire, England.  Whitby's chief asset was it's fine harbour on Lake Ontario. 

Crossdoney is a village in County Cavan in Ireland - it is also the name of a railway station in County Cavan. I do not know where Crossdoney Cottage is located in Whitby, Ontario but I assume it was named after Crossdoney, Ireland. From the picture it seems a typical home with red brick, lace curtains in the windows, nice front porch and there even appears to be a grandmother sitting there waiting to welcome you!  I wish I knew the story behind this picture.

Source:  Wikipedia

Wedding Wednesday - Gibson Girl Wife & Husband with Crazy Hair!

This cabinet card of a newly married couple was most likely taken around 1900.  I am surmising this by the wicker chair and the woman's dress.  Also factoring into my date is the graphite like makeup of the card itself.

The photographer appears to be Orville B. Bates, born in Illinois in Feb 1853 to A. B. and Sophia Bates.  In 1881 he married Mary (unknown) and they had three children according to the 1900 Hampton, Franklin, Iowa census, Mildred aged 19, Milton 16 and Letha 12.  Iowa cemetery records show Orville Bates dying in 1927 and buried in Hampton Cemetery.

The bride's hair in this photograph is rather curly and she is wearing it in the popular style of the times, the Gibson Girl look.  She is quite trim and looks lovely in a dress that is somewhat simple except for the unusual rouching down the front of the bodice and the large bow at the waist.  She does not appear to be wearing any jewelry except I believe I can see a wedding ring.  She is also wearing a small corsage.

The groom, while quite attractive, has the most unusual, if not bizarre hairstyle.  I'm not sure how to even describe it - it is parted to the side but appears to have life of its own.  I think he needed some Brylcreem!

Fashionable Friday - Young Civil War Era Woman from Milwaukee, WI

This week's Fashionable Friday photograph features a CDV (Carte de Visite) from 1864 -1866 taken in Milwaukee, WI by photographer A. Marquis, Jr.  

The subject is identified as "Louisa" and unfortunately there is no last name given.  She appears to be in her teens and is seated in a chair leaning on a table.  She is wearing a dress with long sleeves, fitted at the waist with a belt and it has an unusual soutache like trim complete with a tie at the neck.  Miss Louisa is quite sweet and fashionable indeed!

I had very little luck finding information on the photographer.  I did find the below in the Milwaukee 1861 City Directory and again in the 1878 Directory, but found no mention of him (or her) in the cencus.  I had no luck Googling him as well.  The revenue stamp on the reverse gives us the date of 1864 - 1866.

Milawaukee City Directory 1861

Wedding Wednesday - Stoughton, Wisconsin Couple

This cabinet card of an attractive, unidentified couple was taken by photographer W. A.Fermann of Stoughton, Wisconsin. I'm assuming this is a wedding photo due to the white corsage/boutonniere the couple are each wearing.  The bride's dark colored dress was not unusual as it was practical and could be reused.

The photographer's full name was William A. Fermann, born in Norway in August of 1839. He emmigrated to the United States in 1867, was married in 1870 to Elise (Unknown). In the 1900 Stoughton, Ward 2, Dane County census, he and his wife were living with a son, William Ebert aged 14.  The elder William listed his occupation as photographer. I believe Fermann must have had a lengthy and prosperous photography career in Stoughton as I got many hits when I Googled him.

I believe this particular photograph to be dated about 1889 - 1891 due to several factors including the centered monogram at the bottom of the card, the woman's hairstyle and the style of her dress.  Check out The Cabinet Card Gallery to see a photograph also taken by Fermann in which the cabinet card is identical to this one.  It is also a wedding photograph and the clothing and photo backdrop are quick simiilar.

Fashionable Friday - Trio of Lovely Wisconsin Lasses

This cabinet card shows three young, unidentified women from Rice Lake, Wisconsin who I believe are sisters from their very similar facial features.  The uneven scallops on the card edges date the card anywhere from the late 1880's to the mid 1890's, but other things about this card make me believe it to be dated around 1890 - 1893. The women are all similarly dressed in dark clothing very typical of the early 1890's. Their hairstyles seem to be more of the late 1880's fashion, but I still have to believe with the style of the dresses, particularly the puffing up of the sleeves that my estimate is close.

The photographer was T. H. Webster of Rice Lake, Wis., but I had no luck finding anything out about him.

Sentimental Sunday - Women with Hats - Young Woman in Champaign, IL

This cabinet card of a stylish young woman in Champaign, IL is quite a mystery.  She is unidentified and I cannot find anything on the photographer, "Holland."  He seems to not exist anywhere.  There are a number of Hollands in Champaign around the time frame I believe this was taken but they all worked in the furnace industry.

I believe this photograph to have been taken in the late 1880's, probably 1887 or a little later. Our subject is wearing a dress with a fitted bodice and most definitely a bustle although it is a little difficult to see.  She appears to be wearing the tight curls so fashionable in the 1880's and possibly short hair or at least pulled back in a bun, both also popular.  The type of hat she is wearing is hard to see and describe, but it has a large sprig of flowers on the top.  She is also wearing a lacy neck scarf and pearl earbobs.  Too bad we will probably never know who she was.

Wedding Wednesday - Young, Beautiful Bride, Older, Rich Groom?

This week's Wedding Wednesday photo features the most beautiful young bride.  She is tall, willowy, ethereal and as she gazes off into the distance I do not believe she looks happy. Her groom is much older, nearly bald and I would guess he was probably wealthy to acquire such a beautiful young bride.  Her body language is very telling - note the way her fingers are barely touching his arm.  I could be wrong, but I don't think this young woman was looking forward to her wedding night!

Her dress is beautiful in its simplicity, there is no fussiness except for perhaps the small adornment of roses in her hair.  She does not appear to be wearing any jewelry yet she manages to look elegant and  graceful.  Her new husband, although seated, appears to be shorter than his wife.  He is wearing a plain, dark suit with small boutonniere.

The photographer was Ludwig F. Hammer, Jr. who had a studio at 1534 So. Broadway in St. Louis, MO.  Ludwig was born in Missouri in July 1867 to Carl Anton and Elizabetha Krieg Hammer, German emmigrants.  In 1896 he married Augusta Hammin and they had two children William B. and Nellie C. twins born in 1893.  Since the children's birth date is before the marriage date it is possible these were children from a first marriage of Ludwig's.  Ludwig had his studio at the South Broadway address from at least 1895 - 1908 according to City Directory listings on Ancestry.com.  Ludwig Hammer died in 1912.

Several things in the cabinet card give me reason to date this card right around the turn of the century; the bride's dress, the make and color of the card and the photographer's imprint with foil-like treatment. My belief is very early 1900's although it could possibly be the last couple of years in the 1890's, but most likely between 1900-1905.