Thriller Thursday - My First Photo Reunion Success Story!

Curry Williams, Unk, Albert Wms, 1880s

Several weeks ago on June 11 I posted a photo titled Mystery Monday - "Three Gentlemen, Unknown Occupation" which showed three men posing in strange garb.  One of these men was identified as Curry Williams.  I had picked up this photo at an antique show along with some others and most of them had names written on them. Most were from the Talladega County, Alabama area.  Since Curry was such an unusual name, I searched Ancestry.com and was easily able to find him and his immediate family.  I sent emails to two of the people who had family trees on Curry, his siblings and parents inquiring if they were interested in copies of the photos I had.  Both replied enthusiastically, one was Curry's great-granddaughter, the other was a distant cousin.  I was able to send them two photos of Curry (including the one from that post), Curry's brother Albert, his sister Emma, his sister Lillie and what we believe are their parents at a younger age.  They were very excited to receive these photos as they had not seen these before.  Below are the photos I sent:

Curry Williams

J. Albert Williams 1861 - 1923

Lillie Williams (left) 1890s

Emma Wms. Singleton 1890s

prob Abner & Agatha Wms 1860s

Mystery Monday - Three Gentlemen, Unknown Occupation

Can you determine what occupation these gentlemen are representing in this cabinet card from the 1880's?  The man on the left, identified as Curry Williams is wearing what appears to be a painter's overcoat and holding a paint can and paint brush.  The man in the middle who is rather good looking and seems somewhat smug is holding some sort of notebook in his hand.  t his feet is a large bag that could be any number of things.  The young man on the right is holding on to some sort of stick, has his left hand in his pocket and you may notice his pant legs are splotched with what appears to be paint.  From other pictures in my possession I believe he may be Curry's younger brother Albert.

I picked up this Cabinet Card at the same antique show where I got the one I talked about recently (Lillie Allen Draper) along with about fifteen or so others.  I believe many may have been from the same family. You will see that some, once again has written in ink on the front of the card and identified Curry Williams on the left. Since I have the other photographs with family names I was able to locate him on Ancestry.com.  

He was born 15 Mar 1857, Curry Elihu Cadwallader Williams, to Abner and Agatha (Heacock) Williams in Talladega, Alabama.  In the 1880 Oxford, Calhoun, Alabama census, at age 23 he was living with his parents, sister Mollie age 21, brother J. Albert age 19, brother Abner J. age 13, and sister Lillie Belle age 11.  He listed his occupation as warehouse keeper.  He married Cordelia "Della" Anderson on 1 Jan 1889 in Alabama.  I could not identify the photographer - looks likes Hurd & Delany, and I suspect this photo was taken sometime before his marriage.

Curry and his wife Della were the parents of five children.  They moved to Oklahoma City, OK sometime before 1906 were I found numerous Oklahoma City Directory listings of him as "cotton buyer" starting in 1906 and ending in 1927.  He died 2 Feb 1954 in Illinois and is buried in Oklahoma City.

Here's a picture of his younger brother J. Albert Williams (30 Nov 1861 - 23 Mar 1923):

Fashionable Friday - Stylish 1880's Atlanta, GA Woman

Lillie Allen Draper ca 1884-1885 Atlanta, GA

Recently at an antique show I bought a number of cabinet cards from what I believe were the same family mostly from Alabama.  This very stylish young woman was photographed in Atlanta, GA and is idenitified as Lillie Allen Draper.  She is wearing a beautiful bustled dress with fitted bodice.  Note the lace sleeves and lace around the neck and upper chest as well.  I originally thought this cabinet card was dated from the 1870's but further investigation makes me believe this photo most likely to be dated around 1884 - 1885.  I believe Lillie would have been about 18 or 19 in this picture.

The fringed chair was usually seen in 1870 photographs but the front of this cabinet card is maroon, a color which did not  come in use until around 1884 and was popular until 1895.    The earlier dark colored cards (maroon, green, black) were only dark on the front with the back being  grey or natural. Although the chair is most likely an 1870's chair, it was not uncommon for a studio to keep using a piece  of furniture such as this after it lost its popularity with other photographers.

I had no luck finding any information on the photographer,  Edwards & Son, Successors to Edwards & Dorman, Photographers, No. 56 1/2 Whitehall St. (or Sq.), Atlanta, Ga.  I did however find Lillie and her husband John. R. Draper in the 1900 DeArmanville, Calhoun, Alabama census.  Lillie was born July 1866 in Alabama, her father in Georgia, her mother in Alabama.  She and John married in 1889, had four children, Emmie born 1889, Robbie 1894, Lewis 1896 and Essie 1898.  Her husband died before 1910 because she is listed as a widow in that census and is living with the same children and two more, Lucino (Lucien) and Clifford.  I also found her in the 1920 and 1930 censuses.  She died 13 Jul 1954 at the age of 88.

Sentimental Sunday - Women with Hats - Girl from Anamosa, IA

This photograph of an unidentified young woman from Anamosa, IA has many great details that make it a favorite of mine.   At first I thought she was wearing a boater hat, but after closer inspection I realize it is made of velvet that matches her dress and is rimmed with some sort of intricate beading.  The top appears to be covered by fabric or ribbons.  Her curly hair is pulled back into a bun at the base of her neck and if  you look very closely (I used a magnifying glass) you can see the netting that covers the bun. Her velvet dress has a lace neck and lace collar with the buttons covered in velvet as well.  She is also wearing pearl-drop earrings.

The cabinet card front is dark green which, although not quite rare, is not seen as much as the other colored cards.  I date this photo around 1885 to no later than 1892.  The photographer was C. E. Littlefield (Charles Ernest) of Anamosa. Charles was born 12 Nov 1853 in Warren County, PA to Enos and Catherine (Durlin) Littlefield.  He lived in Anamosa, IA between 1870 and 1895.  In the 1880 census at age 26 and still living with his parents he listed his occupation as "artist."  In 1881 he married Velina A. (unknown) Littlefield and they had eight children all born in Iowa. By 1900 they were living in Baldwin County, Alabama and in the 1910 census he listed his occupation as "artist and architect."  He died 26 Apr 1918 in Fairhope, AL.