Fashionable Friday - 1860's Brooklyn, New York Woman in Military Style Dress (Victorian)

This attractive young 1860’s woman is quite stylish in her military style dress. The military style dress was very popular in the Civil War era up to the early 1870’s and is recognizable by the geometric patterns on the sleeve and waist.  Although not seen in the photograph I would bet the hem of the skirt has similar patterns.  There are many things to discuss in this CDV.

First, in dating this CDV the thickness of the card tells me it was made between 1862 – 1869.  Usually when no border is present you can assume the date to be between 1862-1863, however; on inspection of the back, the revenue stamp gives us much information.  The stamp, which in itself dates the photo between 1864 and 1866, is also initialed by the photographer, E. M. Douglass, and he has added “Jan 6” which must mean Jan 1866.

The subject is identified as “Carrie Vanderveer Little.  I was very successful identifying her on Ancestry.com.  She was born as Caroline Vanderveer 31 August 1945 in Somerset, New Jersey to Philip Vanderveer and Aletta VanNest.  On 10 October 1867 she married Garret Quick Little in Somerset County, New Jersey and they had seven children. The Littles moved to Iowa sometime in the 1870’s and Carrie died there in 1915. Click here to see a photo of her later in life. According to her obituary she was a much loved woman. The photographer was E. M. Douglass of 324 Fulton St. Brooklyn, NY.

I am contacting a couple of people on Ancestry.com who appear to be descendants to see if there is interest in receiving ownership of this photo.  I will keep my readers updated.

Wedding Wednesday - 1920's (Art Deco Era) Iowa Matrimonial Couple, Bride in Satin, Lace & Pearls

This week's bride and groom are unidentified, but what a beautiful couple they are and the presentation is gorgeous.  The photograph is housed in a 7" x 10" cardboard folder and the frame around it has a lovely Art Deco feel with the brownish-green marbling and gold inlay.

The groom is dressed simply and elegantly in his tuxedo; the bride is breathtaking in her satin dress with the most unusual headdress and veil with large rosettes. She is wearing a long strand of pearls and is holding what appears to be a white bible or prayer book.

Almost impossible to see, but just below the first gold inlay frame is the photographer's name, McIntire Studio, Ft. Madison, Ia.

Those Places Thursday - William Barlow Briggs' Family & Friends - 1880 Linn Co. Iowa?

This 10 x 8 photograph shows eight people posing outside a home.  It is a quite interesting piece and has puzzled me for some time.  This photograph was surely taken in Iowa although I had my doubts for some time.  If you look closely at the first photo you will see what appears to be mountains or at least large hills in the distance in the far left. I did not think that Iowa had mountains, but initial research shows that this area has what are called "pahas" or sand dunes which could explain this appearance in the photo as well as the woman with the broom. 

1880's Linn Co Iowa Group?

On the back the subjects are identified as:

William Briggs

Olive Jordan Briggs

Lillian Emma Briggs Taylor

Lou Henry Hoover

H. Maria Dobbins

Lillian Nudgett Horn

Jean Henry

Mrs. Henry

I have identified the male as William Barlow Briggs born 27 Sep 1837 in the state of Maine to Ezra and Phebe (Goddard) Briggs.  In 1866 he married Olive Jordan and their daughter Lillian was born in April of 1874.    The 1880 Maine, Linn County, Iowa shows Briggs living with his wife Olive and five year old daughter Lily. By 1900 the Briggs were living in Whittier City, Los Angeles, CA according to the US Census.  

William Barlow Briggs, Olive Jordan Briggs, Lillian Emma Briggs ca 1880-81

In this photo their daughter Lillian or Lily appears to be about five or six years old which would date this photograph about 1880 or 1881.  Additionally the women's clothing suggests an 1880's date.  Briggs appears to be handing his wife a document of some sort, perhaps a deed?  This type of photo was typically not seen until the later 1880's so hence my puzzlement.  I had no luck find any of the other women in the Linn County census so I am not sure of their connection to the Briggs'.  I have also been unable to identify the photographer as parts of the name have been torn off on both side of the picture.

Women with Hats - 1890's Hopkinton, Iowa Woman Seated in Wicker Chair

Ca 1895 Hopkinton, Iowa Woman with Large Hat

This young woman from Hopkinton, Iowa with the extremely large hat sat for photographer MacArthur sometime in the 1890's, most likely around 1895 +- a year or so.   She is  wearing a dark colored dress with the obligatory large sleeves of the era and if you look closely on her lap around the knee area she appears to be holding a fur hand muff.  She is sitting in a white wicker chair which was a common photographer's prop in the 1890's.

Her hat, her glorious hat from what I can tell, is made out of fabric, both light and dark and has feathery white puffs as well as real feathers sticking out of the top.  I almost thought that there was an artificial black bird on the front, but I am not convinced that is what it is, it may just be dark fabric.

Initial research did not give me any insight on the identify of the photographer.

Wedding Wednesday - One More by Photographer G. G. Oyloe, Ossian, IA

One more by G. G. Oyloe who I have mentioned in four previous wedding posts. This week's photograph is yet another style cabinet card for Oyloe - notice the back imprint on the card. It is rather unusual with a scalloped border, several birds, flowers, butterflies, and a spider web complete with spider!

The unidentified bride and groom on the front are both wearing dark clothing, the groom in this case is wearing a longer coat, but still has only the top button buttoned.  The bride's dress has an unusual detail with darker triangular patches along the bottom of the skirt.  Instead of a headdress she is wearing a white flower band on her head and has a long white scarf tied around her neck.  I've seen this style before and want to believe this was some kind of ethnic adornment.  I'm dating this late 1880's about 1889 +- one year.

Wedding Wednesday - 1890 Newly Married Iowa Couple

This week I bring you yet another young couple photographed by G. G. Oyloe of Ossian, IA.  In fact, this is the fourth cabinet card by this photographer I have posted.  This week's unidentified couple are posed in two different types of chairs, which frankly from my point of view, is a little odd.  Both are leaning their elbows on the bride's fringed, velvet posing chair.  The bride, all in white, appears to be leaning slightly forward and the groom is sitting back with legs crossed; both are expressionless.  Looking closely I see that the bride is wearing her wedding ring on the middle finger of her right hand.  The groom is wearing his on the pinkie finger of his right hand which I have seen on a prior groom from Ossian, perhaps this was the style or local tradition.

In dating this photograph at about 1890, I knew that the photographer had a studio in Ossian between 1880- 1910.  I narrowed it down further by using  the beveled edges of the card (1885 - 1895), the groom's suit with only the top button buttoned (1885 - 1890), the trailing flower vine on the bride's headdress (1890-1900) and finally the foil stamped imprint which was introduced around 1890.  I find it interesting that out of the four cabinet cards I have posted by Oyloe, which are all in a five year period, all were printed on different style cards.  I have yet another photo of his that I will share next week that is printed on yet another type of card.

Wedding Wednesday - Bored 1880's Couple from Ossian, Iowa

This week I am featuring a third photograph of a married couple from Ossian, IA taken by photographer G. G. Oyloe (Gregory) who I have mentioned twice before. This unidentified couple who appear somewhat bored, although  this is probably just the way the photographer posed them, were seated next to a small table covered by a tapestry and both are leaning their elbows on a book, most likely a bible.  

This cabinet card has seen rough use over the years, is faded and the photo appears to have been over-exposed as evidenced in the whiteness of the rug and background.   I still find it to be of interest and I especially like the bride's dress.  Her dress was very serviceable as were many a bride's dress in the 1800's, but hers has a few embellishments that made it special.  It was most likely brown in color and has lovely white daisy-like trim around the sleeves at the wrists and  near the hem of the skirt.  The trim also is seen around the deep V-shaped insert on the bodice.   The trim at the top of her neck is also very pretty as evidenced by the picture below.  The long headdress was typical of many others I have seen and with the small corsage did not overpower the dress.   

The groom was wearing a matching corsage (boutonniere) and his suit was typical of the period of 1885 - 1890.  The slight puffiness of the shoulders of the bride's dress also look as though they could be dated closer to 1889 - 1890.  Both the bride and groom appear to be wearing rings; the bride on the customary ring finger, the groom on his pinkie finger (see left).  

Wedding Wednesday - Another Young Ossian, IA Newlywed Couple Late 1880's

There is much going on in my life these days and I have not been posting much lately, but I did want to share another cabinet card photograph taken by the same photographer as last week's Wedding Wednesday photo, G. G. Oyloe.  This young couple are not smiling either, but somehow they do not look unhappy to me just intently posing for their wedding photo.  The brides's dark colored dress has a lovely bodice, but still manages to be quite serviceable for later use.    The long white headdress ensures that we know this is indeed a wedding photo.  Also, notice how she is firmly holding her new husband's arm.  I'm dating this photograph around 1888 -1889.

Wedding Wednesday - Unhappy Bride from Ossian, IA - Late 1800's

This week's Wedding Wednesday features a young couple from Ossian, IA.  The groom, although a bit stiff, seems to be accepting of his bride as he has a firm grip on her tiny waist as if he has no intention of letting her get away.  She on the other hand does not look at all pleased with the outcome of her wedding day.  I hope this was not the only wedding photograph they had taken - can you imagine having to look at this reminder for fifty years? Her dress is quite unusual with what appears to be fur trim down the front of the bodice, the cuffs of the sleeves and around the bottom of the skirt.  

The photographer was G. G. Oyloe (1851 - 1927) of Ossian, IA.  Oyloe whose full name was Gilbert G. was born in Norway about 1851 and immigrated to the United States before 1880 when he married Johanne Hannah Simonsen who was born in Iowa in 1856.  They lived their entire lives in Ossian and Military Iowa, both located in Winneshiek County.  They were the parents of three children, the last born in 1898, the same year Oyloe's wife died.  Oyloe is reported to have to have worked as a photographer in the area from around 1880 to about 1910. Oyloe died in 1927 and is buried at Hillside Cemetery in Ossian. I want to date this photograph in the 1880's but I am a little unsure as the trailing vines on her headdress would point to a later date, so perhaps early 1890's.

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.

Wedding Wednesday - Sioux City, Iowa Couple

This wedding photograph of a young couple from Sioux City, Iowa was taken by M. W. Starks of Genelli Studio located at 607 Fourth Street.  It was most likely taken between 1905 and 1910.  I found numerous city directory entries for M. W. Starks using Ancestry.com starting around the late 1880's through 1910. In the earlier years, he called his business the Genelli Photographic Gallery; somewhere around 1904-05 he began calling it the Genelli Studio which would date this photo after 1904.  Interestingly enough, although I found a lot of Starks, I could not identify M. W. Starks in any census except one Iowa State Census, 1905.  

The couple in this picture are unidentified; the back of this large cabinet card is plain with no identifying marks.  This couple is very attractive and well dressed.  Both subjects are wearing white gloves, the bride's headdress and veil are quite lovely and I have seen others like it from this time frame. I also like the unusual pose with the bride seated and the groom standing behind her.  He looks happy, she looks somewhat pensive.

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.