Mystery Monday - Unknown Civil War Era Couple in Trenton, NJ (Victorian Era)

This couple sat for photographer Moses in Trenton, NJ between 1864 - 66 as evidenced by the revenue stamp on the back of the photograph.  As is so often seen they are unidentified and it is left to the viewer to imagine who they might be and what life they may have lived.  They are sharply dressed; the wife in a military style dress, the husband in a common suit for the times.

The photographer is Morris Moses, born in England 16 Jul 1826.  Married in Trenton in 1855 to Ellen Wisey.  Listed in Trenton censuses between 1850 - 1880 listed as a photographer.  He died on 11 Dec 1891 and is buried in Riverview Cemetery (FindAGrave).

Mystery Monday - Twin Sisters Alice and Mary Kerr 1903 - 1907 (Edwardian)

Some time ago I purchased these two photographs of sisters Alice and Mary Kerr from an eBay seller who noted that they were twins.  If I remember correctly she stated she got them from an estate sale and that she knew the family or the family story.  I usually print out all my eBay purchases so I can refer back to them if needed, but for some reason I cannot find this one.  These photos have seen extreme wear over the years, especially Alice's.  My initial purpose of this post was to try and prove that they were twins, and after spending way more time than I should researching someone else's ancestors I did indeed find the proof I needed!

The sisters do look very much alike and their facial feathers, nose, mouths, eyebrows, seem identical. Their clothing and hairstyles are very much typical of the 1901 - 1907 period.  I will explain how I narrowed down the time frame to 1903 - 1907 later in the post when I discuss the photographer.

The back of Alice's photo is written in ink "Aunt Alice Kerr, never married."

Alice Kerr ca 1903-07

The back of Mary's photo is written in ink, "Mary Kerr who married Amos Reid - my Great Great Grandmother."

Mary Kerr Reid 1903 - 07

I've cropped these down some but the photographer was C. Myland of Philadelphia, PA which helped me to find  the sisters and their family in Ancestry.com.  There is actually more than one Kerr family in  Philadelphia in the correct time frame with daughters named Alice and Mary, but their ages ares separated by six to seven years. The family I believed to be theirs was in the 1900 Philadelphia Ward 33 census with father Thomas Kerr aged 46, mother Mary Ann aged 43, brothers Andrew 23 and Chas 22.  The twin sisters Alice and Mary were 16 born about October 1883.  That would make them about twenty to twenty-three in these photographs.

My mystery to solve was this the correct family and were these sisters indeed twins? Mary Kerr married Amos Reid on 21 August 1907 and they had three children.  They remained in Pennsylvania through the 1940 census where my information ran out. There was only one person researching Mary Kerr on Ancestry.com and they did not have much information, but suddenly a death certificate popped up for Mary and all the pieces fell into place.  I then was able to find each census year of 1910 - 1940 for Alice and her mother who lived together after the father died sometime before 1910.  I also found Alice's death certificate.  The twins were born on 31 October 1883 in Philadelphia and died a year and half apart; Mary on 17 Feb 1944 and Alice on 9 Aug 1945.  Mary was a housewife throughout her lifetime and Alice worked as a weaver in the cloth-mill to support herself and her mother.  What different lives these two twins lived!

Alice Kerr 1883 - 1945

Mary Kerr Reid 1883 - 1944

I believe these photographs were most likely taken before Mary's marriage to Amos in 1907.  The photographer was C. Myland of 2125 N. Front Street, Philadelphia.  This was Christian Myland who emmigrated to the U.S. from Denmark in 1890 and petitioned for citizenship in 1903.  He was born in Denmark 8 Jan 1861 and upon his arrival in the Philadelphia in 1890 began his photography business which he ran until his death on 2 Nov 1925. He was listed in numerous years of the Philadelphis City Directory and this is how I narrowed down the years of these photographs.  In 1901 and 1902 he was located at 2733 N. 4th, moving to the 2125 N. Front Street address in 1903 which was also his home until his death according to his death certificate.

Myland was married to Mathilda Boston also from Denmark and they had four children all born in the U.S.; an infant son who died in 1891, Clara born 1892, Ejner Christian born 1895 and Harry born 1897.

Mystery Monday - Unknown Civil War Era Philadelphia Woman

This attractive young woman posed for this CDV between 1864 and 1866 as evidenced by the revenue stamp seen below on the back of the photograph. Her hairstyle, parted in the middle and drawn at the nape in most likely a bun, was quite typical of the times and reminds me of Melanie Wilkes in "Gone With the Wind." Her dark hoop dress is quite lovely and appears to be made of satin.  She has a small white collar and white cuffs.

The photographer was H. C. Phillips located at the N.W. cor. of Ninth and Chestnut Sts., Philadelphia.  Phillips was Henry Chapman Phillips born in Chester, Pennsylvania 8 Sep 1833 to John J. and Mary Phillips. Philllips is found in Philadelphia City Directories almost every year between 1864 - 1903 at several address on and around Chestnut Street in his profession as photographer.  Married wife Catherine J. Magill 19 Apr 1860 they were the parent of four children, Carolyn H. (born 1861) Geo. C. (born 1862), Ryland. (born 1866) W. and Howard M. (born 1868).

According to www.ancientfaces.com Phillips started his career with daguerreotypes in 1856.  He worked with a number of other photographers over the years including his own brother R. R. Phillips, Curtis Taylor and S. Broadbent.

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.

Mystery Monday - 1886 Girl from Jefferson County, IL - Who is She?

When I saw this cabinet card come up for sale on eBay, I knew I had to have it. This beautiful young woman with the winsome look on her face had her photo taken by Mr. & Mrs. Jas. Hitchcock of Mt. Vernon, Ills, my hometown.  I am fascinated with the photography of Major James Hitchcock who lived and worked in Jefferson County, Il from about 1870 until his death in 1916. I have collected a few of his photographs, but this is by far my favorite to date.

When I received this photo in the mail I was excited to see that there was handwriting on the back and thought that the subject was identified.  Upon closer examination, sadly it appears that the words say, "got home from Bonnie (or Rome) this AM Aug 30th 1886." Such a disappointment, but at least it helps to date the photograph.

Major James Hitchcock was a well-known Mt. Vernon citizen, coming to the city in 1870 from Indiana after the Civil War.  He was born in Gibson County, Indiana in December 1843 to John William and Margaret (Brasher) Hitchcock.  In 1862 he enlisted in the 71st Indiana Infantry, Company E, and transferred to the 6th Indiana Cavalry in February 1863. In 1864 in a disastrous attempt to release prisoners held at the notorious Andersonville, GA prisoner of war camp, he and 2,000 others were captured by Confederate troops and was himself held as a P.O.W. for nine months. He was taken from Andersonville to "somewhere in Florida" along with other prisoners where they were able to make their escape along the way.

In May of 1868 in Richland County, IL he married Annie E. Gardner and by 1870 they were living in Jefferson County, IL with a one year old daughter Barbara (Ruby).  A son Ray was born in 1873 and a daughter Ethel in 1879.  For many years he and his wife operated an extremely successful photography studio at 219 South Tenth Street in Mt. Vernon, IL (Jefferson County).  He was well respected for his craft and his photos documented most of the history of Jefferson County and the surrounding areas between 1870 - 1910.  His wife died in 1912 and Hitchcock was reported to be grief-stricken.   He died four years later on 2 Jan 1916 and he and his family are buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Mt. Vernon.

Sources:  Ancestry.com

Thomas A. Puckett, Mt. Vernon, A Pictorial History, 1991

The Headlight, 1898

Mystery Monday - 1880's Dapper Man with Bowler Hat from Medina, NY

I posted this cabinet card of an unidentified man from Medina, NY with a group of  photos the other day for Sepia Saturday, but thought he deserved another mention.  He is quite the picture of style for the times which I believe to be the late 1880's.  The handsome subject with the full mustache is wearing a three piece dark brown suit with long jacket and is holding his bowler hat in his hand.  He is also leaning on a studio prop, paper-mache column.  If you look closely you will see his unusual bow-tie made out of checkered fabric.  He also is sporting a watch chain at his waist.  

The photographer was Charles A. Stacey of Medina.  I found him on Ancestry.com in the 1880 Lockport, Niagara, NY census, born in New York  aged 23, married to Helen aged 20. He listed his parents' birthplace as England and his occupation as "photographer."  I also found this small mention:

1886 Niagara Falls City Directory (source)

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.

Mystery Monday - Civil War Era Trenton, NJ Man 1864-66

Some time ago I purchased an old album of photographs I bought of an  Trenton, NJ family - most were taken in the 1850 - 1900 time frame.  There are about eighty photographs in this album and unfortunately not one single person is identified.  I hope to eventually post most of the photos from this album as many are from this era.  This particular CDV photo of a very distinguished and attractive man was taken by Trenton photographers Good & Stokes between 1864 and 1866.  Good is most likely Jonathan Good who very little is known about, and Stokes most likely Stockton Stokes who had studios in Trenton throughout the 1860's before moving to Philadelphia.  We do know that Good & Stokes had a studio at 27 East State Street at least between 1864 and 1866 as evidenced by the revenue stamp on the back of the photograph.  The stamp is also initialed by Stokes.

Mystery Monday - Unknown Trio Poses with Chihuahua in Pittsburg, KS

Who are these three people posing for this Cabinet Card with the little black Chihuahua sitting on a stool in Pittsburg, Kansas? This picture is not of the greatest quality, it is blurred, it has been roughly handled over the years with many scratches, scuff marks and dirt.  The back is the same color as the front with something very lightly written in pencil but some one has scratched it out also with pencil.  There are water stains on the backside as well.  The pose of this trio is quite stiff and it is interesting to me that the men in the picture are so blurred while the little dog is quite clear.

The photographer is E. W. Smith who I found in three Kansas State Censuses, 1895, 1905 and 1915.  In the 1895 census he was age 42, born in Indiana, married to Elizabeth age 32, two daughters Roxie age 11 and Viola age 6.  None of these censuses listed an occupation.  I also found an 1890 Pittsburgh, Kansas City Directory where he is listed near the bottom of the page under "Masonic."  I found another cabinet card photograph taken by him on the Pittsburg State University site of the wedding of Anna Matilda Lahmann and Henry Cordes in 1887.

Due to the woman's clothing and the embossed text and artwork this photograph was probably taken around the very late 1890's or early 1900's.

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):

Mystery Monday - Unidentified Rochester, NY Woman

These two cabinet card photographs are obviously of the same woman from Rochester, New York. What is interesting to me is that although taken by the same photographer, I am not totally certain that these photos were taken on the same day. She is wearing the same dress but there are some slight differences in the two pictures if one cares to look closely.  In the first picture our lovely subject is wearing the typical 1880's bustled dress with fitted bodice.  The bodice has a number of buttons, around twenty, down the pleated front. At her neck she is wearing a pin/brooch in the shape of a letter "D" which makes you wonder if her name perhaps started with that letter.  She also has white lace jutting out from under the top of the neckline of her dress.  This photograph is a full-figure pose and she is standing with her hand resting on a studio prop faux, wooden chair; behind her the backdrop is a large tree trunk.  She is wearing a curly hairstyle that was so popular with women in the mid 1880's.

The second photograph is a bust pose in which we can only see the top half of her dress but it is obviously the same dress.  If you look closely however, you will see that there is no lace sticking out of the neckline as in the first photo. Additionally, in the photo she is wearing a different brooch at her neck in the shape of  flower with stem and leaf.  She is also wearing a pair of small drop earrings which I am not sure if she is wearing them or not in photograph number one. She is wearing a necklace of some sort in the first photo with a square-shaped charm that is sticking out of her buttons mid-way down the placket of her bodice.  I believe she is also wearing this in the second photo.  Her hairstyle looks very much the same in both photographs.

My question about our mystery woman would be, did she have these photos taken the same day and change accessories or were they perhaps taken some time apart and she wore the same dress? The photographer is a bit of a mystery as well - the front of the card says "Pomeroy Gallery" while the back says McMahon & Nelson.  I did find a mention of McMahon & Nelson in the 1887 Rochester, New York City Directory.  Due to certain clues in these pictures this is also about the time I would date these photos, 1885 - 1888.

Mystery Monday - Gypsy Woman's Identity Solved!

Mary F. Scott-Siddons as Rosalind

Last week in my Women with Hats post,  I posted a photograph/CDV taken by Napoleon Sarony of New York of an unidentified woman wearing a gypsy-like costume.  Sarony was famous for photographing the many actors and actresses of the theater.  I was looking at vintage photos on e-Bay and typed in “actress” and as I was scrolling through them came across several photographs of my subject – Mary Frances Scott-Siddons.  She was indeed an actress; in fact she was descended from the  famous theatrical family that produced Sarah Siddons, John Philip Kemble, Charles Kemble and Fanny Kemble.  Sarah Kemble Siddons (1775-1831), called the "Tragic Muse" was her great-grandmother and had a prestigious acting award named for her by the Chicago group, the Sarah Siddons Society.    Each year since 1952 the society awards the coveted Sarah Siddons Award for Distinguished Achievement to a theater actor for an outstanding performance.  Some of these great actors have included Helen Hayes, Bette Davis, Lauren Bacall, Claudette Colbert, and too many more to mention.  The award was actually created after a reference to a fictitious award of the same name in the 1950 movie “All About Eve.”

Mary F. Scott-Siddons

As I delved into research about my subject and her famous family I unearthed almost more information than I could process.  As the story goes, her grandfather George Siddons was sent to India in 1803 at the direction of King George III as a favor to Mrs. Siddons.  According to Edwin A. Lee in “Mary Frances Scott- Siddons -A Remembrance,” King George said, “Send him to India—India—fine place—make a fortune there.”  Mary F. Scott-Siddons was born in Bengal, India in 1844 to George Siddons’ son William Young Siddons and his wife the daughter of Col. Earl. Early in life Mary demonstrated a talent for theatrical recitation.  She also strongly resembled her famous great-grandmother who died thirteen years before her birth.  At the age of sixteen she returned to England to further her education with her mother and sister after her father’s death.    At the age of eighteen as she was preparing to go on the stage she married a young naval officer named Thomas Chanter whose parents objected to his marriage into a theatrical family.  The story passed down in theater lore is that they created a last name using his mother’s name Scott and her name Siddons.

She made her acting debut using this new name in Nottingham, England in the role of Lady Macbeth, however, the role it was reported,  was not suited for her.  On April 8, 1867 at the Haymarket Theatre in London she appeared as Rosalind in “As You Like It.”  The Bell’s Life of London said of her performance, “The lady bears a striking likeness to her great ancestress, though her form and figure may be pronounced neat and graceful rather than majestic.  Her conception of a character, confessedly one of the most beautiful in the catalogue of Shakespeare’s heroines, was marked by great intelligence…..and the applause bestowed of the most enthusiastic nature.”

Mary F. Scott-Siddon,
Photographers Elliott & Fry, London

Mrs. Scott-Siddon’s first American appearance as a reader of Shakespeare and other poets in 1867-68 attracted much attention largely because of her rare beauty; her features were aquiline, her eyes large and lustrous, her figure slender.  She appeared at the Boston Museum and  made her metropolitan debut on the dramatic stage as Rosalind at the New York Theater on November 30, 1868. The picture I posted last week has been reported to be from her role as Rosalind, a role she performed in repeated engagements. The criticism from this performance as reported in the New York Tribune was for the most part complimentary, “She is not a great actress, but she is largely gifted with talents, and more that all, with that spark of vital earnestness which makes talent magnetic.  While in New York she also appeared in “Romeo and Juliet,” “Taming of the Shrew,” and “King Rene’s Daughter.”  Upon her next engagement in New York in October of 1869 she appeared as Viola in “Twelfth Night.”  The Daily Times gave a pleasant review in part saying, “She infused into the part a sprightliness, a fascination, an arch humor and at times, a subtlety and delicacy of appreciation that were truly delightful and proved her to be a genuine daughter of Kemble.”

According to the New York Times (obituary) “her theatrical experiences in this country lasted a number of years and were presumably profitable.  As an actress, however, her style was amateurish and her manner cold……For a number of years the sales of her photographs were very large.  She was a remarkably good subject for the camera.”

Thomas & Mary Scott-Siddons 

According to Edwin A. Lee who personally knew the Scott-Siddons, she worshiped at the shrine of Thespis" and her husband Captain “Scott" was a votary of “Bacchus” which caused them to separate and which also most likely caused his death probably sometime in the late 1870’s.  After a long absence from America Mrs. Scott-Siddons returned to this country in the early 1890’s and resided for a while in New York.  After one failed attempt at acting at Palmer’s Theatre in a version of Augier’s “L’Aventuriere”   she was no longer seen in the public eye.  She died in Paris on 19 Nov, 1896 at the age of fifty-two.

Sources:

1.  New York Times, Obituary, Mrs. Scott-Siddons, Published: November 20, 1896.

2.  Wikipedia

3.  Mary Frances Scott-Siddons - A Remembrance by Edwin A. Lee, The Muse Volume Edited by Charles Elston Nixon, The Philharmonic Co, 1903, Pub. Monthly by Arthur B. McCoid, New York (Google e-book).

4.   www.kemblefamily.com
5.  Folger Shakespeare Library
6.  The Broadway League, 
7.  Meserve-Kundhart Foundation

Mystery Monday - Unidentified Native American Indian

This CDV of an American Indian, photographed by the well known New York City Bowery photographer, Chas. Eisenmann, with his imprint on the reverse. Eisenmann's works date from 1870 to the 1890's and he was famous for photographing the "freaks" of the circuses, sideshows and living museums of the Bowery according to the Ronald G. Becker Collection at Syracuse University.  Although this sepia image is faint, worn and frayed it is important due to the social implications, as the American Indian was an oddity, not only to be photographed in the East, but to be put on display (as P.T. Barnum and others did, circa late 1860s.)

Pastel colors on CDV's became popular starting around 1869 which would put this photo in the 1870's timeline.  Too bad we don't know this young Native American's name or story.

Mystery Monday - Girl from Spencer, Mass - Who is She?

Yesterday I posted in my ongoing "Women with Hats" category a post about a young woman from Spencer, MA which I dated between 1895 and 1900. Today I am posting the second of two photos taken on the same day of my unidentified subject.  E. L. Jaynes who had a studio in Spencer between 1873 and at least 1920, was the photographer of this mystery girl.  The cabinet card from yesterday had plain rounded edges - today's card although nearly idential front and back, has beveled edges with gold gilt.  Obviously these pictures were taken on the same day; she is wearing the same dress, jewelry, her hair is the same minus the hat.  She is posed from the side in this shot and if you look closely you can see her long hair in a bun at the base of her neck.

Yesterday I talked about my trouble dating the photo, but I had decided it was between 1895 - 1900.  According to PhotoTree.com  "an analysis of nearly 200 cabinet cards from 1885 to 1900 showed about 50% were beveled and 50% were straight cut with the largest concentration of beveled card from the late 1880's."  Beveled edges were most popular between 1885 - 1895.  Her dress with the very short sleeves is what is giving me the most trouble in dating the photo, that is something I have not seen much but I have dated these cards around 1895 possibly to 1900.  I welcome any information to the contrary.

Mystery Monday - Mystery Man From Chicago

This cabinet card photograph of a very handsome and distinguished, but unidentified man from Chicago was taken at Gehrig Studios, 337 West Madison St.  He is wearing a suit and a heavy outer coat while holding an umbrella and gloves and he looks quite prosperous.  I am dating this photograph between 1888 and 1894.  I had several clues including the beveled edges with gilt on the card as well as the photographer's attractive, cursive imprint at the bottom of the card.  The biggest clue however is the photographer's mark at the bottom that says "Place's Extra Finish." These imprints were used during this time period.

Gehrig studios was listed in Chicago City Directories at several different addresses between 1847 and 1900.  The main proprietor seems to be Joseph  W. Gehrig who listed 337 Madison as his place of business between 1881 and 1900.  Frank A. Place (note again the photographer's mark) was listed at this address between 1888 and 1895 which would be dead on with the photograph date above.  Joseph Waldon Gehrig was born 7 Mar 1846 in Switzerland to Gregorius and Barbara (Kuhnvonvason) Gehrig.  I don't know when he came to America, but he was married about 1880 to Annie Getchow.  Joseph died 13 Feb 1915 in Chicago and is buried at Forest Home Cemetery in Cook County, IL.

Frank A. Place was born in June of 1851 in Indiana, married about 1858 to Abbie C. Place.  They had at least one child Alberta born about 1870.  His daughter Alberta married Charles A. Raynor also a photographer.  Sometime before 1910 he and his wife moved to Winthrop, Suffolk, Massachusetts where he continued his work as a photographer.

Mystery Monday - Columbus, O Woman - Lillie McMullen Blair?

Lillie McMullen Late 1890's?

I bought a group of old photographs a while back on eBay and there were two of the same beautiful woman from Columbus, O (Ohio). This first one is identified on the back as "Lillie McMullen." The photographer is W. H. Wells of 262 1/2 S. High St., Columbus, O.  

The second picture I posted recently in my "Women with Hats" series.  She's on the right identified as "Lillie Blair" and an unknown friend or relative on the left.  The photographer is also Wells.  I think she looks older in the second photo so am guessing her maiden name is McMullen and married name Blair.  I found several Lillie McMullens and Lillie Blairs on Ancestry.com.  The only one that seems to fit the timeline was born 1873 to Alex & Eliza McMullen in Columbus, Ohio.  I did not find much else to substantiate her identity.  In the same lot of pictures I also have a picture of a little girl Muriel Blair but cannot match her up with Lillie an any way.  Such a mystery!

Lillie McMullen Blair (r) late 1890's?

The photographer was a successful and talented African-American photographer.  I found a mention of him in a book written by Diane VanSkiver Gagel, "Ohio Photographers 1839-1900. She listed him as W. H. Wells, Columbus, 276 S. High, 1895-98, 262 South High, 1899.  In Ancestry.com I found him in the Columbus, Ohio city directory still at the 262 South High address in 1914 and then in 1928 at the address of 1220 Mt. Vernon Avenue.  I also found him in the 1930 Columbus census listed as William H. Wells, negro, age 63, married 19 years, born Ohio, wife Sadie age 60 years, one daughter Artura age 17 years.  He owned his own home worth $3000.

Mystery Monday - Trenton Tartan Girl - Who is She?

Love this picture of this young girl in a plaid dress with a sash and matching hat with bow.  She appears to be about ten years old and I estimate the picture to have been taken around the late 1880's. This picture is a double mystery; the girl is unidentified and I had no luck finding any information about the photographer, J. E. North of 31 Centre Street, Trenton, NJ.  

Mystery Monday - Marshalltown, Iowa Mystery Girl

MYSTERY GIRL

This beautiful little girl, name unknown, had her picture taken by M. C. Beverage of Marshalltown, Iowa sometime between 1876 and 1912.  She has beautiful curls and and a bow around her neck.

I found this information about M. C. Beverage in an article written by Mark Dionne which helped to date the picture:

"From his obituary in the Times Republican, Marshalltown, Iowa, Jan 6, 1931 and, Marshall County Iowa History, 1878, p. 548: Maurice C. Beveridge (or Beverage) was born at Trading Post, Maine, June 8, 1841. He went to Canada in infancy and stayed till age 15 when he went to Michigan and Oconto, Wisconsin, where he learned his business. He married Hattie Crumb from Oconto, Wisconsin, 1871. He came to Marshalltown in Jan, 1876, when he engaged in the photography business. [This is useful information for those who are trying to date his photographs.] He had 4 children and died Jan 6, 1931. He left a brother Fred Beveridge of California and three grandchildren.  He ran the Beverage Cottage Gallery, a photography studio, from about 1876 to 1912."

For more information, see Mark Dionne's website at: http://markdionne.com/beverage/index.htm or email him at mark@markdionne.com.  Copyright © 2006 Mark Dionne. All Rights Reserved. This work is based on original research by Mark Dionne. Permission to copy or reprint this work is granted, provided: (1) the copy or reprint is used for non-commercial, educational purposes; (2) the work is copied in its entirety or a single paragraph is used as a quotation, and; (3) the author's name (Mark Dionne), email address, the URL mentioned in the following paragraph, and this notice are all included.

Mystery Monday - Who am I? Little Girl and Her Doll

Another orphan photograph of an adorable little girl holding her doll.  Look at her wonderful bonnet and sweet pigtails. She is also wearing mitts (fingerless gloves).  The photographer is Dresser of Winfield, Kansas. I found this information regarding the photographer - George H. Dresser is listed in the 1880 Independence, Kansas census. Sometime before 1890 he moved to Winfield, Kansas and continued his photographic career there, where he is listed  in the 1910 census.  He was born in October, 1854, of German parentage.