Military Monday - Unknown WW1 Soldier

These two small snapshots are of a WWI soldier who looks quite happy and proud.  The back of the pictures are marked in pencil "1917."  There is nothing else to identify him or the location.  The pictures each measure 2 1/2 by 3 1/2 inches.  There is a large house in the background and by the foliage it appears to be summer or very early fall.  I don't know anything about WWI uniforms so have no idea what division of service he served in.

Sentimental Sunday - Women with Hats

This is a wonderful cabinet card photo of two lovely ladies in Columbus, Ohio.  By the style of their hats I suspect this picture to be dated around 1905.  Both hats are very elaborate with feathers, satin and pins.  They are both wearing some type of fur coat or neck topping.  On the back of the photograph it indicates the woman on the right is Lillie Blair.  The photographer is Wells located at 262 1/2 S. High Street, Columbus, O (Ohio).

Sympathy Saturday - 1860's Woman in Mourning

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.

Wedding Wednesday - Unknown Philadelphia Couple

Here is a picture of a newly married couple taken in Philadelphia, PA, probably between 1900 and 1910 I'm guessing based on the style of her dress (I'm still working on my photo dating skills).  She is holding a lovely basket of roses and note her eyeglasses.  He is very dapper in his dark suit, wearing white gloves and I particularly like his handlebar mustache.  I could not find any information about the photographer,  "The Sommer Studio, 210 N. Eighth St., Opp. Bijou Theatre, Phila."

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.