Family Photo Reunion

From Your Affectionate Father: George Ernest Duke, Calgary, Alberta, 1905

2013-05-20T03:00:00.000-07:00

George Ernest Duke has signed his portrait, "With Love, From Your Affectionate Father, Geo. Ernest Duke, Xmas 1905." The image was taken by E. B. Curlette, a prominent Calgary photographer who operated in the city from 1899 through to the 1940s.

In 1901, there was a George Ernest Duke, Tobacco Merchant, living in Calgary with his wife Myrtle¹; He was born May 21, 1858 in England and immigrated to Canada with his wife around 1895. In 1911, George and Myrtle lived at 511 - 4th Avenue West, Calgary². No children resided with the couple. While the birth dates are all wildly different in the 1901, 1906 and 1911 censuses, I think these are the same couple throughout. George is listed as either a tobacconist, or tobacco merchant. The immigration years are fairly consistent, with the exception of one census. More research would have to be done to tie the George Ernest Duke in the Canadian censuses to the following family.

In 1881, there is a George and "Myrtilla" Duke, and daughter Zoi [Zoe?] M. H. Duke, three years old, who lived in West Dean, Sussex, England³. Zoe was the second child born to the couple; their first was George Lewis Duke, born 18 Feb 1876 near Chichester, West Dean⁴. Another Duke child, named Edwin Ernest, was born in 25 Sep 1881, also near Chichester⁵. It is possible that George Lewis died in infancy, since he does not appear in any of the censuses with his parents.

I was unable to find the family's immigration records to Canada online, but the search was neither exhaustive nor thorough and I am optimistic that one could be found. I searched for Zoe on Google and I lucked out. Archives Canada has a brief biography online about Zoe, which you can read here. It gives her immigration year as 1896, which are in the same ballpark as the Dukes I found in the Calgary censuses. Zoe was a painter and the Glenbow Archives in Calgary has collected her papers and work. She married Sidney J. L. Dunning, a member of the Northwest Mounted Police in 1898 which may explain why she was not in the household of her parents in the 1901 Canadian census.

An obituary for George E. Duke appears in the August 31, 1925 issue of the Calgary Daily Herald. While it sounds as if George has always lived with his daughter in Calgary, the censuses say something else. I've looked at the 1901, 1906 and 1911 censuses for Zoe M. H. Dunning and George E. is not living with her in any of them. She was living in Saskatchewan for all three. As the Archives Canada biography states, she moved back to Calgary in 1918, around the time of her mother's death the same year.

If we have the correct George Ernest Duke, this photograph would have been a Christmas gift to Zoe from her father. I think the chances are good that I'm on the right track with my findings, but as always, we would require more research and a second photograph of George Ernest Duke to compare with ours to be certain. If you have a photo of the Mr. Duke described in this blog, I'd love to hear from you.

1 1901 census of Canada, Calgary (Centre), Alberta, The Territories, population schedule, enumeration district (ED) 202, subdistrict # R-1, p.11 (penned), dwelling 88, family 89, George S. Duke family; digital image, Ancestry.ca (http://www.ancestry.ca : accessed 19 May 2013); citing Library and Archives Canada microfilm T-6428 through T-6556.^↩
2 1911 census of Canada, Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, population schedule, enumeration district (ED) 1, subdistrict # 2, p.1 (penned), dwelling 5, family 5, George Duke family, digital image, Ancestry.ca (http://www.ancestry.ca : accessed May 19, 2013), citing microfilm LAC microfilm T-20326 to T-20460^↩
3 “1881 England Census,” database, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 19 May 2013), entry for George E. Duke (age 30), citing PRO RG11; Piece: 1136; Folio: 87; Page: 12; Westbourne registration district, Westbourne subdistrict, ED 18c, schedule line number 57, GSU roll: 1341277.^↩
4 "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/ND9Y-CMT : accessed 20 May 2013), George Ernest Duke in entry for George Lewis Duke, 18 Feb 1876.^↩
5 "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/J3LL-XV4 : accessed 20 May 2013), George Ernest Duke in entry for Edwin Ernest Duke, 25 Sep 1881.^↩

David and Cornelia Crammond, Frontenac County, Ontario, Bef. 1865

2013-05-16T02:30:00.000-07:00

The reverse of this carte de visite photograph has two inscriptions on the back. The first, in fountain ink, "Mr & Mrs. David Crammond" and, the second, more recently, in ballpoint pen, "Grandmother Dunham's Mother & Father."

The photographer's imprint simply reads, "Sheldon Photographer, Kingston, O.W [Ottawa West?]." We can narrow the time frame down to 1857-1865 because in 1866, Henry K. Sheldon, the only photographer in Kingston at the time with that surname, teamed up with Richard F. Davis, in the photographic partnership "Sheldon & Davis" which lasted until 1900¹. In the "General Directory for the City of Kingston and Gazetter of the Counties of Frontenac, Lennox and Addington for 1865", H.K. Sheldon works out of his home on King Street, near Brock.

I located a David Crammond family living in Wolf Island, Frontenac County in the 1861 Canada Census². The family was comprised of:

David Crammond, b. 1825, Scotland, a farmer
Cornelia Crammond, b. 1833, Upper Canada
Barbary Crammond, b. 1828, Scotland
Adaline Crammond, b. 1849, Upper Canada
Hannah Crammond, b. 1850, Upper Canada
Ester A. Crammond, b. 1852, Upper Canada
Samantha M. Crammond, b. 1853, Upper Canada
Mallissa Crammond, b. 1855, Upper Canada
Anson Mitchell, b. 1855, Upper Canada
Alice E. Crammond, b. 1857, Upper Canada
James Mitchell., b. 1857, Upper Canada

The David and Cornelia Crammond family can also be found in the 1871 Canada Census still living in Wolf Island. But how can we know we have the correct Crammond family? Well, the second inscription does give us a valuable bit of information to research further. We know that one of David Crammond's daughters married a man with the surname "Dunham."

A search of Ontario Marriages lands a good result. On the 24th of January 1871, the couple's eldest daughter, Adaline Oliva [Olivia? Oliver?] Crammond, 22 years of age, married William Dunham, an engineer from Cape Vincent. They married in Wolfe Island³. Her mother is listed as "Melissa Bush" and not Cornelia. There are several possibilities for the different name, including the possibility of name variations. In my own family tree I have one distant aunt who went by no less than four forenames during her lifetime. I think the most likely reason in this case, is that Melissa is Adaline's mother, and she may have passed away prior to 1861. If so, then the woman in the photograph would be Cornelia, Adaline's step-mother.

1 Phillips, Glen C., "The Ontario Photographer's List Volume I (1851-1900)," Global Heritage Press, Milton, Ontario, Canada, 2002, p.41^↩
2 "Ontario Census, 1861," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MQ7Z-MW2 : accessed 15 May 2013), David Crammond, 1861.^↩
3 "Ontario Marriages, 1869-1927," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FMF5-D4Z : accessed 15 May 2013), William Dunham and Adaline Oliva Crammand, 1871.^↩

Girl or Boy? The Child of Nelson and Margarett Ebert, 1892, Cleveland OH

2013-04-05T08:33:00.000-07:00

After a bit of a hiatus from the blog, I'm back with another far-from-clear-cut photograph for readers to ponder. This image features a fairly well-wrapped toddler as its subject. The photographer was A.D. (Alcynius Donnelly) Burk, who operated a studio at 981 Woodland Avenue in Cleveland, Ohio from approximately 1890 to 1920. The cabinet card is inscribed on the reverse, in pencil, "daughter of Nelson and Margarett Ebert."

I located a marriage record from 17 September 1888 for a Nelson Ebert and a Margaret Craine who were wed in Cuyahoga County, Ohio¹. On the 12th of April, 1890 the couple were blessed with their first and only child, who, unfortunately, is unnamed on the birth report².

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/X6CD-653

The child is male, which would seem to indicate that this particular child is not the one featured in our photograph. However, after looking into the Nelson and Margaret Ebert family history a little further, I had to come to the conclusion that either the inscription on the back of the photograph is incorrect as to the gender of the child, or, I have the wrong Nelson and Margaret Ebert.

Here's why:
I could not locate the entire Ebert family in the next available U.S. Federal Census (1900), but I did find the widow, Margaret Ebert, 38, born on the Isle of Man, living with her father Robert Craine and her sister, Jane N. Craine in Cleveland. The census indicates that Margaret had only one child, and that child was no longer living³.

While I didn't find a death record for Nelson or the child, I did find their interments in Woodland Cemetery in Cleveland.

N.D. Ebert was buried March 6, 1898 in Section 76, Lot 125, Grave 1 in Woodland. His last residence was listed as 32 Putnam and he died of consumption⁴.

Three-year-old George F. Ebert, who was buried on the 7th of June 1893, last residence 30 Putnam, was also buried in Section 76, Lot 125. He succumbed to Scarlet Fever⁵.

I haven't been able to find any other suitable matches. My personal hunch is that the child in the photo is George F. Ebert, and the inscription on the back was written years after the photograph was taken. The inscriber may have thought the child's dress looked like that of a girl's.

If you are able to provide more information, or may have an alternative line we can follow to identify the toddler in our photograph, please feel free to share your findings.

1 "Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-1994," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XD29-NBV : accessed 04 Apr 2013), Nelson Ebert and Margaret Craine, 1888.^↩
2 "Ohio, County Births, 1841-2003," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/X6CD-653 : accessed 04 Apr 2013), Nelson D. Ebert in entry for Ebert, 1890.^↩
3 "United States Census, 1900," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MMC1-891 : accessed 04 Apr 2013), Margaret Ebert in entry for Robert Craine, 1900.^↩
4 http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ohcdrt/clecems/images/wo_05_145.jpg^↩
5 http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ohcdrt/clecems/images/wo_04_144.jpg^↩

Funeral Card Friday: Frederick Rutter, Arkona, Ontario, 1860-1904

2012-11-30T03:30:00.000-08:00

He shall return no more to his home,

Neither shall his place know him any more.

In 1904, Frederick Rutter, a farmer from Lambton County, Ontario died of consumption¹. He and his wife Elizabeth (Fitzsimmons) had been married for only seven years². Frederick was born in England, the son of Thomas Rutter and Sarah Waterman. In 1891, he was employed as a domestic in Warwick, Lambton County in the household of Showler Watterman, who was probably a relative of Frederick's mother Sarah³.

This card was purchased with a number of other funeral cards, including Showler Watterman's, which I have blogged about in a previous post.

1 Fred Rutter, Death Registration 014286 (25 Mar 1904); “Ontario, Canada, Deaths, 1869-1938 and Deaths Overseas, 1939-1947,” digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 25 Nov 2012), citing microfilm MS935, reel 115, Archives of Ontario, Toronto.^↩
2 "Ontario, Canada Marriages, 1801-1928," online database, Ancestry.ca (http://www.ancestry.ca: accessed 25 Nov 2012), Frederick Rutter and Elizabeth Fitzsimmons, Lambton County, Ontario, 16 June 1897; citing original data at Archives of Ontario; citing microfilm MS932, reel 93.^↩
3 1891 Census of Canada, Warwick, Lambton East, Ontario, population schedule, enumeration district (ED) 81, subdistrict 2, p.48, family 228, Showler Watterman; digital image, Ancestry. ca (http://www.ancestry.ca : accessed 30 May 2012); citing Library and Archives Canada microfilm T-6347^↩

Dinner Time in the Woods, from the Alma Studio, Tonbridge, England, Ca. 1910

2012-11-28T10:42:00.002-08:00

This real postcard image is a little different than others I've posted here on Family Photo Reunion. It seems to have been created for commercial sales. It's labelled, "Dinner Time," and features a group enjoying hot drinks and sandwiches in the great outdoors.

The image was created by "The Alma Studio" at 76 High Street, Tonbridge, Kent, England. This particular studio, owned by George Pickett, was in operation from roughly 1892 to 1915. I noticed that the drinks are being served from what appear to be Thermos flasks. If they are truly vacuum flasks, we can say that the image dates to after 1904, when Thermos first began producing them for commercial use.

If I had to guess, I'd place this image around 1910. But what really makes this postcard image interesting is that we have the identification of the play actors on the back:

"Mrs Copper, seated
Mr. Russell & son, Mrs. C's brother in law.
Miss Duke, a friend who was here for
a holiday
& myself."

Too bad there aren't any given names listed. It makes figuring out who these individuals are much more difficult.

Monday's Mystery: The Hepworth Sisters, Isle of Man, Circa 1882-

2012-11-26T03:30:00.000-08:00

This is one of three carte de visite images in a set connected to the Hepworth family. It has the following information written on the back: "The three Hepworth sisters. The central figure is Louisa Hepworth who married Arthur Marsall and became Lady Marshall."

The other two images were taken at the William Smith Studio, Park Lane, Leeds, probably two or three years earlier than the above image. They are both labelled, "One of the three Hepworth girls."

I had a look at some of the UK censuses, searching specifically for a Louisa Hepworth who married an Arthur Marsall or Marshall. I found many Louisa Hepworths but none that are obvious candidates.

We know this cdv dates to after 1881 because there are a number of photographic prize medals won by Abel Lewis imprinted on the back; the most recent, a medal dated 1881 from Newcastle's Swan Plate Competition.

If anyone has access to one of the UK databases such as Find My Past, I'd appreciate a look up to see if we can find the marriage of Louisa Hepworth and Arthur Marshall/Marsall.

The Dapper Herbert H. White, Cambridge, Mass., 1891

2012-11-20T03:30:00.000-08:00

Written on the reverse of the cabinet card:
"Then she wanted to see my locket
then for me to sing a song
and all the time she was picking my pocket
Of my gold watch and my meerschaum.

Oct 1 --1891
Herbert H. White^"

Herbert H. White was the son of Henry and Henrietta (Hill) White, born the 29th of June 1869, Rye, New York¹. Herbert's mother, Henrietta, appears in an earlier post where I pieced together information about the White family.

Herbert graduated from Harvard University in 1893. Two years later, on October 1, 1895, he married twenty-year-old Clarissa Watts Lewis, of Boston, daughter of Charles & Emma Lewis². Herbert was the Treasurer of University Press in Cambridge, MA for many years.

In the 1940 census, 70-year-old Herbert is listed as "retired" and is living in Marblehead, Essex, Massachusetts, with wife Clarissa³.

1 Harvard Class of 1893, Fourth Report. University Press, Cambridge, Mass.,1910, page 227. Digital Image (http://www02.us.archive.org/stream/secretarysrepor41893harvuoft#page/n1/mode/2up : accessed 15 Nov 2012)^↩
2 "Massachusetts, Marriages, 1841-1915," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/N478-TX1 : accessed 15 Nov 2012), Herbert H White and Clarissa W Lewis, 1895.^↩
3 "United States Census, 1940," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/K4XJ-HTG : accessed 21 Nov 2012), Herbert H White, Marblehead Town, Essex, Massachusetts, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 5-238, sheet 61A, family 334, NARA digital publication T627, roll 1585.

A Civil War Era Carte De Visite: Mrs. B.B. Fimbert or Limbert?, Lewisburg, PA?

2012-11-19T03:30:00.000-08:00

This civil-war era carte de visite photograph has everything. A beautiful subject, a photographer's imprint, a civil war tax revenue stamp that dates the image to 1865 AND an inscription that tells us who the person in the photograph is, and who the recipient was. So why can't I tell you much more about this photograph?

Well, I'm having a difficult time figuring out the spelling of the last name. Perhaps your eyes can make out the name better than mine. I've narrowed down the possibilities to Fambert, Fainbert, Fimbert, Feinbert, or Firnbert. The inscription seems to read,

"For Fr. John Fimbert
from his
wife
Mrs. B. B. Fimbert"

But as you can see the ink has faded over the years and it's not easy to read. What do you see there?

It's Our Blogversary! McCandlish House, Victoria BC, 1907

2012-11-16T03:30:00.000-08:00

First off, today's a good day to celebrate. Family Photo Reunion has been in existence for one full year now. I wasn't sure I could make it to November 16th, through what has proven to be a very busy year, but here we are!

Our post today revolves around this real postcard from Victoria, BC. It was written by Emma McCandlish, and addressed to Mrs. W. Harlock at 181 Fort Street, Victoria. Emma McCandlish ran a boarding house in Victoria in 1892 at 63 Superior. She was still at this property in 1906. While I didn't have access to the 1907 BC Directory, I did find Emma in the directory for the following year at 534 Superior.

I had a little cyber-walk down Superior Street, thanks to Google Maps today, and I couldn't find a house similar to this one. If this is, indeed, a picture of her own home, I have a feeling that house is long gone. Do you see that stately building off in the distance on the left hand side of the image? I'm wondering if it might be one of the Parliament buildings.

The BC Archives has a collection of correspondence once belonging to Emma McCandlish. I think it would be fun to have a look the next time I'm down in Victoria.

If you'd like to get a sense of what Victoria was like in 1907, I found a great little video on Youtube. Emma McCandlish would have been very familiar with these sights. Who knows, she might even be in the film somewhere. Enjoy!

What a Shame Wednesday, Unknown Mother & Daughter, 1907 - 1909

2012-11-14T12:06:00.002-08:00

This lovely mother-daughter postcard portrait from about 1908-1910 was found in an antique shop in Airdrie, Alberta. Unfortunately, the little note on the reverse doesn't provide any hints to the identity of the pair, or to place where it was taken:

Dear Emma,

Just to show you how Canadian air suits me, do not be long before you write, with love to you all, Hettie.

We know the postcard dates to about 1907-1909 because of the AZO stamp box's diamond corners. I am guessing it was displayed for some time on a wall or display area because of the large hole in the top centre.
Wouldn't it be great if someone recognized this picture?

Girl in a Pretty Dress and Bow, Mildred Leopold, Savannah, Georgia, Circa 1904-1914

2012-11-12T03:30:00.000-08:00

Does it get much cuter than this? Two-year-old Mildred Leopold looks absolutely darling in her lacy white dress. The fluffy white bow in her hair just tops it off.

We only have her name and age written on the back, but what other clues does this postcard photo offer?

First, the AZO stamp box with the four corners held triangles, pointed up, tells us that this card was printed between 1904 and 1918.

Secondly, we have the name of the photographic studio responsible for the printing of the image: The Foltz Photographic Postals, on 116 Bull Street, Savannah, Georgia. A check of the Savannah City Directories reveal that George Raymond Foltz worked out of this location as early as 1908 (and possibly earlier), and up to 1914. In 1915 the studio is listed as 240 Bull, and after that on another street entirely.

I did manage to locate one Mildred Leopold in Savannah, born about 1909, daughter of Wm. H. and Georgia Leopold¹. William's occupation is listed as a secretary for the "K of P." I learned, from a 1915 souvenir program of the Knights of Pythias, that W. H. was a member of that organization, so I believe K & P refers to the Knights of Pythias².

By 1930, Georgia Leopold is a widow, and she & Mildred are living on Bull Street, in Savannah³. Twenty-year-old Mildred is working as a stenographer for the phone company. I lose track of her after that. I am not sure this is the same Mildred Leopold as the young girl in the picture, but it's a possibility to follow further.

1 "United States Census, 1910," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MLKS-LRQ : accessed 11 Nov 2012), Mildred Leopold in household of Wm H Leopold, Savannah Ward 4, Chatham, Georgia; citing sheet 11A, family 240, NARA microfilm publication T624, FHL microfilm 1374191.^↩
2 Knights of Columbus Committee Roster, Savannah, Georgia, 1915, digital image,(http://www.ourancestors.info/Ancestors/Imageskofp1915/1.pdf)^↩
3 "United States Census, 1930," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/3SL9-ZN2 : accessed 11 Nov 2012), Mildred Leopold in household of Georgia Leopold, Savannah, Chatham, Georgia; citing enumeration district (ED) 0031, sheet 1B, family 25, NARA microfilm publication T626, roll 344.^↩

The Adorable Swain Sisters, Roland, Manitoba, 1908

2012-11-09T03:30:00.000-08:00

These adorable sisters are identified as Marjorie D. H. Swain, 2 years 3 months, and Ruth M . J. Swain 7 months, August 9th 1908. This real picture postcard was mailed to Mrs. Matt. Emerson, Port Perry, Ontario. The message reads:

Aug 20 1908,

Dear Martha
This is the latest of the children and I think it is your turn to get one. We enjoyed a visit from Waldo over Sunday, he is looking well. Hope the rest of you are the same. Love from Dora.

The two girls are probably the daughters of Ontario-born William E. Swain and his second wife Dora Ellen Swain. William's fourteen-year-old son, Newton E. William Swain, appears with Margy D. H. Swain and her parents in the 1906 Canada Census¹. Dora was only 26 years old, so it is highly unlikely that she is Newton's mother. At the time the family lived in Roland, Manitoba.

Five years later, the Swains can be found in St. Paul's Township in Manitoba where four-year-old Ruth Swain makes her first appearance in the census. Newton is not living at home any longer².

The local history book with the very long title, Trails of the Pioneers. Records, Accounts, Historical Studies, Data, Reports, Letters of the Section of Manitoba, Canada Lying Southwest of Winnipeg in the Red River Valley and Centered on the Town of Roland, Manitoba by George Henry Hambley, has a little bit of information about the Swain family. First, on page 289, there is a brief listing of events for 1909 which simply says, "March 27, Newton Swain died, spinal meningitis from arrow in eye." This likely explains why Newton does not appear with his family in the 1911 Census. Then, on page 89 we learn that Mr. W. E. Swain arrived in Roland in 1899. He seems to have been a farmer, harness-maker, carpenter and real estate/insurance salesman. According to the author, Mr. Swain was born "on the shores of Lake Scugog in Ontario." There is a also a picture of W.E. Swain in the church choir on page 129.

I haven't been able to trace the girls after 1911, except for the following gravestone information I found for a Marjorie D. H. (Swain) Thorarinson, who died 23 February 1937 and is buried in Elfros Cemetery, Saskatchewan. Her birth date is identical to our Marjorie. I suspect she is our Marjorie, though work would have to be done to confirm this.

1 "Canada Census, 1906," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KHJJ-RJW : accessed 01 Nov 2012), Margy D H Swain in entry for William E Swain, 1906.^↩
2 1911 census of Canada, St. Pauls West, Selkirk, Manitoba, population schedule, enumeration district (ED) 22, subdistrict St. Pauls West, p.1 (penned), dwelling 10, family 10, William Swain family, digital image, Ancestry.ca (http://www.ancestry.ca : accessed Nov 1, 2012), citing microfilm LAC microfilm T-20326 to T-20460.^↩

A W.F. Kilborn Photograph of a Young Couple From Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 1880s

2012-11-07T09:16:00.001-08:00

This unidentified young couple had their portrait taken at the W. F. Kilborn studio in Cedar Rapids, Iowa in the 1880s.

Wilbur F. Kilborn opened his photographic studio in Cedar Rapids in 1864 and operated there until 1886. Though hard to see in the image above, this item has the WFK logo in the imprint. The only difficulty with saying that Wilbur F. was the photographer is that Wilbur's nephew, William Frank Kilborn apprenticed with Wilbur Kilborn and eventually took over the studio from his uncle. It's difficult to say which W.F. Kilborn is the creator of this image. More research would have to be done into the various photographers imprints used by these photographers, and there seems to be very few samples of their work online.

Elizabeth Iley, Sister of Rev. J. Iley, 1886 or Later, England

2012-11-05T03:00:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd start my preliminary look for Elizabeth Ileys in the 1881 England Census. I didn't expect to find quite so many Elizabeth Ileys, though. We know that Iley is her maiden name, since there is mention of a brother Rev. J. Iley in the inscription. Still, there are a lot of Elizabeth Ileys out there, many with brothers who have a first initial J.

Unfortunately, we don't have any other information written on back either; only A & G Taylor's mount imprint on the back, which helps us roughly date the image to after 1886, when the the crown, plume of feathers and royal coat of arms was first used on their mounts. This image was mostly likely taken at their studio at Newcastle on Tyne.

I don't think there are enough clues here to go on. If you see something I've missed, I'd love to hear your ideas.

The Bible of E. L. McEwen, Knowlesville, New Brunswick, 1898

2012-11-02T03:00:00.000-07:00

It's been an interesting week for bibles. I happened upon a paperback-sized bible from roughly 1885 earlier in the week at a local thrift store that contained a few handwritten notations of births and deaths in the Oke family. I was ready to pick it up when, alas, I saw the price tag. It was way beyond my usual limit for such items.

I asked the clerk if there was something that made this bible special, and they told me it was priced that way because it was old. Of course, age doesn't automatically make something valuable, as anyone who has dabbled in collecting knows. So, sadly I had to abandon the idea of reuniting that item. However, later in the week on my travels down island, I found a similar bible in an antique store.

This one, thankfully, was priced more reasonably. The inscription on the front free endpaper of the Bible reads:

Master E. L. McEwen

from Miss E. J. Prouty

1898

It is followed by a handwritten bible verse, probably in E. L. McEwen's hand.
Then on the next page, three deaths are recorded:

James Roy McEwen died Feb 25, 1898 aged one year and eight months with scarlet feaver [sic] at Knowlesville.

Edith May Gardiner died at Brandon Sept 26, 1900 aged 19 years and 16 days of typhoid feaver [sic].

George Roy Gardiner died December 23, 1903, at Prince Albert, N.W.T. at Victoria Hospital ([hip?] disease) age 24 years, 8 months.

A James Roy McEwan, with the same death date and age, was buried in Argyle Cemetery, Carleton County, New Brunswick, Canada¹. Knowlesville is just nine kilometres from Argyle. James Roy was the son of William and Minnie McEwen.

As I was searching through the Vital Statistics portion of the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick database, I found an interesting late birth registration for Ernest Lambly McEwen, born 7 June 1892 in Windsor, Carleton, New Brunswick, son of William and Mary (Gardiner) McEwen². Mary's maiden name in particular caught my eye, as did Ernest's initials. This late registration was applied for in 1950, when Mary Annabelle McEwen was living in Cloverdale, BC.

William, Mary and Ernest McEwan appear in the the 1901 Census of Canada, living in Prince Albert, Northwest Territories (now Saskatchewan)³. William was a mill labourer, born the 5th of March 1859 in New Brunswick.

My next objective was to see if I could find a connection between Mary (Minnie) Gardiner McEwen and the two Gardiners mentioned in the bible inscription: Edith May, born about 10 Sept 1881 and George Roy, born about 23 Apr 1879, the dates calculated from the death date and age at death information in the bible.

From the 1891 Census for Aberdeen, Carleton County, New Brunswick⁴:

Thomas Gardiner, 61, born PEI, farmer
Freelove Gardiner, 43, wife, born NB
John Gardiner, 19, son, born NB, farm labourer
Earnest Gardiner, 17,son, born NB, farm labourer
James Gardiner, 15, son, born NB
George Gardiner, 12, son, born NB
Edith Gardiner, 9, daughter, born NB
Minnie Gardiner, 23, daughter born NB

A nice thing about the 1901 Canada Census is that full birth dates are recorded. A quick check confirms we have the matching birth date for George R. Gardiner⁵. The family has moved from New Brunswick to Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, which matches our information as well.

We can conclude that Edith May Gardiner was probably Ernest's aunt; that George Roy Gardiner was his uncle and James Roy McEwen, his younger brother. The only other person mentioned in the bible is Miss E. J. Prouty, who is probably Ernest's Sunday School Teacher, but we'll leave that one for another day.

There is a lot more information one could follow pertaining to Ernest Lambly McEwen and his family, but I think we've done enough here today to help someone recognize if this bible belongs to their family. If you'd like to add any information, feel free to leave a comment below.

UPDATE November 7, 2012: REUNION! The bible is now on its way to the grandson of Ernest McEwen. Yay!

1 New Brunswick Genealogical Society, compiler, "New Brunswick Cemeteries Index," database, Provincial Archives of New Brunswick (http://archives.gnb.ca/Search/Cemeteries/:accessed 24 Oct 2012), database entry for James Roy McEwen (?-1898)^↩
2 Registrar of Vital Statistics, "Index to Late Registration of Births," database, Provincial Archives of New Brunswick (http://archives.gnb.ca/ :accessed 24 Oct 2012), database entry for Ernest Lambly McEwen (7 June 1892)^↩
3 1901 census of Canada, Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, The Territories, population schedule, enumeration district (ED) 205, subdistrict # 11, p.2 (penned), dwelling 12, family 12, William McEwan family; digital image, Ancestry.ca (http://www.ancestry.ca : accessed 24 Oct 2012); citing Library and Archives Canada microfilm T-6428 through T-6556.^↩
4 1891 census of Canada, Aberdeen, Carleton, New Brunswick, population schedule, enumeration district (ED) 12, subdistrict # 2, p. 14 (penned), dwelling 61, family 61, Thomas Gardiner family; digital image, Ancestry.ca (http://www.ancestry.ca : accessed 24 Oct 2012); citing Library and Archives Canada microfilm T-6297.^↩
5 1901 census of Canada, Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, The Territories, population schedule, enumeration district (ED) 205, subdistrict # 11, p.1 (penned), dwelling 8, family 8, Thomas Gardiner family; digital image, Ancestry.ca (http://www.ancestry.ca : accessed 24 Oct 2012); citing Library and Archives Canada microfilm T-6428 through T-6556.^↩

What a Shame Wednesday: A Striking Plaid Dress, A. Peck Studio, Newburgh, New York, Circa 1864-1866

2012-10-31T12:53:00.003-07:00

Since there is no identification as to the subject anywhere on this carte de visite photograph, sadly, we are unlikely to be able to identify her. The photograph was taken at the A. Peck studio at 117 Water Street, in Newburgh, NY between June of 1864 and August 1866. The date can be narrowed down because a Tax revenue stamp of 2 cents, which was a tax enacted in June of 1862 by the US Federal Government to help with the cost of the Civil War, is affixed to the back of the photo.

Plaid dresses were popular during this time period, and this one is quite bold with its thick, white horizontal stripes. This young woman's black scarf/tie is fixed with a brooch and it matches the belt on her dress. I love the piping that runs along her dropped shoulder seam. Her gloves and hat sit, waiting, on the arm of the chair. How old do you think she is?

A Name Passed Down: Alcy J. Miner, Sylvania, Ohio, Early 1880s

2012-10-29T03:30:00.000-07:00

For the longest time, I thought that Miss Miner had signed her name "Aley Miner." Eventually, through my research, I realized that her first name is actually "Alcy" and that Alcy was a given name that appears throughout her family tree, right up to contemporary times. The transcriber of the 1870 census on both Ancestry.com and Familysearch.org, also thought that she was an Aley. The later censuses, however, list her as Alcy.

Alcy was born in Ohio around 1863, the daughter of Hiram and Mary Jane Miner¹. She had a sister named Irene, who was born 1866. Her father, Hiram, was a Farmer, originally from New York and her mother, Mary McIntyre, was born in Michigan.

According to Gayleen Gindy's book, Sylvania, Lucas County, Ohio: From Footpaths to Expressways and Beyond, Alcy's father Hiram was the son of Dr. Amos Miner (1788-1854) and Alcy Case Miner (?-1852). Amos Minor was one of the earliest doctors to practice medicine in Lucas County. Gindy writes, "Alcy J Miner had married Homer D. Hyde and they lived on this Corey Road property in Sylvania Township for many years. They had a daughter and named her Alcy. O. Hyde."

I had a look at the Toledo City Directories and learned that the photographer of this image, E. H. Alley of Toledo, Ohio, operated his photographic studio at 324 Superior from roughly 1869 to 1887, but worked from other addresses both prior to, and after his time at 324 Superior.

I believe this photograph can be dated to the early 1880s. The knife-pleated cuffs, with the sleeves that are set high along the shoulder line, and her lovely lace scarf seem to me to be of that time period. I wish I could see more of her skirt to get a better sense of her entire outfit.

Alcy J. Miner Hyde died in Lucas County, Ohio on the 21st of April 1923 at the age of 60 and was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in Toledo².

1 "United States Census, 1870," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M6LM-P3C : accessed 27 Oct 2012), Aley J Miner in household of Hiram Miner, Ohio, United States; citing p. 29, family 249, NARA microfilm publication M593, FHL microfilm 552735.^↩
2 "Ohio, Deaths, 1908-1953," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/X8RY-VK3 : accessed 27 Oct 2012), Alcy J Hyde, 1923; citing reference fn 27833, Ohio Historical Society, Columbus, Ohio.^↩

Estelle (Etty) Harrington, San Francisco, CA, ca 1870

2012-10-26T17:40:00.001-07:00

This is one of three cartes de visite from my collection relating to members of the Harrington family of San Francisco. This one is identified on the back as "Etty Harrington." I also have a second portrait cdv of "Etty" taken a couple of years later, in which she is identified as "Estelle Harrington," and a cdv of "Webber Harrington, 2 years old, Aug 25, 1874."

This image was taken at the studio of Wilbur Bayley and Robert Winter. Their business was located at 618, and 620 Washington Street in San Francisco, next to Maguire's Opera House. According to Pioneer Photographers of the Far West: A Biographical Dictionary, by Peter Palmquist and Thomas Kailborn, the partnership of Bayley and Winter lasted for only three years at this location, between 1869 and 1871.

Estelle, born about 1859 in California, was the daughter of Benjamin Webber Harrington and Sarah C.Harrington. Estelle (or Etty) had two brothers, Frances B., born about 1842 in Massachusetts, and Frederick, born a year after Frances, also in Massachusetts. Estelle's sister, Sarah M. was born in 1848¹.

Estelle's father worked as a stone cutter/mason. In my hunt for information this family I happened upon the book Alcatraz Unchained by Jerry Lewis Champion, Jr. which is an in-depth history into Alcatraz Island. According to Champion's research, Benjamin Webber Harrington moved his family from Massachusetts to the west coast during the time of the California Gold Rush, working as a stone mason at Fort Point and later, on the fortifications located on Alcatraz Island. Later, his son Frederick worked as a lighthouse keeper on the California coast, but mostly at the Trinidad Lighthouse, near the California/Oregon border.

In 1880, Estella seems to be going by the name Anita E. Harrington, and is working as an embroidress². Her father, Benjamin is described as "paralyzed," in the census records. He was 61 years old. I wonder if he was a victim of an industrial accident. Estelle (Anita) Harrington's maternal grandmother, Sophia Pratt, age 78, born Canada, is also living with the family in 1880 and is listed as paralyzed.

I don't know what became of Estelle/Anita after this. She doesn't seem to appear in the censuses, which might mean she married and appears under a different surname. I suspect there may be a lot of available material out there on this family, if one has the time to look for it. If you know what happens to our subject after 1880, I'd love to hear from you.

1 1860 U.S. census, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, population schedule, p. 410, dwelling 100, family 93, Estill Harrington, digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 3 October 2012); citing National Archives microfilm publication M653, microfilm 803067.^↩
2 "United States Census, 1880," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M6PX-R35 : accessed 7 Oct 2012), Anita E. Harrington in household of Benjamin W. Harrington, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States; citing sheet 342B, family 2, NARA microfilm publication T9-0079.^↩

From the Choate Studio, Carlisle, PA circa 1880-90s

2012-10-24T03:00:00.000-07:00

It's a shame that this young boy's name isn't recorded anywhere on this photograph. I thought I might be able to find another copy of this particular image on one of the sites specializing in images from "The United States Indian School" at Carlisle, PA, but unfortunately I couldn't locate one.

John Nicholas Choate was the official photographer for the school, which operated from 1879 to 1918 in Carlisle. I don't know if this young boy was a student there or just happened to have his picture taken by Choate. There's a good deal of information available on Choate and the school so I won't delve into its history, but I will encourage you to visit Visualizing a Mission: Artifacts and Imagery of the Carlisle Indian School, 1879-1918, a very informative, and compelling collection from Dickinson College.

If you know anything about this child's identity, please post your comments below.

Have You Heard of Louis Kostello from St. Cloud, Minnesota, Circa 1897-1898?

2012-10-22T03:30:00.000-07:00

This 1890s cabinet card photograph is labelled on the back, "Louis Kostello, St. Cloud, Minn." This is a real puzzler. I haven't been able to find anyone by that name in Minnesota, or in a general census search. No Kostellos in that area. There are a number of Costellos in Stearns County, Minnesota; no Louises, or Lewises, though.

The Directory of Minnesota Photographers website says Guy Alvord was in operation in St. Cloud from 1897 to 1898.

So who was Louis? Did he change his name? Leave the area? Leave the US? Meet an untimely death?
The fact that I can't find any trace of him, and no possible matches makes me think I'm missing something fundamental. But what?

Bessie Tait, Oxford, Amherst, Nova Scotia, Circa 1891-1893

2012-10-19T03:00:00.000-07:00

This is another photograph from the Mary Harrison Photo Album (see: Harrison in the sidebar labels) that I've mentioned in previous posts. This one was labelled, "Bessie Tait, Oxford." Further into the album there is a strikingly similar image of a woman in the same dress. It's labelled, "Mary Tait." At first I thought they were the same person, but there are slight variations in features. As well, Mary seems to be a few years older. But they could almost pass as twins!

Bessie Viola Tait was born on the 24th of January 1873 in Oxford, Cumberland Co., Nova Scotia, to Dixon Tait and Bertha Gilroy Tait¹. Bessie's sister, Mary, was three years older².

On November 21st, 1894 Bessie married James S. Van Buskirk³. James was a shoemaker and the family lived in Oxford until at least 1911⁴.

I believe this image of Bessie was taken in the early 1890s, and probably before 1894. The standing puff sleeves and high collar on her dress were popular at that time. Bessie passed away of heart problems at the age of 77 years in Oxford on the 19th of February 1950⁵.

1 "Canada, Births and Baptisms, 1661-1959," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F247-RFX : accessed 10 Oct 2012), Bessie Viola Tait, 24 Jan 1873; citing reference item 1 p 186, FHL microfilm 1298667.^↩
2 "Canada Census, 1881," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MVXQ-FCF : accessed 10 Oct 2012), Bessie Tait in household of Dixon Tait, River Philip, Cumberland, Nova Scotia, Canada.^↩
3 "Canada, Marriages, 1661-1949," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F2L3-CYV : accessed 10 Oct 2012), James S. Vanbuskirk and Bessie V. Tait, 21 Nov 1894; citing reference P128 CN181, FHL microfilm 1298866.^↩
4 1911 census of Canada, Oxford, Cumberland, Nova Scotia, population schedule, district #42, enumeration district (ED) 17, subdistrict # 17, p.1 (penned), dwelling 1, family 1, J. Sydney Van Buskirk family, digital image, Ancestry.ca (http://www.ancestry.ca : accessed Oct 10, 2012), citing microfilm LAC microfilm T-20326 to T-20460.^↩
5 Nova Scotia Historical Vital Statistics, digital image, (https://www.novascotiagenealogy.com/ItemView.aspx?ImageFile=1950-1865&Event=death&ID=341870; accessed 10 Oct 2012), Deaths, Bessie Viola Van Buskirk, Year: 1950 - Book: 1950 - Page: 1865.^↩

Searching for Women By Their Husband's Names: Mrs Dan McAuley and Mrs Fred Allen

2012-10-17T03:30:00.000-07:00

I've encountered a spate of difficult photos of late. Here's another for anyone who loves a challenge. The reverse of this postcard photograph, found in a Nanaimo, BC antique shop, reads:

The challenge here is that the two married women are identified by their husband's names. The youngest daughter Annie is, presumably, Annie Mcauley. So I started my search looking for a Dan Mcauley who had a daughter, Annie. I found one exact match after an Ancestry search, a Dan Mcauley in the 1891 Scotland Census living in Barrhead, Barrhead and Levern, Renfrewshire with a daughter Annie. I found another possibility on Ancestry.com and a few others that might fit.

My next thought was to try and find a Fred Allan who married a Mcauley. I didn't find anything on Ancestry. I headed over to Familysearch.org. Nothing.

The house in the image looks like a first homestead of the type you would find on the prairies. It was taken after 1907. While the image was found in British Columbia, that doesn't necessarily mean it was taken in Canada. It could very well have been, but my experience is that the photos I find are pretty well evenly split between Canadian and American images.

Another image to remain a mystery?

UPDATE November 21, 2012: This once-a-mystery postcard is on its way to Alberta to be reunited with a descendant of Mrs. Dan McCauley, who has been identified in the comments section as Mary Norn McCauley. The two other women are Mary McCauley Allen and Annie McCauley.

Thrashing on the Clucas Place, Circa 1907-1918

2012-10-15T03:30:00.000-07:00

I found this image about 20 years ago at an antique store in Alberta. It's a real picture postcard, and has the four triangle AZO stamp on a divided correspondence back, which indicates it dates anywhere from 1907-1918. There's a notation on the reverse which I've been trying to use to identify this threshing crew and where photograph might have been taken, but frankly have come up empty. It reads:

"Thrashing on the Clucas place some years ago. Jo Buhn [or Budn or Burn] at the left at the seperator and Samuel Clucas 3rd."

There are a number of Samuel Clucases in the US censuses. I couldn't find any in Canada.

Perhaps there are clues in the machinery or landscape. Any ideas?

Funny Hat Friday: Lucie Bailey, and Her Family in Postcards, London, England,1912

2012-10-12T03:30:00.000-07:00

Aunt Lucie Bailey

This real postcard photograph from 1912 was one of three related postcards I recently found at a local antique shop. Don't you just love her hat? Someone has identified this woman as "Aunt Lucie, Wm Bailey's sister." Here is the correspondence side of the postcard:

As you can see, the postcard was mailed to Miss Rose Bailey of 57 Vicarage Road, Willesden, London NW in July 1912. The other two postcards that were found with this one were sent by Rose Bailey. On one of those postcards someone has identified the subjects of second postcard as "Wm & Rose Carol Krup Bailey, 1912."

Wm & Rose Bailey

The two other postcards were addressed to:

1) Mr. H. Egerton

121 Erskine Hill

Hampstead Grd Suburb

Golders Green

London NW

2) Mrs. Egerton

18 Cromwell Terrace

West Hill Park

Halifax, Yorkshire

Mrs. Egerton appears to be Rose's sister. Here is the back of the postcard:

I tried to tie these Baileys all together but frankly, haven't found anything fruitful by running through searches on Ancestry or Familysearch with the various names and places. I haven't much experience with British research in general, and I don't have a subscription to any of the UK genealogy sites. Are there any seasoned UK researchers out there willing to give this a go?

Rachel Mecklem Ridenour Etz, 1848-1875, Richland County, Ohio

2012-10-10T08:40:00.000-07:00

This carte de visite of "Rachel Mecklem" was found in an Airdrie, Alberta antique mall along with other cdvs belonging to the same family. While Rachel's photograph has been trimmed and the photographer's name cut off, I can still make out that the photo was taken in Mansfield, Ohio. Other dating clues on the card itself indicate an 1860s time frame: square corners on a white mount with a simple double lined border, thin card stock, and blank background.

Rachel's full dress is immediately recognizable as from 1860s. The dropped sleevelines hint at a 1865-1868 timeframe. Her hairstyle, parted in the center and pulled back tightly over her ears, may indicate the latter half of the decade. I also noticed that Rachel is wearing a wedding band. If we can discover when she married, we can perhaps narrow down the date of the photograph even further.

It's a help when you locate a grouping of family photos because the other photographs may help confirm family relationships and verify that you are on the right track. This photograph was found with other cdvs of James Mecklem, Ollie Etz, and Cloyd Mecklem. Cloyd and Ollie's photographs were taken in Mansfield, Ohio, and appear to date later than Rachel's, probably to the mid to late 1870s.

I searched for Ollie Etz on Ancestry and immediately found in the Ohio Births & Christening Index, 1800-1962, Oria Olive Etz, born the 2nd of June 1874 in Washington, Richland County, Ohio. Her parents were Christian Etz and Rachel Mecklem.

On Familysearch.org I found that Rachel was married twice: the first time to William C. Ridenour on the 18th of October 1866 in Richland County, Ohio, and the second, to Christian Etz on Februray 12, 1874 in Richland. Her first husband, a civil war veteran with the 163rd Ohio Infantry, died in 1869 at the age of 26.

In the 1860 census, Rachel is living in North Sewickley, Beaver County, Pennsylvania with her parents Samuel and Mary Mecklem. She is one of six children. A word of caution here: there is another Rachel Mecklem(m) living in Beaver Co., PA in 1860, born in 1845. Her parents were Canadian-born and have Ohio connections as well. The reason I settled on Rachel in North Sewickley is because the her birth date matches exactly with the other records connected with Christian Etz, Wm. Ridenour and Ollie Etz. Secondly, I discovered that Cloyd (b. 1872) was the grandson of Samuel and Mary Mecklem and James Mecklem, featured in one of the other cdvs I purchased, is Rachel's brother.

Rachel and her first husband, had one child, William Mecklem Ridenour, born 31 May 1870 (source: Ohio Births & Christening Index, 1800-1962). William would never have known his father since William, Sr. died before his birth. In 1870, Rachel and son are living in Washington, Ohio. I believe the census-taker made an error recording Rachel's birth date. Rachel died on December 26th, 1875 in Jefferson, Ohio.

In 1880, William, Jr. is living with his grandfather, Asenath Ridenour, in Washington, Ohio.
William went on to become a doctor in Mansfield, and the Richland County Genweb site has posted a photograph of him.

The clues present in the photograph and the information found in the records, make me believe that this portrait was taken around 1866-1869, perhaps not long after Rachel's first marriage.

UPDATE Oct 11, 2012: This photo, along with the images of Ollie Etz, James & Cloyd Mecklem, and Norman Wolfe have been reunited with a descendant in Ohio.