Sunday, February 28, 2010

Photo Number 119


This is Anne, this photo is from the 1930's.  Stadin Studio in Cambridge, Minnesota was only in business through the 1930's. Silouhettes must have been all the rage back then.  I think her hair must have been all done up in pincurls to get this hairdo.
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Friday, February 26, 2010

Photo Number 118

Look at these little boys!  I say boys..because a a general rule boys hair was parted on the side.   This is a real photo postcard, it is an Azo with Triangles in the corners..so that means it is from 1904 to 1918.

I did a little research... curiosity..I ran across the word "breeched". In the late 1800's It seems that both girl and boy babies were kept in dresses.  They also wore white frilled lace pantalettes under their frocks that covered their legs to their ankles.  Between 3 and 6 years of age, the boys were breeched and put in tunics or smocks. In the late 1800's Little Lord Fauntleroy suits, Buster Brown suits, kilts and Sailor Suits were worn by little boys.   1900 to 1920 rompers were popular for little boys along with sailor suits.  Little boys also wore  knickers and at about age nine or ten they got long pants...which was viewed as a  rite of passage.

In this photo we have a sailer suit and knickers, typical little boys clothing worn 1904 to 1918.
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Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Full Circle Number Two

Photo Number 103,  Mrs. Walls, Ambrose, Mary and Hugh Hermes.

This photo is going home.  The little baby boy in this photo being held by his grandmother is Hugh Hermes, his granddaughter ( Julie) contacted me, and then his daughter ( Jeanne) .


Jeanne wrote,
I just talked to Julie and she sent me these pictures - this is so exciting, I love your wonderful past time of reuniting photographs with family!  Picture 103 is my grandmother Mary Wall (or it could be Walls) who is holding my father Hugh Hermes.  Older siblings Ambrose and Mary are also in the picture.  You have already found this out with your skillful sleuthing.  My Uncle Ambrose married Louise had five children (Thad, Mary Louise, Joe, Maureen, and Agnes) and was a farmer in Rock Falls, Illinois but was also in real estate in later years.  My Aunt Mary was never married but took care of my Aunt Frannie who was afflicted with multiple sclerosis.  Mary was a real estate and life insurance agent out of her home.  My father married Mary Elizabeth O'Neil and raised seven children (LaRita, Ed, Rosemary, Steve, Jim, Jeanne and Bill) in Sterling, Illinois.  They also lost a full term baby named Hugh Robert in between Rosemary and Steve.  My father was a farmer all of his life but attended college at St. Mary's Kansas until he was called home during the Depression to help on the farm.  He devoted his life to family and the farm.  There were several children to follow the birth of my father not pictured in photo 103 - Agnes, Joseph, Frances, Rita, Anastasia and Helen.  Agnes was a Carmelite nun for over 50 years.  Joseph married Pauline and was a farmer who had nine boys.  Frances died of MS at 42.  Rita also became a nun but later left the convent and married Willy and never had children.  Anastasia married Bob Brennan and had nine children, they lived in Waterloo, Iowa and Prairie du Chien, WI.  He managed a beef packing plant.  Finally, Helen married Jack Conway and had ten children.  Jack was CEO of Northwestern Steel and Wire Mill in Sterling, Illinois.


Photo number 104 Mayme


 is my grandmother's sister (the baby Hugh's Aunt Mayme).  As your records show she was a twin to Edith (picture 101).
Edith Hermes Photo Number 101 
 I called my sister to try to find out some more information and what LaRita said was that Anton Hermes left Margaret Hermes at some point in the marriage which might explain why the photo of her says Mary Walls instead of Margaret Hermes.


Since its getting late I'm gonna send you this because its all I really know.  Thank you for sending the photos.  Helen and Anastasia are the only surviving children of Ed and Agnes Hermes but I will be calling them to share the good news.


Thanks again!
Jeanne

I sent her a list of all the South Dakota/Illinois names..

Connie,
I recognize nearly all the names you listed from listening to my parents growing up.  Some of them I knew first hand like the Bauers, Ackerts, Foleys, and Makeels.  I found out from Rosemary that our grandmother was a "Walls" plural btw.  It is ok to copy and paste what I wrote except do not hold me to the accuracy, as I was the 6th of 7 children if you know what i mean.  This has been a great experience for me just thinking of the "family" that came before us.  Thanks for the genuine interest:)
Jeanne

Today I am heading to the post office , I am sending off all three of these photos to Jeanne, if a closer relative of Maymes or Ediths turns up..I am sure that she will share.  I will share Jeanne and Julies email addresses with Jinglebob since he was the one who shared these photographs in the first place.. Full circle connections..sharing connections.  Today is a good day on The Forgotten Old Photographs Blog! :) 


**Update**March 13, 2010   I heard from Jeanne : I loved them especially the one of my Dad at ten months.  He was born in 1912.  What a treasure to have you send us this picture.  I was thrilled. 

Monday, February 22, 2010

Photo Number 116

Three girls, sisters more than likely.  The photographer is Helgeson of Lake Mills Iowa.  We had a previous Helgeson photo( Photo Number 2)  I have no idea if that means anything or not.  This photo came from a local antique shop.  There are no names on it.  I wonder if they did each others hair..or if their Mother was responsible for these up do's?   I will guess that this is from 1905..what do you guys all think?

We are getting some action on photo Number 103..I love it when that happens!
Thanks for stopping by, do come again:)
Update*** 
From Abra: I also found a piece on the history of Lake Mills, Iowa, and it appears that T.J. Helgeson built a photography business in 1879, which became a rooming house in 1911 (so we might assume that the photographer was in business about that long). Given the frame of time the photography shop was in business, all estimates thus far are in that time range for both photos.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Photo Number 115

This photo has my curiosity, who in the world do you suppose is in this coffin?   It is a fairly large photo, 5x7 and the matting board is about 8x10.  So it wasn't  just a  passing thing.. ha!
  This is the mark on the back, a stamp?   I could not find out anything about a photographer by this name.  The only hit I had was concerning a Free Soil political party.. do you suppose that this photo is foreign ..since the Photograph is spelled with an e at the end?  Do you suppose someone important died and this was sent to family members in America?   What a sad way to get news of a relatives death, but he or she did have some fairly nice flowers.

Thanks for stopping, do come again:)
Update from Iggy:  
The photographer:
There is a Charles C. Stuck living in Freesoil, Mason county, Michigan.

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Photo Number 114

This photo is in really bad shape, I am not going to restore this one..yet anyway..If I get really bored some day I might give it a whirl.  This photo is on a real thin piece of mounting board..the original photos I suspect were tin types..someone blended them in this copy side by side.  There are no marks or names on this photo of what I will assume is a husband and a wife. I would guess that they are wealthy as he is portly, has enough food and doesn't have to work real hard.  Norkio may be able to tell us more about the clothing that the woman is wearing.

I always appreciate reader input!  Thanks for stopping by, do come again:)
Update **
From Norkio:without seeing more of her dress, I can only guess at 1870-1880. The sleeves are set in at the shoulder which was not common prior to 1870. It features buttons down the front which was popular most of the later half of the century but combined with the high collar suggests mid 1870s to 1880s. I checked one other history reference site and although I admit I don't know much about hair, her hairstyle is similar to a late 1870s style I saw.

Friday, February 19, 2010

Photos Number 113

I got these from an antique shop, I felt that they were a couple and should be presented that way.  Josephine and Stephen.  Someones Great Grandmother and Great Grandfather..by now they are probably great greats. These are both cabinet cards.

EJ Christman was in business in Waterville, Minn which is in Le Sueur County during the years 1886, 1892 and 1900.

Thanks for stopping by, do come again:)

Update from Iggy:
It might be a bit of a shot in the dark, but I think this is Stephen Kitzman (10 Dec 1847 - 18 Nov 1921) and his spouse Josephine Burzensky (Feb 1854). They lived in nearby (to Waterville) Cannon City, Rice, Minnesota.

He is Find A Grave Memorial# 72579675 and there is an extensive obituary there.


Thursday, February 18, 2010

Photo Number 112

Another unmarked photo from the antique shop.  This one was damaged..so I repaired it.  This gal has great finger waves in the front of her hair. They are still taught in beauty schools..I know because I asked for them one time when I went in for a haircut..her jaw about dropped to the floor.  No, I really didn't want finger waves..I just wanted a reaction.  My mother used to have long silver clips, she would  put a gel in her hair..form the finger waves and then put the clips in to hold her wave in place until her hair dried.

I think this photo may be from the late 1940's or the early 1950's.

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Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Photo Number 111

This is Mae, apparently she was cranky.  It looks like there are mountains in the background.  It is a pretty little church..I wonder where it is located?   Mae is all dressed in her Sunday best,  it is a wonder she didn't kill herself walking around in those shoes.  This is what is written on the back of this photo. As for a date..how about 1940?
To My Sweetie Pie  From Mae the crab.  Am I a crab Janice.
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Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Photo Number 110


Well we are back to my stash of photos from the antique shops.   This is a Cartes- de- visite or CdV.  I knew it was foreign.  I thought the gal looked Finnish.  If she isn't then she had her photo taken in Lappeenranta, Finland a city in South East Finland and not far from the Russian border.  I would say she is more than likely of Finnish decent.  I am half Finn ( The other part is German/Norwegian)..my husband sometimes says "You are Finnished all right."

Anyway, this gal is lovely..she makes me wonder..did she come to America..or was it just her photograph that arrived?   I searched for Oscaria Saren Williamstrand Photographers and came up empty handed.   It has a very ornate back. Since it is a foreign photo, I will guess that it is from about 1900, perhaps a little earlier.

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Monday, February 15, 2010

Photo Number 109


Well with this photo we come to the end of our South Dakota/Illinois photo adventure.  All of these photos have sparked some interest, and it has been very interesting to me.  This is the last photo in the bunch, it is quite damaged..so I fixed it up a bit, there is no name on this photo only Brown Studio in Sterling, ILL. Once again I would like to thank Jinglebob for sending me these photos of his grandmothers, it has been a pleasure to feature them!

Thank you for stopping by, do come again:)
Correction*** there is a name on this photo. P. Schaff or Schoff  it is so light I must have just missed it. 

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Photo Number 108

I believe this photo was taken in the late 1920's.  Does anyone know what this hat was called?   This is a South Dakota/Illinois photo.  It is not marked in anyway.   The trim on the house is very ornate..Larry will know exactly what it is called!
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Update: 
Norkio says Gingerbread Trim..and just a hat! 
Larry says it is picket running trim.  There are different forms of these old trims. 

Friday, February 12, 2010

Photo Number 107

This is another South Dakota/Illinois photo.  It was taken at Brown Studio in Sterling, ILL  other than that it is an unmarked photo.  This is a different blouse..with the black buttons.  She has a diamond shaped pin at the neckline and she is wearing a very fine chain that has a diamond shaped pendent.  I will date this photo at 1910 or thereabouts.

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Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Photo Number 106

This is a South Dakota/Illinois Photo.  It is a Real Photo Postcard  and Azo with Diamonds in the corners..so it is from 1907 to 1909.  It is not marked.
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Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Photo Number 105

This looks like a kind grandmotherly lady.  I love her dark heavily pleated blouse,   her hair is done just beautifully for this photo.  There is no identification on this South Dakota/ Illinois photo, and there isn't a photographers mark on it either.  So it remains a mystery. I will guess that this photo was taken  about 1900.

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Monday, February 8, 2010

Photo Number 104


This is Mayme, could she be the twin sister of Edith Hermes ( Photo 101)  from the other day?   This is a real photo postcard with Diamonds in the corners..we can date it 1907 to 1909.
It was possibly hand delivered as there is no stamp.  Jinglebobs Grandmother was a Bauer, he told us that in a comment awhile back,  I am not certain of her first name.  If  his Grandma is not Lizzie then she is a relative of his grandmothers.

All these photos from South Dakota/Illinois are so interwoven..it has been very interesting.  Photos number 102 and 103 have seen action lately, and one of the previous photos may now have names.. photo number eighty one!  I find it fairly exciting that a photo may have a name!!
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Update** 
Info from Norkio about the clothing!  What a beautiful suit! That's called a Tailor Made, as in it was made by the tailor. She has gloves that go to her elbows and the sleeve of her coat ends at her elbow. She may have had on a blouse with short sleeves, no sleeves, or just a dickie type thing. Lovely skirt too. By this time period, hoops weren't used as much, just a couple petticoats to hold out the shape of the skirt. The pedestal is blocking a view of the pleats in the front of her skirt, but I bet it's very pretty.


*** Update Feb 24, 2010 ***Yes it turns out that she and Edith ( Photo Number101)   are twin sisters. 
This photo is being sent to Jeanne..Hugh Hermes daughter.. Mayme would have been baby Hugh's Aunt.  So a  Great Aunt to Jeanne.  

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Photo Number 103

This is South Dakota/Illinois photo.  One of those photo that looks all silvery when you scan it.  Norkio suggested that I try to photograph the photo...
It gives you much better detail!  Thamks Norkio!
On the back of this photo this is written: Mrs. Walls Ambrose Mary and Hugh Hermes.
 I know these are totally different Hermes names from the other day.  The name of the Photography studio is very hard to read..Lexingford?? at Tampico, ILL..  Now look at the lady again the Mrs. Walls ( or Wall) ...is she the same lady in this photo? I poked around some..I am wondering if Wall is not Wahl?  I have to do some more sleuthing.
This was also amongst the South Dakota photos..but it was not marked. It is photo number Eighty-one.
I wonder ...was Mrs. Wall or Walls somehow in charge of these children, or was she the Grandma?
What do you think?
Thanks for stopping by, do come again:)
Update*** 
From Abra: I first found this family in the 1920 census. They are living in Harmon, Lee County, Illinois. The parents of these children are Edward & Agnes Hermes (age 48 & 41 in 1920). These are the three oldest children. In 1920 they are 16 (Amorose-sic), 12(Mary), and 10(Hugh). The additional children in 1920 are Agnes (8), Joseph (5), Frances (3 &10/12), Rita (1 & 7/12), and Anastaia(sic) 2 months. 
By 1930, they are still living in the same place, though Ambrose and Mary have moved on, and they had an additional child, Helen, who is 7 in 1930. I found it interesting that some of the neighbors last names were Elrika & William Porps (possible relation to Dorothy Porps from another photo, if I remember correctly?) and McKeel (alternative spelling I found in one census for Mekeel), so I am thinking the neighbors are possible relation to Anson Mekeel from yesterday. These people seem to all be intertwined in one way or another. (There were no Walls/Wahls as neighbors in 1920 or 1930).

A little more searching finds a single Edward (Ed) living with his younger brother John(26) and sister-in-law Belle and children Eddie & Mabel, as well as a servant, Frank Eagen, in Hahanaman & Montmorency Townships, Whiteside, Illinois in 1900. Edward was 27. They are neighbors to the Neitzkes (I believe Louise and Francis were subjects we researched earlier), but no Walls.

he search continued, and after changing out the information a few ways, finally: BINGO!! Edd Hermes, age 37, and Agnes Hermes, age 26 (note the age differences are not the same as what I found in the 1920 census) are living in Hahnamon Township, Whiteside, Illinois. Children’s spellings are varied—the reason it is sometimes difficult to find people. They are Ambers (instead of Ambrose)-age 6, Mary-age 2, and Huck (instead of Hugh)-age 6 months. The biggest BINGO: The mother-in-law is living there, and it is, as Connie so aptly figured it out, Mrs. Walls. Mary Walls is a 64 year old widow, and a 25 year old daughter, also named Mary Walls, is living with them, as well as a hired man. Something I found interesting: the neighbors name is Wahl—but are apparently not related, as their heritage is German, while the Walls are of Irish heritage.

A little further research finds Mary Walls, widowed, age 50, in 1900, living in Tampico, Whiteside , Illinois. Her daughters, Agness (sic), 21, and May (sic), 19, are living with her, as well as a niece, Anna Murphy, age 16. The census shows that she is the mother to 4 children, of which 2 are living. Again, the ages are off compared to 1910 census, but Agnes’ age in 1900, matches up with what I found in 1920 & 1930. More searching reveals finds Mary Walls(28), married to Patrick Walls(34), living in Hahnaman. They have two children at this point, Ambrose age 4 and Agness, age 2, as well as a servant, Daniel Callehan (there are close neighbors with the Callehan surname, as well). Patrick is listed as a farmer. I find Patrick, age 23, living in Browning, Schuyler County, Illinois, occupation of R.R. hand (there were a lot of RR hands living in this particular neighborhood). The only thing I can’t explain with all of this is what the ‘uniforms & pins’ are for on the clothing in Mr. & Mrs. Walls previous photo.

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Photo Number 102

Well I was sure that the Edith Hermes from yesterday had married..I thought that this might be her.

Apparently not.  Edith Hermes  from yesterday never married.  On the back of this photo is written  Edith Hanson or Hinson Mikeel or Mekeel..  This is more than likely a wedding photograph..I think it was probably taken around 1911.  I picked that year simply because my paternal grandparents were married that year and the clothing and the setting is very similar.

Tomorrow the Hermes saga will continue, I have a photo of the Hermes children.

Thanks for stopping by, do come again:)
Update***
We will change the date of this photo to 1905 and also note that it is Edith and Anson Meekel!! Connie

From Abra:  It looked to me like it said Edith & Anson Meekel, so that is I went in search of. Anson Meekel was born in about 1875 & living in Harmon, Lee county, Illinois in 1880. In 1900 he is living with his sister Priscilla. In 1910, he is in Kersey, Weld County,Colorado, and married to Edith for 5 years at this time. There are no children, but Edith's father, William Firch is living with them. In 1920, they are in Crow Creek, Weld County, Colorado--no children. In 1930, they are in Kuner, Weld County, Colorado. I couldn't find any pre-marriage information on Edith. I did find a family tree with Anson's information, so I did send the owner of the tree the information on your site. 


Update** For what it is worth, Anson is still in Kersey, Colorado in 1945..that is the year that his only brother Arthur Mekeel died.  In his Obit his parents are listed as Solomon and Priscilla Mekeel.  I also found it interesting that an Arthur Hermes was a casketbearer for Arthur Mekeel.  I guess there is a difference in the spelling of the Mekeel name also.  Connie:) 


Update: August 15, 2010 from  a reader. 
The woman in the photograph was born Edith Madison on July 11,1880. Edith's mother died when she was only three. Her father was overwhelmed with bringing up five small children, and he tried to find homes for his children with other families. Edith was adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Fairclo of Sycamore, IL who had been childless. Edith used the name "Fairclo," but remained very close to her four Madison brothers and sisters.

Edith married Anson Mekeel in December 1904, and they started their married life farming in Northern Illinois. In February 1910 they followed Edith's two brothers to northeastern Colorado. They farmed in the Kersey area east of Greeley for many years before moving into Kersey in 1944.

Anson died in Kersey in 1954 and is buried in Greeley. Edith lived in Kersey until October 1958 when she moved to a retirement home in Greeley. She died a month later, November 6, 1958, and is buried by Anson in Greeley.

Edith and Anson were childless but were remembered fondly by their nephews and others who knew them. Thanks for finding and posting a lovely photograph of a fine couple.

And as an aside... Edith had a twin sister, Ethel, who was also familiar with the Mekeels, including Anson's brother Arthur. But the spark that brought Edith and Anson together never animated Ethel and Arthur. Ethel never married and eventually moved to Colorado. Arthur waited until he was nearly 64 to marry in December 1926.

Friday, February 5, 2010

Photo Number 101

This is a South Dakota/Illinois Photo of Edith Hermes taken at Brown Studio in Sterling, ILL.  Tomorrow I  have another photo for you to compare with this one..or maybe my imagination is working overtime.  I will venture to say that this photo was taken around 1910.  She looks like a school teacher to me..it would be interesting to know more about her.

I missed posting yesterday on this blog..the day just got away from me.
Thanks for stopping by do come again:)
***Update
From Norkio :Edith Hermes was one of four children born to Anton (or Anthony) and Margeret Hermes in Hamilton, IL. Edith had one older sister, Kate, a twin sister named Mayme (or Mary on later records), and a brother George. Edith and Mayme were born in September 1880, Kate in 1869 and George in 1878. My guess is there were some lost children in between Kate and George. In 1900 Anton's brother George was also living with them in Hamilton, he was 52 years old at that time.

Edith's parents came from Germany some time in the 1870s. Anton was born in 1832 and Margaret in 1845. Anton was a farmer according to the 1900 census. Their kids came later in life for the 19th century - Anton was 37 when Kate was born and 48 when the twins came. Margaret was 24 with Kate and 35 with the twins.

By 1910 the family had moved to Whiteside. By this time Anton was 77, Margeret was 65. Kate and Edith were residing with their parents still and there is no employment listed for them.

In 1920, Edith and Kate were residing in a home they owned, possibly their father's, and had taken in a boarder named Philip Peters. Edith is listed as the head of the household.

In 1930 they were still in Whiteside, Edith and Kate lived together. They both were listed as single on each census record.

BUT there is a marriage record for a Kate Hermes in South Dakota in 1918 to August Koerber. It's possible he passed away and Kate returned to Illinois to live with Edith. This would be a clear South Dakota connection. The dates/ages are fuzzy here because the marriage license has Kate 5 years younger than the census records. Maybe she lied about her age, August is younger than her on the license. :-)

Here's some more interesting information. Mayme married Matthew Hermes (yes the same name, cousins??) in 1904 at the age of 24. She and Matthew lived in Aurora IL and he was a cigar manufacturer by 1910. They had four children: Cacilia (or Carcelia, hard to read), Elmer, Raymond and Arthur. There's no information on the 1920 census about them, and by 1930, Matthew was 60 and retired, Mayme was 59, and their son Elmer was living with them. He was a dentist and also a veteran of WW1. Elmer died in September 1972 at the age of 83.



Update from Connie:
Ok here is some more to chew on.  I wonder if the Phillip Peters that is the boarder in 1920 with Edith and Kate is the same Phillip Peters who is the father of Margaret Peters Bauer ( Photo number thirty-nine.) 


AND in passing..LOL..Arthur Hermes (Mayme's son) was a casket bearer for( photo number102)   Anson Mekeels brother Arthur Mekeel. 


*** Update Feb 24, 2010.   Edith's twin sister is Mayme in photo number 104.  Edith would have been an Aunt to baby Hugh Hermes in Photo Number 103.   I am sending this photo to Jeanne..Edith would have been her Great Aunt. 

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Photo Number 100


This is another South Dakota/Illinois photo.  This one had me bugged. It is unmarked.  For one thing it has a totally different look  It is also a totally different era.   I began to wonder and compare photos, and features. Then I looked at the strand of pearls..it was then that the photo spoke to me..does it speak to you?  Do you think it looks like Edna from yesterday?  Here are both photos side by side to compare.
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Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Photo Number Ninety-Nine

This is a photo from South Dakota/ Illinois.  This is Edna  Flisner or Flisnes her photo was taken at Wilkes or Wilker 3810 State Street Chicago.  The dark folders are very difficult to read. I would venture to guess that this was taken around 1900. ( Changing my guess to 1910 )  She has on a single strand of pearls.
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Update ***
From Norkio:Well, Ancestry says there is an Edna Flessner born in 1888 in Illinois who by 1910 was in South Dakota. What are the chances? Ms Flessner was 22 in 1910 and living at a school district (??) so perhaps she was a teacher?