Lulu And Paulie Kalunas, Brooklyn, 1915

Posted on January 26, 2017 by Annieoakley

Divided back, Real Photo Postcard, unused with writing. December 19, 1915. AZO stamp box.

Price: $15.00

Continuing on with our cold weather theme, a mother and son in Brooklyn, NY posing in winter coats and hats….

A proud mom, Mrs. Lulu Kalunas, writes about her four and a half year old son, who we found in records as Ivan Paul Kalunas, born June 2, 1911 in New York. We take into account that photos were not a dime a dozen in those days, hence the detailed explanation as to young Paul’s expression:

“Brooklyn, N. Y. Dec. 19, 1915. To Ratchel, From Lu Lu. Paulie is 4 years & 6 months old, and has golden hair & dark brown eyes. Note the peculiar expression of his mouth. Paulie has a pretty mouth, but he closed it too tight. He was afraid of the photographer, maybe ???”

Lulu is Clara Louise Dawson (or Louise Clara) born New Jersey, January 1887. On the 1900 Federal Census for Brooklyn, she is living with her mother Clara, stepfather Frederick Koster, and younger sister Helen. It must have been a family member that had written Lulu’s name in pen on the card, and now we can see that what looks like “Kodu” is actually Koster.

The 1920 Federal Census for Brooklyn showing the surname misspelled as “Kluanas” lists Paul’s father as born in Riga, Russia (now Latvia) and Lulu working as a pianist at a theater. Their address is 11a Woodbine St.

The 1925 New York State Census shows Lulu and Paul listed twice: Clara and Paul Kalunas living with Fred and May Koster (stepfather and May must be Lulu’s mother) and again as Lulu and Ivan P. Kalunas, with Lulu as head of household. Looking at the census one imagines a conglomeration of apartments, and maybe 11 Woodbine St., apt. A, had a separate entrance and the census taker was unaware that he’d been to the same household twice. Just a thought!

Sources: Year: 1900; Census Place: Brooklyn Ward 28, Kings, New York; Roll: 1066; Page: 9B; Enumeration District: 0511; FHL microfilm: 1241066. (Ancestry.com)

Year: 1920; Census Place: Brooklyn Assembly District 20, Kings, New York; Roll: T625_1177; Page: 11A; Enumeration District: 1305; Image: 482. (Ancestry.com)

History of Riga. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Riga (accessed January 26, 2017).

New York State Archives; Albany, New York; State Population Census Schedules, 1925; Election District: 27; Assembly District: 20; City: Brooklyn; County: Kings; Page: 33. (Ancestry.com)

Year: 1945; Arrival: New York, New York; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Microfilm Roll: Roll 6905; Line: 29; Page Number: 130. (Ancestry.com)

Mrs. Thysell Restored

Posted on December 11, 2016 by Annieoakley

Mini-photo, circa 1890 – 1910.

Availability status: SOLD

Size including matting: 2 and 1/2 x 4″

Well, we appreciate whoever it was that wrote the name of this beautiful young woman on the back, even though it was only the married surname. I feel compelled to say thank you, too, to the unknown pencil-scribbler for at least limiting the scribbling to the background! And for sure, a more professional restoration could be done, but she turned out pretty good, after some time spent in Photoshop. Love the flowers added to her Gibson Girl hairstyle. Reverse below:

As to the origin of the surname Thysell, this name comes up most often in Sweden, and we find several possibilities from Minnesota records for our subject: Was she Emma Roberts, born 1877 in Norway who married Carl John Thysell….or the Caroline E. Nelson born about 1880 in Minnesota who married Nels Albert Thysell….or the Emilia, born 1874 in Sweden who married Albin Gustav Thysell….or the Helen Nelson, born 1880 in Sweden that married Emil Theodore Thysell….or none of the above?

Update! Mystery solved thanks to contact (see comment) from a granddaughter: The woman in the photo is Caroline E. Thysell, maiden name Nelson, wife of Nels Albert Thysell.

Ezra, about 1907 – 1918

Posted on December 3, 2016 by Annieoakley

Divided back, Real Photo Postcard, unused with writing. Circa 1907 – 1918 AZO stamp box.

Price: $3.00

In honor of another Ezra I know (EZ-E, Double E !) Ezra – a great name for a great boy. This one shows a cropped oval image of an adorable little boy, maybe about age four, in coat and billed cap, standing outside in a rural setting. That looks like a barn or some type of outbuilding behind him, and a taller building behind that, maybe a house. His last name is unknown, but at least we have the first. And as for popularity of the name, from the 1910 U.S. Federal Census there were over 1400 boys with this name, that were born between about 1903 to 1907. Contrast that with the common given name John, and we get over 250,000 within the same general parameters.

A U. S. Army WWII Veteran

Posted on November 12, 2016 by Annieoakley

Photo, circa 1943. Possible surname on back: Wright.

Price: $3.00 Size: About 2 and 1/2 x 3″

We’re a day late this year for Veterans Day, which was yesterday, but still the sentiment was there, so to honor all veterans…..here’s a snapshot of a handsome African-American guy taken during what appears to be the WWII era. From a little research we think he’s wearing an M-1943 Field Jacket. And the hat, a garrison cap, which bears an insignia on the left-hand side but the design is too blurred to make out. No doubt there are military uniform experts out there who will know. The writing is rather scribbled on the back, but it looks like the young man’s last name could be Wright, and underneath a couple of words, “…..?….cook” or could that first word be an abbreviation of signal? which then makes one think it would be Signal Corps, though that’s probably stretching it.

Sources: M-1943 Field Jacket. Military Items.com (accessed November 12, 2016).

Garrison Caps. At The Front Shop.com. (accessed November 12, 2016).

Scheuneman’s Store, Gary, Indiana

Posted on October 30, 2016 by Annieoakley

The page below had likely been part of a publication on Lake County history or maybe German immigrants to Indiana. Per the writing on the back, it had been saved by a Scheunemann and Raasch descendant, until it later ended up at a paper fair, where we found it.

Size of full page: About 9 x 5 and 1/2″ Size of image: 6 x 2 and 3/4″

Price: $10.00

A page out of Gary, Indiana history….circa 1880s – 1890s

“Uncle Fred. Scheunemans store in Gary with Aunt Alice, Alma & Walt & their hired girl standing[?] also Uncle Fred…[?]… Granpa Raasch was the delivery man, Granpa Scheuneman & Aunt Minnie’s home next door to south & Uncle Fred &…[?]…lives up stairs above store.”

Cropped version below. The sign on the right in the photo is quite difficult to read, and we could be wrong, but the first two lines look like “Howe. U.S.”

Below, the 1880 Federal Census for Tolleston, Indiana (now part of Gary) shows Fred Schoeneman (Sheuneman) born 1830, his occupation listed as Extra Sand [?] something to do with the sand mining industry; his wife Wilhemina, born 1825; son Fritz, born 1855, working in general grocery store and bar; daughter Gusty, born 1860, clerk in store; son Richard, born 1863, works on railroad; and daughter Wilhelmine, born 1868, keeping house. All are stated to be from “Pommern” except for Wilhemine, born in Indiana.

Below, the 1900 Federal Census for Calumet, Indiana also may fit the Scheuneman family that owned the store. (The ages fit if Ludwig is Fred and for daughter Wilhelmina.) Appearing there are Ludwig Scheunemann, born May 1830, Germany, widowed; daughter Wilhelmina, born November 1868, Indiana, single. Living next door is William C. Bunde, born April 1871, Indiana; his wife Emma, born November 1875, Indiana; stepchildren (to William Bunde, if census is correct) Alma Scheunemann, born February 1883, Indiana and Walter Scheunemann, born December 1885, Indiana; and servant August Wagner, born October 1880, Germany. Note that August Wagner’s occupation is grocer-delivery man.

Sources: Year: 1880; Census Place: Tolleston, Lake, Indiana; Roll: 291; Family History Film: 1254291; Page: 487B; Enumeration District: 066; Image: 0393. (Ancestry.com)

Year: 1900; Census Place: Calumet, Lake, Indiana; Roll: 383; Page: 2A; Enumeration District: 0022; FHL microfilm: 1240383. (Ancestry.com)

Tolleston. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tolleston. (accessed October 29, 2016).

Pomerania. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomerania. (accessed October 30, 2016).

Charlie Guidotti’s School Photo

Posted on October 23, 2016 by Annieoakley

Group photo of Salinas Valley School Children

Availability status: SOLD

Size of photo without cardboard mat: About 7 x 5″

Photographer unknown, photo is glued onto cardboard mat.

A wonderful original group photo, albeit in very rough shape, that had belonged to Charlie Guidotti. You can see that it looks like he (or someone) was practicing their handwriting on the back, underneath the name at the top. This photo, labeled on the plastic covering as “Salinas Valley School Children 1920s” was found in Pacific Grove, CA, so if the label is correct, we don’t know for sure, it stayed local. We’re counting 79 children, ages ranging from about six to teen-age and two teachers (if the gentleman in suit and tie on the right is a teacher.) But which boy in the photo could be Charlie?

There are a couple of Charles Guidottis born in Monte Carrasso, Switzerland, of Italian descent, who made their way to California, both born in 1883 according to their WWII Draft Registration cards. This photo, however, is probably from the mid-1910s to early 1920s, and does not fit their particular time-frame. However, the 1920 Federal Census shows a Carlo Guidotti, born about 1908, living in Alisal Township, Monterey County, CA. His parents are Fernando and Maria Guidotti, born in Switzerland, and siblings Primo, Americo, Emma, Louis, Bianca, Florina. The family’s native language on this census is said to be German, and the children are born in California. It’s not certain whether the Charles listed below in the 1930 Salinas city directory is the same Charles. But it’s an interesting part of Salinas history, even if not.

Guidotti Brothers, French and Italian Restaurant, and grocery, 308 N. Main, Salinas

In searching for more on the Guidotti family, it gets complicated: For instance, we find two wives named Bruna on the 1930 census, one in Alisal Township, and the other in Castroville Township (Castroville Township, by the looks of it, is now Prunedale.) Also, two men named Primo. We’ll leave the search here with the certainty that it would involve more time to sort out family members. The name of the school also will require more research.

Sources: R. L. Polk & Co.’s Classified Buyer’s Guide of Salinas, Monterey and Pacific Grove (California) 1930. p. 34. Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995.

The National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Draft Registration Cards for Fourth Registration for California, 04/27/1942 – 04/27/1942; NAI Number: 603155; Record Group Title: Records of the Selective Service System; Record Group Number: 147. (Ancestry.com)

Year: 1930; Census Place: Alisal, Monterey, California; Roll: 179; Page: 6A; Enumeration District: 0010; Image: 282.0; FHL microfilm: 2339914. (Ancestry.com)

Year: 1930; Census Place: Castroville, Monterey, California; Roll: 179; Page: 7B; Enumeration District: 0014; Image: 407.0; FHL microfilm: 2339914. (Ancestry.com)

Year: 1920; Census Place: Alisal, Monterey, California; Roll: T625_122; Page: 8B; Enumeration District: 2; Image: 634. (Ancestry.com)

Temple And Arnold, Coweta OK, 1910

Posted on October 13, 2016 by Annieoakley

Divided back, used, Real Photo Postcard. Postmarked 1910.

Price: $15.00

Adorable, can’t be any cuter, image of siblings (?) Temple and Arnold (surname unknown at this time) seated on a beautiful carved wooden bench. Love Arnold’s wide, striped tie! “Arnold” writes:

“Coweta Okla. Hello Grandma what do you think of us. Temple weighs twenty four pounds. I am picking cotton to get me an overcoat wish you and Cecil were here to help me how is Johnnie hope you are better by this time. Grandma P is well she helps me pick cotton some time. good by from Arnold.”

Addressed to: “Mrs. Sarah Myers. Hardin, Mo. R. F. D. #2. Ray Co.”

The addressee, Mrs. Sarah Myers, was found in the 1910 Federal Census for Crooked River Township, Ray County. She is widowed, born in Missouri about 1847, living with her son John, his wife Anna, and their children, Curtis, Daniel and Cecil. Cecil is about six years old at this time so is about the same age as his cousin Arnold. Johnnie, mentioned on the card, must be Arnold’s uncle Johnnie.

Sarah Jane’s maiden name is Weldy per Findagrave, and spouse was Joseph Young Myers. Temple and Arnold, surprisingly, were not found in records, and it’s possible these were middle names for them, and possible that Sarah and Joseph could have had a daughter born and married between census records, who married someone with the last name starting with “P.” (per the “Grandma P” reference in the postcard.)

Sources: Year: 1910; Census Place: Crooked River, Ray, Missouri; Roll: T624_806; Page: 16A; Enumeration District: 0129; FHL microfilm: 1374819. (Ancestry.com).

Sarah Jane Weldy Myers. Find A Grave Memorial# 19902230. Find A Grave.com. (accessed October 13, 2016).

Joseph Young Myers. Find A Grave Memorial# 19902165. Find A Grave.com. (accessed October 13, 2016).

Jenevieve, Bank Inspector

Posted on October 9, 2016 by Annieoakley

Mini-photo, circa 1900 – 1920s

Price: $10.00 Size: About 1 and 3/16 x 1 and 5/8″

A mini-photo of a beautiful dark-haired girl in winter-ish coat and spring hat. The writing on the back, in pencil, had been almost completely covered with black photo album paper (you know the type) but we discovered that applying water softens the paper so that it can be peeled and scraped off. Oh, and then Googled the “how to” question and saw that yep, it works on the old photos with writing underneath (in pencil, the source wasn’t sure about ink) because, after all, the photo would have been dipped in water before being hung to dry. (It would have eased my mind to have read this first, but still!) Anyway, she’s very photogenic, with that arresting look. And, oh what a hat! Straw and fabric or just fabric maybe, but the shape, along with the subtle pleats on the underside, reminds one of a flower. As to the writing: What we can make out says, “Jenevieve….” with something underneath that we can’t make out, and next, our best guess “Bank Inspector.” (Well, inspector misspelled. Plenty of entries were found under this given name cross-referenced with occupation.) And at the bottom right corner, maybe ” H. C. MO.” Hmmm, one of the counties in Missouri that begins with “H” or maybe an abbreviated company name? And if she was not a bank inspector, well, we hope she’s laughing somewhere at this, but it does sound very dramatic, doesn’t it? Jenevieve, Bank Inspector!

Havana Cuba, Street Scene 1920s

Posted on September 18, 2016 by Annieoakley

Photo circa 1920s. Street scene, Havana, Cuba.

Availability status: SOLD Size: 3 and 1/4 x 4 and 3/8″

The street name is unknown, but this is a wonderful glimpse back in time, circa 1920s Havana. Note the cobblestone street, streetcar, the rear-view of the smaller vehicle of the rubber-tired variety 😉 the beautiful wrought iron railings, the very tall double doors on the corner building on our left, and the people going about their day. Funny that everyone in the photo, except for those appearing in the extreme background, are facing us. Check out the guy partially in our view on the far right. He’s easy to miss!

Spanish-born hat maker, Evaristo Tanda

We’re not seeing Havana city directories for this time-period online at present, though maybe someone will post a comment which will help pinpoint the street, but in any case, the most prominent business sign in the photo shows: “Evaristo Tanda – Fabricante de Gorras” translating as “Evaristo Tanda – Manufacturer of Caps.” Evaristo was born in Spain about 1885. He appears on several ship passenger lists; the 1915 and 1917 record that he was single, occupation Merchant, and reveal that he had cousins, Angel and Francisco Puentes, in Matanzas, Cuba (could be city or province) the city being located on the northern coast of Cuba (about an hour and a half east from Havana, in present-day drive time.)

Below, partial view of the 1915 ship passenger list for S.S. Saratoga, en route from Cuba to New York, showing Evaristo Tanda’s last permanent residence as Havana, and nearest relative, cousin Angel Puentes:

An earlier S.S. Morro Castle

The 1917 passenger list for Evaristo Tanda and others, records their arrival from Cuba to New York, on Morro Castle. Research shows this was likely the passenger steamer built October 1900, original owner NY & Cuba Mail, which was scrapped in 1926, definitely not to be confused with the ship whose name became well-known (at least at that time) after the terrible 1934 Morro Castle tragedy, in which that vessel was destroyed by fire under mysterious circumstances which resulted in the loss of 137 members (accounts vary) of passenger and crew.

Below, Evaristo Tanda’s 1917 arrival in New York from Cuba on the earlier steamer Morro Castle:

Above, believed to the ship named on the 1917 record, the 6,004 ton passenger steamer Morro Castle (1900 – 1926) original owner N.Y. & Cuba Mail. (Photo courtesy Library of Congress.)

Below, Evaristo’s arrival in Key West, Florida on steamer Cuba in 1925.

Sources: Year: 1915; Arrival: New York, New York; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Microfilm Roll: Roll 2423; Line: 10; Page Number: 109. Ancestry.com. New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957.

Year: 1917; Arrival: New York, New York; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Microfilm Roll: Roll 2512; Line: 5; Page Number: 131. Ancestry.com. New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957.

SS Moro Castle (1930) n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Morro_Castle_(1930). (accessed September 18, 2016).

Cramp Shipbuilding, Philadelphia PA. September 3, 2014, updated. http://www.shipbuildinghistory.com/history/shipyards/2large/inactive/cramp.htm. shipbuildinghistory.com. (accessed September 18, 2016).

S.S. Morro Castle, Cramps Shipyards, Philadelphia. Detroit Publishing Company Photograph Collection. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. (accessed September 18, 2016).

The National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.; Series Title: Alien Passenger List of Vessels Arriving at Key West, Florida; NAI Number: 2790468; Record Group Title: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1787 – 2004; Record Group Number: 85. (Ancestry.com. Florida, Passenger Lists, 1898-1963.)

Mother Gunderson

Posted on September 5, 2016 by Annieoakley

“ ‘Mother’ Gunderson, mother of Leeve Elizabeth”

Old photo, circa early 1900s, taken from tintype.

Price: $15.00 for original photo. Digital copy $7.00. Size: About 3 and 1/2 x 5″

From the dark splotches and the general look of the photo, the original image was probably a tintype. How wonderful to have some i.d. written on the back, and one of the best clues within that writing is the use of the parentheses: “Mother” Gunderson is likely someone that the “writer” either knew personally or had heard plenty of references to, within the family. In other words, it’s a good bet that this beautiful lady had lived with or near her kids and grandkids in the (most likely) United States, rather than having stayed in the “old country.”

Possible related family surnames: Working, Salisbury, and Lesher

After searching thru census, family tree and grave site records, we have a strong possibility that the lady was named Anna, born about 1798 – 1809 in Norway, married to John Gunderson, born about 1797 in Norway. The 1857 Minnesota State Census for Belle Plaine, shows them living next door to Daniel W. Working, born 1827 in Pennsylvania, “Levi” Working (Leeve listed incorrectly as male) born Norway about 1830, and their son, about one year old John Brown Working, born in the Minnesota Territory (M.T.)

Per family trees in Ancestry, Leeve Elizabeth Gunderson married Daniel Webster Working in 1855 in Minnesota and had six other children after John B. True, it’s possible the above is not the correct match for our photo, however, no other near matches were found. And this one fits quite well for dates. Find A Grave has Leeve’s headstone showing born September 14, 1825 and died April 18, 1878.

Other Ancestry tree info has sisters of Leeve (aka Libby or Olivia) as Adeline (Gunderson) Salisbury (1830 – 1900) and Anna (Gunderson) Lesher (1832 – about 1887). And a date of death for our possible Anna “Mother Gunderson” as 1906. If the 1870 and 1880 Federal Census records are correct for Anna’s year of birth (1798) then she would have been about 108 years old when she died.

Sources: “Levi Working.” Ancestry.com. Minnesota, Territorial and State Censuses, 1849-1905 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007.

“Leeve Elizabeth Working.” Find A Grave Memorial# 13454263. Findagrave.com. (accessed September 5, 2016).

“Annie Gunderson.” Year: 1870; Census Place: Belle Plaine, Scott, Minnesota; Roll: T132_10; Page: 403; Image: 22726; Family History Library Film: 830430. (Ancestry.com)

“Anne Gounderson.” Year: 1880; Census Place: Blakeley, Scott, Minnesota; Roll: 633; Family History Film: 1254633; Page: 94A; Enumeration District: 114; Image: 0191.
(Ancestry.com)

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