Category Archives: Photos With Names

Lottie Bather On The Right

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Old photo, cardboard mounting. Photographer unknown. Circa 1890s.

Price:  $6.00           Size of photo:  About 2 and 3/4 x 3 and 7/8″  Size including frame:  About 5 x 6 and 3/4″

Lottie Bather (on our right) and friend or relative:  The two ladies appear in uniforms; they are housemaids or perhaps nurses, and this photo was probably taken in the 1890s, note the wider sleeves (than the 1880 decade) and the Gibson Girl hairstyles. We searched census records for Lottie or Charlotte and even Lollie, as well as possible spelling variations for what appears to be Bather, but nothing definitive was found. But it’s a lovely photo, and you might have noticed the bottom right corner being raised just a tad. Yep, we looked underneath, ever so slightly, but no inkling of writing appears.

Anna Flottman’s Cousin Ed

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Divided back, Real Photo Postcard, unused. Circa 1910 – 1918.

Price:  $10.00

” Cnell Ill.  Dear Cousin, how are you I am fine and dandy. From your Cousin Ed Aleves.”

Addressed to:   “Miss Anna Flottman. Burden, Kans.”

This one’s a bit of a puzzle. I had sworn during research for the last post (in Burden KS via internet) that I’d come across the correct surname for this handsome gentleman. (A subcategory, that will hopefully be adhered to 😉 is being filed away somewhere “up top” entitled, “The Importance of Writing Things Down”.) His last name is hard to read in the signature. Alives, Alves, Aleves, Aluves, Alires were searched and how very odd now to be not finding the reference just previously come across. And the location he has written appears to be an abbreviation, possibly for Cornell, Illinois.

If Ancestry.com trees are correct for the marriage of Anna Flottman to Reason Leslie Moore on July 7, 1918, that narrows down the postcard time frame a little, since she was single when the card was sent to her. And for more about the recipient of this card, see the prior post.

Owen Curtis Herr, Burden KS 1908

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Divided back, unused, Real Photo Postcard. January 1908. KRUXO stamp box.

Price:  $12.00

A handsome young man, age seventeen when this photo was taken:  Owen “Curt” Herr, son of Samuel Horatio Herr and Caroline Jane Stuart. Curt was born November 13, 1890 in Jasper, Iowa. He wrote:

“Jan 1908. To Miss Annie Flottman. Remembrance of Mr. Curtis Herr.”

Addressed to:   “Miss Annie Flottman, Burden Kans.”

Annie is Anna Louise Flottman, born in Kansas in 1883, daughter of Harman (also spelled Herman) Flottman and Mary Pickens. Annie’s brother Albert married into the Herr family.

For another card addressed to Anna see the next post:  Anna Flottman’s Cousin Ed.

Sources:  State Historical Society of Iowa; Des Moines, Iowa. Ancestry.com. Iowa, Delayed Birth Records, 1856-1940.

Year: 1910; Census Place: Silver Creek, Cowley, Kansas; Roll: T624_436; Page: 1A; Enumeration District: 0062; FHL microfilm: 1374449. (Ancestry.com).

Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 21 June 2018), memorial page for Anna Louise Flottman Moore (13 Jun 1883–7 Apr 1945), Find A Grave Memorial no. 17647604, citing Grand Prairie Cemetery, Burden, Cowley County, Kansas, USA ; Maintained by Judy Mayfield (contributor 46636512).
Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 21 June 2018), memorial page for Matilda R. Herr Flottman (29 Apr 1885–21 Oct 1970), Find A Grave Memorial no. 17646745, citing Grand Prairie Cemetery, Burden, Cowley County, Kansas, USA ; Maintained by Judy Mayfield (contributor 46636512).

Agnes Gartin And Lydia Frazee

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Divided back, unused, Real Photo Postcard. Circa 1915. AZO stamp box.

Price:  $10.00

Two gorgeous girls:  friends (or perhaps cousins) Agnes Gartin and Lydia Frazee, which is which we can’t say for sure. Per the writing on the back the photo was taken Sunday, October 5th at 4 p.m., year not given. From census records Agnes was born in Oklahoma about 1900, daughter of Mitch C. and Rosa D. Gartin. (Rosa’s maiden name is McMillan per Ancestry trees.) And Lydia “Lydee” was born in Kansas about 1901, daughter of Bert L. and Lena Frazee (Lena’s maiden name is Carter per Ancestry trees.) Most likely, the photo for this RPPC was taken in Morton, Sedgewick County, Kansas, around 1915 or so.

Sources:  Year: 1900; Census Place: Patterson, Garfield, Oklahoma; Page: 5; Enumeration District: 0061. (Ancestry.com).

Kansas State Historical Society; Topeka, Kansas; 1905 Kansas Territory Census; Roll: ks1905_147; Line: 28. (Ancestry.com).

Year: 1910; Census Place: Morton, Sedgwick, Kansas; Roll: T624_455; Page: 10B; Enumeration District: 0090; FHL microfilm: 1374468. (Ancestry.com).

Melvin E. Noel

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Divided back, unused Real Photo Postcard. NOKO stamp box. Circa 1925.

Price:  $12.00

I think we can say beyond a reasonable doubt that this gentleman is Melvin Eustace Noel, born September 18, 1899 in Palermo, California, as no other possibilities were found. Melvin was the son of Daniel Noel and Daisy E. (Darby) Noel. We’re estimating maybe he was around 25 years old when the photo was taken. From records it appears he had never married and had made his living in the ranching industry. Makes sense as to his work boots and maybe best work pants that he wears for the photo, along with the suit jacket and tie. His WWII Draft Registration Card shows he was employed at that time by Amadee Ranch, address Wendel, CA with employer’s contact name and address given J. L. Humphrey of Reno, NV. Below, a Google map showing the town of Wendel, just north of Honey Lake, and moving eastward, the California-Nevada border.

Sources:  The National Archives in St. Louis, Missouri; St. Louis, Missouri; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 1320. Ancestry.com. U.S. WWII Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947.

Year: 1900; Census Place: Ophir, Butte, California; Page: 24; Enumeration District: 0020. (Ancestry.com).

Original data: State of California. California Death Index, 1940-1997. Sacramento, CA, USA: State of California Department of Health Services, Center for Health Statistics. (Ancestry.com).

Wendel, California map (Google.com).

Willie Moshier’s Postcard To Leone Olson

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Divided Back, Real Photo Postcard. Postmarked July 12, 1912, Sauk Rapids, Minnesota.

Price:  $12.00

“Sauk Rapids. Dear Leon I have no Leon to play with we had a marry go round I had lots of rides wish Leon wood ben hear to ride with me by by Willie Moshier.”

Addressed to:   “Miss Leon Olson, Libby Mont.”

That must be Willie on the front steps of the cottage with his parents watching over him from inside the screened porch. From the 1920 Federal Census for Sauk Rapids, MN, Willie is William R. Moshier, born about 1907 in MN, son of George H., born in PA, and Minnie Moshier born in Germany. From the 1920 Federal Census for Libby, MT, Leone is Leone G. Olson, born in MN about 1909, the daughter of Len J., born in Sweden and Gertrude E. Olson, born in MN.

Sources:  Year: 1920; Census Place: Sauk Rapids, Benton, Minnesota; Roll: T625_824; Page: 17A; Enumeration District: 91. (Ancestry.com).

Year: 1920; Census Place: Libby, Lincoln, Montana; Roll: T625_972; Page: 9B; Enumeration District: 128. (Ancestry.com).

The Taylor Family At Home, Endicott WA

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Divided Back, Real Photo Postcard. Postmarked July 20, 1908, Endicott, Washington. Photographer:  Hutchison, Endicott, Washington.

Price:  $15.00

“The old Lady is Mrs. Taylor. the Babe belongs to Fannie. I hope you are feeling better. Lovingly, Orpha.”

Addressed to:   “Mrs. A. H. Anderson. Coeur d’ Alene Idaho.”

Figuring out who is who

Orpha, the postcard sender, is Mrs. Thomas F. Taylor, born in California, about 1866, to Edward Irwin and Leah Stark. She and Thomas (that’s likely him in the image above) married in Diamond, Washington (about 13 miles east of Endicott) on April 18, 1896 (it’s April 14th as I’m typing this…so almost 122 years ago.) Thomas, born in Illinois about 1872, was the son of William J. Taylor and Sarah Barnett. His occupation was farmer, at the time of his marriage to Orpha, and it’s possible that the farmhouse we see here is Tom (let’s just say Tom from here on out) and Orpha’s. They had a daughter, Frances, born January 1897, near Endicott, so her age would fit perfectly for the young girl standing on the porch. If she’s Frances, then the dark-haired woman in the photo is probably Orpha, since the girl resembles her so much, and because we see the photographer’s embossed stamp on the side of the card, so in other words, Orpha may have been in the photo, definitely not taking it. The older lady (let’s not say old!) on our left must be Tom’s mother, Sarah (Barnett) Taylor. Last, but not least, what was the babe’s name?

Orpheus C. Taylor on the 1910

An unusual female name, either way, Orpha or Orpheus, but the 1910 Federal Census shows Tom, Orpheus and Frances, living in Garfield, Washington, near the border of Idaho. Tom, at this time, is running his own blacksmith shop.

Who was Mrs. A. H. Anderson?

Possibly Jessie, maiden name Dobbins, that married Andrew H. Anderson. In 1910 the couple was living in Coeur d’ Alene with their daughter, Fern (or Sweet Fern, as she is officially named on one of her records. Love these names! And, we’ll add this post to our Unusual First Names category, on account of both Sweet Fern and Orpheus.)

Sources:  Washington State Archives; Olympia, Washington; Collection Title: Washington Marriage Records, 1854-2013; Reference Number: eawhmr350. (Ancestry.com).

Original data: Washington Births, 1891-1929. Various county birth registers. Microfilm. Washington State Archives, Olympia, Washington. (Ancestry.com).

Year: 1910; Census Place: Precinct 42, Whitman, Washington; Roll: T624_1674; Page: 3A; Enumeration District: 0264; FHL microfilm: 1375687. (Ancestry.com).

Year: 1910; Census Place: Sherman, Kootenai, Idaho; Roll: T624_225; Page: 11B; Enumeration District: 0173; FHL microfilm: 1374238. (Ancestry.com).

“Sweet Fern Cruze.” California, Death Index, 1940-1997. (Ancestry.com).

Anna (Gibson) Ely, Ypsilanti, Michigan

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Cabinet Card, circa 1883 – 1885. Photographer:  Lewis & Gibson, Ypsilanti, Michigan

Price:  $15.00

Photographers, Jefferson Gibson and Emerson Lewis, had reportedly teamed up for only about three years, giving us a very good estimate for this Cabinet Card date, 1883 to 1885, with this portrait of the beautiful Anna Gibson (no relation to the photographer that we know of). Though she wears a ring that might indicate that the photographic duo continued into late 1886, just as likely, this image was taken before her marriage to John Young Ely, December 22, 1886. The marriage record lists both bride and groom as being native residents of Farmington, Michigan, he age 22, occupation farmer, and she age 20. John, died very young, we’re sorry to report, at age 32 of peritonitis. Anna was the daughter of Joseph Gibson who was born in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland (an inadvertent Irish connection with our last few web posts) and Martha Morrison, of Michigan.

The 1900 Federal Census shows Anna, widowed, with her three children, Martha, William and Joseph, renting at 304 N. Hamilton, Ypsilanti, with her sister, Mary Gibson and three lodgers, though numerous later records show a longer residence at 307 N. Hamilton (including some that show Anna’s occupation as nurse).

Sources:  “Jefferson Gibson.” Portrait and Biographical Album of Washtenaw County, Michigan. Biographical Publishing Co. Chicago 1891. pp. 228 – 229.

“Michigan Marriages, 1868-1925,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N3K4-MP8 : 10 March 2018), John Young Ely and Annie Jennie Gibson, 22 Dec 1886; citing Farmington, Oakland, Michigan, v 2 p 38 rn 1121, Department of Vital Records, Lansing; FHL microfilm 2,342,479.

Year: 1900; Census Place: Ypsilanti Ward 3, Washtenaw, Michigan; Page: 6; Enumeration District: 0112. (Ancestry.com).

Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 27 March 2018), memorial page for Anna Jane Gibson Ely (27 Jan 1867–22 Jul 1956), Find A Grave Memorial no. 11715472, citing Oakwood Cemetery, Farmington, Oakland County, Michigan, USA ; Maintained by Kätzchen (contributor 47304829) .

“Find A Grave Index,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVVD-GQWR : 13 December 2015), John Young Ely, 1897; Burial, Farmington, Oakland, Michigan, United States of America, Oakwood Cemetery; citing record ID 11715471, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.

Death Records. Michigan Department of Community Health, Division for Vital Records and Health Statistics, Lansing, Michigan.

R. L. Polk & Co.’s Ypsilanti City Directory, 1931. p. 84. Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995.

M. A. Sullivan, Sartoria, Nebraska

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Old photo, circa late 1890s.

Price:  $12.00        Size of photo:  1 and 3/4 x 2 and 5/8″

Sartoria, Buffalo County, Nebraska, on the map below:

Sometimes you get lucky and sometimes you don’t. One pictures an easy pull-up of census records of maybe a Mary or a Margaret (tracing a middle name to Ann) Sullivan in Buffalo County, near or in Sartoria…..indicating beyond a reasonable doubt, a match for the beautiful young woman, that appears (in striped seersucker) in our photo above, and is of presumably Irish descent. But nope, what was found instead were a few possibilities and a fourth that we had to rule out:

Mary Sullivan, single, born Ireland 1874, sister of T. D. Sullivan, clergyman, born Ireland about 1877. Elm Creek, Buffalo County, Nebraska, 1910 Federal Census.

Or…..Mary Sullivan, born about 1878 IL, residence Gibbon township NE from the 1885 State Census, age 7. Daughter of Timothy, born Ireland, and Christie, born Sweden.

Or….Maggie Sullivan, born Michigan 1864, daughter of John C. and Mary Sullivan. Residence Kearney, Buffalo Co., NE on the 1880 Federal Census.

Not our M. A. Sullivan but interesting nonetheless…..

Mary Sullivan, born about Oct 1870 IL, single, schoolteacher, parents Daniel and Julia Sullivan, born Ireland. Beaver NE 1900 Federal Census. This one led us down a long path with detours for Shakespearean research, masques (not masks) and the University of Nebraska. It was this Mary Sullivan, Ph.D. (as far was we can tell not the one in our photo) that wrote Court Masques of James I:  Their Influence on Shakespeare and the Public Theatres, was mentioned in newspaper articles (alas no photo) and finally traced to Schenley High School, 1921, Pittsburgh, PA (with a photo that appears to rule out a match.)

A nice ring to it

Sartoria was settled by Swedish immigrant John Swenson. See Alice S. Howell’s “Sartoria, A Lovely Ghost Town.” The name of the little village is said to have been coined because it was easy to pronounce. (In Italian the word means “tailoring” but this is just FYI.)

Sources:  Sartoria, Nebraska. Google Maps. (Google.com).

Year: 1910; Census Place: Elm Creek, Buffalo, Nebraska; Roll: T624_839; Page: 4A; Enumeration District: 0035; FHL microfilm: 1374852. (Ancestry.com).

National Archives and Records Administration; Nebraska State Census; Year: 1885; Series/Record Group: M352; County: Buffalo; Township: Gibbon; Page: 5. (Ancestry.com).

Year: 1900; Census Place: Beaver, Buffalo, Nebraska; Page: 7; Enumeration District: 0022. (Ancestry.com).

Year: 1880; Census Place: Kearney, Buffalo, Nebraska; Roll: 743; Page: 263D; Enumeration District: 154. (Ancestry.com).

Masque. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masque (accessed March 24, 2018).

The Schenley Journal Class Book (1921) p. 6. Pittsburgh:  Schenley High School. (classmates.com)

Howell, Alice Shaneyfelt. “Sartoria, A Lovely Ghost Town.” Buffalo County Historical Society, Vol. 4, number 6. June 1981.

The Battertons In 1909

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Divided back, Real Photo Postcard, unused. AZO stamp box.

Price:  $15.00

“Grandfather & Grandmother Edgar & Margaret & Jennie Batterton taken Sept 1st 1909.”

As near as we can figure, that is to say, no other Batterton families match up as well, this image shows left to right:  William Edgar Batterton, born 1876 in Missouri, with his wife Jean A. “Jennie”, born about 1886 in Ontario, Canada, Edgar’s parents David L. Batterton, born about 1848 in Missouri and Nancy Margaret (Cromwell) Batterton, born 1848 in Missouri and the youngest Batterton, Jean Margaret, born 1908 in Manitoba, Canada. The Canadian connection may have been established by David L. Batterton:  A homestead grant record shows for David dated 1902.

Adding credibility

A little more credibility for our educated guess on the specific family:  Edgar’s WWI Draft Registration card shows his date of birth as November 25, 1876, living in Minneapolis, wife listed as nearest relative, and his build is described as stout (matches the photo) and eyes blue (not discrepant) though his hair by this time had become gray. He is listed on this record as a naturalized citizen of Canada.

A paid gig

It’s always fun to try to read any books or signs or anything else with wording that might be, by chance (or not) in a photo. This one shows the grandmother holding one of Eastman Kodak’s periodicals Studio Light. Underneath the title is Aristo Eagle, the name of another photographic journal which must have, by that time, been incorporated into Studio Light. The Eagle was earlier published by the American Aristotype Co. out of Jamestown, New York. So, the image for our RPPC was almost certainly taken by a professional photographer, rather than by friend or family, and we picture him making sure (as always, making provisions for fidgety children) the baby had something to hold, if needed.

Sources:  “United States Census, 1880,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MH84-HGF : 16 August 2017), Edgar Batterton in household of David L Batterton, Butte City, Deer Lodge, Montana, United States; citing enumeration district ED 10, sheet 106A, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 0742; FHL microfilm 1,254,742.

“United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K87L-F8S : 12 December 2014), William Edgar Batterton, 1917-1918; citing Minneapolis City no 10, Minnesota, United States, NARA microfilm publication M1509 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,675,682.

Year: 1920; Census Place: Minnetonka, Hennepin, Minnesota; Roll: T625_839; Page: 19B; Enumeration District: 264. (Ancestry.com).

Google eBook Studio Light. Vol. 11, March 1919, No. 1. (Google.com).

“Great Aristo Lamp.” Belvidere Daily Republican. (Belvidere, Illinois) May 18, 1905, Thursday, p. 3. (Newspapers.com).