Sarah Jane “Jennie” Gregory first said “I do” when she was 64 years old. She wed Theodore A. Collier, 62, in Pontiac, Michigan, on February 27, 1912. It was his first trip to the altar, as well. As strange as this late-in-life marriage may seem, what makes it all the more interesting is that the … More Secret Lovers
Recently, I happened upon a tintype of a gentleman posed next to a small, decorative table. Written on the front of the paper sleeve frame is “Mr. John Pease.” I immediately recognized the table as one in a photo already in my collection. In an earlier post, I featured a carte de visite of Sophia Germann. … More Would the real John Pease, please stand up.
This dandy cabinet card was discovered in Goshen, Indiana. The sitter screamed, “Take me home! I’m bold and interesting!” William Francis Hostetler, born in La Paz, Indiana in 1870, was a hustler, in a good way. He was an enterprising person, determined to succeed, a real go-getter. Which is why I was surprised to find … More The Hustler
This cabinet card has so much going for it! From the lovely studio backdrop to the girl’s big-eyed, faraway stare, to the awkward pose made to show off her dress bustle (and wow, what a bustle!) Bustles reached extreme proportions in the mid-1880s. The back of the card is just as interesting. The artwork offers … More Cloudy Days Good As Sunshine
Pat Cook’s family portrait wound up in a sale basket in Archbold, Ohio. While the cabinet card shows a lot of wear, and the mother and daughter on the left appear ghostly pale, the overall depth and detail of the sitter’s images held up well. The balloon-like sleeves of the daughter on the right helped … More From the Grave
I picked up these old photos from a wonderful shop on Etsy, The Wurdeman Studio. If you love old things, especially photos and jewelry, take a moment to check it out. The back of this cabinet card photo reads, “J.W. Helton & J.W. Hibbs, Unionville, Mo, Age 27 & 30.” James Helton and John Hibbs … More Until the serpent crossed her path
“Aunt Margret Newkirk” is written on the back of this cabinet card that was found in Auburn, Indiana. The sitter is Margaret (nee Warwick). The inscription leads me to believe this photo belonged to Maud Kelley, a foster daughter, who lived in the Newkirk home for some years, and who fondly referred to the sitter … More Nevertheless, She Persisted
On January 27, 1890, Emma (nee Berger) Toomey, aged 26, died after being run over by a train. Almost two years later, on December 23, 1891, her husband, Michael Toomey, was also “killed by the cars.” It’s believed they were struck because they couldn’t hear the train coming, as both Emma and Michael lost their … More Killed by the Cars
I picked up this beautiful tintype on etsy. Written on the back of the pink paper sleeve that houses the image is “Annie Townsend, Mother of Nelle, Henry, Roy.” Having no information about the photographer or location, I looked closely at the sitter’s clothing and hairstyle, and with the help of the 19th Century Card … More The Stitching Girl
This cabinet card was found in a Goshen, Indiana shop and features Lizzie and Emma Boeckling during happier times; I uncovered a sad tale during my research. Lizzie and Emma were two of six children born to John and Johanna Boeckling of LaPorte, Indiana. They were the middle children, with the eldest being Carrie and … More Unrelenting Death
the rescued photo 