The Berquist Family, Chicago, Illinois 1900's

The back reads:
"Dad, Edd, + Maggie
My Great Grandfather
Berquist
Uncle Edd Berquist
Maggie Berquist"

This 1900's cabinet card is of Solomon Berquist and two of his children, Edd and Maggie Berquist.

Solomon was a stonemason from Sweden. He and his wife Johanna had eight children in total: Frank, Edward, Charles, Henry, Barnhart, Alfred, Thomas, and Margaret. Margaret, or Maggie as she was called, was born in 1885. She married Boyd T. Culver, a mason, in Minnesota in 1913. They had two sons, Edward and James.

Edward W. Berquist, or Edd, was born in 1869. He married Emilie Gartz in 1896 and they had two daughters, Alvina and Ruth. In Chicago, Illinois, Edward was employed as a "pipeman" in the fire department- apparently "pipeman" is slang for the firefighter who handles the "pipe", or hose. His bravery as a fireman was noted several times in the Chicago Tribune, including this mention of a daring rescue in 1904:

Emilie Berquist died in 1918 and Edward was cared for in old age by his daughter, Alvina, and her family.

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Elizabeth Francis Chatham, Leona, Texas 1850's

The inscription on the back reads:

"Elizabeth Frances Chatham
(Feb. 18, 1839-Dec. 1905)
aged 18

Married William Rufus Rhodes
(Oct. 28,1823-June 1899)

June 24, 1862
at Leona, Leon County, Texas"

Elizabeth Francis "Bettie" Chatham was born on February 18th, 1839 to parents George and Cenia Chatham. If the inscription is correct and Elizabeth was 18 in the photograph, it would have been taken in 1857. In the 1860 census, Elizabeth is single and living at home with her parents. William Rufus Rhodes was the co-founder of Chatham Machinery Company along with Col. R. K. Chatham, Elizabeth's brother. I think this is probably how he and Elizabeth met. According to the inscription, she married William in Leona, Texas in 1862, though several documents indicate that her first son, Albert Marshall, was born in 1859. I wonder where he was in 1860? Elizabeth and William went on to have 4 more children: Sally Emma, Henry G., Sidney Earle, and Edith Maude. Elizabeth was an active Christian Scientist and held many meetings at her home. She passed away in 1905.

If you know who this may be, let us know in the comments!