Alma Rowell and Family, Shelbyville, Illinois 1880's

The back reads:
"William Howe
Alma Rowell
and Daisy Smith
when age 4 yrs. old"

Researching this group of family photos has proven to be more challenging than I expected considering all the information written on the backs! Here is what I know so far:

Alma Almira Hastings was born in 1848 in Vermont to parents Daniel M. Hastings and Mary T. Munn. In  July of 1865, she married Orange N. Rowell, a farmer (This is the first time I've ever seen "orange" used as a first name! In 1870 they are living in Orange County, Vermont and he was born in Vermont, so perhaps he was named after the county?). Alma and Orange had their first child, Fred, in 1869 and their second, Daisy, in 1876. Not long after Daisy was born, Alma and Orange separated. I can't find a record of a formal divorce, but Alma moved with Daisy to New Trier, Illinois sometime between 1876 and 1880, leaving her husband and son in Vermont. In Illinois, Alma and Daisy (listed, for some reason, as "Anna") lived for some time with distant relations: Benjamin and Mary Munn, their daughter Persis and her husband Henry Moore, Persis and Henry's children, and Almira Munn. I imagine it was a crowded house!
                                 

I believe this is the Munn/Moore family, from left to right:
Emma Moore, Benjamin Munn, Persis Moore, Almira Munn, and Edward Moore

I'm still unsure about who "William Howe" is and if he's even the man in this photo. It's more likely that the man is Orange Rowell, except that I don't believe he was ever in Shelbyville, Illinois, where the photo was taken.

I will continue Alma's story in next week's post, where I will focus a little more on Daisy.

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