Jennie and Lawrence Crouch, Rockville, Connecticut, 1910-20s

Writing on back reads: "Mr + Mrs L.E. Crouch and ?
Rockville, Conn.
Jennie Castello - Crouch 
(Given to me in 1920)"

In this photograph, a windswept trio stands outside a farmhouse. The couple on the right are identified, while the third man at the far left remains a mystery.

Jennie Castello, the woman in this photo, was born in Wahoo, Nebraska, around 1875. She was the daughter of Irish immigrants William and Elizabeth Castello. William, a farmer, immigrated to the United States in 1857 and soon after served in the 17th Regiment of the Ohio Infantry during the Civil War.  Jennie had six siblings: Thomas, Carrie, Willie, Minnie, Ida, and Johnnie. Sadly, both Willie and Johnnie died in childhood.

In 1904, Jennie married Lawrence Egbert Crouch, a laborer and mill worker. Lawrence was born in New York around 1879. In the 1910 census, Jennie and Lawrence are living with Lawrence's mother, Elisabeth, and his step-father, Henry Kelsted, in Tolland, Connecticut. By 1920, they were living on their own.

According to the inscription, this photograph shows the couple's home in Rockville (the census records say they lived in Tolland, though the two towns are so close together either could be accurate). 

The couple never had children. Lawrence passed away in 1951, after which Jennie stayed with friends Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Hill. Jennie was eventually moved into the Rockville Convalescent Home, where she passed away in March 1969. She was buried at North Cemetery in Tolland.

Jennie's obituary states that she left behind no relatives, but I hope she still has family out there that might like to have this photo.

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

Ruth Gordan McArdle, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1860s

Ruth Gordan was born in Ireland in 1798. Her husband was William McArdle, born in 1787. They had at least two children: Arthur, born in 1830, and James, born in 1839. Church records show that James was baptised in Drumgoon, Ireland, giving us a clue as to where the McArdles were living at the time.

Sometime after James's birth, the family immigrated to America. This was likely a result of the Great Famine that devastated Ireland from 1845 to 1852. During this period, more than 1 million people left Ireland to seek a better life in the United States. Once in the States, the family settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where there was already a large Irish population. William died there in 1859, aged 71, and was buried in Cathedral Cemetery.

In the 1860 census, Ruth is living with her sons, Arthur and James, Arthur's wife, Ann, and two grandchildren, Ruth and Charles. Both Arthur and James are listed as blacksmiths. Living next door is Michael Smith, an Irish drayman, and his family. By 1870, Ruth had moved in with the Smiths and was working as a domestic servant for the household. It is unclear what led Ruth to leave her home to work for her neighbors. Without a husband, Ruth may have struggled to support herself, especially once her sons moved out. The census tells us that Ruth could neither read nor write, so her employment options were limited. 

Just two months after the 1870 census was taken, Ruth McArdle passed away at age 72. Like her husband, she was buried in Cathedral Cemetery in Philadelphia.

If you recognize Ruth, please let us know in the comments!

Sylvia Wisehart, Clayton, Illinois 1900s

Writing on the back reads:
"Sylvia Wisehart(???) Taken at Clayton, Ill."

In this Real Photo Postcard from the early 1900s, Sylvia Wisehart of Clayton, Illinois, sits in a rocking chair while perusing what looks like a fashion magazine. She is casual and comfortably dressed, and one might assume this is a candid moment if not for the sheet hung up as a backdrop. I have to wonder who snapped this photo and what the sitter thought about it.

Sylvia was born Sylvia Harriet Johnson in Adams County, Illinois, on August 12th, 1886. Her parents were Eli Bishop Johnson, a farmer, and his wife, Josophine. Eli was a veteran of the Civil War, having served with the Union Army in the 2nd Illinois Light Artillery as a young man. Eli and Josophine had eight children: Julia (b. 1868), Charles (b. 1870), William Lyman (b. 1872), Loren (b. 1874), Solon (b. 1875), Francis Marion (b. 1878), Cyrene Eli (b. 1881), and Sylvia. By the time Sylvia was born, her only two sisters, Julia and Loren, had died. She was left the sole girl in a family of boys.

In 1903, at age 16, Sylvia married 28-year-old Albert Franklin Wisehart. Their first child, Eli Bishop, was born the next year. He was followed by Luella Violet in 1906, Theresa Josephine in 1908, and Delma Catherine in 1910.

At 20, Sylvia lost her mother. At 31, she lost her father. At age 33, she suffered yet another blow. On January 22, 1920, she gave birth to twins. Her daughter, Albertha Mae, survived, while her son, Albert Franklin, Jr, lived only two days. 

By the time she was 40, Sylvia was already a grandmother. Her husband, Albert, died in 1935 at age 60, leaving her a widow at 49.

Sylvia Wisehart spent the entirety of her life in her home state of Illinois. She lived to be 84, passing away on December 15th, 1970. It is remarkable to think how much life she lived in those 84 years, and how much she would have seen the world change around her.

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

Robert, James, and Samuel Stephens, Randolph County, Alabama 1897

Writing on back reads:

"Jim Rufus + Bob Stephens
Sam died 1919
flu     
typhoid
1897
James Oliver  Sam  Robert Wesley"
       14?              9            16?

(Note: Though the writing on the back of the photo says "Rufus," I do believe the boys shown here are James, Samuel, and Robert Stephens. Rufus Stephens would have been 21 in 1897, too old to be in this photo.)

These brothers, photographed together in 1897, were three of Stephen Samuel Stephens and Susanna Elizabeth Liles Stephens' nine children. All nine were born in Randolph County, Alabama, where the family resided. The first three born were girls: Alice Estelle in 1870, Rebecca Isabelle in 1871, and Melissa Ozier in 1872. The first boy, William Anderson, arrived in 1874, followed by Rufus Whitten in 1876, Sarah Croma in 1879, Robert Wesley in 1883, James Oliver in 1884, and Samuel Marvin in 1888. 

Here we see James, Samuel, and Robert, the youngest three siblings. Around the time the photo was taken, Robert was working with his father on the farm. By 1910, however, Robert was living in Georgia with his wife, Clara, and working as a dentist. Robert and Clara had three children: Jewell Irene, Catherine Frances, and Robert Marvin. He died of a heart attack in 1940 at the age of 57.

James also worked on the farm with his father as a teenager. Sadly, James died of typhus in 1902 at the age of 17. This came just six months after the death of his older sister, Rebecca, who may have passed from the same illness. He was laid to rest at Pleasant Hill United Methodist Church Cemetery in Wadley, Randolph County, Alabama.

In 1910, at age 20, the youngest brother, Samuel, was still at home on the farm. Soon, he left Alabama to join his brother Robert in Manchester, Georgia. There, he worked as an operator for the Atlanta, Birmingham, and Atlantic Railway. In December 1918, around his 30th birthday, Samuel became ill with the flu. It developed into severe pneumonia, and he passed on January 6th, 1919. He was buried with his brother, James, in Randolph County. They share a beautiful headstone. 

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

Harriet Millard Mahurin and Alice Mahurin, 1910s, Oklahoma

Inscription on back of photo reads:
"Harriet Millard Mahurin- oldest sister
of Isaac Millard- and her only 
daughter, Alice."

The somber-looking women in this portrait are Harriet Millard Mahurin, seated, and her daughter, Alice, who stands beside her. Harriet Millard was born around 1857 in Tennessee to parents George and Elzira Millard. George Millard was a farmer at the time of Harriet's birth, but in 1862, he enlisted in the 63rd Tennessee Regiment of the Confederate army. On July 4th, 1863, he was captured and held as a prisoner of war following the Siege of Vicksburg. After his release, George fought in the Battle of Proctor's Creek in Chesterfield, Virginia, where he was fatally wounded. He died on May 18th, 1864, leaving behind a wife and six children, including 17-year-old Harriet.

In 1866, at age 19, Harriet married her first husband, Henry H. Breedlove. The marriage was cut short, likely by Henry's death, though I can't seem to find record of it. She remarried the very next year.

Harriet's second marriage was to Henry Grim (sometimes written as "Graham"), a shoemaker in Greene County, Tennessee. Together they had three sons: George, Charles, and Edwin.

It's unclear what became of Henry, but Harriet married a third time in 1879, this time to William Mahurin. In 1880, the family was living in Hill, Texas. Harriet and William had six children: Elangia, Minnie, Alice, Samuel, Lina, and William. 

In 1897, the Mahurins lost their 13-year-old daughter, Minnie. Then in 1907, they lost two more children. Their eldest daughter, Elangia, passed away in February at age 26, leaving behind a husband and son. Just a few months later, Lina, their youngest daughter, passed away at age 14. When this photo was taken in the 1910s, Alice was the only remaining daughter. I can't imagine the grief Harriet felt. I understand why she would want a photograph of them together.

In 1918, Alice married James E. Langley, a farmer, in Carter, Oklahoma. James brought with him children from his two previous marriages. He and Alice had three children together: Lois, George, and Bill.

Harriet lived out her remaining years in Oklahoma, close to her daughter. She passed away in 1920. Shortly after her mother's death, Alice and her family moved to Wellington, Texas. They lived there for 17 years until Alice's death in 1938 at age 52. Her obituary describes her as having "made many friends, who loved and respected her for her many good qualities and for her kindness and thoughtfulness."

If you know who these ladies are, let us know in the comments!

Lillie Ethel Woodward, Hillsdale, Michigan 1897

Writing on the back reads:
"Lillie Ethel Woodward 7 years
1897"

Lillie Ethel Woodward was born in 1889 or 1890. She was the adopted daughter of carpenter Elijah Woodward and his wife, Elizabeth. Elijah had four children by his first wife, Mary, before she passed away in 1872. He married Elizabeth the next year. The couple never had biological children and it's unclear when Lillie was adopted.

In 1900, the family lived in Hillsdale, Michigan, along with three young female boarders who were students at the nearby Hillsdale College. In 1910, 20-year-old Lillie Ethel lived with her aging parents and was listed in the census as a student. Perhaps she, too, attended Hillsdale College?

Elizabeth died in 1917 at age 75, followed by Elijah in 1919 at age 85.

What became of Lillie Ethel after the death of her parents? I wish I knew. After the 1910 census, her trail goes cold. I found the grave of an Ethel L. Woodward, born 1890, who died in Michigan in 1980. Without further information, it's difficult to know for sure if this is the same woman. 

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

John Henry King, Beatrice, Nebraska 1890s-1900s

Writing on back reads:
"John H. King
Workshop on South La Selle St.
Beatrice, Ne."

At the time of his death, John Henry King was one of Beatrice, Nebraska's most prominent and respected citizens.

He was born in 1839 in Indiana to Samuel Alfred and Nancy King. At the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, 22-year-old John enlisted with the 7th Indiana Volunteer Infantry and served until September 20th, 1864. Five months later, in February 1865, John married Susan Hollett. The couple had six children: Charles Free, Olive Bell, Della Pearl, Fannie Bird, James Otto, and Kale Algada, who died at 12 months.

The family moved to Beatrice, Nebraska in 1882, where John worked as a carpenter. In this photograph, he can be seen in his workshop near the family home on South La Selle St. surrounded by the tools of his trade. John was also a city councilman and a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. 

The Kings lost two of their children four years apart. Their daughter, Della, passed in 1897 at only 24. In 1901 their oldest son, Charles, died after suffering from "Bright's Disease," the historical term for kidney disease. John's obituary notes that following the death of his son, he had been "worried considerably," which may have led to a decline in his health. 

In February 1902, John fell ill with the flu. He died at home on February 14th at the age of 62. His obituary describes him as "a hardworking, industrious man" who was "honored and respected by all who knew him."

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

Georgia Amanda Pickett Dabney, Cleburne, Texas 1870s

Writing on the back reads:
"For Mary.
This is Grandmother Dabney at 14 years of age.
Her maiden name was Georgia Amanda Pickett.
Little Mary Amanda is named for her."

Georgia Amanda Pickett was born in Eufaula, Alabama on April 16th, 1861. She was the youngest child of Charity Patience Norton and Dr. Charles Pickett. Only four of the Picketts' eight children- James, Mary, Sally, and Georgia- survived past childhood. Between 1861 and 1870, the family moved from Alabama to Red Oak, Texas, just outside of Waxahachie. In 1873, Georgia and her sister Sally were attending preparatory classes at Marvin College, a school in Waxahachie that had opened just a few years prior. It boasted a three-story classroom, an office building, two dormitories, and an observatory with a $1,200 telescope. The school didn't last long and closed in 1878 due to financial troubles. In her portrait, 14-year-old Georgia holds an open book- most likely the Bible- demonstrating that she is an educated young woman.

In 1878, at age 17, Georgia married John Falls "Jack" Dabney, a grocer, in Cleburne, Texas. The couple had seven children, though, like her mother, Georgia lost more than one in childhood. Their first, Ina Pauline, was born in 1880 and died four months later. Then came two more girls, Hallie Lucille in 1881 and Eva in 1885. Their first son, John, was born in 1887 and lived only five days. He was followed by three more boys, Tyre Glen in 1888, George Herbert in 1890, and Wilbur Norton in 1901.

Jack Dabney died in 1929 at age 76. Georgia Amanda Pickett Dabney died in 1937, also at age 76.

I'm left with many questions about Georgia, especially her later years. Her obituary describes her only as a widowed housewife. I have to imagine she was beloved by her children and grandchildren, enough that "Little Mary Amanda" was named after her.

If she belongs to your family, I would love to know more! Let us know in the comments.

Minnie Hoerger and Mabel Hoerger Buck, Sutton, Nebraska 1900s-1930s

Writing on back reads:
"Fudge party at University- 1901
Mabel L. Hoerger on floor
Minnie Hoerger end at right"

The first of two photos of the Hoerger sisters shows them with friends at their university in 1901. The room is full of fun details, like a collection of cabinet cards and a picture of what appears to be a cat in a top hat. They are having a "fudge party" in which students (usually young women) enjoy treats they've smuggled into their dorm rooms. These parties were popularized at women's colleges such as Vassar and Wellesley in the 1890s. An 1897 article from the New York Tribune explains that a fudge party is best enjoyed "when a dozen or more girls are congregated in a room, sitting on sofa cushions spread out on the floor in a mystic circle around an alcohol stove, from which the odor of ‘fudge’ rises like incense." (Atlas Obscura has a fantastic article all about fudge parties!)

Mabel Louise Hoerger, seated on the floor in this photo, was born in Sutton, Nebraska in September 1879 to Frederick and Katherine Hoerger. She was the eldest of their three children; her sister Minnie (seated at the far right) was born in December 1881, and her brother William was born in 1884. Their father was a prominent businessman in Sutton. According to his obituary, he had an interest in the Sutton Creamery, Sutton Lumber Co., and Sutton Exchange Bank, and was Vice President of both the State Bank of Sutton and Sutton Telephone Co. He was successful as a hardware merchant and well-connected, which may have allowed him to provide a college education for his daughters- something that was inaccessible to many young women at this time.

The Hoerger sisters attended the University of Nebraska, where I assume this photo was taken. Also attending the school was a young man named Ralph Buck. According to a small newspaper clipping I found, Ralph and Mabel were both members of a campus club for students from Sutton. They married at the Hoerger family home in 1905 and went on to have one daughter, Kathryn.

Minnie never married and worked as a schoolteacher. The two sisters seemed to have remained close, as they are frequently mentioned together in the society articles of The Sutton News. Minnie especially was quite active in her community and was a member of more clubs than any one person could possibly have time for. These include, but are not limited to: the PEO Sisterhood, the Congregational Ladies Aid, the Red Cross, the Fortnightly Club, the Bay View Club, the Congregational Mission Society, and the World Friendship Society.

Writing on back reads:
"Dec 25-'33"
Left to right: 
Mrs. Susy Z. Buck
Minnie V. Hoerger
Kathryn L. Buck
Mrs. Mabel H. Buck"

This second photo was taken on Christmas Day, 1933. Seated at the far left is Mabel's mother-in-law, Susy Buck. Between Minnie and Mabel sits Kathryn, Mabel's 19-year-old daughter. Kathryn went on to graduate from Nebraska State University, just as her father, mother, and aunt had, and worked for the Nebraska Public Library Commission.

On December 28th, 1940, Ralph Buck died at age 62 of a heart attack in his home. 

Minnie Hoerger died at age 88 on August 10th, 1970. Her sister Mabel followed three years later, passing at age 93 on February 14th, 1973.

If you recognize this family, let us know in the comments!