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!

Dwight and Mary Brackett, Bellevue, Michigan, 1860s

This double-sided photo is actually, I believe, a page from a carte-de-visite photo album that has been torn out. One side shows a woman with an infant, while the other shows a man. Below his photo, written in pencil, is "Dwight Brackitt + wife." There is not much information here and I figured out that the surname may not be "Brackitt" but rather the more common spelling of "Brackett." So who is this gentleman and his family?

The closest match I've found is a man named Irving Dwight Brackett, who was born on May 4th, 1839, in Bellevue, Michigan. He was just one of Martin and Mary Brackett's 10 children. The Bracketts were considered a distinguished, early settler family of Michigan. Martin Brackett, described in his obituary as "the man most prominent, all things considered, who lived and died in Bellevue," was an attorney, a county clerk, and ran for state senator and lieutenant governor (losing each time). Irving Dwight didn't quite follow in his father's footsteps, instead working as a clerk in a dry goods store until his marriage.

On May 14th, 1861, he married 16-year-old Mary Goss. Mary Aristeen Goss was born on a farm in Convis Township, Michigan, on May 11th, 1845. Her parents, William and Chloe Goss, were early Bellevue pioneers, just as the Bracketts were. Dwight and Mary settled at the Goss family farm, where Dwight took up farming. Along with his work in agriculture and livestock, Dwight would also go on to conduct a general merchandise business, serve two years as treasurer of Convis Township, one year as township clerk, and four years as justice of the peace, among other things. Like his father, he stayed active in his community. 

The Bracketts had three children together: Rubie, Mary, and Clara. Tragically, none of their children lived past infancy. This tells us that the child we see in the photo with Mary (if this is the same Mary Brackett) likely did not live long after this photo was taken. 

Irving Dwight Brackett died on December 15th, 1919, at the age of 80. Mary would live another 18 years until 1937 when she passed at the age of 92. At the time of her death, Mary was considered the oldest resident in Bellevue. 

Do you think these are the right Bracketts? If you know who they may be, let us know in the comments!

Ella Martin Parker, Vermont/New Hampshire, 1860s

"Ella Martin
(Mrs Scott Parker)"

I had some difficulty researching the woman in this photograph. I was unable to find an Ella Martin who married a Scott Parker and lived in New Hampshire. I was, however, able to find an Ella Martin who married a Clark Parker and lived in Springfield, Vermont, which is right on the border between Vermont and New Hampshire. The ages between this woman and the one in the photograph match up. Ella spent the last years of her life in Massachusetts, where this photo was purchased. I think the details are close enough to be her- what do you think?

Ella Martin was born in Springfield, Vermont, on April 21st, 1852 to Dexter Martin, a chair manufacturer, and his wife Charlotte. She was one of 10 children, though several of her siblings died while still young. Two twin siblings, Collins Dexter and Lucy Jane, died on the same day in 1843 at the age of 3. An older brother, Horace Haywood, served with the 7th Vermont Infantry in the Civil War. After sailing aboard a steamer to Louisiana and witnessing the Battle of Baton Rouge in August 1862, Horace fell ill with tuberculosis. He died at the Marine Hospital in New Orleans at just 22 years old. Tuberculosis took another of Ella's brothers, Frederic Edmond, in 1869 at age 23. I have to wonder if perhaps Ella herself fell ill around this time, which would explain her short hair.

In 1876, when she was 24, Ella married Clark Converse Parker. They lived together on their farm in Springfield, the town they were both born and raised in. Ella and Clark had four children: Lula, Carl, Ernest Martin, and Alda Lottie. I couldn't find any record of Lula and Carl as adults, which leads me to believe they may have died young.

In 1908, 56-year-old Ella lost both her older brother, John Henry, and her husband, Clark. She continued to live in Springfield with her son Ernest, who worked as a machinist, her daughter, Alda, a teacher, and her sister, Lucy. 

In 1920, Ella is living as a boarder in the home of the Lawton family in Chester, Vermont. Her occupation is listed as "companion." 

In 1930, Ella has moved to Pittsfield, Massachusetts. At 77, she is living with her son Ernest and his family. In 1937, Ella fell ill. She spent the last months of her life living with her daughter Alda in Reading, Massachusetts. She passed away there on December 17th, 1937, at age 85.

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

Mary McLean, Mobile, Alabama 1860s-70s

Mary McLean was born in Mobile, Alabama on January 26th, 1851. She was the fourth of Susannah and James Bennett McLean's nine children. James was a butcher, a profession he passed on to his oldest son, James Madison. James M. was also the only one of the McLean boys old enough to enlist in the Confederate army at the outbreak of the Civil War, during which he fought with the 1st Alabama Infantry Regiment, Company D.

In 1870, about the year this photo was taken, 18-year-old Mary lost both her father and her younger brother, Robert Benjamin. Her second oldest brother, John, became a butcher as his father and brother had, perhaps as a way to help support the family. James, who had married and continued his work as a butcher after the war, lived next door with his wife, Emma, and their two children. After Mary's older sister Elizabeth died in 1878, her four young children came to live with the McLeans. As the oldest surviving daughter, Mary would likely have taken on the responsibility of helping raise her nieces and nephews.

In 1888, 37-year-old Mary became the second wife of William Henry Farnell, a farmer and former Confederate soldier. From their marriage, Mary and William had daughters Carrie Ethel (born about 1890) and Susie Mae (born about 1893). William died in 1918 at age 82, leaving behind 67-year-old Mary and their two girls, who were then in their 20's. From what I could find, neither Carrie Ethel nor Susie ever married. Susie was the only one in the family to have a job, working as a railroad clerk to support her mother and sister. The two women continued to live with their mother until Mary passed away in 1940 at the age of 89.

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

Laura A. Wilson and Elizabeth Cheney, Christian, Illinois 1860's

Laura Alice Wilson was born in Ohio in 1853 to Abraham Wilson and Nancy Watkins. Her mother died that same year. Laura was raised for many years by her grandparents, John and Emma Watkins. On September 24th, 1874, Laura married Charles Wesley Cheney in Illinois. They had three children: Nellie J., William Glenn, and Nuna Florence. In 1883 the family moved to McPherson, Kansas. After the death of Charles, Laura lived with Nellie and her husband, Dr. George R. Dean. When Nellie died in 1903 at the age of 27, Laura moved in with her youngest child, Nuna, and her family. Not long after, she moved again to live with her son, William. In the years before her death, she was living in a boarding house with two other women. She died in 1939.

Elizabeth Cheney, Laura's stepmother

Laura's father, Abraham, was a blacksmith and Civil War veteran. He married 4 times in his life. His second wife was Elizabeth "Lib" M. Cheney, who he married in Christian, Illinois in 1860. His third wife was Jennie, and his fourth was Ada L. Roby in 1880. In 1900, Abraham, who was deaf and suffered from dementia in his old age, was killed after being struck by a train.

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

Unknown Family 1860's, Decatur, Illinois

This is a carte de visite of a couple and their young son or daughter. The photograph was taken by T.H. Butler in Decatur, Illinois. Unfortunately there are no names on the photo so I couldn't identify the family.

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

Unknown Little Boy, 1860's

For the next few days, I'll be posting some "unknown" photographs from my collection starting with this tintype of a little boy. His cheeks have been lightly tinted pink and his hair has been puffed up in the front, a hairstyle fairly common for young boys in the 60's.

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

Anne Peoples 1860's, Texas

This tin-type fit this week's Sepia Saturday prompt so well, I couldn't help participate (even if I'm a little late)! Anne Peoples is wearing elaborate earrings, a necklace, and a brooch, as well as a gold ring that has been carefully tinted.

The back of this badly damaged picture is almost as interesting of the front. Someone (Anne herself?) used a scrap bit of notebook paper as a backing and made it very clear the photo belonged to her. I'm not sure what "H.I.A" stands for. Is there anyone who might know?

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

Click to see more lovely jewelry!

Unknown Girl 1860's Louisville, Kentucky

I'm back from a short break! Now that it's near summertime, I should be having more time to post pictures. This is a pretty little girl from Louisville, Kentucky. Henry Metzel was a photographer in Louisville from 1865-1871, and I have a feeling this photograph was taken in the 1860's.

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

Unknown 1860's Girl Hand-Tinted

This was an interesting find. I'm almost certain it's from the 1860's, judging on the gold border style and the little girl's clothing. The girl's dress has been tinted yellow, and her cheeks and the tablecloth her arm is resting on are both pink. Sadly, there is no name or photographer given anywhere on the photograph.

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

Pa and Uncle Jason 1860's-70's Emporia, Kansas

This is someone's Pa and his brother, Jason, though no last names are found. This photograph is from about the 1860's or 70's. The older boy (Jason?) is sitting on a chair with long tassels along the bottom and there appears to be a posing stand behind the other boy. The photo was taken by N.F. Ames of 170 Commercial Street, Emporia, Kansas.
                                                                       

If you know who these young gentlemen might be, let us know in the comments!