WOMAN MODELS REPTILIAN WEAR IN PENACOOK, NEW HAMPSHIRE

Most people don’t think of Penacook, New Hampshire as the center of turn of the century fashion. However, in 1890, a new fashion trend was born in tiny Penacook. Traditional fashion centers like Paris and New York City were blindsided by the innovative dress designs coming out of Penacook. Reptilian Wear was introduced in 1890 and was overwhelmingly the most well received of all these designs. Penacook area photographers quickly were called upon to sharpen their skills in fashion photography because their services were in high demand by the rapidly growing local clothing industry. This cabinet card was produced by the studio of M. S. Lamprey who began operating in Penacook in 1858. The woman in this image is wearing an excellent example of a Reptilian Wear dress. This particular dress was sold under the Iguana label. The model in this photograph was not identified. She is wearing a necklace from which hangs a cross. If you doubt the veracity of this story; you would be correct to do so. Here is some non fiction commentary about this cabinet card. The photographer is Maurice S. Lamprey (1835-1912). The 1860 census finds Lamprey living with his parents and siblings and working as a varnisher. He enlisted in the 10th New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry in 1862 as a private and was transferred to the Signal Corp iwhich is where he remained throughout the war. The earliest city directory found that lists him as a photographer was from 1872. The 1900 US census reports that Lamprey was 64 years old, living alone, and working as a photographer in  Concord. The town of Penacook was named after the Penacook Native American tribe which lived in the area. The town was a village located within the city of  Concord. Penacook was involved in the textile industry. The town was located along the Contoocook River. This location attracted the hydro power industry and Penacook became a mill town.

ATTRACTIVE WOMAN WITH A TALL FANCY HAT AND A SCARF IN PITTSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS

An attractive woman with a tall fancy hat and a scarf poses for her portrait at the Clark studio in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. The photographer of this image is Forester Clark. He was cited in the Photographic Times (1988) because his eight year=old daughter Eva wrote a letter to then President Grover Cleveland which included six winter and six summer views of Pittsfield street scenes. She received a reply from the President with the salutation of “My Dear Young Friend”,  and the letter went on to say, among other things, that he found the photographs very interesting. Clark is also mentioned in the Photographic Journal of America (1893) for announcing that he was leaving Pittsfield (he lived there 21 years) and moving to Montpelier, Vermont to become treasurer of the Excelsior Granite Works. The article reported that Clark had taken 31,000 negatives while in Pittsfield. Clark was a veteran of the civil war. He enlisted in 1861 and was discharged in 1862 with the rank of Private. He was a member of the 5th Wisconsin Infantry. The 1880 US census reveals that Clark was born in Vermont in 1836. He married his wife, Emma, in 1862. He had four children aged one through thirteen. The 1900 census found Clark living in the Bronx, New York with his wife and two of his children. He was employed as a granite salesman. The 1910 census indicates that Clark was living in Cheshire, Massachusetts with his wife and that at 73 years-old, he was working once again as a photographer.

PRETTY AND ELEGANT YOUNG WOMAN IN ROCKLAND, MAINE

A pretty and elegant looking young woman poses for her portrait at the Singhi studio in Rockland, Maine. She is beautifully dressed and wearing a watch chain emanating from a watch in her dress pocket. She appears very business-like. The photographer was named John F. Singhi (1834-1906). He was a native of Maine but his father was born in Italy. Mr. Singhi was a participant in the Civil War. He entered the Union Army as a Private in the 4th Infantry Regiment of Maine. He was mustered in in April, 1861 and mustered out in July,, 1864. He was promoted to Corporal in 1862. Upon entry into the army, he was listed as a leader of the company band and Fife Major. The fourth regiment was assembled in Rockland. In all, 144o men served in the regiment during the war and 170 of them died in or from battle. Forty men died in Confederate prisons and 137 soldiers died from disease. The Fourth Regiment participated in many major battles including The First Bull Run, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg.  After the service, he worked as a photographer. He was listed in Rockland city directories as a photographer from 1877 through 1897. In addition to soldiering, music and photography; John Singhi liked to get married. He especially liked marrying younger women. The 1870 US census revealed that John lived with a woman named Frances who was presumably his wife. In 1872 he married Hannah C. Bartlett.  John and Hannah were reported in the 1880 census. John was 46 while his wife was 31. In 1898, John married Caroline Look who was 17 years his junior. In 1901, John married Georgie Dow, a woman who was 13 years younger than him. In 1906, John Singhi died at age 72. His death certificate listed his cause of death to be “Shock (Paralysis)”. From that description, one imagines he died from a stroke. Perhaps cavorting with his numerous younger wives was deleterious to his health.

GENERAL HORACE PORTER, CIVIL WAR HERO, PRESIDENTIAL ADVISOR, AND DIPLOMAT

The subject of this cabinet card was a victim of mistaken identity. The gentleman in this image was identified as the ninth Governor of the state of Pennsylvania, David R. Porter. The previous owner of this photograph made the identification. After I purchased the card, I did some research and learned that David Porter was born in 1788 and died in 1867. The style of this photograph originated long after Porter’s death and I became upset at myself for beginning the identity confirmation process after paying for the photograph rather than before making the purchase. I had violated one of my basic rules for purchasing photographs of famous people. Fortunately, this story has a happy ending. Further research determined that the subject of the photograph is actually David Porter’s son, Horace Porter, who also was quite an accomplished man. The reverse of the photograph has an inscription “Amb. Porter” and this was the lead I followed to make the correct identity. The whole process was a bit of an emotional roller coaster. I went from feeling foolish, as well as angry at the previous owner’s unintentional incorrect identification; to feeling happy about identifying the subject as a man who played an integral part in American history. Horace Porter (1837-1921) is most well known for his activities during the civil war. He served as a Lieutenant Colonel, Ordnance Officer, and Staff Officer in the Union Army. In 1866 he was appointed brevet Brigadier General in the U. S. Army. He was also personal secretary to General and President Ulysses S. Grant and to General William Sherman. Later, he was the Vice President of th Pullman Palace Car Company and the United States ambassador to France (1897-1905). Horace Porter was born in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. As stated earlier, he was the son of David R. Porter who who served as Pennsylvania’s Governor. His cousin, Andrew Porter was a Mexican-American War veteran and Union Army Brigadier General. Horace Porter was educated at Harvard University and graduated from West Point in 1860. He was distinguished in the Battle of Fort Pulaski (Georgia), Chickamauga, the Battle of the Wilderness, and New Market Heights. He received the Medal of Honor for his efforts at Chickamauga. He later wrote a memoir “Campaigning With Grant” (1897). The name of the photographer of this image is uncertain. It is difficult to decipher his printed name on the bottom of this photograph.  Owners of other images produced by this photographer refer to him as “Pessford”.  The script on the photograph could also be interpreted as “Bessford”.  There was a photographer in Hudson, Wisconsin listed by the 1880 census as James Bessford, but no evidence could be found linking him to this photograph. POSTNOTE: The photographer has been identified by a cabinet card gallery visitor as Joseph G. Gessford. Check out this entry’s comment section for the visitor’s informative and interesting  contribution.

PORTRAIT OF REVEREND ALBERT TYLER (1823-1913): PUBLISHER AND HISTORIAN IN WEBSTER, MASSACHUSETTS

This cabinet card is a portrait of Reverend Albert Tyler (1823-1913) who was a publisher and historian in Worcester,  Massachusetts. Tyler was a Universalist minister. Tyler’s portrait was done by the studio of Davis & Woodward, located in Webster, Massachusetts. Tyler’s name, date of birth, and date of death are listed in an inscription on the reverse of the photograph. This image was taken in his later years and he has a long gray beard that becomes very wispy at its bottom. In the book, “History of  Worcester Massachusetts” , by Lincoln and Hersey (1862), Tyler is said to have been born in Smithfield, Rhode Island. The publication states that Tyler was ordained in 1851 from the Union Association of  Universalists in Warren, Massachusetts. He then became pastor of churches in Oxford, Ma. (2 years), Granby, Connecticut (6 years), and Quincy, Ma.. Next he moved to Worcester and entered the printing business. The Webster Times (1889) supplies an interesting story about Reverend Tyler. He was in attendance of the 28th reunion of the 15th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment (Company E) when he displayed some unusual behavior. Tyler “created a sensation” among the 25 veterans in attendance “by rising and saying he received a “spiritual communication” from Lieutenant Nelson Bartholomew who had died during the war. The message that Tyler received stated that the Lieutenant’s spirit was attending the meeting and found it “most enjoyable to him” and that he loved his comrades, just as he had in 1861.

 

ACTRESS MARY ANDERSON: BEAUTIFUL STAR OF THE AMERICAN AND ENGLISH STAGE

These cabinet cards feature American stage actress, Mary Anderson (1859-1940). Interestingly, Anderson’s father was an Oxford educated New Yorker who after Mary was born, moved his family to Kentucky. He then joined the Confederate army and was killed in action when Mary was just three years old. Mary was not much of a student but loved to read Shakespeare. Her step father sent her to New York at age 14 to take ten professional acting lessons. In 1875, at age 16, Mary Anderson began her stage acting career in a Kentucky production of Romeo and Juliet. She continued acting in Kentucky and then appeared in a number of other cities, including New York. Her critical reviews tended to be mixed but she was well loved by the public. She then worked the New York and touring company stages for twelve years until she spent the next six years on the English stage (appearing in a lot of Shakespeare productions). She then returned to the United States, and at age 30, collapsed on  stage with a case of nervous exhaustion.   This experience, likely coupled with less than favorable reviews, caused her to retire from acting. The top cabinet card features Anderson in the role of  Galatea. A review of Mary Anderson’s performance in this role appeared in the New York Times in a September 1884 edition. She was appearing opposite British actor William Terriss, in the play “Pygmalion and Galatea”,  at the Lyceum Theatre in London. Many notables were in attendance, including Oscar Wilde. The review states ” Miss Anderson surpassed herself and that the performance was throughly artistic and finished”. The cabinet card was photographed by The Vanderweyde Light of London, England (182 Regent Street W.). Henry Van Der Weyde (1838-1924) was an artist and photographer. In 1877, he became the first photographer to install and take photographs by electric light. The second cabinet card was photographed by celebrity photographer, Sarony. The image reflects Mary Anderson’s great beauty. To view other photographs by Sarony, click on Cabinet Card Gallery’s category “Photographer: Sarony”. The third cabinet card was photographed by “The Sparks Studio”. The studio was located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and the artist/manager was Elliott Houseworth. This cabinet card offers a profile portrait of the attractive Ms. Anderson. The 1880 census lists Elliott A. Houseworth as being born in 1855, residing in San Francisco, California, and working as a photographer. Houseworth also appears in the 1900 census as living in Norwood, Pennsylvania and working as a manager. These demographics fit the photographer of this image, since Houseworth managed Sparks Photography Studio and Norwood is only about eleven miles from Philadelphia.  To view other photographs of actresses by Sparks, click on the category “Photographer: Sparks Photo Publishing Co.”. The  fourth cabinet card features a smartly dressed Mary Anderson and was photographed by George Rockwood, of New York City. To learn more about Rockwood and to view more of his photographs, click on the category “Photographer: Rockwood”.  A sticker on the reverse of the photograph indicates that the image was once part of the Kean Archives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Kean Archives was a company that served as a source of illustrations and photographs for various modes of media. They eventually were purchased by Getty Images.

ENDEARING YOUNG COUPLE IN QUINCY, ILLINOIS (FEMALE PHOTOGRAPHER / CIVIL WAR NURSE)

A handsome young couple pose for their portrait at the Reed photography studio in Quincy, Illinois. This unidentified endearing couple are nicely  dressed, and the woman is wearing a necklace. Advertising on the bottom of the front of the cabinet card indicates that Reed operated a branch studio in La Grange, Missouri. To view other couple portraits, click on the category entitled “Couples”. Candace McCormick Reed (1818-1900) was born in Crab Orchard, Tennesee  and moved to Missouri as a young girl. In 1842, she married Warren Reed, a photographer. The couple left Missouri and relocated to Quincy, Illinois, and established a daguerreotype gallery in 1848. Warren Reed died in 1858 and Candace Reed became  the gallery owner and photographer. She quickly sold the gallery and opened a new gallery which she named the “Excelsia Gallery”. Candace’s sister, Miss Celina McCormick, worked as an assistant in the studio. At times, Candace worked under the name of  Mrs W A Reed or Mrs Warren Reed. She kept her gallery up to date technologically and she was especially gifted in the art of painting photographs. She was known for her talent in enlarging old photographs and retouching them in crayon, oil, watercolor, and India ink.  Candace was able to financially support her two children and mother-in-law, with proccds fro the business. Candace was admirably very civic minded. She established a support organization for soldiers and their families during the civil war. The group was called the “Sisters of the Good Samaritan”. She also served as a nurse in Union Army hospitals in Nashville, Chattanooga, and Vicksburg. While she was volunteering for the Union effort, she left her gallery in the care of her brother, who was also a photographer. After the war, Candace operated the Quincy gallery, and also ran galleries  in Missouri. The galleries were located in the towns of Canton, La Grange, and Palmyra. Candace Reed’s Quincy gallery was in busines between  1848 and 1888.

PORTRAIT OF AN ADORABLE BABY FUTURE SCHOOL TEACHER

This cabinet card photograph features a very cute baby wearing a gown and sweater. She has beautiful big eyes According to an inscription on the reverse of the image, the baby is named  Atalie Jean Crum and she was five months and two days old, at the time the photograph was taken. Atalie Crum can be found on both the 1900 and 1910 U.S. census. She was born in 1890 and resided in Penn, Illinois. She lived with her parents, Brooke W. Crum, and Laura V. Crum. Both of her parents were born in Pennsylvania and her father was a farmer. The 1910 census reveals that at age twenty, Atalie was employed as a school teacher. A 1913 publication from the Illinois Office of Public Instruction, states that Atalie taught school in Stark County, Illinois (District 53). At an unknown age, she married Claude Sterling, a local farmer. An obituary in the Peoria Star (1936), reports the death of John Wesley Crandell. He died at the age of 78 in Castleton, Illinois. He was his community’s last surviving civil war veteran. A male quartet sang at the funeral and they were accompanied by a Mrs Atalie Sterling at the piano. This is likely the Atalie Sterling in the photograph. Atalie lived a long life, dying in 1969 at age eighty in Wyoming, Illinois. The photographer of this cabinet card is difficult to identify with any certainty. There was a photographer named W. H. Farley who operated in Crete and Gibson Illinois in the 1880′s. A photographer named A. Farley also had a studio in Illinois. Research uncovered another cabinet card with the same Farley logo as this cabinet card. The card was from a studio located in Tampico, Illinois. Tampico is the likely place that Atalie Crum was photographed.

THREE NATIVE AMERICAN SIBLINGS IN EL RENO, OKLAHOMA TERRITORY (PHOTOGRAPHED BY STOTZ)

This cabinet card is chock full of history. The photograph features three young Native Americans posing for their portrait at the studio of Christopher Charles Stotz (1851-1932), in El Reno, Oklahoma Territory. The subjects of this image are likely siblings. The young women are wearing identical dresses and are adorned with rings and beautiful earrings. The specific Indian tribe that these three young people represent, is unknown. Oklahoma was the home of many Indian Tribes including Pawnee, Creek, Apache, Arapaho, Choctaw, and others. Many tribes were relocated there from other states. As mentioned earlier, the photographer of this cabinet card is C. C. Stotz and his studio was located in El Reno, Oklahoma Territory. Oklahoma became a state in 1907 which means that this photograph was taken before that year. El Reno is located in central Oklahoma, about 25 miles from Oklahoma City. Fort Reno was built in 1874 and it’s first commander was Civil War hero, General Philip Sheridan. Sheridan named the fort after his friend, General Jesse L. Reno, who was killed in the Civil War. The fort was near the Cheyenne-Arapaho reservation. One of the fort’s missions was to “protect” the “Five Civilized Tribes”. This group was comprised of the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole tribes. Employing the term “civilized tribe” was evidence of the special prejudice held against the tribes not among the designated five civilized tribes. Tribes described as civilized were tribes that had adopted many of the customs and values that were held by  European-Americans at the time.  Who was C. C. Stotz?  Stotz was born in Columbia, Pennsylvania.  He  established a studio in El Reno in 1889; the same year El Reno was founded. Therefore, this photograph was taken between 1889  (El Reno founded) and 1907 (Oklahoma statehood). During the 1880′s and 1890′s, he made field and studio photographs of Southern Plains Indians. Stotz is an acclaimed early photographer  of Native American’s and Native American life.

FLORENCE METTE YOUNG PONDERS IN MOUNT VERNON, OHIO

Florence Mette Young poses for her portrait at the studio of Fred S. Crowell, in Mount Vernon, Ohio. Florence is well dressed and apparently likes jewelry. She is wearing two rings, two bracelets and a necklace. Florence appears to be deep in thought. What might she be pondering about? The 1880 U.S. census reveals that she was born in 1862 and at the time of the census, she was living with her parents, Charles and Angelina Young. Her father was a farmer and her mother was a homemaker. The photographer of this cabinet card, Fred S. Crowell, can also be found in the 1880 census.He was born in 1844 and lived with his wife Ella, and their three children. Other research reveals that there was a Fred Crowell from the Mount Vernon area who enlisted in the 142nd Regiment of the Ohio Infantry during the Civil War.. He served only during 1864. Crowell trained as a photographer under Anna Payne, and worked in the profession in Norwalk, Sandusky, and Cleveland, Ohio. He then opened his own studio in Fredericktown in 1866. In 1869, he moved to Mount Vernon where he established another  photography studio that was in business until at least 1889. To view other photographs by Crowell, click on the category “Photographer: Crowell”.