UPDATED - I received some new information about the Schoedels from one of our amazing readers, so I've adjusted the text below accordingly. Oh how I love this community, thank you for your feedback and help! I bought these photos and RPPCs from German ebay a while ago. Only after they arrived by mail, I … Continue reading Fritz, Johanna and Marie Schoedel
Category: Family Stories
The Maxam Sisters from Shelburne Falls, Mass.
These sweet girls were sisters Blanche and Bessie Maxam from Shelburne Falls, Franklin County, Massachusetts. They were born to parents Hardy Eskridge Maxam (1855-1942) and Florence P. née Phillips (1862-1955). Blanche was the older one, born on May 20, 1886. Bessie Florence was born 3 years later, on September 10, 1889. Their father was a … Continue reading The Maxam Sisters from Shelburne Falls, Mass.
Thomas Hamilton Ormsbee
Sweet child, believe in yourself, your future looks very promising! I asked my Instagram community their opinion about the surname - they suggested Ormsbee, and they were right once again! Meet Thomas "Tom" Hamilton Ormsbee from Brooklyn, N.Y., 2 years old in this diamond shaped cabinet card photo. Tom was born on August 25th, 1890 … Continue reading Thomas Hamilton Ormsbee
Emma and Mamie “Minnie” Kline
These two photos came to me from the United States, and upon receipt I was happy to discover that the young ladies shared the same surname – Emma and Minnie Kline - and both had had their photo taken in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Could they have been sisters? The answer was not hard to find – … Continue reading Emma and Mamie “Minnie” Kline
Julie Cossmann née Cohn
Today's blogpost is a follow-up to my last blogpost about cousins Felix Cohn and Heinz Cossmann. Today I write about Heinz' mother and Felix' paternal aunt Julie Cossmann née Cohn. Julie Charlotte Cohn was born on February 16th, 1861, in Neustrelitz in Mecklenburg, Germany, to Jewish parents August Cohn and Charlotte Anna née Hahn. Julie … Continue reading Julie Cossmann née Cohn
Cousins Felix Cohn and Heinrich (Heinz) Cossmann
This photograph came to me in a lot of random photos from German ebay. What an unusual photo, I thought. The hair of these Victorian-era children is kind of untypically short and freshly cut. If it hadn't been for the hand-written names on the reverse, I would have thought these were two sisters (or two … Continue reading Cousins Felix Cohn and Heinrich (Heinz) Cossmann
Siblings Gladys, Gertrude, Willie and Sydney Valentine
Here's one of those found treasures that is my favourite kind! It has all the important clues to make our search successful. It states the names of the children Gladys, Gertrude, Willie and Sydney, and the names of their parents W.S. Valentine and Grace Edna Clark Valentine, as well as the photo studio location in … Continue reading Siblings Gladys, Gertrude, Willie and Sydney Valentine
Jean Peck Washburn and daughter Hester Spangler Hendry
These two photos came to me from the United States. Once I had deciphered the handwritten names, it wasn't difficult to find them in the paper trail. And boy, was there lots to read about them! Jean "Jennie" Wylie Peck was born on June 8th, 1865, in Evansburgh, Coshocton in Ohio. She was the oldest … Continue reading Jean Peck Washburn and daughter Hester Spangler Hendry
Mrs. P. J. Sanden and son Hjalmar
This RPPC came to me from the United States. It is identified and says "Wife of the pastor that married us + son Sanden in Mongona". And then it goes on to say something nowadays offensive but unfortunately politically correct at the time that "the son was crippled". The reverse of the RPPC says "Till Arthur … Continue reading Mrs. P. J. Sanden and son Hjalmar
Ina F. Ockerman née Crawford
Another faded photo lost in history. A name hardly readable, hand-written in pencil a hundred years ago. A stranger with a warm smile and a twinkle in her big blue eyes. Who was this lovely soul? She was Ina Francis Crawford. My lovely fellow-old-photo-detective Tereza once again solved this puzzle – look at what she … Continue reading Ina F. Ockerman née Crawford
Photos Without Families 