Wandering Around The Family Tree

 This carte de viste photograph of my great grandmother Mary Jane Kellam was likely taken about 1875-1876, when she was probably no more than one or two years old.  The photographer was likely either J. Watson Vail or his brother Alzono. The Vail Brothers had a studio at 254 Main Street in Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County, New York, for about 20 years in the 1870s-1890s. [1] This may be a "hidden mother" photograph, where a child's mother held her still for the photograph. The flowing cloth on the right side of the photo could be covering her mother's arm, and that could be the top of her mother's hat sticking up behind the chair.  Written in pencil at the top of the back "Weren't you a sweet little darling. I used to take you out in your carriage when you were like this" in an unknown hand. I have to wonder if it was written by someone in the Hankins family, since they lived next door to the Kellam's in Hankins, New York, if it was passed down thro...

This gem tintype of my great-great grandmother Frances Maria Shafer likely dates from the 1860s or 1870s. The tintype is mounted in a carte de viste size paper mat. The tintype itself measures 1 1/4 by 1 3/4 inches. Some tinting was applied to give a bit of color to the image. There is no information about the photographer on the image or the mat. It is unknown who provided the identification on the back.  Frances Maria Shafer, daughter of Philip P Shafer (1795-1873) and Sarah Melvina Benedict (1805-1880), was born with her twin brother Francis Marion Shafer, on 10 March 1846 in Andes, Delaware County, New York. She married John Ross Kellam, son of John Kellam (1787-1874) and Jane Ross (1801-1856) on 27 May 1872 at Long Eddy, Sullivan County, New York. Frances died on 4 February 1924 at Auburn, Cayuga County, New York.  John Ross Kellam and Frances Maria Shafer had four children: John Ross (1873-1875), Mary Jane (1874-1944), Frank Marion (1877-1952) and Clara Belle (1883-1966)...

This carte de viste photograph of my great-great grandfather John Ross Kellam likely dates from the 1860s. Cards with two borders of different widths were popular from 1864-1869. [1]  The standing pose was more popular in the early 1860s than in later years. [2] The photographer, W.J. Tait had his studio at the corner of Cortlandt & Greenwich Streets in New York. The I.R.S. Tax Assessment Lists for 1863 include a W.J. Tait, a photographer located at 51 Cortlandt Street in New York City. [3] The 1862 Commercial Directory confirms this address. [4] So far, these are the only references I've found to identify when William J. Tait had a studio on Cortlandt Street. If the studio didn't exist for very long, then the photo likely dates from about 1863-1864.  John Ross Kellam is identified as the father of Mary, Frank & Clara on the back. They were his three children that survived to adulthood. Since the photo came down through my part of the family, I assume someone in the fa...

This photograph of Susan Abigail (Hankins) Bush likely dates from the mid-1870s. The photographer, Addison Delavan Harding, opened his studio in Susquehanna in 1873. [1] Susan and her husband David Tyler Bush were living in Susquehanna by 1870, and remained there until at least the 1880s.  The script words "Cabinet Portrait" indicate that this may be an early cabinet card, where the photographer was trying to distinguish a new format of photography from earlier formats such as carte de vistes.  The identification of the subject as "Aunt Abbie Bush" suggests that it was labeled by one of her nephews - either Howard Ross Hankins or William Lucas Hankins. While Susan Abigail had other nieces and nephews, this likely belonged to someone in her brother Lucas Wurtz Hankins' family, since it has been passed down through is part of the family. This next photograph of Susan Abigail Hankins was likely taken about 1894-1896. The photographer was G.E. Priest of Tully, New Y...

 My guess is this photo of Angeline Elizabeth (Hankins) Johnson dates from the 1870s, based on the elaborate lace collar on her dress. There is no information about the photographer or where it was taken.  On the back, it says Aunt Angie Johnson in unknown handwriting. This was possibly written by her nephew, William Lucas Hankins, my great grandfather. While Angie had many nieces and nephews, given what I know about the passing down of photos in my family, William Lucas Hankins is the most likely person to have provided the identification.  This second photograph of Angie likely dates from about 1894. There is nothing on the photograph itself to indicate the date. However, she appears to be wearing the same dress that she wore in the group portrait with her siblings taken at Harding Studio in Binghamton that year.  The date on the back, 1 February 1903, is her death date, so unlikely to be the date the photograph was taken.  Angeline Elizabeth Hankins, daughte...

  This photograph of Rebecca Thomas Hankins was taken by the photographer Sighi of Binghamton, New York. Wellington G. Sighi had a photographic studio in Binghamton between 1872 and 1885, which gives a date range for this photo. [1] Sighi's bio on the Nineteenth-Century Photographers of Binghamton, New York makes him out to be quite a character!  During those years, Rebecca lived in Hankins, Sullivan County, New York. She first appears in the records in Binghamton in the 1899 City Directory. Her brother, Samuel Howard Hankins, was living in Binghamton by 1888.  The identification of Rebecca T. Hankins is in an unknown person's handwriting. The dates of her birth and death are in the handwriting of Barbara (Schickler) Hankins, who was born fifteen years after Rebecca died.  This photograph has been digitally enhanced.  Rebecca Thomas Hankins, daughter of John Hankins (1803-1847) and Susan Thomas (1811-1885), was born 20 October 1835 in Pennsylvania. She was a sch...