Mary Jane Kellam c 1875-1876

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 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 through the Hankins family. Or it could have been written by a Kellam, if it was passed down through the Kellam family. 

Also on the back is Mary Jane Kellam Sept 2nd - in a different hand - written by someone who knew when Mary Jane's birthday was. 




Mary Jane Kellam, daughter of John Ross Kellam (1830-1903) and Frances Maria Shafer (1846-1924) was born 2 September 1874 at Hankins, Sullivan County, New York. She married William Lucas Hankins (1872-1930), son of Lucas Wurtz Hankins (1831-1910) and Mary Ellen Ross (1835-1914), on 10 August 1896 at Newburgh, Orange County, New York. Mary Jane died on 26 September 1944 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

William Lucas Hankins and Mary Jane Kellam had three children, Francis William (1897-1983), Helen Maye (March - September 1900) and Howard Ray (March - October 1900). 



[1] Shannon Butler, "From the Latest Fashions to the Dead: The Vail Brothers Photography Studio," Poughkeepsie Public Library District (https://poklib.org/from-the-latest-fashions-to-the-dead-the-vail-brothers-photography-studio/ : accessed 5 March 2026). 
Location: Poughkeepsie, NY, USA

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