Wandering Around The Family Tree

 This heart-shaped snapshot of what appears to be a fancy cake is glued to a piece of paper with several other photos, and has the date Oct 9th 1906 written around the edge.  Given what I know about the set of photos I'm working with likely came from my great-grandparents William Lucas Hankins and Mary Jane Kellam, I figured I should look in their families to see if I could find anything associated with that date.  And much to my surprise - I did! Mary Jane Kellam's younger sister Clara Belle Kellam married Floyd Harding on 9 October 1906 in Hankins, Sullivan County, New York! So my guess is - this was their wedding cake.  Clara Belle Kellam, daughter of John Ross Kellem (1830-1903) and Frances Maria Shafer (1846-1924) was born 24 June 1883 in Hankins, Sullivan County, New York. Floyd Harding, the son of James H Harding and Anna, was born 11 May 1876 in Port Jervis, Orange County, New York. Clara and Floyd married on 9 October 1906 in Hankins. Floyd died on 13 Februa...

 I found three portraits of my great grandmother Mary Jane Kellam. I suspect all date from the 1890s.  This first photograph likely dates from the mid-1890s. The photographer, Walter Nelson Manchester, had a studio in Factoryville, Wyoming County, Pennsylvania in the 1890s. The style of the photographers imprint and frame on the card are consistent with the 1890s. The sleeves of Mary Jane's dress also suggest the mid-1890s.  The second photograph has been removed from its original backing card, so no information is available about the photographer or the style of card to help with dating. Mary Jane looks a bit younger than in the previous photo. The sleeves could help date the photo to the earlier in the 1890s. The third photograph of Mary Jane has also been removed from its backing card. The sleeves could indicate the photo dates from the early 1890s.  Mary Jane Kellam, daughter of John Ross Kellam (1830-1903) and Frances Maria Shafer (1846-1924) was born 2 Septembe...

 I found three photos of my great grandmother's brother Frank Marion Kellam. My guess is his legal name was Francis - but I have never seen any record that has anything other Frank Marion or Frank M.  The first photograph was taken by the photographer Davis in Deposit, Delaware County, New York. This is the same studio where Mary Ellen (Ross) Hankins had her photo taken. I haven't found any information about the photographer.  This photo was likely taken in the late 1880s. Frank was born in 1877.  This photograph was clearly stacked with the 1898 photograph of William Lucas Hankins's family since you can see a transfer of that image onto the back of this card. This second photograph was likely taken in the mid-1890s based on the border around the photograph and the style of the photographer's imprint. The photographer, Walter Nelson Manchester (1856-1923) had a studio in Factoryville, Wyoming County, Pennsylvania in the 1890s.  The third photograph of Frank was...

 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 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...

 The second photograph in the album is Benjamin Tyler (1818-1913), maternal half-brother of Mary Ellen Ross.   Benjamin Tyler was born 6 October 1818 in Damascus, Wayne County, Pennsylvania, the son of Benjamin Tyler (1791-1818) and Sarah Kellam (1797 - after 1850). He married Rosetta Ross (1819-1888) in August 1839. She was the daughter of John Ross (1791-1837) and Love Hurd (1790-1833).  Benjamin and Rosetta had five children: Rufus R (1840-1908) married Wealthy A Lukens (1848-1918) Hannah Jane (1842-1897) married Abraham Bennett (1830-1913) Lauretta V (1845-1909) Lenheim B (1848-1934) married Ardella B. Kingsbury (1859-1936) Mary Antoinette (1857-1946) Benjamin Tyler died on 30 November 1913 at Hankins, Sullivan County, New York. He is buried in Hillside Cemetery in Damascus.  About the  Hankins/Ross Photo Album Previous Photo in the Album: Susan (Thomas) Hankins Next Photograph in the Album: Rosetta (Ross) Tyler

   Here are the December Birthday's from Mary Jane Kellam's Birthday Book December 1 Carrie Bowman  Trumansburg December 3 Estella Quinn   Gallilee Pa.  Estealla Quinn was born on December 3, 1875 in Abrahamsville, Wayne County, Pennsylvania, the daughter of John Quinn (1839-1919) and Martha Stalker (1850-1918). She married Leonard Leslie Baltz (1875-1934) in 1895. She died on July 13, 1952 in Warren, Warren County, Pennsylvania.  December 6 T Ellsworth Davis   Andes NY December 11 Grandpa Shaffer  1795 Philip Shaffer was born on December 11, 1795 in Dutchess County, New York, the son of Philip Shafer (1764 - 1838) an Catharina Eckert (1761-1837). He married Sarah Melvina Benedict (1805-1880) on 13 May 1824. He died on 21 September 1873 in New York. He was Mary Jane Kellam's maternal grandfather. R.F. Thomas   Montdale Pa. Ray Wheeler  1894  Pleasant Mt December 14 Mary Stenger December 16 Frank Buckley   Mi...

 Here are the November Birthday's from Mary Jane Kellam's Birthday Book November 2 W.R. Davis  Wyoming Penna  1872 November 4 Lodusky B Barnes  Little Equinunk Lodusky B Barnes was born November 4 (probably 1872) the daughter of Lodusky Kellam (1831-1880) and Thomas J Barnes (1826-1872). She died after 1930. She was Mary Jane Kellam's second cousin.   November 5  Lilian Reynolds  1875 Scranton 1892 November 9   Allie B Poole   Hankins Possibly Alice Poole born about 1875, daughter of John and Catherine Poole. The family lived in Fremont, Sullivan County, New York in 1880.  November 15   Mrs Sally Ross  1819 Sarah/Sally Kellam was born 15 November 1819 in Pennsylvania, the daughter of John Kellam (1787-1874)  and Jane Ross (1801-1856). She married her first cousin, Curtis Ross (1824-1856). Sarah/Sally died in 1877. She was Mary Jane Kellam's paternal aunt.  November 18 Millicent S Broadbent   1...

Here are the October birthdays Mary Jane Kellam's Birthday Book October 2 Nettie A. Ward October 5 Nellie A Nichols, Nicholson, PA Nellie Amelia Nichols was born 5 October 1873 in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, the daughter of George Nichols (1843 - ????) and Gertrude Alice Smith (1847-1929). She married William Grant Squires (1866-1942) on 12 January 1898. She died on 9 February 1944 in Trenton, Mercer County, New Jersey. The only connection I've found for Mary Jane Kellam and Nellie Nichols is through Mary Jane's daughter-in-law Evelyn Clara Call, who was a third cousin once removed of Nellie. October 6 B. Tyler - Hankins, NY Benjamin Tyler was born October 5, 1818 in Damascus, Wayne County, Pennsylvania, the son of Benjamin Tyler (1791-1818) and Sarah Kellam (1797-????). He married Rosetta Ross (1819-1888) in August 1839. He died on 30 November 1913. Benjamin Tyler lived in Hankins, Sullivan County, New York, and was a neighbor of Mary Jane's parents John Ross Kel...

 Here are the August birthdays included in Mary Jane Kellam Hankins' birthday book.  August 3 Florence E. Main Florence Eliza Main was born 3 August 1866 in Hankins, Sullivan County, New York, the daughter of Zalmon Smith Main and Mary Hankins. She married William Albert Martin (1866-1937), son of William Albert Martin and Eliza A Barker on 12 May 1898 in Binghamton, Broome County, New York. She died on 15 May 1940 in Los Angeles, California. Florence Main was Mary Jane Kellam's husband William Lucas Hankins' first cousin.  August 5 Ralph William Hankins 1927 Ralph William Hankins was born on 5 August 1927 in New York City. He was adopted in 1928 by Francis William Hankins and Evelyn Clara Call. Ralph died on 21 August 1997 in Schwenksville, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. He was Mary Jane Kellam's oldest grandson.  August 6 Mary L Davis Birthday August 7 Sarah Carroll, Port Jervis NY Possibly Sarah Shaver who married Dr. Oren A. Carroll in Andes, Delaware County, N...