An Ebay purchase from Vermontville, Michigan.

This Smith & Price photograph has on its back "Clare & Oren Barr[,] Buckley" on its back.

Oren and Clare Barr.

The photograph was probably taken on the couple's wedding day, as suggested by the flowers worn by the two.

Oren Elbridge Barr was born on 11 September 1887 in Portland, Jay County, Ohio, the son of John Elbridge Barr and Matilda Jane Finch. Clara Belle Seymour was born on 25 July 1883 in Wexford, Wexford County, Michigan, daughter of Ira B. Seymour and Mary Haynes. The couple married on 24 December 1907 in Buckley, Grand Traverse County, Michigan [although Buckley is in Wexford County].

Clara had a stillborn son on 13 June 1909.

Oren registered for the draft on 5 June 1917. Oren lived in Buckley and worked as a rural letter carrier for the Post Office. He was tall, slender, had dark brown eyes, and black hair.

On 10 January 1920, Oren E. and Clara B. Barr and Clara's mother Mary L. Seymour lived in Hanover Township, Wexford County, Michigan. Oren was a rural mail carrier.

On 23 April 1940, Oren E. and Clare B. Barr and mother Mary L. Seymour lived in Buckley. They owned their home, valued at $500. Oren continued to be a rural mail carrier.

Oren died on 13 January 1963 in Traverse City.

Traverse City Record-Eagle, 14 January 1963, page 15, column 3.

Clara died on 15 December 1968 in Traverse City.

Traverse City Record-Eagle, 16 December 1968, page 29, column 4.

The couple is buried in Cornell Cemetery in Buckley, Wexford County, Michigan.

 An Ebay photograph from Greenville, Texas. It was taken at the R. B. Hines studio at the corner of Front and Park Streets in Traverse City. That studio was in operation from 1897 to 1899.

On the back in blue ink is the name Mike Umlor.

Mike Umlor, circa 1897-1899.

Michael Angelo Umlor was born on 31 May 1883 in Mayfield Township, Grand Traverse County, daughter of Michael Umlor and Mary Magdalena Schoenborn. 

On 12 June 1900, Michel A. lived with his parents and siblings Ritchard J., Nora C., George V., Maud M., and Carl F. on Hannah Avenue in Traverse City. He was a laborer in a basket factory.

Michael was married on 29 August 1906 in Traverse City to Rebecca M. Jacques.

On 16 April 1910, Michael A. and Rebecca M. Umlor lived at 827 S. Union Street in Traverse City. He was working as an insurance agent.

On 12 September 1918, Michael Angelo Umlor registered for the draft while living with Rebecca Mae at 1374 Oakman Blvd. in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan. He worked as a merchant. He was medium height and build, had brown eyes, and black hair.

On 17 February 1920, Michael and Rebecca and their servant Rose Shangraw lived at 1374 Oakman Blvd. in Detroit. They rented their home. Michael was the proprietor of a retail store and Rebecca was a saleslady in the store.

On 11 April 1930, Mike and Rebecca, their nine-year-old daughter Katherine, and Rebecca's mother Mary Jacqus lived at 01 Waverly Avenue in Highland Park, Wayne County, Michigan. They owned their home, valued at $12,000, and had a radio. Mike owned a dry goods store.

On 11 April 1940, Michael and Rebecca, their daughter Catherine E., mother-in-law Mary Jacques, and a boarder Leo T. Alton lived at 214 California Avenue in Highland Park. Michael was an auto salesman.

On 27 April 1942, Michael registered for the draft while living at 214 California Avenue. He worked as a salesman for Taylor's Inc. The family phone number was TO-8-3310. He was 5 ft 9 inches tall, weighed 210 pounds, had brown eyes, gray hair, and a light complexion.

On 10 April 1950, Michael and Rebecca and two boarders lived at 214 California Avenue in Highland Park. Michael was a real estate broker.

Michael died in January 1958. He was buried in Mount Olivet Cemetery in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan.

Traverse City Record-Eagle, 13 January 1958, page 3, column 2.

An Ebay purchase from Spokane, Washington.

The front of the photograph has the Smith & Price, Traverse City mark and then to the right of the image 1905 is impressed.

Rose Day.

The back of the photograph has "Momma & Father" in pencil at the top. 

Below is a paper label from the ADNOF MFG CO. of Chicago, Illinois. Apparently Rose Day of 425 Madison Street in Traverse City had taken the photo to the Globe Department Store in Traverse City. The store was then to send the photo to the Adnof Manufacturing Company where a crayon, black-and-white bust portrait was to be made.

Back of photograph with label.

A search of Newspaper.com for ADNOF in Chicago indicates the company was in business from at least 1900 to 1907. They advertised for a "first-class water-color man" and for "three first-class portrait artists in 1900. In 1902 they wanted "Artists- 4 crayon and 3 drapery artists." They also advertised for house-to-house salesmen to find persons interested in having their portrait made.

These crayon portraits were quite popular, I have two of my great grandparents and have also purchased a number at local thrift stores.

Rose Day

Rose O. (Razey) Day was born on 13 May 1860 in Steuben County, New York, daughter of Robert Razey and Rosetta Tompkins. She was married on 19 April 1885 in Mayfield Township, Grand Traverse County to Henry Day.

On 27 July 1870, Robert and Harriet Razy and their children Maryett and Rosanna lived in Mayfield County, Grand Traverse County. Robert was a farmer, Harriet was keeping house, and the girls were attending school.

On 9 June 1880, Robert and Rosetta Razey and their daughter Rosanna, boarder Edward Adams, and Rosetta's mother Sarah Tompkins lived in Mayfield Township, Grand Traverse County. Robert was farming and Rosetta was keeping house.

On 15 June 1900, Henry and Rose R. Day and their children Harry A., Bessie E., Elcie D., George R., Minnie A., and Baby lived at 914 Webster Street in Traverse City. Henry worked as a carpenter. Rose reported she had been the mother of seven children, one of whom was dead.

On 27 April 1910, Henry and Rose O. Day and their children Bessie Ellis (and her husband Warren), George, Alice, Katherine, and Mildred lived at 425 Madison Street in Traverse City. Henry was a house carpenter.

In 1920, Henry and Rose O. Day and their daughters Catherine and Millie lived at 800 Buchanan Street in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan. Henry was a house carpenter.

Henry died on 23 October 1929 at Fowlerville, Livingston County, Michigan. He was buried in Oakwood Cemetery.

On 14 April 1930, Rose O. Day, her son-in-law and daughter Warren B. and Bessie E. Ellis lived at 425 Madison Street. Rose owned her home, valued at $1,000. They did not own a radio.

On 4 April 1940, Rose Day and their daughter Bessie Ellis lived at 420 Madison Street. Bessie was a sewing machine operator for a metal casket factory. Warren and Bessie were core makiers for a foundry.

Rose died from a coronary thrombosis on 28 April 1942 at her home at 425 N. Madison Street in Traverse City. She was buried in Oakwood Cemetery.

 

 An Ebay purchase of four photos, one of which was from Traverse City. It is from the William Boswell Studio, which operated between 1900 and 1906.

On the back in ink is "Henry, Laurence & Carl Howard" with (Grandpa) [below Henry] and brothers.

Photo labeled on back- Henry, Laurence, & Carl Howard.

The photograph has three men sitting in front of a painted backdrop, with curtains, a pair of columns, one with a vase and the other with a statue of a woman holding a jar on her head. The man on the left is sitting on a chair and the two on the right are sitting on a bench. A fur rug is on the floor.

It took me a while to realize that the names of two of the three men were incorrect, the three were actually Henry, Alanson, and Carlos Howard. And it turned out, I had already researched two of the three, Henry and Carlos, because they lived in Long Lake Township.

The three men were sons of Parley Howard (1799-1881) and Betsey Fisher (1794-1850). 

Henry D. Howard was born in 1829 in New York. He was married to Orpha Zerina Garvin. They settled in Long Lake Township, Grand Traverse County in the early 1860s. Howard served as a Private in Company G of the 3rd Michigan Infantry. The couple had four children- Alice, Anna, Mary, and Horace. Henry died in 1905.

Carlos Howard was born in 1824 in Genesee County, New York. He was married to Mary M. Greene and they had four children- Charles Carlos, Alonzo F., Don, and Chester D. They moved to Long Lake Township in 1861. Carlos died in 1900 in Traverse City.

Alanson Freeman Howard was born in 1828 in New York. He was married to Sarah A. Stone and after her death to Martha Jennette Haskin. He had at least one son, Albert Elias. Alanson died in 1905 in Macomb County, Michigan.

The columns, vase, statue, and rug are unusual and I think this is a case where an existing photograph was taken to Boswell to have a new photograph made. One reason for thinking that is that one of the men in the photo, Carlos, died in March 1900, right around the time the studio opened.

 An Ebay purchase from Spokane, Washington. This McManus Brothers studio carte de visite has the negative number 1077 on its back, suggesting it is a fairly early photo. 

Unidentified man.

Back side of photo.

Currently I have seven of these carte de visite with negative numbers. No. 185 is from Alphonso McManus. According to the Directory of Early Michigan Photographs, he began working in Traverse City in 1868.

His brother reportedly joined him in 1873, but I suspect that it was a little earlier. No. 451 is from the McManus Brothers. No. 1017, 1077, 1354, 1404, and 1759 all have the same McManus Brothers mark on the back. 

No. 1017, Daniel Matteson, is dated 1873, revealing those before that date prior to 1873, and those afterward (except perhaps No. 1077) to date to after 1873.

A photograph from the Smith & Price studio, which operated from 1900 to 1925. A young woman in a nurse's uniform and cap poses on front of a painted backdrop, standing on rug or possibly linoleum.

This is probably her graduation photograph from the Northern Michigan Asylum/Traverse City State Hospital. A photo of the graduating class of 1913 on this blog shows women in identical uniforms and similar hats.

An unidentified nurse.

 

 Three photos from my collection.

The first is from the Bradshaw studio of Traverse City. According to the Directory of Early Michigan Photographers, Albert J. Bradshaw operated that studio from 1895 to 1899.

On the back in pencil is Minnie Smith.

Minnie Smith.

There are four Minnie Smiths living in Grand Traverse County in 1900. Two are too old to be this girl,  Minnie C. Smith born in 1868 and Miny P. Smith born in 1871. One is too young, Minnie Gertrude Smith born in 1895.

The fourth is Minnie B. Smith, the daughter of John Smith and Nettie Paden. It is uncertain if this is the correct Minnie Smith. If so, she was born in 1882, nicknamed Midge, married Charles Hendricks, and died in 1953.

The second photograph is from the McManus Brothers studio. An unidentified woman stands in front of a painted backdrop. She leans against a chair with braid hanging from the arms. This chair appears in other photographs from the studio. A foot stool is nearby. The woman wears a dress with mutton-chop sleeves and had a pin at her neck.

 

An unidentified woman.

The third photo is an unidentified boy. It was taken by M. W. Jackson, who is not listed in the historic Michigan photographers book. The boy is seated. Behind the chair you can see the base of the stand that would be holding his head in place. A table, a curtain, and a rug are also visible.

Unidentified boy.

M. W. Jackson, Photographer, Traverse City, Mich.

Two photos from an Ebay seller from Centennial, Colorado. These have been on Ebay for years and recently were reduced in price. The prices of photos have sky-rocketed recently, reaching ridiculous levels.

The first photo has no studio mark. On the back written in purple ink is Beda Janson. She is wearing a large bonnet tied to her head with wide ribbons. At her neck she was a shield-shaped broach.

Beda Janson.

Beda Janson, back.

The second photo is from the William Boswell studio of Traverse City. On the back in black ink is Beda Jonshon Julia J.

Beda Jonshon and Julia J.[onshon?]

Back of photo.

Beda and Julia are wearing identical dresses, bonnets, and broaches. Julia is seated in a wicker chair and there is some sort of fur rug beneath them. A painted backdrop is present.

As it turns out the two women are wearing the uniform of the Salvation Army.

My efforts to identify the two women were not successful.

A purchase from an Ebay in Littleton, Colorado. This has been on Ebay for a very long time. I don't typically purchase photos of children, especially those lacking names on the back, but I finally decided to procure this one.

The child was photographed at the McManus Brothers studio. The infant is wearing a dress and slippers and is seated on a chair covered by a rug. Both boys and girls wore dresses at this time.

Unidentified infant.

Back of photo.

 

Three Ebay photos from a purchaser in Harrison, Clare County, Michigan.

The first has 1899 in blue ink and the name Stella that has been erased. The photo was taken at the Smith & Price studio in Traverse City. There are 25 Stellas living in Grand Traverse County in 1900. Only one could be the correct age, a Stella M. Stites born in May 1897, daughter of Steven Stites and Julia Forton. She was married to Otto Blank and died in 1926. However, whether this is Stella Stites will remain unknown, since people from other nearby counties also came into Traverse City to have their photos taken.

Stella, 1899.

The second photo of two boys was taken at the McManus Brothers studio in Traverse City. The boy on the left sits on the stick bench in front of a backdrop with a tree painted on it. The boy on the right is wearing a dress. Hats are present on the bench and floor.

Two boys, McManus Brothers studio.

The third photo is also from the McManus Brothers studio. It is one of the fancy ones in which the person's photo is added to an image. The woman has a fancy lace collar with a broach at her throat.

Young woman, McManus Brothers studio.

 

An Ebay purchase from Bixby, Oklahoma. No name on the back, but the photograph can be dated because "Taken Dec 19/96" is written in pencil. 

A dapper young man.

Just barely visible behind his left foot is a stand- perhaps a device to keep the man still. The painted backdrop and the carpet or floor cloth can be seen in other Boswell photographs.