A trip to Traverse City meant a trip to an antique store in an old barn where I had previously found many photos. This time I only found one with a name on the back. These are two unidentified photos.

The Boswell studio operated from 1894 to 1901. A family group, husband, wife, two daughters, and a young child of unknown sex. The woman is seated in a wicker chair, the man in a wood chair. The painted back drop behind them has a window and curtains. A rug is on the floor.

Boswell photo.

A young man went to the E. N. Moblo studio between 1890 and 1917 (likely after 1900). He wears a great plaid jacket, a necktie, and a white shirt. His eyes appear to have been retouched.

E. N. Moblo photo.

 

 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.

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.

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.
 

Two photographs from the Boswell studio. Unfortunately neither has the name of the person on the back. The William Boswell studio operated in Traverse City from about 1900 to 1906.

The first is a young woman with an unfortunate hairdo. Her light-colored blouse has what looks like a detachable starched collar. A small piece of jewelry is present.

The second photo is of a young man wearing a suitjacket, vest, and a large tie. A small pin and a second piece of jewelry are present on his lapel. 

 

From an Ebay seller in Berwick, Maine. Three unidentified children posing at the William Boswell Studio in Traverse City.This studio operated between 1900 and 1906.

Two recent purchases.

The first was found in the Wilson Antique Store in Traverse City. Nothing on the back. The woman has big mutton-chop sleeves and some sort of jewelry at her neck.

The second photo is an Ebay purchase from California. She is also wearing a dress with mutton-chop sleeves. On the back is written very lightly in pencil is "Aug 3rd 1892."

An Ebay purchase from Portland, Oregon. 

The family is unidentified. On the back is written July 5, 99. The father sits on a wooden straight-back chair while the mother sits on an elaborate wicker chair.

Boswell, Artist, TRAVERSE CITY, MICH. 

The printed back-drop has not been seen in other Boswell photographs.

Although the people are unidentified, having a date for the photo is great because it reveals what clothing and hairstyles were being used by people in the Grand Traverse area in 1899.

Lyman Shippy and Robert M. Brydges.  This photograph was purchased from an Ebay seller located in Florida. On the back it says "For Neta," the men's names, and a note that Brydges was "my grandfather B).

Lyman Shippy, 1874-1920 (left) and Robert M. Brydges, 1875-1928 (right).

William Boswell operated a photographic studio in Traverse City between 1894 and 1901.

Rob Reynolds and John Reynolds, cousins.

 This photographs below are from the Sluyter-Reynolds photograph album. The Boswell studio operated between circa 1900 to circa 1906.

Rob Reynolds and John Reynolds.

Wm. Boswell, Photographer, TRAVERSE CITY, MICH.

Rob Reynolds

Wm. Boswell, Photographer, TRAVERSE CITY, MICH.

Rob Reynolds is wearing the same tie in both photos and his hair looks the same, probably indicating that the photos were taken on the same date. It is interesting to note that the Boswell studio was using different cards.

Two unidentified men. No writing on the back of these photographs.

Wm. Boswell, PHOTOGRAPHER. TRAVERSE CITY, MICH. (circa 1900-1906).

A. J. Bradshaw Photor. Traverse City. Late 1890s (studio in operation in 1897).

Two unidentified pictures. Neither have writing on the back.

Unidentified woman. Wm. Boswell, Photographer, Traverse City, Mich. (circa 1996-1906)

Unidentified man. Boswell, Artist, Traverse City, Mich. (circa 1900-1906)