Category Archives: Uncategorized

Ida Dresler

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Ida Dresler of Indiana

Ida Dresler looks like an intelligent young girl. The back of this photo lists a photographer, H. Jarrard at 15 Calhoun Street in Fort Wayne, Indiana. I found only one Ida Dresler from Indiana – although she did not live in Fort Wayne. The is possibly the Ida Dresler/Dressler born around 1885 in Indiana to Carl and Mary Dressler (both from Germany). In the 1900 and 1910 census the family lived in Tippecanoe County, Indiana. Carl and Mary are still there in 1920, but Ida is no longer living with them. I would love to know what became of her.

Ida is for sale for a few more days from photomuseum on eBay for any family that would like to own her.

Lulu & Emanual Beecher

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Emanuel & Lulu Beecher from Pottstown, PA

This is probably a wedding picture for the Beechers based on the dress, but not known for certain. This photo, along with several others in a group, is for sale on eBay for a few more days. Luckily there is some great documentation on this couple online.

They are Emanuel Beecher and Lulu Hughes. Emanuel was born in Pennsylvania in 1871 to Elizabeth Site and William Beecher (according to his death record). He married Lulu around 1889, lived most of his life in Philadelphia working as a printer. He died young, at the age of 40 in 1911. He was buried in Pottstown, PA.

Lulu was born in 1871/72 in Washington D. C., where one of her parents was from, it’s not clear which one. Her mother was Jennie Hughes, her father unknown. After Emanuel’s death Lulu worked as a housekeeper to support her children. But she does not appear in a later census and likely died before 1930.

It should be easy to find out more about this couple; the evidence is plenty. This photo will hopefully be framed in a relatives home soon.

Elizabeth Washburn

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Elizabeth Washburn of Marion, Ohio

Another beautiful cabinet card from Photomuseum on eBay. The name on the bottom is Elizabeth Washburn and the photo was taken in Marion, Ohio. There’s only one Elizabeth Washburn that I could find in Marion, Ohio. This is likely, Elizabeth Morrall Washburn. She was the daughter of Samuel and Margaret Morall, born in 1845 in Ohio and lived in Marion County all her life. Census records from 1850-1880 place her there. She married Elias Washburn in 1851 in Marion. It’s possible her husband died before 1870, as she lived alone with their children starting in that census.

A great portrait. I hope she finds a family home.

Update: Grandmother Moffatt + the Weeks Sisters

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Thanks to a generous ancestry.com member, I now have more information on the connection between the Weeks sisters and Grandmother Moffatt:

“Grandmother Moffatt” is Henrietta Shearer (1829-1906) who married John Henry Moffatt (1829-1864) in Scotland, moved to PA, (where he was a house builder) and bore him five children. After his death in 1864, she married his cousin James W. Moffatt and bore him three more children, the youngest of whom was Marion “Effie” Moffatt (1876- ), who married Herman T. Weeks (1864- ) and is the mother of the “Weeks Sisters” Anna Y Weeks (1902-1937) and Isabel C. Weeks (1907-1999). She also had a son, (their brother) Frank H. Weeks (1904-1971).

Thanks Bart for this great information!

Freddy B. Steves

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Freddy B. Steves, 1 year and 1 week

This is a fabulous little tin type of Freddy B. Steves, who, according to the back of the photo, is 1 year and 1 week old and was taken on May 25, 1868 in New York. That’s some great information!

Only one Fred B. Steves shows up in the documentation from New York born around 1867 (one year before the photo). Hopefully, it’s the same one! Fred B. Steves appeared to be the only son of Oliver and Aurelia or Lucy Steves. In 1870, Freddy and family live in Lansingburgh, Rensselaer, New York with an Eliza Brown who was 56 – likely Aurelia/Lucy’s mother. By 1880, the family had moved to Trenton, New Jersey.

Unfortunately, by 1885, at age 18 a Fred B. Steves died in Trenton, NJ of heart disease. There’s more evidence of his death than his life. He was buried in Oliver P. Steves lot. A very sad end to such a cute little boy. All the more reason to continue to promote his life!

Geraldine O. Kling

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Geraldine O. Kling Froleigh

What a beauty Geraldine Kling is. At first I thought her name was O’Kling, but turns out O is the middle initial. The second name “Froleigh” was written at a later date in pencil – for searching purposes I assumed this was a married name. No date or location are mentioned, but it’s not too hard to tell that his photo was likely taken in the late 1920’s. Also Geraldine can’t be more than 20 herself here. Possibly a high school graduation picture.

Curious to know, as an aside, if she’s related at all to the Kling’s that Mabel Webster Palmer lived with in the previous post – hmmm.

Geraldine O. Kling appears to be the daughter of Charles & Bessie Kling; born on January 14, 1910. She lived in New York City with various people – in 1910 she lived with her parents, 1915 with her grandmother, 1920 with an aunt and uncle, 1925 with her dad (possible with a step-mom as well). She eventually married William C. Froleigh.

This is a photo that I own, if any relative would like it.

Mabel from Michigan

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Mabel M. V. Webster-Palmer

What you see is what you get with Mabel. Her long name and a location – good info. But sometimes a name like that can be confusing. Did she really hyphenate her name, or was that just for identification purposes? The way it’s written was even a little odd. Was Palmer part of her name or was it a town in Battle Creek County, Michigan? You can learn a lot about geography in the genealogy biz!

Her long name was key in identifying her – if she had just been Mabel Palmer or Mabel Webster we may not be here now. I guesstimated her birth date to between 1895-1905. It’s almost a game now, how close I can get to the actual year! MANY family trees came up, but let’s focus on the evidence first because there’s not a lot of it.

A Mabel Palmer, born April 24, 1899, died in March of 1969 in Battle Creek, Michigan – good match. However, every other census I’ve found a Mabel Webster in is in New York: in 1900 she lives with grandmother Mary Kling at the age of 1; in 1910 and 1920 she lives with parents the Webster’s also in New York. No way to know from my photograph if this is the same woman.

So, in rare form, I’m relying on the family trees to tell the story – not many of which have evidence attached to them. I am sure that this picture matches the woman in their trees at least. To that end, this is likely Mabel Mary Vestella Webster, born (as the SSDI indicated) on 4/24/1899 to George and Mable Webster. She married Lawrence Palmer in New York, and died in Battle Creek, Michigan in 1969 – with probably a lot of great stories in between :)

Good luck Mabel!

By the way, I own Mabel. If anyone wants the photo let me know.