Clues

An old photograph gives me the opportunity to look into a small window and observe our ancestor’s lives.  We can stare into their faces and try to imagine their lives, thoughts and routines.   I have collected some of these historic photographs of our Bonsor family and have reviewed many this past year. I have made some interesting discoveries, with more to come I hope.  To learn more about dating a photograph, I consulted with a genealogist with an expertise in period photos, clothing, hairstyles and materials to learn more about the age of these photos.  There are so many clues if you look hard enough, and they can lead you to more stories about your long lost relatives.

Photo 1 - Three Women, about 1888, Philadelphia

This is a formal picture of three women, possible a mother, sitting, and her two daughters.  They must be financially well off because their dresses are very well tailored and fit them.  The little girl is approximately 10-12 years old in a very pretty dress of plaid fabric with a silk looking scarf attached to a ruffled collar.  She also has a bow in her hair.  The other standing woman has her hair piled on top of her head with very curly bangs.  She looks to be in her 20’s and is very stylish with her dark dress, high collar and pin tucks down the front of her bodice.  Her skirt is pleated with a drape across at an angle.  The women sitting has her hair up and also has a very intricate dress with pin tucks in the front of her bodice and pleats with large buttons detailed down her dress.  She has a ring on her left hand, fourth finger, indicating she is married.  Both standing girls have their hands on their mothers’ arms, holding her.  The photo was taken in a studio in Philadelphia that was active at this location between 1879 to about 1895.  With the style of dresses and hair, my photo expert dated this picture at about 1888.  I have not pinned down exactly who they are, but I know the where and the when and that they might be related since they were with the photographs left in the 101 Harvard house.

Photo 2 - Arthur H Bonsor, Houtzdale, PA, taken in 1890's

I know this is a picture of Arthur H Bonsor because it was written on the back and this photo looks like a younger version of his older photographs.  But still clues are there and need to be identified.  It was taken in a studio in Houtzdale, PA.; why was he there in that town?  It is a formal sitting and he is dressed very well wearing a trimmed suit and vest.  His hair is combed carefully.  The main clue in this photo is he is wearing a white tie and white high collar, this means a very special occasion such as a wedding or graduation.  Is this his wedding picture when he married Margaret Kenna in June of 1891?  If so, where is a picture of Margret in her wedding outfit?  Or is it his graduation from school?  The scalloped edges on the cardboard matte indicate that the photo was taken in the 1890’s.  So another mystery to solve and more to investigate.

Photo 3 - Photo taken 1872, Philadelphia

This stylish woman had her photograph taken at a studio in Philadelphia by O. B. DeMorat on Sth Eight Street.  According to the city directory, the studio occupied that location in 1872.  She looks young, possibly in her 20’s and is very well dressed.  Her hair is very fashionable for the day with her hair pulled up on top of her head with a braided hairpiece added and two ringlets on her forehead.  It was very popular to add a hairpiece at this time period.  She wears a cross around her neck hanging from a black velvet ribbon over her lace collar.  This generally indicates she is Catholic or Anglican (from England).  Her dress is well fitted and of good fabric.  With all these clues, it was probably taken in 1872 and could be a Kenna girl, and Irish-Catholic.

Photo 4 - Alice Bonsor, Taken 1895, Camden, NJ

This baby photo was taken by Samuel C. Chester at 323 Federal St, Camden NJ.  He conducted a portrait studio at this address for over 25 years, 1894 – 1920’s.  Alice Bonsor (Aunt Alice) was born in 1894 and with that brow, it sure looks like her.  Bang on little girls started appearing in the 1890’s.  She is wearing a long white dress with ribbons of lace on the sleeves and front and along the hem.  She looks approximately 6 months old.

Photo 5 - Ethel Bonsor, Taken in 1894, Camden, NJ

This must be Ethel, Alice’s sister, two years older born in 1892.  She also has the new trend in bangs along with ringlets in her hair.  Her part in the middle indicates a girl, while it was traditional for boys to part their hair on the side in the 1800’s.  She has a very lacy dress on with big puffy sleeves.  In her hands she holds a doll made of leather; you can see the hand stitches on the legs.  This photo was taken at Garns and Co. at 206 Federal St, Camden NJ.  They were in business from 1889 to 1897.  Ethel was born in 1892 and this looks like she is about 2 year old.

Photo 6 - Alice and Ethel Bonsor. Taken in 1896, Camden, NJ

This is Ethel and Alice in bed probably in their home in Camden.  It was taken in the late 1890’s.  They look to be about 2 and 4 years old.  The square board the picture is mounted on was used in the 1890’s to the 1900’s.  Notice the large wood bed board, with carvings on each side and embellishments in the center.  There is also decorative wallpaper in the room.  The girls look comfortable with lots of pillows and beautiful linens.  This was a snapshot probably taken by Arthur, their father, as the girls slept.

Photo 7 - Man with bird

I think these two pictures are of the same man, one younger and one older.  Each photograph has clues.  This man looks very well groomed with his trimmed beard and combed hair. He is playing with a bird in a cage.  There is also a statue of a bird on the bookcase in the background.  There is a plant (it looks dead) on the table with the birdcage.  There is also a nice fern sitting on the floor in front of the window. Above the birdcage on the wall there is a German coo coo clock with the weight chain hanging down the wall.  There is a frame on the bookcase in the background with two round windows, with some pictures in them.  The room has a striped floral and vine wallpaper.

Photo 8 - Elderly Man

This man is sitting in the chair that is in the foreground of the previous picture.  He is not as well-groomed as before, instead has a long full beard and looks thinner but still has a prominent hook nose.   The bookcase stands behind him as in the previous photograph with the bird statue placed on top. It has a reflection of a lampshade in the glass front of the bookcase.  A mirror hangs on the wall and has a reflection of a framed artwork hanging on the opposite wall.  The wallpaper is the same striped floral and vine design as the previous picture.  Unfortunately it is difficult to tell by men’s fashions what year it could be.  This probably is the same man in the same room some years apart.  Does anyone have a coo coo clock or a framed twin picture or a bird statue?  These all could be clues as to where and when these pictures were taken.

Historic photographs do give us a glimpse of our ancestors in their daily lives, formal or casual.  By collecting all the clues and assembling these puzzle pieces I may be able to identify these long lost relatives and give a face to each of their stories.  This project is urgent in my mind because I don’t want these ghosts from the past to fade away in our memories and then we would lose their histories forever.

I would appreciate any clues and information you have about these and any other relative’s in our large family.  Please share these stories with me so I can solve our many mysteries and widen our view of our ancestors.