c 1890s Cabinet Photograph of Elderly Eliza (Emmons) Blake of Limington, Maine

Circa 1880s/1890s cabinet photograph of an elderly woman identified on the reverse as Lizzie Emmons Blake.    She was Eliza (Emmons) Blake, "Lizzie", wife of Benjamin Blake of Limington, Maine.

The photograph was taken by the Smith Studio, which I believe was located at Sanford, Maine but might have had multiple locations.  The photographer was presumably Celia Roxie (Cook) Smith, wife of  house painter William Smith.  They indicated to the enumerator of the 1900 Census that they'd been married two years, indicating that the Eliza's photograph was taken not long before she died.  However, I found a New Hampshire marriage record that indicates they were actually married on October 23, 1887 at Rochester, New Hampshire, so the photograph range is expanded by another ten years.

Celia Roxie (Cook) Smith was born at Barrington, New Hampshire, on December 29, 1860, daughter of Alden B. Cook and Mary E. (Wentworth) Cook.  She's buried at the Riverside Cemetery at Springvale, Maine.

From brief online research, hopefully correct:  [corrections and additions requested!]

Eliza Emmons was born about 1814 at Lyman, Maine, the place named on her death record, so possibly incorrect.  Her parents on that record were listed as ? Emmons and Margaret Cousins.  The indexer gave her father's given name as Fredrich, but I'm not sure that's correct.

On June 6, 1836 at Lyman, Maine, Eliza married Benjamin Blake, Jr., son of Benjamin and Betsey (Moody) Blake of Limington, Maine.  They made their home at Limington and had, I think, six children, at least two of whom died in childhood.

1. Margaret E. Blake (1837-1897); married Jonathan Babb
2. Gideon M. Blake (1840-1877); married Cordelia Winslow Staples
3. Mary A. Blake (1842-?)
4. Charles F. Blake (1848-1849)
5. Edwin A. Blake (about 1853-?); married 1) Florence G. Keeley; 2) Anna A. Bolton
6. Harriet Lillie Blake, or Lillie E. Blake (1858-1867)

Benjamin Blake, Jr., died October 23, 1874; Eliza (Emmons) Blake died September 16, 1898.  If you have corrections and/or additions to the information above, please leave a comment or contact me directly.

Separate Cabinet Photographs of Albert Snow and Nettie E. (Bliss) Snow, by East Boston, Massachusetts, Studio

Separate cabinet cards of a young man and young woman identified as Frank Snow and Nettie Snow.  The photographs were taken by the A. Story studio of East Boston, Massachusetts.  I believe these were Alfred Thomas Snow and wife Nettie E. (Bliss) Snow, who lived at East Boston, Massachusetts.

From online research, hopefully correct:  [corrections and additions welcome!]

Albert Thomas Snow was born 12 June 1850 at Boston, Massachusetts, the son of Edmund Snow and Eliza Ann (Harrington) Snow, who were born at Lunenburg, Massachusetts, and Eastport, Maine, respectively.

In June 1884 at Boston, Massachusetts, Albert married Nettie E. Bliss, daughter of Alvah and Cinderella (Strickland) Bliss.  Nettie was born August 1865, perhaps at West Warren, Massachusetts, the daughter of Alvah and Cinderella (Strickland) Bliss.

Albert and Nettie had at least one child, a son Edmund Bliss Snow, born 14 October 1885 at Boston, Massachusetts.  He would marry Gertrude F. Marsh.

Albert died in 1920.  Nettie is listed as a widow on a 1937 Boston City Directory.

If you have corrections and/or additions to the information above, please leave a comment or contact me directly.


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Cabinet Photograph of George Ivory Morse of Standish, Maine

Cabinet photograph of a man identified on the reverse as George Ivory Morse.  The photograph was taken by the Colpitts studio of 514 Congress Street, Portland, Maine.

From online research, hopefully correct: [corrections and additions welcome!]

George Ivory Morse, who appears to have gone by his middle name of Ivory, was born 6 September 1873 in Maine, the son of George Shaw Morse and Martha Ann (Rogers) Morse.  

On 4 December 1918, George Ivory Morse married Mabel May Mayberry, daughter of John Colby Mayberry and, I think, Mary Abbie E. (Witham) Mayberry.  Mabel was born 18 May 1875 at Windham, Maine.

Sadly, Mabel died 21 August 1919 at Windham, Maine, of ovarian cancer.

On 18 May 1936, George Ivory Morse married widow Martha Ann (either Gray or Whitney or ?).  Martha died after the enumeration of the 1940 Census and before 7 July 1948 when Ivory married his third wife, Isabel Cobb of Dry Mills.  The Maine Marriages database has two listings for Isabel, as Cobb and as Anderson.  which of them, or neither, was her maiden name, I don't know.

George Ivory Morse's obituary in the July 18, 1953 issue of the Lewiston Daily Sun mentions that his wife, the former Isabel Cobb, survived him, as did his brother Dwight Peter Morse.  

The obituary also notes that George Ivory Morse was a farmer for about 60 years at Standish Neck before moving to Dry Mills.

If you have corrections and/or clarifications and additions to the information above, please leave a comment or contact me directly.  Thanks!


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Three Cabinet Photographs of Carson Family members from Mount Vernon, Maine, and Grand Meadow, Minnesota

Three cabinet photographs of the Carson family: Hannah K. (Brown) Carson and her son William Ellsworth Carson, both of Mount Vernon, Maine, and Hannah's granddaughter Leona Amanda Carson of Grand Meadow, Minnesota.

Two of the photographs were taken at Lynn, Massachusetts, where two of Hannah's daughters were living.  

The images above are front and reverse of a cabinet photograph of Hannah K. (Brown) Carson of Mount Vernon, Maine.  The photograph was taken by the studio of F. E. Taggard of 333 Union Street, Lynn, Massachusetts.

The images below are front and reverse of a cabinet photograph of William Ellsworth Carson, Hannah's youngest child.  The photograph was taken by the R. A. Reed Studio o 66 Market Street, Lynn, Massachusetts.

The images below are front and reverse of a photograph of Leona Amanda Carson, daughter of Hannah's oldest son, James Franklin Carson.  The photograph was taken by the Criswell studio of Grand Meadow, Minnesota.

From online research, hopefully correct: [corrections and additions welcome!]

Hannah K. (Brown) Carson was born 14 January 1818 at Mount Vernon, Maine, the daughter of Nathan Brown, Jr., and Mary (Kimball) Brown.  On 4 November 1841 at Mount Vernon, Maine, Hannah married James Carson, son of James and Mary Polly (Greeley) Carson.  James Jr. was born at Mount Vernon, Maine, on 14 March 1811.

James and Hannah had, I believe, 8 children:

1. Hannah Frances "Fanny" Carson, born 25 October 1843 at Mount Vernon, Maine; married Lyman Bowen Kimball
2. James Franklin Carson, born 25 October 1843 at Mount Vernon, Maine; married Amanda Isadora Goodwin, daughter of John and Mary Ann (Well) Goodwin of Mount Vernon, Maine.  James Franklin Carson and Amanda Isadora (Goodwin) Carson were the parents of Leona Amanda Carson, pictured above.  Leona was born 21 December 1876 at Racine, Minnesota.  She married Patrick McDonough about 1896. 
3. Roscoe G. Carson, born 21 January 1846 at Mount Vernon, Maine; married Elizabeth W. Bartley
4. Alonzo Brown Carson, born, 22 September 1850 at Mount Vernon, Maine; married Allie Woods
5. Mary Isabel "Belle" Carson, born 19 February 1853 at Mount Vernon, Maine; married Herbert William Cook; moved to Lynn, Massachusetts
6. Aurelia Bean Carson, born 27 January 1855 at Mount Vernon, Maine; m. George W. Pray; moved to Lynn, Massachusetts
7. Moses Carroll Carson, born 28 January 1858; married Angelina M. Scholefield
8. William Ellsworth Carson, pictured above, born 5 August 1860 at Mount Vernon, Maine; married Effie Edna Davis

If you have corrections to the information above, or additions to it, please leave a comment or contact me directly.  Thanks!

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Grand Meadow, Minnesota

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Lynn, Massachusetts

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Cabinet Photos of Two Unidentified Children that appear to be Siblings; Taunton, Massachusetts studio

Two cabinet photographs of unidentified children, purchased together at the same antique shop and produced by the same studio, F. T. Treadwell of Taunton, Massachusetts.  They are possibly siblings.

There's nothing written on the reverse of either photograph.

If these children look familiar from your family albums or research into Taunton, Massachusetts, area folks, please leave a comment or contact me directly.  Thanks!

Taunton, Massachusetts


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Cabinet Photograph of a Man IDed as Orval Bishop; possibly Orison Snow Bishop of Milo, Maine

Cabinet photograph of a man identified on the reverse as Orval Bishop; the photograph was taken by the Chase studio of Foxcroft, Maine.  

I found Orval in Census records of Lagrange, Maine, and Milo, Maine, not far from Foxcroft, Maine, and other records for himself and his children; he was listed as Orval in some and Orison in others.  Perhaps Orval was Orison Snow Bishop's nickname.  If you know that Orval was not Orison Snow Bishop, please let me know.

The identification is written in pencil against a dark background and shows better in oblique light.

From online research, hopefully correct: [corrections and additions welcome!]

Assuming Orval Bishop was Orison Snow Bishop, he was born 22  February 1849 at Lagrange, Maine, the son of James Lindsay Bishop, Jr., and wife Martha Jane (Snow) Bishop.  

James Lindsay Bishop, Jr., was the son of Rev. James Lindsay Bishop and his first wife Lois (Whitney) Bishop of Leeds, Maine, and, later, Lagrange, Maine.  Martha Jane (Snow) Bishop was the daughter of Stephen and Frances (Page) Snow of Milo, Maine.

On 31 March 1871, Orison Snow Bishop married Harriet Adelaide Sherburn or Sherburne, daughter of John and Abigail (Johnson) Sherburn.  Harriet was born 31 October 1851 at Milo, Maine.

Orison and Harriet made their home at Lagrange, Maine, and Milo, Maine, and had, I think, six children: Franklin; Winfred; Melvin; Leonard; Byron; and Emma.  Franklin, Winfred and Leonard died young.

Harriet Adelaide (Sherburn) Bishop died 6 August 1904 at Milo, Maine.  By the time of the 1910 Census, Orval/Orison had married Margaretta, who was born about 1852 in New York.

In the 1920 Census of Canton, Massachusetts, Orison is shown in the enumeration of the Massachusetts Hospital School, is listed as married, but no wife is shown.

Interestingly, I found the record of a 24 February 1920 marriage on the Maine Marriages online database of an Orrison V. Bishop of Lagrange, Maine, and a Nathalie E. Danforth of Bradford, Maine, but I don't know if this Orison is Orison Snow Bishop.

Amazingly, Orison, at age 81, was still working, as a mechanic, by the time of the 1930 Census of Somerville, Massachusetts.  Again, he's listed as married, but no wife is shown with him.

Orison, by then listed as a widower, was still at Somerville, Massachusetts, at the time of the 1940 Census.  He died 7 August 1942 at Somerville.

If you have corrections to the information above, especially if Orval and Orison were two different men, please leave a comment or contact me directly.  Thanks!

Just in case there is a connection...  Found with Orval's photograph was another one by the Chase studio of Foxcroft, Maine, of a baby girl, identified on the reverse as Aunt Emma.  Orison Snow Bishop and his wife Harriet Adelaide (Sherburn) Bishop had a daughter named Emma Ethel Bishop, born at Milo, Maine, on 22 December 1888.

Lagrange, Maine [A] and Milo, Maine [B]


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Cabinet Photograph of Unidentified Young Man; F. E. Fairfield studio of Eastport, Maine

Cabinet photograph, possibly a graduation photograph, taken by the F. E. Fairfield studio of Eastport, Maine, of an unidentified young man.  

He might have been an Eastport area resident, or he might have been from the Canadian side of Passamaquoddy Bay.

If you recognize him from your family albums or research, please leave a comment or contact me directly.  Thanks!

Eastport, Maine


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Bangor, Maine, area: Two photographs of Unidentified Men

Two photographs of unidentified men, both taken by studios at Bangor, Maine.

The cabinet photograph above was taken by the Ramsdell studio.  There's nothing written or printed on the reverse.

The photograph below, which might be a graduation photograph, was taken by the Dole studio located in the Kenduskeag block.

Again, there is nothing written or printed on the reverse.

If you recognize either or both of these men from your family albums or research, please leave a comment or contact me directly.  Thanks!

Bangor, Maine


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Cabinet Photograph of Mary Hale Ridgway; by a Haverhill, Massachusetts studio

Cabinet photograph of a woman identified on the reverse as Mary Hale Ridway, which I believe should have been Mary Hale Ridgway, or Mary Warren (Hale) Ridgeway.

Assuming I have the correct Mary Hale Ridgway, and from online research, hopefully correct: [corrections and additions welcome!]

Mary Warren Hale was born about 1859 at West Newbury, Massachusetts, the daughter of William J. and second wife Sarah (Piper) Hale.

Her paternal grandparents were William and Elizabeth (Goodwin) Hale.  Her maternal grandparents were Walter, Jr. and Mary (Pierce) Piper.

On 22 July 1880 at Atkinson, New Hampshire, Mary Warren Hale married Moses M. Ridgway, Jr., son of Moses and Sarah (Locke) Ridgway.  He was born at West Newbury, Massachusetts, on 24 December 1845.

Mary and Moses had at least two children, daughters Clara or Clair Ridgway, born 20 September 1881, and Mabel Hale Ridgway, born 17 March 1883 at West Newbury, Massachusetts.

20th century Census records show the couple living apart.  By the time of the 1920 Census, Mary indicated that she was widowed.

Mary died at Derry, New Hampshire, in 1929. 

West Newbury, Massachusetts


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Five Photographs by Bangor, Maine studios of Unidentified Women

Five photographs taken by Bangor, Maine, studios of unidentified women.

The cabinet photograph above was taken by the George Lansil studio at 4 Main Street, Bangor, Maine. There's printing on the reverse, but nothing to identify the woman.

The cabinet photograph below was taken by the Marston Studio of Bangor, Maine. There's nothing on the reverse.

The cabinet photograph below was taken by the J. F. Gerrity & Company studio of Bangor, Maine. There's nothing but a question mark on the reverse.

The photograph below was taken by the George Lansil studio of Bangor, Maine.  There's nothing on the reverse.

The photograph below was taken by the Perry studio of Bangor and Old Town, Maine.  It's in a presentation folder.  There's no identification on the folder.  The photograph is glued on; I doubt there's any identification on the reverse.

If you recognize any of these women from your family albums or research, please leave a comment or contact me directly.  Thanks!

Bangor, Maine


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Two Photographs by Lewiston, Maine studios of Unidentified People; one a Cabinet Photo by Stanley studio

Two photographs taken by Lewiston, Maine, studios of unidentified people.

The cabinet photograph above was taken by the Stanley studio. There's nothing on the reverse.

The photograph below was taken by the studio of Harry L. Plummer and is in a folder.  There's nothing written on the reverse of the photograph or on the folder.

If you recognize either or both of these people from your family albums or research, please leave a comment or contact me directly.  Thanks!


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Old Town, Maine: Two Photographs of Unidentified Men; Cabinet Photo by Howe; grad photo by Myers studio

Two photographs of unidentified men, both taken by studios at Old Town, Maine.

The cabinet photograph above was taken by the Howe studio, at 113 Main Street.  There's nothing written on the reverse.

The photograph below, which was taken by the Myers Studio, appears to be a graduation photograph.  This photograph is inserted in a folder; there's no identification.

If you recognize either or both of these men from your family albums or research, please leave a comment or contact me directly.  Thanks!

Old Town, Maine


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Cabinet Photograph of Belle Whitman and/or Belle Gilmore

Cabinet photograph of a woman identified on the reverse by two names, Belle Whitman or Belle Gilmore.  I'm not sure if the person who wrote the identification meant that the names belonged to the same person at different stages in her life, or that the person pictured could have been one of two people.

The studio that took the photograph is identified only by initials, which look to be HWH superimposed over a C or G.

If either name, or both, sounds familiar to you from your family research, please leave a comment or contact me directly.  Thanks!
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Photograph of Toddler Nellie Pike, by a Westfield, Massachusetts studio

Cabinet photograph taken by the Coleman studio of Westfield, Massachusetts, of a young child identified on the reverse as Nellie Pike.

It's possible this Nellie Pike was the daughter of Francis Monroe Pike and Augusta (Strong) Pike, born about 1880 in New York.  

Her father was born at Southborough, Massachusetts, son of Nahum and Sally Sophia (Collins) Pike.  I haven't found out more information about Augusta (Strong) Pike, other than that, like her daughter, she was born in New York.  Their other children were James Clarence Pike and Maggie Pike.

If you have can corroborate this identity and add to it, or if you feel that the child is another Nellie Pike, please leave a comment or contact me directly.

Westfield, Massachusetts


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Cabinet Photograph of Mrs. C. H. Thomas or C. N. Thomas, by a Boston, Massachusetts studio

Cabinet photograph of a young woman identified on the reverse as Mrs. C. H. Thomas, or Mrs. C. N. Thomas.

The photograph was taken by the studio of Holland and Roberts of 10 Temple Place, Boston, Massachusetts.  It was taken in 1888 or later.

I found a Charles N. and Thelma C. Thomas living on Hazelton Street in the Mattapan section.  I'm sure there are many other possibilities as well.

If you recognize this young woman from your family albums or research, please leave a comment or contact me directly.


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Cabinet Photos of Ed and Mary Slattery of Canajoharie, New York

Two cabinet photographs taken by the Gilman studio of Canajoharie, New York, of Ed Slattery and his wife Mary J. (Conboy) Slattery.

At first blush, Mary's name appears to be May I. Slattery, but she is apparently Mary J. Slattery, based on the many records for a person of that name at Canajoharie.  Her nickname may have been May.

The 1900 Census of Canajoharie, New York shows Edward and Mary with four children: William, Nora, Timothy and Mary.  Also living with them was Edward's mother-in-law Hanora Conboy.  

Hoping that her mother hadn't remarried, I went on a hunt for a Mary J. Conboy and found her in the 1870 Census of Canajoharie, New York, with her parents, Irish immigrants Thomas and "Anora" Conboy and younger siblings Michael, Rosanna and William.  Mary was shown as age fourteen and born in New York.

Edward Slattery was born about 1864 in Ireland.  I don't have concrete information on his parents; hopefully a reader will leave a comment.

The photograph was purchased with other Conboy photographs of people from coastal Maine, though I didn't realize the link at the time and don't know how the different Conboy branches relate.

If you have corrections to the information above, or additions to it, please leave a comment or contact me directly.  Thanks!

Canajoharie, New York


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1881 Cabinet Photograph of G. C. McMunn, taken by Providence, Rhode Island studio

Note of January 7, 2018: A reader has noted in the comments section that the man may have been George Clinton McMunn, born in 1857; Ann Crangle was his father's sister.

Cabinet photograph taken by the Goodwin studio of Nos. 61, 63 & 65 Arcade, Providence, Rhode Island of a man identified on the reverse as G. C. McMunn, or G. E. McMunn.

The photograph was gifted on 3 January 1881 to his uncle and aunt, Ed and Ann Crangle.  The reverse is not as pink as the image below would indicate.

If you have a theory as to identities of G. M. McMunn and Ed and Ann Crangle, please leave a comment or contact me directly.

It's tempting to think that the Crangles might have been Edward and Annie Crangle of St. Stephen, New Brunswick. Annie's maiden name may have been Temple, or Temple may have been the name of a previous husband.  In the 1871 Census of Canada, there was an adopted daughter, Catherine O'Neil, aged 9 living with them.  She may have been Ann's daughter from a previous marriage, adopted by Edward Crangle, or perhaps not the natural child of either of them.

Providence, Rhode Island


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Cabinet Photograph of the Parents of Anna Tefft; by a Newport, Rhode Island studio

Cabinet photograph, taken by the Holloway studio of Newport, Rhode Island, at the corner of Malboro and Thames Streets, of a couple identified on the reverse as the parents of Anna Tefft.

I found a few possibilities for an Anna Tefft, with Tefft as a maiden name and married name, and don't want to take a chance, so I'm hoping a reader who recognizes this couple from family albums and/or research will come forward with a comment to identify them.

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