Massey Family Update

You may have seen this photo in the early days of the blog.  It is the Winchester Massey family.  His wife, Sarah Jane Wood was the half-sister to my Great-Grandfather William Vincent Wood. 

The update is that I now know the children also shown in the photo.  This is thanks to a distant cousin, Maggie, who has been very generous with her photos, information and time.  I am very grateful for experiences like this.

Back Row (l to r):  Drury Massey (b. 1876), Sarah Jane Wood Massey, and Clarence Massey (1878).
Front Row (l to r):  (Jane) Ella Massey (1858) , Theodore Massey (1881) and Winchester Massey.

To Carrie

The back of this photo is inscribed "To Carrie" in ink.  Beulah May Wood, A Merry Christmas to You is written in pencil.  As stated before I have only tracked down one Carrie so far in family records, Carrie Kerr Hiskey.  I know that Beulah May Wood is one of my Grandpa Wood's sisters.  My guess is that this picture was intended for Carrie but not ever passed along and probably is a photo of Beulah.  The images I carry in my mind of Aunt Beulah don't really related to how she may have looked at this age.

Welch's Photo Tent

This photo was taken by Welch's Photo Tent but I have found no indication of where it may have been.   I assume that the term "tent" means it was a traveling photographer.  On the back of the photo it has two names, George and Bessie, but both names have a line drawn through them.  My guess is that either 1) this photo was intended for George and Bessie then not given to them after all; or 2) that someone thought it was George and Bessie then decided that it wasn't after all.  Since the writting, in pencil, is very much like writing on some of the other photos I believe that # 1 is the most plausable.

Carrie

This photo is identified with the name "Carrie" on the back.  I am sure that it refers to Carrie Kerr Hiskey the niece of Ella Eckard Wood.  The photo posted earlier of Carrie and Vince compared to the Carrie photo and very similar, although do not appear to have been taken at the same time. 

Unknown Man, Unknown Photographer

This photo may have been from the same photographer as the previous post.  The cardboard mat is very similar.  On the back of this photo are the words "Miss Woods".  My guess is that this photo is not a Wood family member as I have never found an instance where they signed their names or were listed in census records as Woods.  My Grandmother was adamant that there was not, nor would there ever be, an "s" at the end of our name. 

This photo is very faded and difficult to see but the man's dress, hair and mustache all seem typical of the area. 

There are several possibilities as to who this photo was given to.  Ella Eckard Wood had three daughters who could have been the recipient.  In many cases I have noticed "Miss" and "Mrs" being interchangeable--especially in the Mid-west and South.

Minnie

"Minnie" in written on the back of this photo.  It does not give a photographer's name or place.  This is only a guess, but I think it could be Minnie Kerr Kelly the wife of Zed Kelly.  Minnie would be the niece of Ella Eckard Wood.  From the genealogy I have gathered I've found no other Minnie attached to the family.  There is a possibility that this young woman could have been a friend of the family.

Woman with Hat

How I would love to say to you this is my relative such-n-such.  She lived in ..... and married......and then she.....  No details.  I do know one important thing about her.  On the back it says "Aunt Ella".  Based on other photos I have seen of Ella, including one at about the same age, I know this is not Ella.  I will assume, at least for now, that the young lady pictured put who was receiving the photo on the back.  However, she has several nieces and I am not sure that I have a complete list at this point.  I just love that hat!

Old Tintype Photo

I believe this photo is what they call a tintype.  It is very thin metal with the photo directly on the metal, not adhered to it.  It is in a lightweight folder in a creamy white color.  There is no writing or other markings.

Vermillion Bros' Photo Car

This photo could have been taken anywhere.  The luxury of a traveling photo studio is not a gift to those of us in genealogy want to find--unless someone wrote on the back.  Or perhaps someone has a matching or similar photo that is labeled?  If this looks like someone in your photo album please drop me a comment!

Baby Photo

Today I am bringing you another baby photo.  It might be just me, but it always seem more sad when a baby photo has no idenity.  This photo has no markings to indicate when or where it was taken.  This  little one is too precious to not view.

Another Unknown Gentleman

Another unkown man without a photographer or writing on the back to provide clues.  It was found in a back section of the album with slots for small photos so the proximity to other photos fails to offer clues as well.

I can't believe all these photos are one-of-a-kind.  If you recognize a photo please leave a comment even if you do not know this man's name.  Maybe the family names associated with your photo can, at the very least, help to narrow down the branch of the family he represents. 

Young Girl, Photographer Unknown

This is the kind of photo that makes me so sad.  A young girl, that is all I know and will probably ever know unless someone accidentally stumbles across this blog and recognizes her.  There is not even a photographer or place name, which might help me identify which side of the family she was on.  One thought is that since it is very small perhaps she was a distant relative or a close friend.

Chaudet Art Co., McCook, Nebraska

Another photo will hardly any background at all.  In a way these photos are sad; someone in my family  knew and cared for these people but I don't know why they are important.  While I treasure the photograph I can't yet treasure this family of four.  Maybe one of these little girls is a direct ancestor, it would be nice to know.

No Information Whatsoever

This will be very short because this photo comes with no information.  Nothing is even faintly inscribed on the back.  No one looks even vaguely familiar to me.  Except that the littlest boy looks so very much like my youngest grandson that I know this is family.  I hope that someone will recognize this dear family and that special little boy.

Sam Wagner

Here is a small photo of Sam Wagner, taken  by Brenner Photographer, Bucyrus Ohio.  It was found loose in my family photo album.  While there is no further information on the back of the photo I believe this man to be Samuel Pearson Wagner, son of David Wagner and Christina Eckard.  His mother, Christina Eckard was the daughter of George Eckert and Margaret Kiess.  They were also the parents of Christopher Eckard who is my great great grandfather.  Sam would be a cousin to my great grandmother Ella Elizabeth Eckart Wood and a brother to George LeRoy Wagner of a previous post.
Samuel Pearson Wagner was born 11 March 1860 in Bucyrus Ohio.  He married Nannie B. Lair on 22 March 1885 in Dawson NE.  Nannie was born is Dawson on 13 July 1867 and died 4 December 1885 the same day their only child died.  Samuel died 19 Jan 1918.  Samuel and Nannie are both buried in the Heim Cemetery at Dawson NE, lot 120-5 and 120-4.  I assume that their unnamed child may have been buried with Nannie as that was often the custom.  You can find a photo of the gravestone here.

Baby Photo Taken at Fairmont Nebraska

No information on this baby photo.  It was taken by Oberholtzer at Fairmont Nebraska.  I was able to find J. W. Oberholtzer, a photographer, in the 1890-1891 Business Directory for Fairmont, Fillmore Co. Nebraska.  At this point I cannot find a link between my known family names and Fairmont.

Another B. L. Wilson Gallery Photo

Unfortunately like most of the photos in this album this photo not been labeled.  It follows the previous post photo of George and Verda Wagoner (Wagner).  I would like to think there might be a connection, but there is not way of knowing until someone comes across this blog and recognizes these three children.  It appears that George and Verda had at least six children.  I have found records for three boys and three girls plus the mysterious "Ray" that I will keep searching for.

George and Verda Wagoner (Wagner)

This photo was taken by the Traveling B. L. Wilson's Gallery, as was the photo in the previous post.  That gentleman is not identified but this couple is George and Verda Wagoner.  It is Wagner according to their headstones in the Fredonia City Cemetery in Fredonia, Wilson Co., Kansas.  On the back it also states "Ray's parents, Ella Wood's cousins."

 According to the records of the Pennsylvania Historical Society of Nebraska George is indeed Ella's cousin.  His mother, Christina Eckard and Ella's father, Christopher Eckard are brother and sister. 

The Society's records also show George as married to Alverda (Waggoner, Waggener).  Referring to Alverda as Verda seems logical from what I know of family.  However, the records do not show Alverda and George as having a son named Ray although it does list six children for this family. 

It continues to appear that the gentleman in the October 20, 2011 post in on the Eckard side of the family not the Wood side.

Traveling B. L. Wilson's Gallery--The Biggest Mystery of All

I am sure that years ago the traveling photo galleries were a wonderful idea.  Getting photography to the masses was probably both lucrative to the photographer and a rare treat to many people in America.
However, owning several of these traveling gallery photos presents a lot of questions.  Some of the photos in this album may never be identified but I can determine which side of the family is pictured.

Knowing that the Penn Dutch side of the family appears to be the only side that was ever in Bucyrus Ohio narrows identity down somewhat.  A photo by a traveling photographer expands the possibilities.

Once I have to rely on visual recognition I am lost.  Everyone begins to look like each other the longer I look at them.  Is it just me or does this gentlemen look like an older version of the man in the J. Daugherty photo from Ohio?  Maybe it is wishful thinking...maybe it is just that marvelous white beard....what do you think?

Vince and Carrie (Kerr) Hiskey--Niece of Ella Eckard

This photograph was taken in Humbolt, Nebraska by Thortin Photography.  It was found loose between the pages of the album.  On the back it says simply Vince and Carrie. 

Although I cannot be 100% sure I believe it to be the niece of my Great-Grandmother Ella Eckard Wood.  Her sister Margaret Ann Eckard married John Andrew Kerr and the family lived in the Humbolt area as did their daughter Carrie and her husband Vincent Hiskey.  In fact Carrie is buried at the Heim Cemetery at Dawson along with her parents and Uncle John W. Eckard and Aunt Emma Eckard Thornton.

For more information on the Heim Cemetery please check out the Pennsylvania Historical Society of Nebraska.