This is a rather large presentation card – about 5.5×7.5 and on very heavy card. The edges are sharply angled. Featured on this presentation card is Bess Sparrow’s son. Noted on the back in lovely script it says “S. Foster Stewart 6 mos 12 days.” He is certainly a handsome baby!
I found an Foster S. Stewart born in 1907 in Pittsburgh who’s mother was named Bessie Stewart. If that is our baby, on the 1910 census Mother and Son were living with possibly her brother, a William Rich. Foster was listed as being the nephew of the head of the household. I have as yet to figure out how Bess Sparrow was related to Benedicta Trunk. Perhaps they were friends.
Who Were They? 
Oddly labeled. “Bess” Sparrows’ son (on front there seems to be an apostrophe.) The quotes would seem to imply “Bess” was a nickname – I would assume Elizabeth… and the last name was Sparrows (with the trailing “s”). S. Foster Steward could mean “Son, Foster Steward” without the last name – pointing out the baby is a boy –
The New York Studio (if I read that crazy “Y” correctly) would further make this … confusing.
…but I did a quick look for Foster S. Sparrows and F. Steward Sparrows (maybe in NY or even NJ) and didn’t see anything that caught my eye…
Isn’t interesting how even a labeled photo can be so flummoxing? :)
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