I am feeling pretty good tonight (thank you Vicodin) so I will try to put in a couple posts. This photo was identified on the back as Marnie or Mamie Clugston and dated January 20, 1890. In the album the person who went around identifying people wrote Fannie Clugston, Indiana. My guess is the name is truly Marnie / Mamie as it was probably written closer to the date of the photo. Her dress is very interesting. It appears to be composed of loosely rusched voile or other lightweight fabric, which was secured to an under layer. The neckband is probably 1 1/2″ high and shows off a lovely brooch and a strand of pearls above it. She may also be wearing earrings, I can’t quite tell.
The photo was made by Dot’s Studio in Columbia City, Indiana. We know that the fancy deckled edges of the card stock were available between 1886-1900 but were most popular in the 1890s. I cannot see the sleeves of the dress to give a better date, but I’ll go with the 1890s.
Who Were They? 
Interesting blouse..it looks like soft light weight fabric. I am glad you feel a bit better:)
LikeLike
Columbia City is adjacent (8 miles east of) Larwill, Indiana and was the location of the Clugston family dry goods store.
I’m guessing this is actually Fannie, who was born about 1868 and would have been about 22 years old at the time of the date on the photo. Another, less likely possibility is that this is Fannie’s sister, Mary (which some people also call Mamie). Mary would have been about 17 in 1890.
However, I think Mamie was the nickname of her mother, Margaret, who was born about 1838 (making her about 52 in 1890). I would assume the photo was given to Fannie’s mother and that is was it is labelled the way it is…(?)
I’ve no luck at all figuring out how the “Mearns” are linked to this family. I am totally and truely baffled.
LikeLike
Ahhh! The mystery clears… perhaps…
Fanny Clugston (later Mrs. Glen A. Mason) full name was Francis Margaret. She may have been called Mamie too! Sadly, she was widowed before she was 54 years old.
To make things interesting, though, Francis M. Mason (nee Clugston) had a daughter named Margurete Clugston Mason (b. abt 1897).
LikeLike