Who Were They?

Lost and forgotten photos from the past

These lovely children are placed in the Mearns Family Album next to the photo of Minnie Johns. Considering the news that Iggy found yesterday (that she had suffered from typhoid and her husband succumbed to it) it is unlikely that these were her children. You see, Minnie married Robert T. Groves on February 5, 1890, …

Continue reading

This photo from the Mearns Family Album is identified as Minnie Johns. I don’t recall seeing this name among the many relations that Iggy has found, but it’s entirely possible I am just not remembering well. The photo can be dated to the 1890s because of the scalloped edges of the card. You can also …

Continue reading

  Today’s entry for the Mearns Family Album is a collodion print of a gentleman with a fancy mustache and the slightest fringe of beard under his mouth. It’s strange. He has classic facial features and a regular appearance, but that odd beard makes me think there was something wrong under his mouth that he …

Continue reading

For our latest addition to the Mearns Family Album we have this fellow in what I think of as a stylish suit. Although I have commented that men’s fashions are nearly unchangeable through the second half of the 19th century, that is not actually true. Thankfully for you guys! At some point – again I …

Continue reading

This photograph from the Mearns Family Album is unidentified, but comes from the area of our previous photo. As Iggy pointed out, Columbia City and Fort Wayne are close by to each other. My guess is this is a relation to the lady yesterday, probably her husband? He has an unfortunate combover but quite an …

Continue reading