Here we have a second photograph of “Slouchy” who we saw just last week. This cabinet card was made by GA Streeter, who we presume to be Arthur Streeter, the photographer we saw posed with his camera. This man does not have any resemblance to the rest of the family that I can tell, so perhaps he was Kate Parrish Streeter’s relative? I’ve not been able to find Kate on any census records prior to her marriage to Arthur, so it’s difficult to trace her or to know if this is one of her people.
For a proud Sepia Saturday submission, I give you a Civil War era picnic photograph. Photographs during the Civil War were famously perpetrated by the great Matthew Brady and his staff, though this doesn’t look like their work. There are three women and one little girl. Interesting that the woman in the apron – usually considered a device of the serving classes – is seated in a chair while the women in the more elaborate clothing are on the ground. The woman on the left has on a skirt and blouse, but probably would have had a paletot or other type of bodice to match her skirt, as the skirt and blouse combination was not “the fashion” at that time. The little girl has on a dress with what looks like caps over long sleeves, bloomers and Mary Jane style shoes, as well as a little white hat. The woman in the middle is also wearing a skirt and blouse, but hers is less ornate, so my thought is she may have been of less means? The woman on the right has a darker colored skirt to a white bodice, with decorative trim on the pagoda sleeves. Is the trim the same color as the skirt? It was uncommon to have a bodice that was drastically different from the skirt, however, if this was later in the war and they are from the South or Border states where goods were getting scarce, she may have combined two dresses to make one. Her hat is also different from the other two. While the spoon bonnet was the height of fashion, this woman is wearing a flat crowned and broad brimmed hat.
Who could these ladies be?
Click through to Sepia Saturday and take a look at some of the other great entries!
I’ll let you in on a little secret.This photo was taken in Huntington Beach, CA in August 2010. This is me, my daughter, sister and good friend. I’m the one with the different hat. My friend is sitting because she has a bad back. :-)
How about we take a look at a photo from the C Murray Album? I haven’t finished that family, although all the possible identifications have been made. I call this fellow “Slouchy” because he does seem to slouch down into the chair. He may have had an orthopedic problem that prevented him from sitting up straight, or he may have just slouched.
The photographer we have seen previously. Kalin was located in Clay Center, Kansas. Kalin was in business at least between 1890 and 1913. Since the majority of photos in the album are prior to the turn of the century, I’ll date this photo in the 1890s. The cabinet card is relatively simple with just a thin red line border.
These photos of the Trunk family were all taken on the same day in about 1914. I’m guessing that year because one photo was marked with that year, and by examination I realized that all the people in these photos are wearing the same clothes, putting the photos on the same day. All of the photos were cut out of another photo album and then taped into this one.
Trunks on a tree
This first photo features many of the siblings posed on a fallen tree. Click on the image below to view the color corrected photo with names.
Click to enlarge
Some of the people were identified with tiny handwriting in the album. For instance the photo above was surrounded with “Ben, Marie, Ed & Gertrude.” The next photo identified “Ruth, Jim, Rose.”
Look closely at the hats
This family definitely has a joy for life. If you look closely at the hats, you’ll see that they have switched them around a bit. Click the image below for greater detail.
Click to enlarge
The third photo has the family standing on a bridge or dock, possibly a roof?, that doesn’t look all that sturdy, and a dog has joined them.
Bridging the gap
The young boy is in each of these photos but not identified. I wonder if he is Edward Trunk?
Click to enlarge
And finally, we have Gertrude Trunk by herself. However, she’s wearing the same dress as in the other three pictures. Unless it was her favorite dress, I imagine she posed for a portrait on the day someone had the camera out and was taking snapshots.
Gertrude 1914
You can click on the photo to enlarge it and examine the details. I do wonder what occasion had the family out in the weeds and wilds taking photos. Perhaps it was a family gathering after a wedding or holiday supper?
A great big THANK YOU to Meri at Meri’s Musings for the following information on the Trunk family.
John Trunk was born in June 1848 in Germany. His wife Mary was born November 1856 in Pennsylvania, so they obviously met and married in PA about 1873 since they’d been married 26 years at the time of the census. By 1900, they had nine children: Lena M. (November 1874) ; Rose W. (Nov 1877); Minnie F. (Dec 1879); Anna C. (June 1882); Frances J. (May 1884); John E. — the eldest son, August 1886; Bedict C. (Benedicta, perhaps, though listed as a son) March 1889; Edward C. (July 1891); and Ruth C. (July 1891).
There are some inconsistencies — Mary and all the children were born in Pennsylvania. Mary’s parents, according to the census taker, were born in Germany. Not out of the question. But all John and Mary’s children are listed as having parents both born in Germany. . . though Mary was born in PA according to the same census and all the children seem to be hers. So perhaps an error. They were living in Barnsville, Belmont County, Ohio in 1900.
The photo above is (L to R) Rose, Ann, Lena & Min Trunk, the four eldest sisters. They have big taste in hats, don’t they!?
Who Were They? 