Who Were They?

Lost and forgotten photos from the past

Emil Gessner

Mrs Marvel

2 comments

March 26, 2021

Let’s see if today’s name deciphering game is correct. The back of this CDV identifies the gentleman as Emil A. Gessner. I did find a matching person in New Haven, CT where this portrait was made. Assuming it is the same person, this is Emil A Gessner, born 1856 in Germany. Emil and his wife Martha (1857) had 6 children: Elizabeth (1878), Mabel (1881), Steven (1883), Everett (1885), Martha (1886), and Francis (1891). The census revealed that Emil was a druggist at the Apothecaries Hall in New Haven, and owned his home. The following drawing accompanies his Find A Grave page, suggesting he was in the military of some kind. He lived in New Haven his entire life until his death on February 3, 1930.

Milo Biler – Updated

Mrs Marvel

2 comments

March 22, 2021

Up for consideration today is a portrait of Mr Milo Biler – updated: Biles. He was identified on the reverse of the image as having been born Feb 9, 1853, died Mar 16, 1890. With the birth and death dates, you would think I could find more information on him, but Mr Biler is surprisingly illusive. This may be due to a misspelling in his name – possible matches are Byler, Buller, Bailer, Biller, & Bilen. That’s just a few. He was photographed at the Lloyd gallery on Church Street in Wyalusing, PA.

UPDATE: Thanks to my excellent readers, the last name has been clarified to Biles.

Milo Biles was born in 1853 to Lewis and Catherine Biles, of Wyalusing, PA. He was one of four children: Mary (1851), Milo (1853), Sarah (1855), and Willie (1859). Lewis was a farmer and in the 1860 census claimed his real estate to be valued at $2000. By 1870, two more children had joined the family: Jennie (1862), and Puller (1865). Lewis was still a farmer. By 1880, Milo had married Tilla C (abt 1855) and they had a daughter named Olive (1871).

I further found a photograph of the Lewis Biles family:

Milo is standing at the back

According to Ancestry, Milo and Tilla (aka Theresa) had the following children: Ossie (1878), Kate (1880), Theresa (1883), Burt (1884), and Raymond (1890).

Tilla/Theresa died April 10, 1890, just a short time after Milo. This leads me to believe there was an illness that took them.

Frizzy bangs

Mrs Marvel

1 comment

March 19, 2021

Today’s attractive young lady is showing off an interesting necklace. I have seen similar shaped necklaces on other cabinet cards and CDVs, so I assume this was a fashion trend in the 1880s. Note her brooch – a cameo? – above the necklace, and above that the ruffled collar. It feels a tiny bit Elizabethan, to be honest.

The photo was made by Patton & Dietrich’s Photograph Gallery in Reading, PA.

 

Pretty Hair Comb

Mrs Marvel

1 comment

March 15, 2021

Photographed today is a young woman with a very pretty hair comb of the peineta style popular in the late 1880s. She also sports a long necklace that drapes over her jabot. She is otherwise unremarkable, although I am certain some loving person cherished her image.

The photo was made by Charles A. Saylor’s City Gallery. To see other photos from this studio, click on the link under Photographers. I think she looks a bit like Contemplative who was also photographed by Saylor. Could they have been related?

H. Delander

Mrs Marvel

no comments

March 12, 2021

Today’s photo shows three young women, all dressed and coiffed to perfection. Their dresses and hair styles are indicative of the the first years of the 20th century. Also of note is the ink stamp imprint from the studio of J. Forster & Son in Detroit, MI.

Someone wrote on the back “H. Delander.” I don’t know which one of these ladies was H. Delander, or if one of them even was. Maybe H. Delander was a parent who ordered the photo, or some other person.

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