The Antique Photograph Album

While searching for descendants of Benjamin Kingman Curtis, I helped another descendant organize a small family reunion and dedication ceremony to place a new headstone on Benjamin's grave. The new stone was placed in honor of Benjamin's volunteer service in the Civil War. At the reunion/dedication I met several descendants who were new to me. One had brought some photocopies of pages from the antique photograph album. This all happened in June 2000. I ended up borrowing the album to make copies of all the pictures in the album. Posting the images on this blog is a small way to share them with others and preserve them for future generations. Please add comments about the people in the photos and the history behind the pictures as well.

Friend William Curtis 1890-1957

The first photograph in the antique Curtis family album was of Friend William Curtis, 1890-1957, son of Friend Charles Curtis & Mary Catherine Burrell. The photographer was Lewis & Son in Kaysville, Utah

Audeca Etta Brower

The third photograph in the antique album was of Audeca Etta Brower, wife of DeWilton Emory Curtis. The photographer was Frank D. Halsk, artist, place of business is unknown. Written on the back of the photo was "Friend of Mama's," meaning friend of Mary Lavantia Curtis (original owner of the antique album).

While attending a White family reunion in northern Utah, the descendants identified the person in this photo. Some of the descendants had a picture taken at her funeral of the flowers that adorned her casket. Among the flower was another copy of this exact same picture.

"Etta" was buried at the Preston City cemetery in Preston, Idaho. Her headstone is small and only says "Etta"

James Conroy Hobbs

The second photograph in the antique Curtis family album was of James Conroy Hobbs. James married Mary Lavantia Curtis, daughter of Benjamin Kingman Curtis and Sarah Lavantia Card. The photographer was Newcomb, 162 S. Main St., Salt Lake City, Utah.

Hugh Geddes

Hugh Geddes was a friend of Mary Lavantia Curtis, owner of the antique photograph album. This photo was the fourth one in the album. The photographer was H. H. Thomas whose studio was on Washington Ave., in Ogden, Utah.

Although living descendants of Mary, the original album owner, did not know anything more about Hugh, the following information was discovered in the 1900 US Federal Census:

In 1900 Hugh Geddes lived in Preston, Oneida, Idaho with his wife and children. He was born in July 1859 and was 40 years old at the time of the census. He was married in 1884 to Martena, who was listed as 35 years old during the census. They had six children: Estella E., Hugh L., Maud L., Moses P., Grant P., and Elva P. Hugh's parents were both born in Scotland. (See the 1900 US Federal Census, Preston, Oneida, Idaho; National Archives film #T623-234, page 8B)

It's very likely that this is the same person whose photograph ended up in the Curtis album because the Curtis family also lived in Preston, Idaho during the 1880s and 1890s.

Antique Photograph Album, image #5

We don't know anything about this person, other than he was a friend of Mary Lavantia Curtis. The photographer was Kirkland's Studio in Cheyenne, Wyoming. I've added this picture to the blog before, so view the comments on the picture by clicking on the label "family friend"

Cyrus Jerome Curtis

Antique Photograph Album, image #6. This is Cyrus Jerome Curtis, 1852-1922, son of Benjamin Kingman Curtis and Sarah Lavantia Card. There were two photographer's imprints on the back of this photograph: Cardon Art Gallery in Logan, Utah; and Portrait House in San Francisco, California. We assume that since the Curtis family was living in either Logan, Utah or Preston, Idaho during the time this photo was taken, that the original photographer was Cardon and that Portrait House reproduced the photograph.

Louise and Leversa

Antique Photograph Album, image #7. I've already added this picture to the blog, so I won't repeat the whole story behind the picture. I sure wish we knew who these girls were. Especially because the picture was taken in Grand Rapids, Michigan - the location where the Benjamin Kingman Curtis family used to live. The photographer was W. L. Beebe and G. H. Bailey, successors to Bayne in Grand Rapids. Written on the back of the photograph was "Louise and Leversa age 11 years May 30th 1890." I have already tried to find the identity of the girls by searching through the census records. The earliest census we might be able to find them in would be the 1880 and they would be about one year old when the census was taken. Since the 1890 census was burned, the next one to use is the 1900. By then, the girls would have been 21 years old. The hope of identifying who they are through census records is dependent upon finding them both listed in the same household. At 21 years, either one or both of the girls could have been married. Finding them in the 1880 census is a long shot, but very possible if the names written on the back of the photo were the same names written on the census. I'll keep looking, but if anyone knows anything about the two girls, please leave a comment on this blog.

Mr. Jones

Antique Photograph Album, image #8 - the only thing we know about this person is that his name was Mr. Jones and he was a friend. A friend of whom is unknown, but assume he was a friend of the Curtis family. The photograph was taken in Logan, Utah at the T. B. Cardon art gallery.

Mrs. Jones

Antique Photograph Album, image #9 - We can assume that this person is the wife of Mr. Jones, the eighth picture in the album. Written on both photographs was the word "friend" and we assume this meant that Mr. and Mrs. Jones were friends of the Curtis family. I wish we knew more about this couple and how they came to be friends with the Curtis family. Did the know each other in Michigan before the migrated to Utah? Were they neighbors?

C. Reed and M. A. Reed

Written on the back of the man's photo was C. Reed at 67, 1887. (Antique Photograph Album, image #10.)

The next photograph in the album was of a woman identified as M.A. Reed at 58, 1887 (Antique Photograph Album, image #11).

We assume C. and M.A. Reed were husband and wife, although no proof exists. Both photos were taken at 632 Kansas Ave., in Topeka, Kansas and the photographer was Snyder. They were friends of the Curtis family but no other information is known about them. We have no evidence that any of the Curtis family ever lived in Kansas, so we assume the Reed's lived there prior to their friendship with the Curtis family. The location where the Curtis and Reed families met is unknown, but we assume it was possibly in Utah, Idaho, or maybe Montana. The photographer for both pictures was T. B. Cardon, located in Logan, Utah.

The Reynolds family

This was the 13th page in the Curtis family antique photograph album. All the pages in the album were very similar in design. This picture was already added to this blog, so instead of adding it again, I chose to add the scanned image of the page itself. Neither the front or the back of the picture included a photographer's imprint so the name of the photographer or the place where the picture was taken is unknown. The family is that of George Robert Reynolds, his wife Sarah Ellenor Curtis, and their oldest child Leila Belle Reynolds.

Anna Feltstead

This image was the 15th in the antique photograph album. Her name was Anna Feltstead and she was a friend of Mary Lavantia Curtis, original owner of the antique photograph album. The photographer was the Cardon Art Gallery in Logan, Utah. The Cabinet Card image was mounted on a dark brown-black card with gold edges. The style of the card is the same style as the images on pages numbers 8, 9, 21, 25, and 27 in the antique album.

Alice

Antique Photograph Album, image #14. Written on the album page itself was the name "Alice". More writing exists on the page under the name, but the pencil has faded beyond the ability to read. A photographer's imprint was not on the cabinet card, so neither the name of the photographer nor the location where the photo was taken is known. We assume that Alice was a friend of Mary Lavantia Curtis, the original owner of the antique album.

Mary Lavantia Curtis

The 17th picture in the Curtis family antique photograph album was the original owner of the album. Mary Lavantia Curtis. Mary was the daughter of Benjamin Kingman Curtis and Sarah Lavantia Card. The Cabinet Card did not have a photographer's imprint, so the name of the photographer or the location where the photo was taken is unknown.

Florence Harland

Antique Photograph Album, image #16. This picture is identified as Florence Harland, a friend of Mary Lavantia Curtis. The photographer was D. Lewis Bon Marche Photo Gallery in Logan, Utah

Steward Card

Antique Photograph Album, image #19. The child's name is Steward Card. The photographer's imprint said Morris & Co., 64 West 2nd South Street, Salt Lake City. We assume Steward was related to Willie Card (image #18).

Willie Card

Antique Photograph Album, image #18. The child's name is Willie Card. The photographer's imprint said Morris & Co., 64 West 2nd South Street, Salt Lake City. I am not sure where this child fits into the family, but assume it's through one of the siblings of Sarah Lavantia Card, wife of Benjamin Kingman Curtis. Sarah was the youngest child in her family, with five brothers and five sisters. Her parents were William Fuller Card and Sarah Sabin. Children:
Caroline Card, 1812-abt 1846
Cyrus William Card, 1814-1900
Elizabeth Cady Card, 1816-1842
Charlotte Cellissa Card, 1818-1848
Charles Ora Card, 1820-1835
DeWilton Bradley Card, 1822-1831
David Miller Card, 1823-1843
Mary Ann Card, 1826-1850
William H. Card, 1828-abt 1847
Louisa Jane Card, 1830-abt 1850
Sarah Lavantia Card 1832-1890

Leila Belle Reynolds

This Cabinet Card was the 22nd picture in the Curtis family antique photograph album. The clues on this photograph solved a research problem that was more than fifty years old. We did not know where her parents were married, where they lived, or even if they had children. The photographers imprint on the bottom of the photograph solved the case. We had no idea that they left Idaho and went to Minnesota, but with this clue I was able to find their marriage record and the record of this child's birth. Her name was Leila Belle Reynolds.

Clyde, Cora, Bell, and Bennie Curtis

Antique Photograph Album, image #21 - Written on the back of this Cabinet Card was, "Children of Grandma's brother Charlie (Joe)" and "For Em" and also "Uncle Joe Curtis children." The father of the children was Oscar Benjamin Curtis and the mother was Esther Mary Thompson.

I don't know where this photograph was taken because a photographer's imprint was not on the front or back. The overall style of this Cabinet Card was the same as many others in the Curtis antique family album.

Note that the baby in this picture is the same child as the one in picture #36 and written on picture #36 was the name Cora Curtis. The child was wearing the same dress and was seated in the same chair in both pictures. I believe the child was misidentified on picture 36 and should have been identified as Benjamin W. Curtis, the youngest child in the family at the time this photograph was taken:

1. Munson Clyde, 1884-1949 (far right)

2. Cora Lavantia, 1885-1912 (far left)

3. Minnie Belle, 1887-? (seated on the right)

4. Benjamin W., 1888- (seated on the left)

5. Mary L., ?-?

6. Lyman Card, 1890-1961

7. Sherman James, 1892-1970

8. Fredrick Dubois, 1894-1972

9. Ruth Ester, 1896-1896