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"

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.

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.

Antique Photograph Album, image #31

I wish that I knew who this person was!!!

The photographer was Dr. H. Baker in Coldwater, Michigan. The card was cream color with a gold double border and rounded corners. This was the first carte de visite style photograph in the album. There were four carte de visite pictures per page.

The Curtis family lived in Michigan for many years before migrating to Utah, Idaho, and Montana. Since the family lived in Michigan at one time, this person could be a friend or relative.

We need to try and date the picture based upon the clothing and also the dates that the photographer had his business open in Coldwater.

Antique Photograph Album, image #34

Unknown, but assume this child is a girl because she is holding a doll. She is wearing high-top laced shoes. The carte de visite style photograph was a dark tan card with rounded edges and a single gold border surrounding the photograph. The photographer was Thos. B. Cardon in Logan, Utah

Antique Photograph Album, image #32

This couple looks like they could be really important to the Curtis family history. I sure wish that I knew who they were!!!

The photographer's imprint was: L. W. Schellhous, in Cold Water, Michigan.

This was a carte de visite style picture, cream card and a gold double border.

The album did not have a picture in the 33rd slot, so the next one posted to this blog is picture #34

Baby of John H___t in Logan, Utah

On the album page was written, "Baby of John H___t" neighbor baby. The writing on the album page could only be read after scanning, adding contrast, and zooming twice the normal size. No other information is known about the child or his parents.

The photographer was David Lewis, a photographic artist in Logan, Utah. The card was cream colored with a gold 1/8" edging on the top of the card, not the outside edge. The photograph was the 38th item in the album.

Unknown child, Antique Photograph Album, image #39

Unfortunately, no identifying information was written on the photograph or the album page.

The photographic artist was David Lewis, of Logan, Utah. The card was cream color with a gold 1/8" edge on the top and round corners.

Antique Photograph Album, image #41

Another unknown identification. This one is tragic because the photographer's studio was in Three Rivers, Michigan. Three Rivers was in St. Joseph county, the same place where Benjamin Kingman Curtis and Sarah Lavantia Card were married. Sarah's father and several of her siblings also died in St. Joseph county. Sarah also had siblings who were married with children of their own, so this photo could easily be one of Sarah's niece's.

The photographer was Udell, whose studio was located in Three Rivers, Michigan. The carte de visite style card had rounded corners.

We might be able to date this picture based upon the time period that Udell had his studio in Three Rivers, also the child's clothing and the carte de visite style photograph history.

Antique Photograph Album, image #43

Who is this man?
Was he a friend or family member?

This carte de visite picture was taken at the Jackson's Photograph Rooms on 38 Canal Street, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The Curtis family lived in the Grand Rapids area for about twenty years, from the 1860s to the 1880s.

Antique Photograph Album, image #44

This is the second carte de visite photograph in the Curtis family album that was taken at the Jackson's Photograph Studio in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The name of this man is unknown, but he is younger than the man in the other photo that was also taken at Jackson's.

Antique Photograph Album, image #46

On the album page was written "friend" but her name is unknown. The rose color in her cheeks were hand colored. This carte de visite photograph did not have an imprint on either the front or back, so the locality where the photo was taken is unknown.

Antique Photograph Album, image #45

The word "friend" was written on the album page and on the back of this carte de visite photograph was written David Spelsbury of Toquerville, Kane Co., Utah. No photographer's imprint was on the photo and the place where the photo was taken is unknown.

Antique Photograph Album, image #49

We do not know who this person was, but some have thought he looks like Brigham Young.

The carte de visite photograph was taken at T. B. Cardon & Bros. in Logan City, Utah

Antique Photograph Album, image #52

This was the very last photograph in the Curtis family album, the 52nd picture!

The photographer was Mrs. Fannie Hoyt, whose business was located in Salt Lake City, Utah.

C. Reed and M. A. Reed

Written on the back of the gentleman's photo was C. Reed at 67, 1887 and on the back of the woman's photo was M.A. Reed at 58, 1887. 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.

Mr and Mrs Jones

All we know is that Mr. and Mrs. Jones were friends of the Curtis family. The photos were the 8th and 9th in the album. The photographer was T. B. Cardon, taken at his studio in Logan, Utah. The imprint on the back of both photos was the same