Category: Photography

Shaw Sisters

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Above is a portrait of Martha Howard “Mattie” Shaw (1870-1941) and the inscription on its reverse. She married Charles Monroe Johnson (1867-1944).

Below is a portrait of Elizabeth Florence “Lizzie” Shaw (1875-1950) and the inscription on it’s reverse. She married John Harman Ezra Coblentz (1878-1956) and their children were Dorothy Elizabeth Coblentz (1908-2005) and John Harman Coblentz (1912-1986).

They were both born in Maryland and were daughters of Charles Henry Shaw (1848-1917) and Mary Jane Mitchell (1848-1879).

I purchased these photographs from shop in Baltimore, MD in late 2025.

Wheelock Thayer Batcheller

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The man in the above photograph is Wheelock Thayer Batcheller (1840-1910). He was born in Winsted, CT, to William Gray Batcheller (1811-1844) and Julia Ann Thayer (1817-1900). Wheelock was named for his maternal grandfather, Wheelock Sumner Thayer (1790-1857), who made his fortune manufacturing scythes and hay knives. Wheelock had a big brother named William Henry Batcheller (1837-1907). They’re all buried in Winsted Old Buring Ground.

Wheelock went to work making scythes and hay knives after completing his education in 1855. When war broke out, he enlisted for three months in the 2nd Connecticut Infantry Regiment and served as a company commander under Alfred H. Terry at the First Battle of Bull Run. After that enlistment, he helped organize the 28th Connecticut Infantry Regiement and served until the end of the war having achieved the rank of lieutenent colonel. For the rest of his life he was addressed and refered to as “colonel.”

After the war he became the manager of Thayer Scythe Company and was associated with other businesses until retirement in 1889. A Republican, he was elected to the state legislature in 1879 and chaired the military committee. In 1880 he was elected state comproller on a ticket with Governor H. B. Bigelow. In 1885 he was elected to the state senate.

Wheelock never married and lived with Julia  and William, who also never married, on Main Street in Winsted until at least 1900. Wheelock, the last one left, was living in the Hotel Winchester when he died.

Wheelock, like his mother and his brother, was known for his philanthropy, particularly for the benefit of the Litchfield County Hospital. Julia gave the “large and beautiful site” and $2,500 for the hospital which was being built when she died. Among the tens of thousands William Henry gave, he established the Wheelock Thayer Fund of $25,000 for care of the hospitals grounds. Wheelock gave thousands of dollars to the hospital and served as vice-president, director, and chairman of the trustees.

Wheelock’s estate was valued at $532,699.05, a little over $8,000,000 in 2026 dollars, but no will was ever found. In a letter to the editor of the Hartford Courant, titled, “Make Your Will,” published in July, 1911, Joseph Herman Vaill (1837-1915), who was well-acquainted with Wheelock, noted that most of the estate would have surely gone to the hospital but, with no will, would instead go to relatives who were not heirs and “so distant that the Colonel rarely if ever saw them.” In October 1912 it was announced that “the heirs of Col. W. T. Batcheller” had donated $10,000 to the hospital to establish the William H. Batcheller Nurses Home Fund.

Below is an image of the Litchfield County Hospital from a postcard (Yale Library).

Mary V. Hackman and the Hawksville School

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The inscription on the reverse of the above photograph says “Aunt Mary Hackman’s School.” At the bottom of the photograph is a partially concealed placard that reads “Hawksville School” and a date in probably 1926. I bought the photograph at a shop in Baltimore called Strawberry Fields in 2025.

Mary V. Hackman (1905-1952) is the tallest person on the back row. I was unable to identify any of her students. Mary taught at Hawksville School during 1925-1926, and possibly for a few years more. Mary taught in Lancaster County, PA schools for 28 years. Her other schools included Quaryville HIgh School, Buck School, Mt. Airy School, and a school in Martic Township.

Mary was the daugther of Samuel R. Hackman (1867-1928) and Catherine Fulton (1872-1927). In June of 1930. She married Clarence C. Gainer (1906-1932) who died after an accidental fire in spite of Mary’s “valiant rescue, made in vain.” She married Daniel Myers Dull (1882-1975) in April of 1935.

The Hawksville School started in 1823. The brick schoolhouse where Mary taught was built in 1880. The private Hawksville Amish School now uses the building to serve 24 students in grades 1-8. Below are two other photographs of the school. The first one is from a 1923 article in The News Journal of Lancaster, and the second one is a GoogleMaps image from September 2025.

I hope someone reading this will tell me what Mary’s middle name was.

Daniel Hicks Chandler

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Daniel Hicks Chandler

Well, as soon as I flipped over the next photograph on my desk I realized that I also had a phogograph of Daniel Hicks Chandler (1792-1864), husband of the subject of my previous post, Mary Webster Stark Chandler (1791-1873).

Daniel’s first wife was Hipzibah W. Chandler (1796-1824). All I could learn about Hipzibah I learned from her Find a Grave memorial.

Hipzibah and Daniel had one daughter, Cornelia Hepzibah Chandler (1822-1879), the wife of George Gould Blodgett (1823-1879), and the mother of three children.

Mary Webster Stark Chandler

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Mary Webster Stark Chandler

Above we see a portrait of Mary Webster Stark Chandler (1791-1873). The photographer was G. Frank E. Pearsall. Pearsall opened his gallery at 298 Fultan Street, Brooklyn, NY in August 1872 and Mary died in November 1873, so we can date the photograph fairly accurately. I purchased this photograph from a shop on The Avenue in Baltimore, MD in May 2025.

Mary was born in Connecticut, the daughter of Israel Stark (1753-1830), who served as a corporal in the American Revolutionary War, and Mary Anna Webster (1756-1800). She was one of the wives of Daniel Hicks Chandler (1792-1864), a lawyer and judge. They married in Batavia, NY on 24 December 1824 and moved to Milwaukee, WI in 1848. They had three sons:

1. Robert “Bob” Chandler (1827-1873) married Fanny D. Cooke (1835-1903) was a lawyer practicing in Milwaukee when he joined the Iron Brigade, as adjutant general. He died insane in a “Government asylum” in Washington, DC.

2. Ralph Chandler (1829-1889) who married Sara Cornelia Bates Redfield (1829-1891). Ralph joined the U.S. Navy in 1845 and attended the U.S. Naval Academy. In 1886 he was commissioned as rear admiral and sent to relieve the commander of the Asiatic Squadron. He died of apoplexy in February 1889 and is buried in Hong Kong Cemetery.

3. Walter Seymour Chandler (1836-1896) who married Sarah Olivia Kneeland (1838-1911), the daughter of an early settler of Milwaukee. Walter was in the lumber business.

Reverse of Mary Webster Stark Chandler Portrait; “Admiral Chandler’s Mother”

 

 

 

Florence Amoss Dixon

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Yes, this blog is still alive! I woke up this morning thinking about all of the people in my home state and others who have lost their family photographs because of Hurricane Helene. I have posted only once this year, but I want to put something out today to acknowledge that tremendous loss.

The three-year-old pictured above is Florence Amoss Dixon (1878-1958). She was the youngest child of Robert Bartlett Dixon (1834-1921) and Sarah Amanda Amoss (1836-1910) and she had three sisters and two brothers. She came from a prominent and well-to-do family, as described in her parents’ obituaries:

The Baltimore Sun (Baltimore, Maryland) · Thu, Oct 20, 1910 · Page 5
https://www.newspapers.com/image/372889416/
The Baltimore Sun (Baltimore, Maryland) · Sat, Feb 5, 1921 · Page 3
https://www.newspapers.com/image/373333936/

In 1910, Florence married Frederick Augustus Levering, Jr. (1879-1948), the son of Frederick Augustus Levering, Sr. (1849-1928) and Catherine Elizabeth Webb (1856-1927). Frederick was a business executive and the family lived at 304 Wendover Road in Baltimore, just a few blocks from I write this. Frederick, Jr.’s uncle, Eugene Levering, Jr. (1845-1828), contributed to the construction of Levering Hall on the Homewood Campus of Johns Hopkins University and it is named after him.

Florence and Fred had one son, Frederick Augustus Levering III (1915-1999) who married Frances Mary Gullion (1919-1999) in 1946. Their son, Frederick Augustus Levering, IV (1949-2016) was memorialized as follows:

The Daily Progress (Charlottesville, Virginia) Sun, Jun 19, 2016 · Page 8
https://www.newspapers.com/image/968460132/
The above photograph’s reverse

I purchased this photograph on from a antique store on West 36th Street in Baltimore on 4 October 2024.

Ravine School District Honor Roll, 1946

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On Memorial Day, 1946 the Community Club of Ravine, PA dedicated the Ravine School District Honor Roll of World War II listing men from the community who had served in the war. The memorial was constructed of “mountain stone” and there was a parade. These photographs were made by Press-Herald correspondent Alvin C. Schwalm and each was dated May 30, 1946. I bought these photographs from a dealer in Baltimore, MD.

These houses still stand across from the Ravine Memorial on PA-125, but the railroad track behind the memorial is gone.

The following news item appeared on page 12 of the 1 June 1946 edition of the Pottsville Republican:

HONOR ROLL WAS UNVEILED

At the dedication and unveiling of the Ravine Honor Roll, sponsored by the Community Club of that town, Arthur H. Henninger and Attorney R. M. Bashore were the speakers.

George Reinert was master of ceremonies, and the program included the invocation by Rev. H. C. Correll, presentation of plot by Mr. and Mrs. Charles Kiefer, Sr., and the acceptance by Harvey L. Hubler, dedication and raising of flag by the Boy Scouts, selections by the Pine Grove Band, appreciation to contributors and dedication of Memorial, followed by the Benediction by Rev. M. M. Kipps. The Gold Star Mothers officiated at the unveiling of the memorial, the Gold Star Fathers in placing memorial wreath, and the Legion commander had charge of the formal dedication. A salute to the dead heroes brought the program to a close.

The building committee consisted of Charles Keefer, Sr., Wilson Lengle, Stanley Barr, Edward Harris and Irvin Zimmerman. Donations, Ravine Defense Council, Salvage Drive, Joe Zerbe, chairman; Charles Lengle, Nicolo Scott, C. Schlock, Sr. The flag for the honor roll was given by Pine Grove American Legion Post No. 374.

Following is a list of boys on the honor roll: Donald Barr, Clyde Barry, Warren Boyer, William Boyer, Robert Day, Harry Deaven, Claude Eichert, John Eichert, Arther Eidem, Lester Felty, Phaon Fisher, Harvey Herring, Arthur Hubler, Earl Hubler, Samuel Hubler, Willard Hubler, Charles Kiefer, Jr., Paul Kiefer, Luther Serschner, Harold Kimmel, Lester Sershner, Harold Kimmel, Lester Kimmel, William Kimmel, Clark Krammes, Paul Lehman, Carl Lehr, Harry Lehr, William Lehr, Arthur Lengle, Charles Lengle, George Lengle, Kenneth Lengle, Arther McCue, Lewis Miller, Paul Miller, Frank Mutschler, Francis Nagle, Herman Rager, Emil Rarick, Harold Raudenbush, Garfield Reichert, Donald Romberger, Elwood Romberger, Edwin Rumpf, Clark Sattizahn, Fred Schach, Henry Schach, Allen Schneck, Earl Schneck, Stanley Schneck, Clayton Schutt, Harry Shuttle, Joseph Schutt, Lloyd Stager, Elmer Strauss, William Strauss, Thomas Walton, Arthur Weller, Charles Wenrich, David Wise, Joseph Wise, Marlin Wise, Herbert Yorty, Arthur Zerbe, Stuart Zerbe, [and] Carl, Edwin, Franklin, Ralph, Warren and William Zimmerman.

Pottsville Republican (Pottsville, Pennsylvania) · Wed, May 29, 1946 · Page 9
https://www.newspapers.com/image/450017226 Downloaded on Jan 2, 2024

The current GoogleMaps view of the memorial which is located on the west side of PA-125 at 40°34’37.56″N 76°24’17.02″W. The sidewalk was added in 2017.

Mildred Doris Minster Oppenheimer

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All of the materials in this post came from a box containing dozens of photographs and a lovingly curated album. I purchased the materials from an antique store in Baltimore in late August 2023.

The creator of the album and the subject of most of the identified photographs in the collection is Mildred Doris Minster (1898-1983) who is pictured below with each of her parents, Abraham Lincoln Minster (1865-1950) and Ella Hess (1873-1953). All four of her grandparents were born in Germany.

“Mother and Mildred”
“Mildred and Dad”
“Ella and Abe Minster”

Mildred married Myron M. Oppenheimer in August 1920 and they had two children. First born was Morton Samuels Oppenheimer (1898-1983), the subject of the photo album, a professional photographer (Photographs by Morton) and historian who served as president of the Jewish Museum of Maryland. Second born was Beryl Oppenheimer Frank (1928-2019), a poet and prolific author of books.

Mildred’s maternal grandfather was Nathan Hess (1824-1881). Nathan was born in Bavaria and came to Baltimore in the 1850s. In 1872 he started manufacturing footwear in Baltimore that was retailed as Hess Shoes until 1999.

“Nathan Hess”
“Born 1790-1800, Mrs. Hess, Mother of Nathan Hess”

Mildred, the baby of the family, named her son after Morton B. Samuels (1870-1941), husband of her next oldest sibling, Belle Hess (1872-1970). Belle and Morton, pictured below, were living at the Hotel Belvedere when Morton died, and Belle resided there until her death. Belle’s obituary informed that she was known as “Ma” and “Aunt Belle” while serving as “one of the USO‘s most tireless workers” during World War II. Morton founded M. Samuels & Co. of which Newark Shoe Store Company was a part. Belle and Morton were huge benefactors of Sinai Hospital.

“Aunt Belle & Uncle Mortie Samuels

Lt. R. H. Farber

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LT R. H. Farber at work.

I almost always grab military photographs when I come across them and I couldn’t resist this one when I encountered it at a Baltimore antique store in mid-2022. I rarely can make much of them, but this one was a surprise. It sat around in a stack of stuff until I finally decided to see what it was about. A close examination revealed a name plate on the table in the foreground, “LT R. H. Farber”:

Detail of name plate

Farber, the only officer in the shot, is obviously the subject given that almost everybody else is looking at the photographer while Farber appears to be engrossed in his work.

Robert “Bob” Holton Farber (1914-2013) was born in Geneseo, IL to Charles William Farber (1881-1965) and Hulda Ella Ogden (1881-1968). Both families had been in Illinois for several generations. He married Edna Earle Klutts (1918-1997) in 1946 and they had two children. He also outlived his second wife, Vera May Knauer Kierstead (1913-2012).

Farber graduated from DePauw University in 1935 and was never far away from the institution for long after that. According to an obituary, Farber returned to the university in 1937 as secretary of admissions. After serving in the U.S. Army in the European Theater from 1941-1946, Farber went back to DePauw, got his Doctor of Education degree in 1951 (IU), and was appointed dean in 1942, eventually retiring as vice president and dean of the university in 1979.

Farber enlisted as a private in September 1941 at Ft. Benjamin Harrison, IN. He was commissioned at some point and separated as a major, and somewhere along the way was awarded the Bronze Star. He ended his career as the Classification Officer for the U.S. Third Army, which means he was a personnel officer responsible for making sure the right personnel were put in the right jobs in furtherance of the unit’s mission. A Google search, or a search on Ancestry, will show you quite a few photographs of Farber sitting at a desk and working at every stage of his career.