Birth and Death in the Family Album: Readers Respond

Joy and sadness often go hand in hand in family photo collections. This week I’ll show off some photos that readers sent me. Be warned….the last two pictures depict disturbing images.

Susan Roose thinks the photo above depicts William (died November 22, 1877) and Daniel Hunt (died November 30, 1877). They were both just a few months older than one year. Notice the woman under the cloth. She’s holding them still. These two babies look very healthy here.

Elizabeth Handler emailed this ambrotype of Marion Helen Alston (1850-1885) and her twin sister Christina. The back of the image states that it was framed by J.J. Gillespie Co. Fine Arts. Gillespie was a famous frame shop in Pittsburgh.

Bonnie Bileski of Winnipeg, Manitoba sent this snapshot of Violet Clements, her grandmother Olive Clements (back, right) and the twins, Victor and Victoria (born July 1, 1899).

Last week I told you I had some sad pictures from Judy Linnebach’s family collection. Since so many folks e-mailed me to see them, I’ll share them here.

Judy thinks that this picture depicts Freida Kohler (Nov. 7, 1907 -July 6, 1924). The cause of death was congenital hydrocephalus.

Judi has no idea who this man is. All that’s certain is that he’s deceased and that he was photographed in St. Louis. Jay Ruby’s book, Secure the Shadow: Death and Photography in America (out of print, but available used) is the best guide to this topic.

Jackie McGuire sent in this picture with a heartbreaking story. A family story relates the tragedy of Elsietta Burns: “She was a much-beloved little girl, they say, but one day she was outside playing under the cherry tree and eating lots of cherries. She didn’t know to spit out the pits and they killed her before the family could do anything for her.”