Romeo And Juliette Ferry, New Brunswick, Canada

Romeo and Juliette Ferry 1Romeo and Juliette Ferry 2

Photo of the ferry Romeo and Juliette on the Kennebecasis River with something not often found on the back (and totally awesome) – a hand drawn map of the area. There are three vehicles that we can see that are making this ferry trip. The one on the right appears to be a 1967 Chevy Biscayne. The middle may be a ’67 Plymouth Belvedere. This photo then would be from about 1967 to maybe the early ’70s.

According to a Wikipedia entry, the Romeo and Juliette’s former service route had been between downtown Chatham and Ferry Road, but upon the opening of the Centennial Bridge, a steel arch bridge crossing the Miramichi River in Northumberland County, New Brunswick, the Romeo and Juliette’s service was moved to a route across Kennebecasis Bay between Summerville and Millidgeville, near St. John. This was in 1967.

St. John NB area map

In comparing the drawing to an actual map of the area, we can see that ours must have been just a quick sketch to give the receiver a general idea of the area, and well, it’s not that easy to draw a map of rivers, islands, towns etc. on the back of a photograph. The island indicated in the drawing must be Kennebecasis Island since it’s that island that is situated in the intersection of the St. John and Kennebecasis rivers. Anyway, the degree of accuracy in the sketch is not important, we just appreciate the fact that the person drew this map on the back of this great photo, and that this photo made it’s way all the way out to California to be picked up some forty-something or so years later. (And just to mention that looking at present-day photos of the area leaves us with a definite longing to go up to one of those cottages for a summer.)

The Romeo and Juliette was a passenger and vehicle ferry, built in 1953 at Owen Sound, Ontario and launched on April 16, 1953 by Russel Brothers, Ltd. She was built from steel, was about 79′ in length, weighed 234 gross tons, and could carry 21 cars. According to a CBC article, the “much-loved” Romeo and Juliette made her last run (a ceremonial last run with present and past crew members) at the end of December 2001. She had operated for 48 years, carrying cars from New Brunswick to Québec in the 1950s, working the Miramichi River in part of the ’60s and from 1967 through 2001 worked the St. John area that we’ve been looking at here.

Availability Status:  SOLD

Sources:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centennial_Bridge_%28New_Brunswick%29

https://maps.google.com

http://stevebriggs.netfirms.com/osmrm/xromeoandjuliette.html

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/n-b-ferry-makes-its-last-run-1.267025

Greetings From Louisiana

Louisiana pc1Louisiana pc2

“Nickname – Pelican State. 1960 Population – 3,257,022. Area in Sq. Miles – 48,506. Entered the Union, Apr. 8, 1812.”

Very pretty state map vintage postcard. Wonderful colors. For being on such a small scale, the faces and poses are so full of expression. Look at the fish (!) And though it’s not mentioned on the back of the postcard with the other facts, the pelican is holding the state flower – the magnolia.

Divided back, unused, State Map View postcard of Louisiana. Circa 1960.  “Lusterchrome” Reg. U. S. Patent Office. Publisher:  Tichnor Bros., Inc., Boston 15, Mass. No. K -5276.

School Days

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Divided back, Real Photo Postcard. Unused. AZO stamp box with four triangles up. Circa 1907 -1918.

Price:  $6.00

Real Photo Postcard of an outdoors shot, location unknown, of what is probably a class photo of school children that look to be about junior high age. It looks like the guy in the back center might be the teacher. There are two corsages being worn in this photo and three other maybe herbal decorations that might be best described as posies. Posies included small herbal cuttings, as well as flowers, and could be worn by men as well as women. Maybe the flowers and herbs were a local tradition for picture day? We don’t know, but in any case this is a great photo.

A Middle Eastern Happy Birthday

Middle Eastern Happy Birthday pc1Middle Eastern Happy Birthday pc2

“Hellow Lizzie. my birthday present. I am sending you this card in advance we received your letter Thursday. will answer soon. I wonder why George Cox dont answer my letter. From your Papa. Mch. 18, 1911”

“Lizzie, I would dearly love to help eat that dinner. Mama[?]

From the charming writing on the card, it seems like Lizzie was born on her papa’s birthday, so he calls her “my birthday present.” And it appears that possibly her mama (or is that Mame?) added a note about wanting to be there for Lizzie’s birthday dinner.

The front of this beautiful card shows a Middle Eastern scene at sunset or sunrise, of a mosque, a minaret, some Italian Cypress trees, some boats on the water, and mountains in the background. The scene is set inside an Islamic architectural style arch, bordered by what looks like a palm tree and coconut design. At the bottom is the message “A Happy Birthday” in lovely, and a little bit unusual type lettering.

Divided back, embossed postcard. Unused with message on the back. Publisher: Julius Bien & Co., New York. Birthday Series 870, No. 8705. Copyrighted 1909. The sender’s message is dated March 18, 1911.

 

Girl With Bow

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Divided back, Real Photo Postcard, unused, circa 1907 – 1909. Feeser’s Studio, 24 E. Middle Street, Hanover, PA.

Price:  $15.00

See John G. Feeser, Photographer.

Beautiful young girl wearing very large hair bow. Her gorgeous dress is decorated with what looks like brocaded or velvet (or both) ribbons, with an insert of satin at the top of the scoop neck, and lace from the satin up to the neckline. You can see that the lace is topped with it’s own decorative border, which at first glance appears to be a necklace. Upon closer scrutiny we see that she wears just one necklace:  a double strand, choker-style pearl or faux pearl, that is centered with a small bow design. The finishing touch to this (can we say slightly Bohemian?) look, is a slim, crescent-shaped pearl type pin. (Not that the neckline was unconventional but it has a little bit of a gypsy look to it, with the double strand, the lace and the pin.) All in all, a stunning fashion choice and an excellent photo. This postcard is unusual in that it is presented with a separate card-type backing; both portions being held together loosely at the top, by a flowered, and by this time frayed, ribbon.

The back of this Real Photo Postcard shows the AZO stamp box with four triangles up (approximate date 1904 -1918), and something that we do not usually see, but are most happy to have included:  the photographer’s stamp. The stamp shows “Feeser’s Studio, 24 E. Middle Street, Hanover, PA.” We then find an entry in the 1898 York City and County directory (Hanover section) for a John G. Feeser, photographer, business address at 24 Middle St., residence at 26 Middle St. (Eureka!) So, it’s likely that this photo is the work of John G. Feeser. (Of course, it could have been taken by an assistant.) Additionally, a Google search for the address brings up an approximate street location showing a photo of a present-day business:  Poist Studio and Frame Shoppe, located at 20 E. Middle Street. Their website indicates they’ve been in business since 1883.

More research under a separate post will be put up under the Photographer heading of this website, but just to narrow down the date of this RPPC the 1900 Federal Census shows John Feeser and family, his occupation photographer, but the 1910 shows he is working as a “retail merchant.” So, this info, along with the AZO stamp box, plus the fact that it’s a divided back, dates the postcard at about 1907 – 1909.

Sources:  York, PA City and County Directory, including Hanover for 1898. Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

http://www.poiststudio.com/

Year: 1900; Census Place: Hanover Ward 1, York, Pennsylvania; Roll: 1501; Page: 22B; Enumeration District: 0150; FHL microfilm: 1241501. (Ancestry.com)

Year: 1910; Census Place: Hanover Ward 1, York, Pennsylvania; Roll: T624_1433; Page: 4B; Enumeration District: 0058; FHL microfilm: 1375446. (Ancestry.com)

Edward Payson Butler (1834-1923)

Photographer, Edward Payson Butler was born in Clinton, Pennsylvania May 13, 1834, son of Hezekiah Goodwin Butler and Emily White, according to the 1879 genealogy compilation of Benjamin Cleveland and family. All seven U. S. Federal Census records, as well as one of two online California voter records indicate the year of birth as 1834, with the 1900 census showing the month as May. The 1850 census, taken in Dyberry, Wayne Co., Connecticut, shows Edward P. Butler, age 16, with parents Hezekiah Butler, born about 1800 in Connecticut and Amelia W., (Emily) born about 1801, also in CT (the middle initial W possibly standing for her maiden name of White) and sister, Mary E. Butler, born PA about 1836. This census shows the father’s occupation as Shoemaker.

A quick rundown of the rest of the census records for Edward and a couple of voter registrations are as follows:  1860 census, San Francisco, E. P. Butler, renting a furnished room, occupation “fruitirer”; 1867 California voter reg., Santa Cruz, photographer; 1870 census, Santa Cruz, Edward P. Butler, photographer, staying with other renters; 1871 California voter reg., Santa Cruz, photographer; 1880 census, San Rafael, CA, Edward P. Butler, photographer, living with him is partner Francis A. Cook, photographer, born NY about 1833; 1900 census, Reno, NV, Edward P. Butler, photographer, listed here as married for 34 years; 1910 census, Hamilton Township, Butte Co., CA, Edward P. Butler, widowed, staying at the Odd Fellows Home (I.O.O.F.); 1920 census, Saratoga Township, Santa Clara Co., CA, Edward P. Butler, widowed, staying at the Odd Fellows Home. This last Odd Fellows residence (a beautiful Spanish-style building) still exists today, operating under the name of Saratoga Retirement Community, and is still owned by the Odd Fellows (but membership is not required.)

According to the above-mentioned Cleveland Family genealogy compilation, Edward was married to Mary Jane Harvey in 1856 and they had two children, Ira G. and Edward P., who sadly died very young:

Edward Payson, b. in Clinton, Pa., May 13, 1834, m. in 
Princeton, Ill., Aug. 13, 1856, Mary Jane Harvey, dau. of 
Daniel Harvey, Esq. Children, all b. in Illinois : 1. Ira 
Goodwin, b. June 28, 1857; d. Aug. 27, 1858. 2. Edward 
Payson, b. Nov. 20, 1858; d. June 12, 1860. Divorced 
from wife Mary Jane, and resides in Santa Cruz, Cal. 
Photographer.

The marriage year of 1856 listed above is ten years off from what is stated on the 1900 census. If the 1856 date is correct, then the year could either have been mistakenly given or mistakenly recorded at the time of the census. However, there is further information in an online source for a marriage of E. P. Butler and Mary J. Harvey, May 13, 1885; both are listed as Reno residents. So, it would seem that Edward and Mary Jane divorced and later re-married. Mary Jane does not appear on any of the census records, and must have died after the 1900 census, but before the 1910.

As to Edward’s professional life, much as already been recorded, and can be found in the book entitled Pioneer Photographers of the Far West: A Biographical Dictionary, 1840 – 1865, by Peter E. Palmquist and Thomas R. Kailbourn. This same info plus additional detailed information can be found in an MAH (Museum of Art and History, Santa Cruz) blog posted by Stanley D. Stevens, dated May 12, 2007. The following is a professional timeline for Edward P. Butler, gleaned mostly from the research of the above authors but with a little new information added in here, regarding San Rafael, the date Edward was in Reno, and the mysterious “Paige” partner:

1862 – 1863 Petaluma, CA Ambrotypist, photographer. Advertisement stressed expertise in photographing small children, and detailed price list of photos in casing types including, Turtle Shell, Jewel, Jenny Lind, Union, Papier Maché. 1864 Watsonville, CA May 28, 1864 announcement for new photographic gallery, located opposite Mr. Dorrance’s Harness Shop. Butler’s ad stated there was “no humbug about this gallery” as he used only the best materials, and promised “perfect satisfaction guaranteed, or no pay.” By August 13, 1864, partner “with a person known only as Paige” (possibly Gaige, see below.) November 1864, tax permit purchased to operate a traveling photographic business. 1865 – 1879 Santa Cruz, CA September 8, 1868 ad for new gallery located on second floor at corner of Pacific Ave. and Locust St. 1880 – 1883? San Rafael, CA Partner Francis A. Cook. 1883 – 1885 Virginia City, NV Owns Nevada Art Gallery in partnership with G. Waterhouse. 1885 – 1900 Reno, NV Reno Art Gallery owner by at least 1886. 1910 Hamilton Township, Butte Co., CA Probably retired, living at the first of two Odd Fellows homes, no occupation listed.

Searches for the photographer listed as Butler’s partner in August of 1864, and known only as Paige, come up empty. However, there appear to be likely two possibilities under Gaige. Authors Palmquist and Kailbourn, referenced above, list entries for A. G. Gaige, George A. Gaige, and J. G. Gaige, all active in Arizona and New Mexico. It’s likely that of these three Gaiges, two of them are the same person. It is very common in census records, for instance, for the first and middle initials to be reversed, and people often went by their middle names. And there is the additional possibility that J. G. Gaige was incorrectly heard and reported as A. G. Gaige. Author Jeremy Rowe (Photographers in Arizona 1850-1920, A History & Directory) cites photographer J. C. Gaige, who was active in New Mexico and Arizona, but this person would be the same as J. G. Gaige (both Rowe and Palmquist and Kailbourn state he died at Camp Goodwin, AZ  July, 1869.) Rowe lists photographer Francis A. Cook in the paragraph just prior to his J. C. Gaige reference, Cook being well-documented in early Arizona photography, and a known partner to Butler per the 1880 Federal Census taken in San Rafael, CA.  So, not finding any references to Paige, knowing that typos occurred in newspapers, and with the fact that many of these photographers, as we can see, moved around quite a bit, sometimes working as “traveling photographers,” therefor having occasion to know each other first-hand or at least to have known of each other, it’s possible then that Edward Payson Butler partnered with either of the Gaige photographers for a very short time.

Edward Payson Butler died in 1923, age about 89. A photo of his gravestone can be found online at Findagrave. He was buried in the I.O.O.F. Cemetery, Saratoga, Santa Clara County, CA.

Sources:  Various census records. Year: 1860; Census Place: San Francisco District 5, San Francisco, California; Roll: M653_67; Page: 476; Image: 476; Family History Library Film: 803067. Year: 1870; Census Place: Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California; Roll: M593_89; Page: 419A; Image: 165; Family History Library Film: 545588. Year: 1880; Census Place: San Rafael, Marin, California; Roll: 68; Family History Film: 1254068; Page: 106A; Enumeration District: 235; Image: 0215. Year: 1900; Census Place: Reno, Washoe, Nevada; Roll: 943; Page: 12A; Enumeration District: 0041; FHL microfilm: 1240943. Year: 1910; Census Place: Hamilton, Butte, California; Roll: T624_73; Page: 8A; Enumeration District: 0010; FHL microfilm: 1374086. Year: 1920; Census Place: Saratoga, Santa Clara, California; Roll: T625_146; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 212; Image: 1067. (Ancestry.com)

Voter Registrations for 1867 and 1871:  California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4 – 2A; CSL Roll Number: 127; FHL Roll Number: 978581. (Ancestry.com)

Godfrey Memorial Library, comp. American Genealogical-Biographical Index (AGBI) [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1999. Original data: Godfrey Memorial Library. American Genealogical-Biographical Index. Middletown, CT, USA: Godfrey Memorial Library. (Benjamin Cleveland genealogy record)

Web: Western States Marriage Index, 1809-2011 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data: Western States Marriage Index. Brigham Young University–Idaho. http://abish.byui.edu/specialCollections/westernStates/search.cfm.

http://researchforum.santacruzmah.org/viewtopic.php?t=52

http://sanjoserealestatelosgatoshomes.com/

Palmquist, Peter E.; Kailbourn, Thomas R. Pioneer Photographers of the Far West: A Biographical Dictionary, 1840 – 1865; Stanford University Press: Stanford, CA, 2000; pp 255-256. (Google eBooks)

Rowe, Jeremy. Photographers in Arizona 1850-1920, A History & Directory; Carl Mautz Publishing: Nevada City, CA, 1997; pp 7, 85.

Find A Grave memorial # 33093840 (www.findagrave.com)

Howdy Greeting Card

Quote

Howdy

       “Howdy!

   Jes’  wonderin’

   how you are today,

   Wonderin’  how things go,

   Thinkin’  about you,

   friendly like,

   And carin’  more

   than you know.”

Cool, Art Deco style, greeting card of butterflies and flowers in pink, blue, black and gold tones, with metallic-type gold highlights of the type that stand out when you tilt the card toward the light. The background is a dark cream color. This is a beauty of a card.

Produced by the Gibson Art Company, 1929. Verse by E. M. B. Made in the U. S. A.

Size:  About 5 and 3/4 x 3 and 3/4″

 

Sixth Ave Hotel Guy

Sixth Ave Hotel Guy

Sepia-tone photo of a smiling young man in a suit and straw boater hat, standing in front of the window for the Sixth Avenue Hotel office. Besides the boater, it looks like he is wearing a detachable white shirt collar. These were traditionally a type of stiff collar that came in a variety of styles. The style here looks like it might be a Henley, Cambridge or Ascot. (Check out the great source below for more on collars, and the battle over the stiff versus soft collar.) But as to the date of this photo, I would estimate it to be from the mid to late 1910s or early 1920s.

The surprising thing about researching this one was not being able to find many Sixth Avenue Hotel references. Supreme Court justices were also researched per the notice that appears in the window. It looks like the name at the bottom of the notice is “Chas. R. ” something. When you really look at a photo like this, you start to notice things you hadn’t seen the first few times. For instance, what is the shield-like emblem with the stripes, to the left of the guy’s right hand? (You can almost discern the lettering there, and the emblem itself is so familiar-looking.) And are those electrical wires that we are seeing reflected in the window?  Anyway, this was a fun photo to research and we find that we have yet another mystery to ponder from time to time. But, what I love the most about this photo is this happy guy. What a great smile, and doesn’t he look like just an all-round great person?

Description:  Real photo, non-postal, white border. On Real Photo Postcard type stock. Size:  About 5 and 1/2 x 3 and 1/2″

Source:  http://www.vintagedancer.com/1920s/1920s-mens-shirts-and-collars-history/

Flowers and Eggs Bouquet

Pansies, Roses, Forget Me Nots and Eggs

Interesting and beautiful offering of pansies, roses, forget-me-nots and robin’s eggs. The unknown artist has placed this bouquet on a grassy area at the edge of some water. This post was done in January but just to say it early, “Happy Spring!”

A non-postal, probably Victorian Era card, no writing on the back.

Size:  About 3 x 4 and 1/4″

Wilmot’s Clothing House Trade Card

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Victorian Era trade card, Boston, circa 1885.

Size:  About 4 and 1/2 x 2 and 5/8″

Price:  $15.00

Cheap Suits On Newspaper Row

Wilmot’s, at the time this trade card was printed, was located at 259 and 261 Washington Street; this was next door to the location for the newspaper publication the Boston Herald; the Herald’s address being part of Washington Street’s “Newspaper Row.” It looks like this card was saved for the charming image on the front, since it had been, in all likelihood, glued in a scrapbook; it’s removal from which caused the print to be missing in the four corners. This makes the full company name, that would have appeared at the top, hard to figure out, as there are definitely more than a few possible letter combinations. But whoever they were, they had the misfortune to have needed to declare bankruptcy, and Wilmot’s must have bought part or all of their remaining stock. Imagine buying a man’s suit for as low as $2.98 and boy’s suit for as low as 90 cents! (I know, inflation, inflation, but a 90-cent suit is just so funny-sounding.) The Herald’s six-story structure was built in 1877-1878, and their address was 255 Washington Street in Boston. Though the prior location for the Herald had been in close proximity to their new address, it’s more likely that, at the time this card was printed, Wilmot’s was located next door to the Herald’s more recent one at 255 Washington St. The Herald’s address is a great help in dating the card, but we find that we can narrow it down a little further below.

H. B. Wilmot

It turns out that Wilmot’s got it’s name from owner H. B. Wilmot. Below shows the full page ad from an 1872 Cambridge city directory showing the business name as H. B. Wilmot & Co. An earlier 1870 Boston directory shows the same name and address. Other years (1880-1886) show addresses in Salem, Lynn, Lawrence and Taunton. In the 1885 Boston, under Wholesale Clothing, we see the 261 Washington St. address, so this trade card is likely from this year or close to it. Manager names Joseph W. Rice (Lawrence 1881), J. F. Boynton (Salem 1880) and H. C. Reed (Taunton 1881) also show in directories under Wilmot’s, so it looks like there were several locations running at one time. And from at least 1884-1913, H. B. Wilmot had a summer home in Gloucester, with the latter part of those years, showing a regular residence in Somerville, outside of Boston. It seems, from looking at all these city directories, that H. B. Wilmot had a very successful career in the clothing business.

H B Wilmot & Co Ad

On the Front

I suppose this is a lithograph though I am really not sure. But as far as the wonderful artwork we see here: Was the image supposed to be of two ladies, one of whom pushes a baby in a carriage, or is it an image of two little girls, dressed in adult-like fashion, one of whom pushes their dolly in a carriage? From the short hemlines we see here, I would guess that these two are little girls, otherwise it would seem that the hems would have been at, or much closer to, the ground. I love the way we see the profile of the girl on the left (love the parasol) who gazes dreamily off into the distance; contrasting to the girl on the right, contentedly pushing the carriage and concentrating on the path ahead.

Sources:  The Boston Herald and It’s History by Edwin A. Perry. Published Boston, Mass., 1878. (Google eBooks)

http://goodoldboston.blogspot.com/2011/01/bostons-newspaper-row.html

Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

Ancestry.com. Gloucester, Massachusetts Directories, 1888-91 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2003.

The Lawrence Directory 1881, No. XIV. By Sampson, Davenport & Co., Publishers of the Boston Directory, Boston Almanac and Business Directory, New-England Business Directory, Etc. Office, 155 Franklin Street, Boston. Lawrence:  W. E. Rice, 265 Essex Street. Page 252. (Google eBooks)