Decker Sisters aged 5 in Fredericksburg VA
This photo is inscribed: Eleanor Marshall Decker, Mary Gresham Decker, 5 yrs.
They look like fraternal twins, which accounts for only one age being noted — it is the same for both of them. The photographer is Davis in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Since this is appears to be an 1890s photo, we looked for them in the 1900 census, and found them listed about 20 or 30 miles west of Fredericksburg, in Taylor Township, Orange County, Virginia. Indeed, the census notes they were twins, seven years old on the census date for 1900, they were born in November of 1892. They are listed as Eleanor M and Mary G Decker, daughters of Walker J and Mary S Decker. Their grandmother, (Mrs. Decker’s mother) is in the household, Mary A Chelsy, so Mary S Decker was likely born Mary Chelsy.
In the 1920 census Eleanor was still living with her parents, though her twin is not shown, and was most likely married and living elsewhere. In 1920 their father is listed as William, rather than Walker. In 1900 he had been listed as a preacher, in 1920 the occupation is given as farmer.
Stuart Osborne in Liverpool
This charming portrait of a smiling young boy reminds me of a young Jerry Mathers (Leave it to Beaver). This boy is identified on the back as Stuart Osborne, aged 3 yrs 5 months. There is another name scrawled lightly in front of this ink inscription, possibly Louri or Lowri. Stuart is wearing a sailor suit, with an anchor on the collar. The image was probably taken in the 1890s.
The photographer imprint shows Mowll and Morrison, 45 Hardman Street and 5 Myrtle Street, Liverpool. From the map it looks like those addresses could be adjacent, since Hardman street turns into Myrtle, so that address is probably a single studio – it would not make much sense to own two studios within a block of one another. That assumes the street numbering was different than it is now, as current maps show those two locations about a block apart.
Wherever they were located, Mowll and Morrison had one of the nicest imprints on the back of their cabinet cards — as the above illustration shows. Three women, I assume representing The Three Muses, though they do not match the classical muses. The central figure is mounted on a chariot and holds a staff with flame at the top, a clear sun reference, as the horses carry her across the sky. On the right another woman, one breast bared, holds a painting or drawing, and so refers to art. The woman on the left has something in her hand, I guess it could be a scroll, and so represents the literary arts. Or she might be the only one who represents one of the classical muses, Clio, the muse of History.
The Philadelphia Peace Jubilee, October 28, 1898
Here again we have one frame from a stereo pair. The photograph is by B L Langley, and the stereograph was published by Keystone View Company. The card title shows:
9430 – The Civic Parade and Court of Honor, Peace Jubilee, Phila., Pa., Oct. 28, ‘98.
The Peace Jubilee was organized to celebrate the end of the Spanish American War, and the return of the soldiers. The event took place over several days, from October 25th through the 28th. This was on the last day, when local citizenry could parade in their fraternal, religious and business groups and bands. The preceding day there was a military parade, originally scheduled for the 26th, but delayed a day by intense rainfall.
At least some of the soldiers felt less than honored to be there. One wrote these lyrics, to be sung to the tune of When Johnny Comes Marching Home:
“We went to the Philadelphia Peace Jubilee,
Hurrah, Hurrah!
But divil a thing did we get to see,
Hurrah, Hurrah!
We got nothing to eat and marched all the day;
When the parade was over they shipped us away;
We’ll all be marched to death –
When Company D comes home.”
This photograph is from one panel of a stereo pair, published by Wilson and Havens. Notice how the veranda wraps around that huge tree — how ecological! I hope the tree never fell on that beautiful house. The title reads:
#165. Residence of Harriet Beecher Stowe, at Mandarin, on St. John’s River, Fla.
The photographer’s imprint shows:
Published by Wilson & Havens,
No. 143 Broughton St.,
Savannah, GA.
Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811 Jun 14-1896 July 1), famed abolitionist and author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852), is said to have ‘fled’ to Florida after her brother Henry Ward Beecher, also a prominent abolitionist as well as social reformer and clergyman, was accused of adultery, sparking a national scandal.
Pueblo Indians of Taos
This photograph is one panel from a Keystone stereoview from ca 1900. Below is the printed description from the back of the card. Notice how the language, though ostensibly educational, is in fact patronizing, often derogatory and factually suspect.
211-(13720) Pueblo of Taos Indians – Lat. 30° N., Long. 106° W.
The Pueblo Indians of the Southwest were very different from those farther east and north. They were partly civilized and knew how to weave baskets and blankets and to make pottery.
They are rather shorter and darker in color than other Indians, but are very strong, with great endurance. they are able to walk or run long distances or climb difficult mountain trails with burdens that would tax the strongest white man. They are not warlike and often build their homes on high mesas or on cliffs for the sake of security. Their homes are of adobe or stone set in lcay mortar. The rooms are square with flat roofs. Sometimes as a precaution against attack their houses were made with no outside doors or windows. Then a trap door in the roof with a ladder gave access to the interior. Different families do not have separate houses, but all live in one great building to which rooms are added as needed. Sometimes a whole village will live in one compact building like this. An important feature of each pueblo is the underground chamber for the use of the various ceremonials. They are very fond of ceremonials and have one for each occasion. The snake-dance of the Hopi Indians is an example. Each man has but one wife and the woman is the head of the house.
The Pueblo Indians are skilled in making pottery and in weaving blankets and baskets, each Pueblo having its own patterns by which its baskets may be known. They cultivate the land, raising corn, beans, melons and various vegetables. Sometimes they construct irrigation systems to bring water to these fields. They grind the corn between two stones and bake it in cakes upon hot stones. Notice the ovens.
