Identifying Thrift Store Photographs

I purchased a framed set of photos on the Goodwill.com auction website ($13.99). On the back was a handwritten note: Starting with Myra (counter clockwise) [note starting at the bottom] Oscar Patterson Miller Patterson Isabell Patterson Wenzel & Mary Skliba Thomas Carlyle & Mary Skliba Jackson Aurilla Jackson Patterson in the middle with Ruth The photographs are copies made in 2006 (not originals). My initial research on Ancestry Public Trees for Oscar Patterson and Miller Patterson were unsuccessful- too many individuals.  So then I searched for a Ruth Patterson with a mother Aurilla Jackson and immediately found them. Ruth Mary Patterson (1917-2001) was the daughter of Thomas Carlyle Jackson and Maria S. Skliba. Maria's parents were Wenzel Skliba and Mary Mishka and matching photos of the couple were posted on Ancestry (the one in the photo collage is one of those pencil drawings popular in the early 1900s. From there I was able to figure out the rest of the photos. Myra ...

A pair of photos from Kingman. The studio mark on the back is G. S. MOORE PHOTOGRAPHER New Lisbon, Ohio. Labels were attached to the front identifying the couple, who were obviously photographed at the same time. Charlie Huston, 1885. Hattie Huston, 1885. As it turned out, Hattie was actually Mattie. New Lisbon is in Columbiana County, Ohio. There are several Charles Hustons living in Columbiana County, Ohio. This individual is Charles William Huston, born 17 April 1856 at New Lisbon, Columbiana County, the son of William Edgar Huston and Louisa Ann Hoover [or Huver]. On 18 June 1860, Charles was the four-year-old son of William and Louisa Huston, living in Lisbon with his siblings John E., Mary A., and George. His father was a tailor. [1] On 1 June 1870, William and Louisa “Huster” and their children George and Charley lived in New Lisbon Center. Charles was a farm laborer. [2] On 24 June 1880, Charley lived with his parents and a niece Carrier Arter in Center, Columbiana County...

 I was in Kingman for work and went to two antique stores at lunch time . Lots of photos.  A photo postcard. On the back: October 1940 Saml & Rose and Max 4268 Rockton Detroit Mich Tratner. Samuel and Rose Tratner, seated. Max Tratner, standing. The photo was from the Dexter Art Studio, David Sipkolich Prop. 11645 Dexter Mich. Back of postcard. I searched the United States censuses on Ancestry for a Rose Tratner living in Michigan. In the 1930 census the family was living at 4706 Delmar in Detroit:   Samuel Tratner 38 Head Rose Tratner 32 Wife Louis Tratner 8 Son Max Tratner 7 Son Benjamin Tratner 5 Hyman Tratner 3 Son Samuel Trachtenberg AKA Tratner was born on 29 December 1892 in Lithuania, the son of Harry Trachtenberg and Chase (--?--). On 5 June 1917, Sam Trachtenberg registered for the draft while living at 305 Hendrie Street in Detroit. He owned a confectionary business. He was medium height and build, had grey eyes, and black hair. [1] Samuel served in th...

Another photo, this own purchased from a swap meet here in Tucson for one dollar. The studio stamp is PARROT Warsaw, Ind. Warsaw is in Kosciusko County. On the back in ink is "Uncle Andy Parry." I am uncertain what the spelling of the last name is. Andy Parry . I searched the census records for Kosciusko County for Andrew Parry. Nothing. Then for the entire state of Indiana. No matches. I then searched the 1900 census for Kosciusko County for men named Andrew. There were 74. No similar last name. There were two Andys, neither matched.  I also searched for Andrew Perrys in all Indiana censuses. There were plenty (94). None from Kosciusko County. He remains unknown.

I purchased a photo for $4 at an estate sale . Written on the back in black ink is: Jasper Glen Lacy Age 4 mo. Merry Christmas, From Ernest and Estelle On back of the photo cover in black ink is: Mrs. E. J. Lacy Lacy S. Dak. The studio mark is "R. L. Kelly, Pierre, S. Dak." Ernest Lacy, Estelle (Lyman) Lacy, and Jasper Lacy,  I searched Ancestry Public Member Trees for a Jasper Lacy, son of Ernest Lacy. He was easy to find, with only one matching entry listed in 22 trees. Ernest Jasper Lacy was born on 2 November 1873 in Austin, Mower County, Minnesota, the son of John Salmon Lacy and Catherine H. Gibbs. He was married on 11 September 1900 to Estelle May Lyman . Estelle was born on 9 October 1873 in Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota. The couple had two children- Jasper Glen Lacy born on 1 August 1906 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and Evelyn Estelle Lacy who was born on 29 November 1914 in Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California. In May 1910, Ernest J. and Estella M....

Another $5 photo from an antique mall in Tucson. A young man wearing a suit jacket and vest, tie, white shirt, a handkerchief in his pocket and a gold chain suspended from his vest, probably for a watch. The photo was taken at the Griffing studio in Morris, Grundy County, Illinois. On the back it is called the Normal Art Gallery. In pencil is written James Bell[,] M.N. & S.S.[,] 1885 8." James Bell . I searched James Bell in Morris, Illinois on Ancestry Public Trees and quickly found him. I realized that the previous blog entry was also for a person from Grundy County, Illinois (the two photos were purchased from the same antique mall booth).  James was born on 5 November 1866 in Saratoga, Grundy County, the son of Alexander Bell and Ellen Hayes. He was married to Jeanette Mitchell (1869-1959) and they had three children- Alexander, Anna, and Laura May.  On 18 April 1910, James and Jennie and their children Alex, Anna, and Laura, as well as James's 80 year old grandfather ...