Identifying Thrift Store Photographs

Two photos of siblings.  These are from the C. W. Yearborough of Goldendale, Washington. The first has on the back in black ink "This is Earles picture I sent you Jack will tell you they are good of them and they are just as good as the pictures too. with love Dora." Also on the back in blue and black ink "son of Dora Smith[,] Surptong[?], Wash. nice of Grandma Wallis." Earl Smith AKA Earl Henry Meier. The second photo on the back in black ink "Dear Aunt this is Jessies picture I will send you it looks just like her with love to Aunt. Dora." In blue ink " Jessie Smith daughter of Dora Smith[,] Alderdale, Washington. Grandma Wallis's niece. Jessie Smith AKA Jessie Laura (Meier) Allison. This was harder than I expected. I searched for Earl Smith, son of Dora and Jessie Smith, daughter of Dora in both Ancestry Family Trees and the US censuses. Nothing turned up. Then I searched all of the records for a Smith in Alderdale, Klickitat County, Washington...

Two more photographs. They are by the C. A. Carlson studio at 1509 Fifth Street in West Superior, Wisconsin. The first has written in black ink on the back is "Mr. & Mrs. Matson." The scone has written in black ink on the back "The Matson children September 1895." So I started by looking at the 1900 census for Douglas County, Wisconsin where West Superior is. There were 27 Matsons. There were four heads of households. None of them had five children. I then searched Matsons throughout Wisconsin, and found that there were 572. I checked the counties bordering Douglas County- Bayfield, Burnett, Ashland, and Washburn- and failed to find any matches. So these people will remain unidentified for now.   

 I returned to the antique store and sorted through the rest of their piles of photographs. I spent about $102 total on them. There was a set from Madison, Wisconsin that were University of Wisconsin students from 1893 through 1896. The first ten photos are from the Curtis studio of Madison. The first photo is marked on the back "W. F. Stiles UW 93 Lake Mills Wis."  Lake Mills is in Jefferson County. The 1921 University of Wisconsin alumni directory, available on Ancestry.com, lists him as Wilbur F. Stiles "B.S.A. 93. Farmer. Lake Mills, Wis." Lake Mills is in Jefferson County.  The 1920 census for Waterloo, Jefferson County lists him with wife Irene (Simmons) and five children- Dwight, Hugh, Russell, John, and Laura. Findagrave indicates he was born in 1866 and died in 1957. He was buried in Rock Lake Cemetery in Lake Mills. Wilbur F. Stiles, '93. The second photograph is marked in black ink on the back "Chas. C. Parlin, Brodhead, Wis. U.W. '93."...

  Two more photographs. The first is a cartes de visite by the M.[?] G. Smith New Photograph Gallery in Cooperstown, New York, Opposite Keyes' and Carr's Hotels. On the back in pencil is "George Herdman." Cooperstown is in Otsego County.  The most likely candidate is  a George G. Herdman who was born on 20 April 1815, who was married to Kate Delong, and who died on 21 April 1889. He is buried in the Middlefield Baptist Church and Cemetery in Middlefield, Otsego County. George Herdman. The second cabinet card does not have a studio mark. On the back in black ink is "Aunt Jennies husband Ed Waldron." Unfortunately, there are too many Edward Waldrons married to women named Jennie or Jane. He remains unidentified. Ed Waldron.

Another batch of photos. Who are they? The first has no studio mark. On the back in pen is "J. S. Bandy." I searched Ancestry Family Trees for him, could not find a match. J. S. Bandy. The second photograph is from the James A. Brush Studio at 609 Nicollet Avenue, Minneapolis, Minnesota. On the back in pencil is "Uncle Allen Watkins." I searched Ancestry.com for any Allen Watkins living in Minnesota. The only entries were for people in the late 20th century. Allen Watkins. The third photograph is from the Koehne studio at 189 N. Clark Avenue in Chicago. On the back in pencil is "Robt. Anderson Nov 11/02" and "Baby Eugene." In pen is written "Robt Anderson 1903 Gene's Father." Robert Anderson. The fourth photograph is from the A. Jeretz & Co. studio at 86 & 88 Gratiot Avenue in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan. According to the Early Michigan Photographers volume, August Jeretz operated his studio at that location between 1889...

Two photographs of the Herzler family. The first is by the Duryea studio of 253 Fulton Street in Brooklyn, New York. On the back in pencil is written "Grand Fathe Herzler" and "Wm. Herzler Great Grand Fathe of Wm H. Henzler." William Herzler. The second photograph if by the Bostwick studio at 98 N. Sixth Avenue, between 8th and 9th Streets, New York. Written in pencil is "Wm. Henzler Sr." William Herzler, Sr.  And I have to admit that I failed to identify the two men. There is one William Herzler who died in 1893 in Rye, Westchester County, New York,  but I do not know if he is the first man. 

Can I identify these women? Photo number 1 is from the L. N. Wade Artist, Lapeer, Michigan.  In red pen on the front is "Your friend Mate M. Royall" and on the back H. C. Selleck, Utica Mich. I checked on the historic Michigan photographer website to see when L. N. Wade was in business. Lucius N. Wade operated his studio in Lapeeer from 1866 to 1875. Lapeer is in Lapeer County. Utica is in Macomb County. Mate M. Royall. I then searched the 1870 census for Michigan for the surname Royall. Only one person by that name was listed, a 12-year-old boy named Douglas Royall. I then searched for the name Royal. None of the 24 entries seemed likely and none were from either Lapeer or Macomb Counties. I also looked at Selleck and did not find anyone with the same exact initials. The second photograph is the B. L. Johnson Photographer studio, Goderich and Lucknow, Lucknow Branch, Two Doors East of the Whitely House. On the back in pencil is "Mrs. Kenneth Hunter." A search for ...

Four photos of the Pearce family.   A photo from the Biel studio of Terre Haute, Indiana. On the back in pencil and pen "Left to Right Mag Pearce Prise[,] Owen Pearce[,] Grace Pearce Lowe. I searched Ancestry Family Trees for a Grace Pearce with a husband surnamed Lowe. There were two different individuals, the second one was from Indiana. It turns out that Grace Ellen Pearce was born in October 1879 in Terre Haute, Vigo County, Indiana, was married to Isaac Nathaniel Lowe, and died in Vigo County on 10 December 1963. She was the daughter of Sylvester S. Pearce and Nancy Jane Woodsmall. She was buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Vigo County. Her older sister Margaret Ann Pearce was born on 3 July 1876 in Vigo County, was married to John Henry Price, and died on 26 June 1938 in Indiana. She is buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery. Owen Cecil Pearce was born on 6 December 1888 in Terre Haute. He died in 1937. Margaret Ann (Pearce) Price, Owen Cecil Pearce, and Grace Ellen (Pearce) ...

I purchased this photo at the local fire-persons monthly sale. It is obviously a reprint of another photo. No studio mark.  On the back in blue ink is: "Taken on the farm at Pond Creek Okla after we were all married & having our families left to right Ollie Mar Mother Dad Bernard Myrle LeRoy" Ollie, Mae, Mother, Dad, Bernard, Myrle, Leroy (the child peeking between Dad and Bernard is not identified). Pond Creek is a small town in Grant County, Oklahoma. I started searching censuses for the family in Pond Creek, but then switched to Grant County when nothing was coming up.  I focused on the names Myrtle [I was misreading Myrle for Myrtle] and Bernard. Couldn't find them in the 1930 or 1920 or 1910 censuses. In the 1900 census I searched for Bernard and found the following family in Berry, Grant County: Jason T. Elder, 39, head Allena Elder, 30, wife Ollie E. Elder, 13, daughter Katy M. Elder, 11, daughter Robert V. Elder, 7, son Clara M. Elder, 3, daughter Jason L. El...

Eight photographs from an extended family from Iowa. A photograph from the H. S. Hoot [?] studio of Eagle Grove, Iowa [Wright County]. On the back in black and blue ink is "The Hansen family 1908-9" and the following names: Nancy Nellie Adel  Chris Axel  Agnes Hannah  Nora   Edmond   Clarence Grandpa & Grandma Gertie         Hansen I searched the 1910 census for Iowa for Axel Hansen and quickly located the family in Troy, Wright County, Iowa. Hans, Caroline, and Hans C. were born in Denmark (came to the USA in 1884), the other children were born in Iowa. Hans was a general farmer, Hans C. was a grain buyer, and Axel was a laborer on the farm. Caroline was the mother of  12 children, 11 of whom were still living (there are 11 children in the photo).  Hans Hansen, age 53, head Caroline Hansen, age 52, wife Hans C. Hansen, age 29, son Axel Hansen, age 23, son Agnes Hansen, age 21, daughter Nellie Hansen, age 16, daug...