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 ...