When I was growing up, every now and then, my Dad (Philip Charles Hankins) would talk about his childhood in Collegeville, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. One story he mentioned (more than once) was that he and his brother Ralph sold produce from the farm to their neighbors during the depression. I had the impression that it was the two of them an little red wagon going from house to house! Last…
Another mystery photo, likely originally belonging to my great grandparents - William Lucas Hankins and Mary Jane Kellam. All I know is what is written below the photo - Prude Tut B - 1905. I can't identify any young girls named Prudence or Prudy who were related to either William or Mary Jane in that time period - so she remains a mystery
This snapshot is labeled Four Generations, 1905 - with no names or locations! It is glued to the back of the paper that has the 1906 wedding cake and 1901 Frank Hankins photos. Since those photos are clearly linked to my Hankins-Kellam line - and the buildings in the background look like they could be at Hankins, Sullivan County, New York. I looked in my database to see if I could find any…
This photo is only identified as Rob 1903. It is glued to the same piece of paper that the 1906 wedding cake and 1901 photo of Frank Hankins are on - so presumably originated with my great grandparents - William Lucas Hankins and Mary Jane Kellam. The buildings and landscape remind me of Hankins, Sullivan County, New York - but there is nothing that definitively identifies either the location or…
This snapshot of my grandfather, Francis William Hankins, is dated 1901 - when he would have been 3-4 years old. It is one of three snapshots glued to a piece of paper - likely originally in an early family photo album. I only have five photos from that album, I would, of course, love to know what happened to the rest of the photos! These are the earliest snap shots, as opposed to what likely were…
This heart-shaped snapshot of what appears to be a fancy cake is glued to a piece of paper with several other photos, and has the date Oct 9th 1906 written around the edge. Given what I know about the set of photos I'm working with likely came from my great-grandparents William Lucas Hankins and Mary Jane Kellam, I figured I should look in their families to see if I could find anything associated…
TThis photograph of my grandfather, Francis William Hankins, was probably taken in December 1897. On the back it says aged 3 months. Since he was born on 8 September 1897 - three months later would be December. The photograph was taken at Joseph French's studio, located over 125 Genesee Street in Auburn. French was a longtime photographer in Auburn. He first appears as a proprietor of Standard…
Long before FindAGrave and other genealogy websites existed, genealogists still photographed family markers in cemeteries. I found this set of photo of my great grandparents William Lucas Hankins and Mary Jane Kellam's graves in Lake View Cemetery in Skaneateles, Onondaga County, New York. Their son, Francis William Hankins, was one of many previous family historians in the family. William Lucas…
This photograph of my great grandfather William Lucas Hankins was likely taken about 1893-1894 in Auburn, Cayuga County, New York. City directories indicate that he moved to Auburn sometime between August 1893 and July 1894. His brother, Howard Ross Hankins, moved to Auburn in 1892. When William moved to Auburn, he boarded at the same location as his brother. The photographer, Horatio Seymour…
I found three portraits of my great grandmother Mary Jane Kellam. I suspect all date from the 1890s. This first photograph likely dates from the mid-1890s. The photographer, Walter Nelson Manchester, had a studio in Factoryville, Wyoming County, Pennsylvania in the 1890s. The style of the photographers imprint and frame on the card are consistent with the 1890s. The sleeves of Mary Jane's dress…
I found three photos of my great grandmother's brother Frank Marion Kellam. My guess is his legal name was Francis - but I have never seen any record that has anything other Frank Marion or Frank M. The first photograph was taken by the photographer Davis in Deposit, Delaware County, New York. This is the same studio where Mary Ellen (Ross) Hankins had her photo taken. I haven't found any…
This photograph of my grandfather Francis William Hankins and his parents, William Lucas Hankins and Mary Jane Kellam likely dates from about 1898. My grandfather was born in September 1897, and he doesn't look much more than a year old in this photo. The photograph was taken by photographer F.L. Tournier of Auburn, Cayuga County, New York. Fred L. Tournier seems to had a long career as a…
This carte de viste photograph of my great grandmother Mary Jane Kellam was likely taken about 1875-1876, when she was probably no more than one or two years old. The photographer was likely either J. Watson Vail or his brother Alzono. The Vail Brothers had a studio at 254 Main Street in Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County, New York, for about 20 years in the 1870s-1890s. [1] This may be a "hidden…
This gem tintype of my great-great grandmother Frances Maria Shafer likely dates from the 1860s or 1870s. The tintype is mounted in a carte de viste size paper mat. The tintype itself measures 1 1/4 by 1 3/4 inches. Some tinting was applied to give a bit of color to the image. There is no information about the photographer on the image or the mat. It is unknown who provided the identification on…
This carte de viste photograph of my great-great grandfather John Ross Kellam likely dates from the 1860s. Cards with two borders of different widths were popular from 1864-1869. [1] The standing pose was more popular in the early 1860s than in later years. [2] The photographer, W.J. Tait had his studio at the corner of Cortlandt & Greenwich Streets in New York. The I.R.S. Tax Assessment Lists for…
This photograph of Susan Abigail (Hankins) Bush likely dates from the mid-1870s. The photographer, Addison Delavan Harding, opened his studio in Susquehanna in 1873. [1] Susan and her husband David Tyler Bush were living in Susquehanna by 1870, and remained there until at least the 1880s. The script words "Cabinet Portrait" indicate that this may be an early cabinet card, where the photographer…
My guess is this photo of Angeline Elizabeth (Hankins) Johnson dates from the 1870s, based on the elaborate lace collar on her dress. There is no information about the photographer or where it was taken. On the back, it says Aunt Angie Johnson in unknown handwriting. This was possibly written by her nephew, William Lucas Hankins, my great grandfather. While Angie had many nieces and nephews, given…
This photograph of Rebecca Thomas Hankins was taken by the photographer Sighi of Binghamton, New York. Wellington G. Sighi had a photographic studio in Binghamton between 1872 and 1885, which gives a date range for this photo. [1] Sighi's bio on the Nineteenth-Century Photographers of Binghamton, New York makes him out to be quite a character! During those years, Rebecca lived in Hankins, Sullivan…
This photograph of Howard Ross Hankins was taken in Owego, Tioga County, New York. The dark color of the card indicates it was taken in the late 1880s, which is consistent with what is known about Howard's life and when he was in Tioga County. On the back, the photo is identified as Howard Hankins in an unknown person's handwriting. The photo has been digitally enhanced. Howard Ross Hankins, son…
I found two photographs labeled Mary Ellen (Ross) Hankins. The identifications are done in my mother's handwriting. Both photos may have been taken the same day - Mary Ellen is wearing the same clothing in both photos. One photo shows more of the dress than the other. It's not clear if one is a copy of the other, or if they were originally two separate images. One has been peeled off a cardboard…
There is a label on the back of the photograph identifying it as Lucas W, William L and Mary Ellen Ross Hankins, with a date of c 1875-1880 we think. The handwriting for the identification is in my mother's handwriting (she's also the person who stuck labels on the backs of photos and wrote on them with ink after I told her not to write on the backs of the photos in ink! I said use a soft pencil!)…
I'm starting to digitize a notebook of Hankins family photographs dating from the 1880s-1920s. I'll probably do a post for an individual photo or group of photos, depending on what I find. According to information written on the back, this photograph dates from 1894, and was taken at the Harding Studio, 33 Court St. in Binghamton. New York. These notes are in my handwriting and I have no clue…
Sometime in about 1904, someone in my grandmother Evelyn Clara Call's (1895-1962) family started taking photographs and placing them in an album. My grandmother was nine in 1904, so she could have been the photographer. Or it could have been one of her parents Charles Joslin Call (1859-1939) or Elizabeth Ann (Coe) Call (1861-1956). Most of the early photographs are of family gatherings and places…
Sometime in about 1904, someone in my grandmother Evelyn Clara Call's (1895-1962) family started taking photographs and placing them in an album. My grandmother was nine in 1904, so she could have been the photographer. Or it could have been one of her parents Charles Joslin Call (1859-1939) or Elizabeth Ann (Coe) Call (1861-1956). Most of the early photographs are of family gatherings and places…
Sometime in about 1904, someone in my grandmother Evelyn Clara Call's (1895-1962) family started taking photographs and placing them in an album. My grandmother was nine in 1904, so she could have been the photographer. Or it could have been one of her parents Charles Joslin Call (1859-1939) or Elizabeth Ann (Coe) Call (1861-1956). Most of the early photographs are of family gatherings and places…