Each photograph measures 2 1/2" X 4" each.
The Crawford family made its way to Sacramento, California from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1852 by wagon (see my previous posts on the Crawford Family). Along with the family bible and original marriage certificates I have nine small pictures that were with the Crawford possessions. They are carte de visite photographs; these became popular after the Crawfords moved to California. They were made possible by evolving technology in the field of portrait photography and became the craze all over the world until the turn of the century. They are now considered an early form of social media. The Crawford photographs were taken in Sacramento and San Francisco, California, between 1863 and the very early 1880's.
The daguerreotype was the first successful form of photography in the early 1840's and by the 1850's most professional photographers took either daguerreotypes or ambrotypes. These new technologies drew on knowledge of chemistry and optics and as the photography craze grew the technique was refined. These forms of portraiture had drawbacks; each picture was unique but the sitter had to pose for long periods of time (3-15 minutes) and making copies was difficult and expensive. But, the science of photography was rapidly evolving and expanding.
A new technology was developed in Paris in 1854 which used a special multi-lens camera to produce multiple small photographic albumen prints that were mounted onto cardboard. They were very affordable; better yet, the sitter could have a choice of poses without having to sit for long periods of time. Copies were easily made. The cards were as small as a calling card (hence the name "visiting card") and made portrait photographs accessible to a broader demographic. It was introduced to the United States in 1859 and became popular with the start of the Civil War. Carte de visite photography was the most popular photographic format in the nineteenth century and special albums were even patented so that people could collect and save their CDV's of family, friends, the famous and royalty. It was the start of the family photo album. It was the Instagram of the times!
The Crawfords must have exchanged these pictures with family and friends. If there was an album, it has been lost to time. Sadly, there is no family identification on any of the cards......
This is the only CDV that is dated, and is the earliest of the CDV's. It is a proof of a small girl, probably around the age of 3 or 4 at most. She had blue eyes and was wearing a dress that would have been worn in the early 1860's. Her hair was in ringlets. She may have been sitting in a chair and holding a basket. Who could she have been?
The Crawford family was in Sacramento by 1852, and may have come with the Cummings family from Philadelphia. I am still exploring the relationship between these two families. This picture could not have been my great grandmother Sarah Elizabeth Crawford (born in 1856), which I previously thought. She would have been close to 7 years old in 1863. It could have been Nellie Cummings, born in Sacramento in 1860. She is the only family member to fit this timeline. Sadly, Nellie passed away in 1865 of typhoid fever.
A colorized version using the editing tool on Ancestry.com.
Those blue eyes do not match my great grandmother Sarah Elizabeth Crawford's eyes. This little girl's identity remains a mystery.
The back, showing the photographer's stamp
This picture was taken in Sacramento at the A. P. Bailey studio on J Street. Mr. Bailey was listed in the 1868 City Directory as having a photography studio at 244 J Street. The borders of this CDV (2 line border of different widths) date this picture to the second half of the 1860's. This young man looks to be around 17 or 18. I believe it is George Byerly Crawford, older brother of Sarah Elizabeth Crawford.
This CDV was taken in Sacramento at the J. A. Todd studio (embossed at the bottom right). Mr. Todd was also listed in the 1868 Directory as working at 117 J Street. This particular vignette was popular between 1864 and 1867, and the border also dates it to the second half of the 1860's. This may be Sarah Byerly Crawford, my great great grandmother, who would have been around 41 or 42 at this time. It is entirely possible that this was Rebecca Byerly Cummings, who would have been close to 50 at this time. Sarah and Rebecca may have been sisters or close relatives.
A close up taken in the same sitting
This CDV was taken in San Francisco at the Hoebel and Luther Photography Gallery on Third Street. They can be found in the 1872 and 1873 City Directories. The Crawfords had moved to San Francisco by the 1870 Census. This may be Sarah Elizabeth Crawford, several years older than the previous picture taken in Sacramento. She has the same cowlick and the same short hairstyle which is so mysterious to me. This picture was most likely taken in the very late 1860's to the very early part of the 1870's.
The rounded corners scanned better on this image of the back.
This CDV was taken at the Peoples Art Gallery on Third Street in San Francisco. The hairstyle, clothing, and oval frame with rounded corners date this picture to the late 1870's. I believe this is Sarah Elizabeth Crawford, right before her marriage to Franklin Hayes in 1881. She looks to be around 19 or 20. The cowlick is the same as the previous pictures, and her hair had grown out. The Peoples Art Gallery was in business from 1864 until the late 1890's. John D. Godeus was operating his gallery at 34 Third Street in 1880 per the San Francisco City Directory.
The rounded corners did not scan on this photograph.
This CDV looks very similar to the above photograph, but has no photographer's stamp on the back. The cheeks and lips have been tinted. I believe this is George Byerly Crawford, but this may have been taken when he was in his early 20's, possibly at the time of his marriage to Sarah Christina Maddux in 1873. The rounded corners date this to the 1870's, but perhaps a bit earlier than the above photograph. If so, it may have been taken in Sacramento.
Now comes the fun part...
Comparison of these three CDV's of Sarah Elizabeth Crawford. Same person? What do you think?
The top picture is of Sarah "Sallie" Crawford Hayes taken around 1909; she would have been in her early 50's. Same person? What do you think?
Comparison of these two CDV's of George Byerly Crawford. Same person? What do you think?
I feel so fortunate to have these wonderful pictures; the Crawford family took advantage of the new technology of the day, got dressed up and went to the photography studio! What an experience that would have been. These days an Iphone is all we need to capture any moment in our lives. What would the Crawfords think of our technology? These cartes de visite are 160 years old and can still be touched, felt and pondered over. What will happen to the thousands of images on our devices and how will they be accessed in 160 years? What new technology will be used? ....AI powered cameras, 3-D printing technology to create physical prints of digital images, as well as virtual and augmented reality experiences with images are already being developed. It is almost mind boggling to think of. Just as the first photographic portrait would have been way back when.
https://www.spyne.ai/blogs/future-of-photography
Relationship Reference:
Me:--Margaret Hansen Boothby--Margaret Elizabeth Hayes Hansen--
I
The parents of Margaret Hayes Hansen were Emma Lavinia King Hayes VanDuzer and Lester Franklin Hayes.
(they had three daughters: Dorothy, Francis and Margaret)
I
The parents of Lester Hayes were Sarah (Sallie) Elizabeth Crawford and Franklin Hayes
I
The parents of Sarah (Sallie) Crawford were John Washington Crawford and Sarah Byerly of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, married in 1848.
No comments:
Post a Comment