Renewed Acquaintance With 19th Century Woman of Columbus, Ohio

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This article was first published in January of 2007.

I removed the article in July of the same year.

I am re-posting it  here, with slight editorial revisions,  in order to link it to other discussions of vintage photographs.

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Here is another remarkable protrait of an unknown person of the 19th Century. 

This young woman was photographed by C.V. Hamer in Columbus, Ohio. 

 I have no other memorabilia connected to her, and have no other knowledge of the circumstances of her life.

My faithful administrative assistant loves vintage photographs, so I had no difficulty persuading her to scan this one  and send it to me as a variety of image files and as a PDF file.

The clarity of the photograph, here only 30% of the actual size, is remarkable for clarity and contrast.  

The person to whom this was meaningful had preserved it well, because the quality of the print is very good. 

Once again, I invite Gatherites who love antique memorabilia, who are inspired by mysterious lives, who are looking for creative inspiration, to offer an interpretation or reconstruction of her life.

These exercises can be poignant, funny,  intriguing, or saddening. 

Lately, I have become more "posessive" of these individuals, almost grieving that they are lost to memory and to history.

Of course, as any psychologist or other artist will tell you, it is the transitory nature of Life itself that I am mourning.  

In the words of an old hymn, a setting of a Psalms:

"We blossom and flourish

Like leaves of the tree;

Then wither and perish,

But nought changes Thee."

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Here are selections of the original Comment thread:

Faith H., Jan 28, 2007

There is another story here, Peter, as there was with the "brothers" photograph. I was briefly in possession of an album of pictures of this general era, none marked or known, and it kind of freaked me enough to send it on to another life in a thrift store. Let others enjoy, I was too lost in their lives.

Peter Wimsey, Jan 28, 2007

I am surprised, Faith, to see how much these photographs have come to affect me.
I "care" about these individuals, even though they are gone far beyond my power to help or to discourage them.

Thanks for commenting.

Amelie B., Jan 28, 2007

It looks like black lace insets on her suit; while she may not have been from a wealthy family, she was from one who knew good clothing. Even if this was the one nice outfit she owned, it has touches that were not the nor for store-bought, ready-made clothing!

This was definately a dress outfit, probably for working in, if she held a job, which many city girls did. Note also the hair style; it was not short, as it first appears, but was tucked behind her head in a bun, another thing many young women did when they worked.

Melissa The Pirate Princess is still alive!, Jan 28, 2007

I think she was a midwife. She has very strong hands and a hint of a smile.

Ina Townsend Young, Jan 28, 2007

I have a set of 4 pictures of my grandmother that are similar to this. I never met her; she died long before I was born. I remember getting lost in these pictures, too. I made up all kinds of stories about her; missing her involvement in my life. I put the pictures away many years ago, only to rediscover them a couple of months back. I had no need to make up stories about her any longer and they didn't haunt me as terribly. I was able to come up with an antique looking framing scenario for the 4 of them together and now they hang in my bedroom. I'm glad I've exorcised whatever odd hold they had over me.

Peter Wimsey, Jan 28, 2007

I know so little about womens' fashion, Amelie, that I could not make any inferences about her state or occupation based on this dress. You are probably right.

I don't know about the mid-wife business, Melissa -what do you make of the artful arrangement of what appears to be garden themed collage in the foreground?

Ina, I am glad tha tyou have found a comfortable place for your pictures. These haunt me, and i have no conection of blood or history to them.

Melissa The Pirate Princess is still alive!, Jan 29, 2007

If you go to a portrait studio today you will see they have a number of backgrounds to choose from. You can stand in front of a beach, a forest etc. I think the foreground garden is the same thing. It adds some beauty to the picture.

Peter Wimsey, Jan 29, 2007

Aha, I suspected that something like that might be true.
I am seldom photographed, what with the warrants still outstanding, etc.

Melissa The Pirate Princess is still alive!, Jan 29, 2007

I understand!

Peter Wimsey, Jan 29, 2007

"while she may not have been from a wealthy family, she was from one who knew good clothing."

Amelie, is it the tailoring, the lace insets, a superior fabric? I don't know enough about this.

Geoffrey B., Jan 29, 2007

It was a better day than most.

I hate having my photograph taken. They always make me look fat. But what do you expect when you've had five children before you turned 25?

Why a forest? Because I had to choose between a forest or a seaside background, that was it. And this dress certainly wasn't something I'd wear to the beach.

I mean, if I ever saw the beach. Living in Columbus as an assistant in a large tailor's establishment, I make less than ten cents an hour. If I miss two days in a row, they replace you. These days its more and more Chinese workers, and they work for nothing... sleep in the back room...

But it was my day off, you know; one a month; and my husband had actually been working for the past month, for the railway, adding a new siding just out of town. He'd been mostly sober, so he had money in his pocket and decided to take the family downtown.

I don't know why I went except that tired as I felt, I hadn't been anywhere in half a year, not even downtown, so I reckoned I needed a change. I tied my hair back tight and put on the dress I'd made with insets made of scraps the tailor let me keep, and off we went.

Looking at the picture later, I was pleased that I still looked young. Half the girls who worked alongside of me were my age but looked fifty. That's what no light and long hours and a poor diet will do to you in a quarter of a century. I was also happy that, well, I looked almost happy. But I always made myself go for a walk, first thing in the morning before dawn, taking one or two of the kids with me if they were awake, to get water from the public fountain down at the riverside about two miles away. And Joe; well he wasn't always drinking, he brought home money pretty regularly so we ate better than most. Once a week, at least, there would be meat on the table, chicken or pork mostly.

Twice a year, we'd all go out for a hot dinner.

When the big flashbox went off, it felt like I was frozen in time.

It was a better day than most.

Peter Wimsey, Jan 29, 2007

Wow, Geoffrey. It sounds as dreary as life in Arizona.

Geoffrey B., Jan 29, 2007

Thats how old photographs often strike me; they show the hardship of the people's lives. This one I thought her face was very compelling... and that's what she told me...

Life in Arizona is a bed of dry roses, Peter. Great climate, great people, great food, no fictional characters wandering around...

David Rochester, Jan 29, 2007

I would also say she knew something about clothes, based on the fabric -- the sheen and drape of it looks like a medium-weight silk, and the lace detailing is nice. We know she is not wealthy partly from the fact that the bodice of her dress, which is obviously a separate piece from the skirt -- fastens up the front; she would not require the assistance of a servant in order to get dressed. I think she does something that requires her to use her hands -- you will note that the sleeve is not tapered and fitted to the wrist. Her expression is very compelling . . . she appears to have a sense of humor. It's a wonderful photograph.

Geoffrey B., Jan 29, 2007

I didn't realize there was a bigger photo available; looking at it now, I think she has more humor to her face that I could see at first...

Peter Wimsey, Jan 29, 2007

Thank You, David Rochester -that is the kind of help I need in thinking about dress as a clue to general prosperity and conditions of living.

Geoffrey -I do appreciate your revery about this woman. I feel a solemn sadness about these unknown figures.

barb w., Jan 29, 2007

Peter, occasionally an old photograph is published in our local paper by the librarians who work in the local history section of the library. They solicit information regarding the scene or subject in the photos.

There are numerous organizations in this area, including a historical society with folks who love to solve a mystery. I wonder if there are such groups where you live.

Looking at her expression, I would say she prefers to have her hair less restrained and could easily find herself and her companions in a bit of mischief.

David McGill, Jan 30, 2007

Excellent and unique article, Peter, and you sparked some interesting comments. It's a sobering thought to realize the transitory nature of our life here on earth....Someone once said, when you're dead and all who ever knew you are dead, then your past existence is also dead.

100 years from now someone might come across this article and wonder about her and you.

Steve Bachman, Jan 31, 2007

I can't tell if that's her left nipple poking through her blouse, or not.

Geoffrey --

That was awesome. Good stuff.

David --

Deep.... I have the sudden urge to twist one up.

Peter Wimsey, Feb 1, 2007

Barb W, that is a great suggestion. I will look for sites in Columbus that are interested in these vintage photos. A site in my area would be unlikely to uncover any additional information.

Yes, David, this is a kind of memento mori - from dust created, to dust returning.

Stephen Murray, Feb 2, 2007

Alas, many don't blossom and flourish, though it looks like this one was not a shrinking violet (however tightly corseted!)

Peter Wimsey, Feb 2, 2007

"Alas, many don't blossom and flourish"

That is too often true, Stephen.

Jana B., Feb 2, 2007

A book such as Joan Severa's _Dressed for the Photographer: Ordinary Americans and Fashion, 1840-1900_ would be very helpful in making sense of these photos. Of course, given the history of photography, this picture has to be from the late nineteenth century. In the 1880s, special emphasis was being placed on the "hourglass figure" provided by a tight corset. She also looks to be wearing a small bustle, and her skirt is relatively "practical," not like the voluminous hoop skirts or multi-layered petticoats from earlier in the century. This was also a time when mass-produced clothing had become available, so fashionable dresses were becoming more affordable and available in far-flung places like Columbus. (Info from Bobbie Kalman's children's book, "Nineteenth Century Clothing.")

Maureen Sullivan Stemberg, Feb 2, 2007

Peter, as far as fashion I dare say she was trying to capture the 'Miz Scarlet' look -- yet, it's obvious she does not have that 18 inch waist. Of course, unlike 'Miz Scarlet' she manages
to control her silly impulses after all she was from the Mid-west. Appears to be a very proper young lady -- but there is definitely some mischief in those eyes. OH MY, MY, MY!!

Peter Wimsey, Feb 3, 2007

Jana B. -thanks for the very practical book suggestions. I have been dating the photographs by knowledge of photographic technology and conventions, and want to become more adept at recognizing cues to character and style by 'reading" clothes and fashion.

Maureen, there may be some history here that our young lady doesn't want us to know too clearly!

Chris Ahhhh Relief at Last XL Soon to be a L, Feb 3, 2007

The cattails may offer a clue too. My grandfather was a photographer who traveled to the Yukon in 1904. He has great photographs of that area as well as photos like this with documentation about why they were important. I only found this out recently in sifting thru the family things.

Sarah B., Feb 3, 2007

I love these old photographs. I have gotten a few tin type from eBay that I want to get framed and put up. I feel a connection to the people in the photos for some reason even though there is no real connection there.

Peter Wimsey, Feb 3, 2007

If these photographic settings (nature, drawing room, big chair) have special meaning other than the settings in which the sitter was most accustomed, I would be glad to learn ot it. Do "cattails" (the woody natural plant) have a special meaning?

Sarah, you have company among the other souls who are drawn to the anonymous lives we meet through vintage photos.

Christine Zibas, Feb 4, 2007

These types of photos are so available here in the Midwest at antique fairs, farmer's markets, and such. I have several, and one of my friends gave me on that she thought looked like me (a long forgotten relative), although it was a total stranger of course. I love the comments you have gotten about this photo! So interesting.

Peter Wimsey, Feb 4, 2007

I am envious, Christine.
I started collecting antique photos by "accident", through mementos stuck in books that I have long hoarded beyond all reason.

I don't have opportunity to get to many markets or estate sales these days.

But, I did purchase a lot on ebay.

Missy W., Feb 5, 2007

" there may be some history here that our young lady doesn't want us to know too clearly!"

Aside from the cutouts and lace inserts, the dress is not particularly well made nor does it have any of the fine detail [tucks, shirring, pleating, seaming] that would indicate high quality or haute couture dressmaking. It's actually kind of garish looking - which may have prompted Maureen's comment re Scarlet O'Hara. She's obviously buxum, but may also be pregnant and this is a photo of the last time in everyday clothes. Women often went into confinement for a pregnancy, though don't know about different norms for different time periods.

I think she is probably a servant dressed up in her best dress, and feeling pleased with herself, but somewhat self conscious. The smile in itself is interesting in that photo subjects of this era generally show a serious demeanor; having one's picture taken was a serious event. In addition to the slightly cheap or gaudy aspect of the dress, she does not appear to be wearing any jewelry and her hair is not coiffed, nor does she wear hair combs. The props, if that's what they are, in front of her are very odd, and do not seem to be what one would expect in a prosperous studio.

Or, because I just commented on your previous article, Peter, she could be one of the young ladies in a bordello.

Peter Wimsey, Feb 5, 2007

Missy, this is wonderful. David Rochester and Steven M also noted her working class status.

Of course, your last lines add a whole new meaning to "working girl" and revive painful memories of the gunfight outside the brothel.

"Shots in the Brothel: Whiskey, Guns, and Whores" is the title of the book I am writing about the whole episode.

Ruth MacGill, Feb 5, 2007

I think she is having her portrait done for a man she loves, and hopes to marry. That gleam in her eye and small smile is telling him so.

Missy W., Feb 5, 2007

Ruth,

That is something that also crossed my mind. Perhaps the man she loves rescued her from the bordello, or from a life of servitude. And, like Scarlet O'Hara she resourcefully turned the drapes and lace curtains into a wardrobe.

Peter Wimsey, Feb 6, 2007

Ruth, I think you are right.

Missy, get your mind out of the bordello. Are they legal in the Dakotas?

Ruth MacGill, Feb 7, 2007

Missy and Peter THE Wimsey - Bordellos were never legal in the North Dakota, the 'Blue Law' state of the 'old days'. But folks sure had a ball across the border in East Grand Forks, Minnesota. There was dancing, drinking, gambling, raping girls on pool tables, at all hours. But they would get home in time to go to their Lutheran church on Sunday Morning.

Missy W., Feb 7, 2007

Peter, I live in California and, yes, it is still the wild west. We have the famous, or infamous, legal brothel named "mustang ranch." I think "Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" was based on the mustang ranch, or partly filmed there, or some other connection -- don't remember exactly.

Peter Wimsey, Feb 13, 2007

Ruth, thank you for your Comments. I never heard anything about these sorts of outrages from Garrison Keillor on "A Prairie Home Companion."

Those Lutherans are always morose and sedentary.

Missy, my abject apologies. Of course you live in northern California.

In my epistlatory haste, I briefly confused you with Melissa the Warrior/Pirate Princess who is trying to buy large sections of the Dakotas with her Gather Points.

There is a honky tonk bar here in New York called the "Mustang Ranch."

Liz Rice-Sosne, Feb 13, 2007

What a marvelous photo, perhaps you don't remember, this was taken of Anna five days before she and her family were to have left on Safari. Anna didn't want to go, for as you know she was abhorrent of the heat in Africa. She struggled with "not going" for it was really a dream of her father's to have her along by his side. She was his favorite and he doted upon her relentlessly...which of course is why it was acceptable for her to remain home. Had she gone she might have lived. It was so sad really. Her father simply spiraled out of control after her death into a horrific and depressive decay until one day he shot himself.

Alas, she didn't go. Three days into the trip her family was notified of her tragic death. She had been fox hunting when her horse reared in a very unbalanced fashion. She was unable to maintain her seat. Her skull was crushed under the horse's right foot. Sad for she was so beautiful. I cannot really remember, I think that this was taken just before she was to marry the Governor's daughter, Peter can you remember? And what was his name. I think he died of sadness.

Peter Wimsey, Feb 13, 2007

Wow, Liz, you have done away with the whole family !

The wonderful fictitious tale you tell began to verge toward history when you mentioned the Governor's daughter.

Anne Coleman, heiress to an early ironworks fortune from her doting father, committed suicide in a scandal involving her fiancee, James Buchannan - who never married and afterward became the "bachelor" President.

Something about Anne's suicide unhinged the whole family because there was a succession of tragedies for the Colemans through the end of the 19th Century.

Liz Rice-Sosne, Feb 13, 2007

Wow what fun...I mean for us not them. And oh dear I never do anything like this. But is was fun. Thank you Peter.

Peter Wimsey, Feb 14, 2007

Thank You, Liz.

My enjoyment of these vintage pictures lies entirely in the vanished worlds that they evoke.

And, it continues to amaze me that these anonymous individuals can work on our imaginations so vividly.

I hope the best for them, even though I know that they must have passed on by the time I was born.

Liz Rice-Sosne, Feb 14, 2007

Peter...do you ever feel as though you "walk between worlds" or "lived at another time"...and I do mean with a truly strong sensation that makes you question?

Peter Wimsey, Feb 15, 2007

Yes, Liz, there are times at which the sense of another place is so stong that I feel as though I have "belonged there".

There are decayed mansions, abandoned farms, snug houses in isolated places, that elicit a whole rush of impressions in the form of a coherent "story", so that I feel as though I know or have known the whole history of the place.

These stories comprise an entire narrative of the place as they developed, matured, and declined - and the attendant feelings are so strong that it is as though I had truly witnessed the whole epic.