Photos Without Families

This mellow-looking gentleman was Musical Director (“Capellmeister”) Steinbruch, who had his photograph taken in Elizabeth, New Jersey. We didn’t have a first name to go with the photo - but no problem! This man was so well known in New York and New Jersey’s German singing circles that I was able to identify him even without knowing his given name!

This lovely schoolgirl with the steady gaze and composed posture was Annie Bridget Britt of Boston. Annie was born on January 4, 1862, the first child of Patrick Britt, a trunk maker, and Elizabeth - also recorded as Bessy or Lizzy - née Sullivan. Both of her parents were immigrants from Ireland.

Two children, carefully posed, looking straight into the camera that feels almost timeless. Their photograph had surfaced in Germany, which made me wonder - did Harry and Bessie Ronne have German roots? As I began tracing their story, a different path emerged. Their father, John Ronne, was not German but Danish, born in 1849 on the island of Bornholm.

I can’t resist old photos of my namesakes! It’s always a special treat for me to research their stories and discover how they lived. This photo of Gretchen Stapf found its way to me in Germany. Gretchen is a sweet nickname for Grete or Margret, and many adults in my childhood used to call me Gretchen—so piecing together little Gretchen’s story feels extra special.

Harry Charles Johnson was born on November 19, 1891, in Chicago, Illinois, to parents Henry Johnson and Caroline “Carrie” née Nonnast. Henry and Carrie, devoted members of the local German Lutheran church, First Saint John, had him christened there on December 13, 1891.

Valentin Roedel was pretty easy to find in the records. I found this original photo in Germany. Having immigrated to the United States from

In my last blogpost I wrote about the Kratzer sisters from Shamokin Dam, Pa. Today we will look at some of their friends.

Many photos from the 1940s of the Kratzer family from Shamokin Dam in Snyder, Pennsylvania, have come into my collection.

According to the handwritten information, these were Herrmann Günther and his wife Wilhelmine Günther née Peters in America.

This tiny snapshot shows 18 women who began the Cadet Nurse Corps programme at the St. John’s Hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1944.

I found this photo in Germany but it was taken in New York. It shows Mr. Maximilian Kane from New York.

Walther Wolleben Kustermann (in American records without the dots above “ü” in Küstermann) was born on July 10, 1888, in Green Bay, Wisc.

This adorable little model was Ernst Kaspar August Wahl from Chicago, at Christmas 1901. I assume he was about 3-4 years old in the photo, so I guess he was born around 1897-98. Indeed, Ernst Kaspar August Wahl was born on October 5, 1897 in Chicago. In 1900, he was the only child of his parents Ernst H. and Edna Wahl. The family and their two servants, Emily and Agnes Carlson, resided at 2149 Kenmore Avenue in Chicago. I suppose this was their home in 1900: I can see from th

Look at that sweet face! And look at that incredible cursive hand-writing. Someone wanted to make sure we never forget little Maximilian! Such valuable information, too! We have his birth date and place. And we also know that the photo was taken in Philadelphia. Little Max was not difficult to find in the records. I just wish I didn’t find what I found next... Little Maximilian died on November 29, 1884, at the age of 7... He was the youngest child of Eberhard Flues. Max’ liv

How lovely that this late 1860s – early 1870s CDV is labelled with the name of the mother, the baby son as well as the father of the child. It says in German: “Aunt Anna Pomy, wife of Hermann Pomy in Chicago with son Hermann” The photo studio stamp on the CDV confirms the location: Chicago, Illinois. The names have been added at a much later date in pen and in modern German hand-writing. I found the original photo in Germany, so perhaps it was sent to relatives in Germany whe

This photo was a birthday gift to Agathe Gerbracht’s mother at Christmas 1890 in New York. The dedication on the back of the photo says in German: “Der lieben Mutter zum Geburtstage von Agathe Gerbracht Dec 25 / 90” I think the surname was added later (and thanks to whomever added it, otherwise we wouldn’t have found this woman’s story!) So I set out to find an Agathe whose maiden name or married name had been Gerbracht. How old do you think she was in 1890 when she ha

Updated! The photo has been reunited with its family! My wonderful community has solved another mystery photo! This photo from Reading, Pennsylvania, is labelled with the name of the man, but the writing in pencil is so poorly visible that I couldn’t make out the surname. I could only read “John J. … and Wife”, so I once again turned to my Instagram and Facecook community for their take on the surname. And again they came through! The writing on the back of this photo reads “

Seven colleagues sat down for a group photo some time in the 1920s. But where? I wish I knew! The photo is kind of identified. The back...

Mr Joseph Foster sat down for this CDV at the photo studio of George N. Granniss in Waterbury, Connecticut, and looked straight into the camera. I wonder what he was thinking of in that very moment. He had come a long way from his birth town of Horsforth near Leeds in England. Was he happy with his life in America, was it all he imagined it to be? Joseph Foster, born in about 1814, married Hannah Hogg on December 14, 1834 in Birstall, York, in England. Soon after they welcome

When this photo of baby Elvina Schouten was taken at 3 months old (born on January 22, 1881), her world was still in order. Her mummy Henrietta née Wappich and her daddy Jacob Schouten led a lovely life in Keokuk, Lee, in Iowa, and a year later, in April 1882, her baby sister Helen would be born. But when her baby sister was the same age as little Elvina in this photo, their mummy died. The sisters went into the care of their grandparents William Wappich and Stephanie née Lör