Diploma

Chris Martin is hoping to find a member of the family of Edna Rice whose diploma, which is transcribed below, was found behind a framed print which a friend purchased at auction.

Public School DIPLOMA

This Certifies that Edna Rice has honorably Completed the Course of Study in the various branches prescribed to be Taught in the Public Schools of CHAMPAIGN COUNTY - Orthography, Reading, Penmanship, Drawing, Arithmetic, English Grammar, Geography, American History, Physiology, Music - and is entitled to receive this Diploma Given at Urbana, Illinois, this 8th day of August 1912

(signed) Chas. H. Watts County Superintendent

Orphan Photos

Mary Parish obtained these photos from her parents who found them in their home when they bought it about 30 years ago. There are about 180 photos and she is willing to send them to anyone who can prove their relationship - FREE! Most of the photos were taken in Champaign, Illinois and were found in a home on Prospect Street in Kewanee, Henry County, Illinois:

• Baby unidentified - age 10 months 6 days, October 29, 1915 - taken by Stewart A. Allen, Sprinfield, Ill. during week of homecoming
• "Hattie" - February 24, 1900, Kyle Studio, Colfax, Ill.
• Edward - Fannie - kate - Chas., taken Jan. 6, 1904 in Danville, Ill.
• To Grandma McNier - Georgette McNier, 7 1⁄2 weeks old
• Leina (sp) McNier, Christmas 1915
• To Fannie - Georgetta McNier, February 19, 1916, 15 months old
• To Brother Edward From Frank S. "Pop" Snyder (picture is of Frank) - Born Oct 6, 1861, taken June 17, 1915
• "Pop" and sons - taken Oct. 6, 1929
• Geraldine (baby on a postcard) - to: Mrs. Ed Snyder of Urbana, Illiinois - May 1914?
• Louis Albert Bacon (baby) - Dec. 10, 1921, 8 months, taken at Maguire & Stephens Studio, Urbana, Ill.
• Huge group picture of people taken on a big carriage on the carriage it says: Hebard Winchester & Ogden Ave. Taken at Milwaukee, July 1907, in front of Juneau? Park
• Group office picture, second floor, Myers Bros. 1936, taken by Neef Studio
• "Grandpa" (very very old man) taken by Kyle, Colfax, Ill.
• E. A. Snyder (lady) - taken by Thorsen and mack, 939 W. Sixty Third St., no city
• E. A. Snyder (lady) - taken by the Rose Studio, Champaign, Ill.
• Mrs. E. A. Snyder - taken June 9, 1904
• Caroline A. Lawder - Dec. 1912, age 25 - taken by Abernathy Studio, Champaign, Ill.
• Bernard and Nettie Doyle - Christmas 1912 - taken by Lockman, 49 N. Illinois St., Indpls.
• Miss Ethel Bates - Chinton, Ill.
• Place card with the name: Mrs. Robert McKinley (no picture)

Nancy U. Anderson has the following photos she is trying to identify; the photos are located on her website at:

http:⁄⁄homepages.rootsweb.com⁄~unab22⁄bookmarks⁄ilphotos.htm

Contact Nancy at : nancyinternet@gmail.com

Letters

From David Knecht:

I recently came across five old envelopes, with personal letters enclosed, from a Mr. P. E. Roberts, that I would be interested in returning to the original Roberts family. I have no idea who these people are, however I am hopeful that you may be able to assist. Each of these letters relate back to the 1940's & 1950's. My brother found these letters a number of years ago, in an old farm house located near Mahomet, Illinois. Back at the time that these letters were written, this Mr. P. E. Roberts lived at 809 South Lynn Street in Champaign, Illinois. It appears that this Mr. Roberts went by the nickname of "Skeets." From these letters, it also appears that there was another Roberts family member who went by the name of "Jess."

Unknown Photos

The following photos were donated to the Champaign County ILGenWeb Project coordinator. If you are interested, please contact the person listed after each.

1. 0001-Man in profile ~25-30 years old
2. 0002-Woman, brunette ~25-30 years old; reverse: The Neiswanger Studio, Muncie, Indiana
3. 0003-Child, girl, blonde ~3-4 years old; reverse: Phillips & co., LaFayette, Ind.
4. 0004-Woman, full figure, ca 1900, white dress; reverse: Ebert, The Palace Studio, Urbana, Ill.
5. 0005-Man, full figure, ca 1900, dark suit; reverse: Abernathy's Studio, 55 N. Walnut, Champaign, Ill.
6. 0006-Man, bust portrait, ca mid-late 1800's, beard; reverse: Naughton, Champaign, Ill.
7. 0007-Horse and buggy with two men riding and onlookers
8. 0008-Young girl, blonde, long white dress, ca 1900; reverse: Abernathy's, Champaign, Ill.
9. 0009-Young man, ~16-18 years old; reverse: J. G. Allen, 4129 Olive Street, St. Louis, Mo, May 24, 1909, Walter Studio, St. Louis
10. 0010-Child, girl, blonde ~3-4 years old; reverse: J. N. Isch, Muncie, Indiana
11. 0011-Woman ~18-25 years old; reverse: Grand Studio, G. R. Gamble, Artist
12. 0012-Couple, early twenties, ca 1900; reverse: Abernathy's Studio, Champaign, Ill.
13. 0013-Woman, full figure, white dress, ca 1900; reverse: Ebert, The Palace Studio, Urbana, Ill.
14. 0014-woman, full figure, white dress, ca 1900; reverse: Abernathy's Studio, Champaign, Ill.
15. 0015-Baby in christening gown
16. 0016-Children, boy and baby; reverse: Abernathy's
17. 0017-Baby in christening gown; reverse: Abernathy's
18. 0018-Man, torso view, dark suit, mustache; reverse: H. F. Neidhardt Portraits, Chicago
19. 0019-Young woman, ca 1900 ~18-20 years old; reverse: Abernathy's
20. 0020-Couple, possibly wedding day - ca 1920-1930's
21. 0021-Baby in christening gown
22. 0022-Baby in christening gown w⁄heart locket?; reverse: Naughton, Champaign, Ill.
23. 0023-Small child, age 1-2, on rug with distinctive petticoat; reverse: Naughton, Champaign, Ill.
24. 0024-Small child, age 1-2, with distinctive petticoat (looks same as 0023)
25. 0025-Baby in christening gown; reverse: Naughton, Champaign, Ill.
26. 0026-3 children, ages ~5-10, all dark-haird; reverse: Naughton, Champaign, Ill.
27. 0027-Couple, ~18-25 years old; reverse: Robinson & roe, 77 Clark Street, Chicago
28. 0028-Woman, ~18-25 years old; reverse: Naughton
29. 0029-Man, ~18-25 years old; reverse: Gamble, Champaign, Ill.
30. 0030-Woman in profile, headshot
31. 0031-Older woman, bust portrait; reverse: Gamble, Champaign, Ill.
32. 0032-Young woman, head shot, ~13-18 years old; reverse: Gamble
33. 0033-Young woman, bust portrait, ~18-25 years old; reverse: Elite Studio, 21 Main Street, Champaign, Ill.
34. 0034-Young man, 18-25 years old; reverse: Gamble
35. 0035-Young man, ~18 years old
36. 0036-Young woman in profile, ~18 years old; reverse: Naughton
37. 0037-Family-mother, father and 2 children, ~6 months-2-3 years; reverse: Gamble
38. 0038-Young woman with hair down [unusual for this era]
39. 0039-Family - parents and 3 daughters, ~10-15 years old
40. 0040-Young woman, ~18-25 years old
41. 0041-Young woman, ~18 years old; reverse: Gamble
42. 0042-Young couple; reverse: Ebert, The Palace Studio, Urbana, Ill.
43. 0043-Young man, full figure, ~18-25 years old
44. 0044-Family - parents with 3 children, ~4-10 years old; reverse: Naughton
45. 0045-House, mother and two sons with dog
46. 0046-Man in straw hat, ~18-25 years old
47. 0047-Group - one young man and 3 young women
48. 0048-Young man
49. 0049-Young man
50. 0050-Older couple
51. 0051-Two young women, ~18 years old
52. 0052-Young man, ~18-20 years; reverse: Naughton
53. 0053-Couple, mid-20's to 30's; reverse: Naughton
54. 0054-Young man, 16-20 years old; reverse: C. LaFogee
55. 0055-Baby in christening gown; reverse: Abernathy
56. 0056-Child, ~4-7 years old
57. 0057-Child and baby; reverse: Abernathy. Found in an old photo album belonging to the Bohrer family. Please contact Julie
58. 0058-Child, girl, about 4-5 years old with woman standing behind. Photo taken by Jesse Wilkinson, Champaign photographer
59. 0059-Young man, about 20-25 years old. Handwritten last name appears to be 'Ralph'
    

 

Photos from Paul Scobie - many were taken by Champaign photographers.

I have come into the possession of several dozen portraits that appear to be of citizens of the Champaign area. Most are tintypes dating from the mid to late 1860's.

Where there was something of interest on the back it is shown also. Only one has an identifying name (see Port17a) but I can't be sure of the writing. Portraits 19, 20 & 21 appear to be the same gentleman. There are several different photography studios.

Several have Potter's Patent paper holders. Several have a revenue stamp on the back.

[Tintypes of the civil war period (1861-1865) are primarily sized one-sixth and one-fourth plate. Often, civil war era images are datable by the Potter's Patent paper holders, carte de visite sized paper folders adorned with patriotic stars and emblems, that were introduced during the period. After 1863 the paper holders were embossed rather than printed. A tax on all photographs sold in the United States from 1 September 1864 to 1 Aug 1866 required the application of a revenue stamp. Continuous photographers cancelled the stamp by writing their initials and the day's date on the face. The cancelled tax stamps may be adhered to the back of an image case or an uncased tintype.]

These portraits were found at the bottom of a bin of my father's family's old photographs. My grandmother was born in Champaign in 1881, the daughter her of Friedrich Witt and Elizabeth Dallenbach. Both families arrived in the Champaign area in the mid 1850's. When and why the portraits were collected and kept in the family is a mystery. Some might be of my family but I can not tell.

Submitted by Paul Scobie.