One of these days I’ll get back to posting here, meanwhile here you can see two wedding invitations from 1892 and 1897 – one for a Starkweather wedding, and the other for a VanScoter wedding.
I have not posted here in a while and need to get back to it. Meanwhile, here is a piece of family medical ephemera.
In 1936 my aunt Mabel had pneumonia. She was born in 1930. (Mabel is the daughter of Earl William Spicer and Leota VanScoter, my paternal grandparents). Here you see the prescription written by Dr. Lord. This was the family doctor, and he made house calls. Note the limited office hours in the upper left corner. In case you can’t read the writing, to treat it: juice of oranges and a lemon, cream of tarter, camphorated oil on chest (this is like Mentholatum), laxative each night.
I’ve not blogged here in a while, and need to get back to it – and blog about my great grandfather Frank Miles Vanscoter and his sister. Meanwhile, here are two photos of the Spicer/VanScoter family in 1939 and 1950. Sadly, the last living person in these photos, one of my aunts, died this month. An entire generation has now died.
The first photo was taken in June 1939 before the graduation of Earl James from high school. The photo was taken by my great uncle Frank (brother of Earl William). It is written on the back, so that is how I know who took the photo!
From left to right. Back row: Betty Lou in arms of Earl William Spicer, Ira George, Leota Elizabeth (maiden name VanScoter), Earl James. Front row: Robert Bruce (my father), Mabel Jean, June Iris. Missing is Linda as she was not born yet.
This next photo was taken in 1950 and missing is Ira George.
From left to right: Mabel, Earl William, June, Leota, Earl James, Betty, Robert. In the front, in front of June, is Linda Lee.
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I possess a book that belonged to Elizabeth Sweet Briggs VanScoter (my great great grandmother) and her son Frank Miles VanScoter (my great grandfather).
Read more about Elizabeth Sweet Briggs VanScoter here. She is on the right in this photo (cabinet card), likely taken in the 1870s.
Below are their two children, Frank and Eva, and this photo is from 1872-1875, going by the fact that Frank looks in the range of 12-15 years, and Eva looks 15-17 years.
Since these photos were taken in a similar time frame, you may think the parents look a bit old to have teenagers? Merritt and Elizabeth married late in life, when he was almost 50, and she was 37. When Frank was born, Merritt was almost 54 and Elizabeth was 41. Therefore if Frank was 12 and Eva 15 in the photo, Merritt was 66 and Elizabeth was 53. I think they look about those ages in their above photo.
But the book! The book I possess was published in 1849 and is entitled:
Proverbial Philosophy, a Book of Thoughts and Arguments by Martin Tupper.
Elizabeth Sweet Briggs signed her name to the book along with the date of August 2, 1854 or 1859. Since she married Merritt in 1855, I think the date is 1854 since she signs it Briggs. The name and date is fading and getting hard to read.
She apparently passed the book to her son Frank (my great grandfather) or he acquired it when they died, and he signed his name to it also: Frank VanScoter and the year 1892. His signature is still clear and readable.
Here is a photo of Frank VanScoter when he was 33 years old in 1893, about the same time he signed the book.
It ended up with Frank’s daughter Leota, who was my grandmother. Then on to my father, and now I have it. It is mildewy, not surprising for such an old book which was unfortunately stored in a basement for a long time. I’ve taken measures to keep it preserved now as well as possible.
I’m glad they signed their names and date to the book as it gives it personal significance for me. I have other photos and items that belonged to Frank, and there will be more posts to come.
Finally, here is a photo of myself holding the book.
Daguerreotypes, ambrotypes…next in time were tintypes or ferrotypes. We will look at the tintypes in my possession. This article has helpful info on 19th century photography: How to Date Your Old Photos.
Of this group of tintypes, we CAN identify the two older children in the one image – my great grandfather Frank Miles VanScoter and his sister Eva when they were teens. For now, we will focus generally on these photos, and I’ll have other posts sharing more about Frank and Eva.
Tintypes were usually placed in an inexpensive paper or cardboard frame, so it is no wonder that these frames did not last and most tintypes are found loose today, as these are. Tintypes were introduced about 1856 and remained popular about 10 years, but stayed in use until the early 1900’s as a novelty. We can likely date these from the 1860s and 1870s, and the photo of Frank and Eva we can narrow down to 1872-1875. Here is a photo of all the tintypes:
I scanned the next two photos together, as it is clearly the same dark haired girl in each photo. She looks different to me than the other girl, so maybe they are cousins, not siblings? I do have a cabinet card where 2 cousins posed in a photo together. I love how she is posed with her doll. Note she is wearing dangling earrings. What is her hand sitting on? I can not tell.
Here are three men. Love the hats, suit styles, and mustaches!
The remaining tintypes are in poorer condition: bent, scratches, rusting on the side, etc.
Here are two women:
And here are two more women. The photo on the right has a name etched (informally) on the back: Mag Callae. Perhaps, with the name, I can one day identify this woman, but so far I can not match her up with any names in VanScoter history at least. I am assuming this is VanScoter lineage, since these tintypes were kept together, and one photo we know is Frank Miles VanScoter. However, it is possible these are not all VanScoters.
Finally the tintype of Frank Miles VanScoter and Evalyn Havens VanScoter, brother and sister. Frank Miles is my great grandfather, and Eva would be my great aunt. There will be future posts about them. Frank Miles was born in 1860 and Eva in 1857. Thus estimated date of the photo is 1872-75. Frank looks in the range of 12-15 years to me, and Eva looks 15-17 years. This photo was identified to my father by his mother (my grandmother) Leota VanScoter Spicer. Plus we have other photos and verification.
Last post featured daguerreotypes, and this post ambrotypes. It is easy enough to tell the difference, as a daguerreotype looks positive or negative depending on the angle, while ambrotypes look positive no matter the angle. I found photographing these frustrating (glare, reflections, etc) but tried to get acceptable views. I seemed to get better, clearer, shots of the daguerreotypes.
One reason to get digital records of these is they are fragile. It is amazing, to me, that these have been passed down in my family for this long, surviving intact. When I opened the largest ambrotype, the glass image started to fall out of the case! I almost had a heart attack. Imagine me shattering it after all these years! I did not, but a good reason to get a photograph of it now.
The ambrotype process began about 1855 and was popular for about 10 years. Most of the cases have a leather feel to me, except one feels different and may be a “union” case. These are unknown people related to me somehow. They can be dated about 1855 to 1865. Here is a photo of all of them; note the the various sizes. Some are missing the velvet side of the case. And one is wrapped, but with no case at all.
Here are individual photos. The top hat or high hat was popular during this time.
Could the following photo be the same woman as the above photo? They have a similar look. However, from what I’ve read people did not typically have multiple photos taken of themselves. Note the glass is cracked in this one. (I didn’t do it!)
The next two were very hard to photograph. The woman’s picture seems fading, or not as distinct on the glass. This was the best I could get, with a flash. The man’s right hand looks oddly placed to me, but I guess it is just the pose for the photo. Note his necktie. Elaborate neckties were popular in the mid 1800’s.
And finally this lovely large ambrotype of a woman in a hoop skirt. Hoop skirts were popular in the same years as the ambrotype, reaching their height of popularity in the late 1850’s.
That is all. Next post will feature the tintypes.
I’ve not blogged here in a while. Partly this is because I was going back (genealogically) in time before the age of photography, and this was easier for me to post. But as I began moving into where I possess increasing photographic memorabilia, I got frustrated. I am so terrible at both scanning things and photographing objects!
But I thought I’d return by posting about the box I have of daguerreotypes and ambrotypes passed down in my family. I have 4 daguerreotypes and will feature them this post. They all appear to be leather cases to me, not the “union” material.
I just discovered this great free book (272 pages!) to help you date old photos:
A guide to dating daguerreotypes, ambrotypesand & tintypes by their mats and cases, for historians, genealogists, collectors and antique dealers. See HERE.
Also this article was helpful: The Daguerreotype in America.
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I have determined the first one below is the oldest daguerreotype. I am no expert but I found helpful dating resources. It is definitely a daguerreotype, and it lacks a “preserver” so it has to be from the 1840s. Preservers began to be added about 1847 and became the norm within 3-4 years. Daguerreotypes peaked between 1842 and 1858, thus I’d say we can safely date this between 1842 and 1850. This unknown woman is related to me somehow…distant cousin, aunt?
By the way, the daguerreotype was invented in 1839 so it is not possible to possess a photo much older than this one I possess! Note the box has 2 hooks. All the rest have one hook.
The next daguerreotype is of an unknown man. It has a preserver (use began 1847), and since daguerreotypes peaked between 1842 and 1858, we can date this between 1848 and 1858. Again, who knows how this man is related to me…distant cousin, uncle?
This next photo is in poor condition, as you can see. I am glad my photo of it turned out as well as it did. The leather cases all have floral designs, at least on the front, but the back of this one had a unique geometric design. Again, date should be between 1848 and 1858.
Finally, this last daguerreotype is a sad one of a dead child. Google it…postmortem photography was common, and it was likely the only photo a family possessed as a memory. I do not have both sides of the case. Also, I noted it is upside down in the case, as in the floral design on the leather is upside down. Not sure what to make of that? An error when it was originally placed? Was it moved to a different case and placed unintentionally upside down? It is a daguerreotype nonetheless, so again we should be able to safely date it as the 1850s. Note the color added to what appears to be flowers in the child’s hands. I googled this, and yes color could be added at the time.
Next time I will feature the ambrotypes.
Finally I move forward in time again, to where I possess personal photography.
Merritt VanScoter and Elizabeth Sweet Briggs are my great, great grandparents. Merritt was born March 17, 1806. He was one of 13 siblings born to Elias VanScoter and Mary Halstead. Last night I jotted out informally on a sheet of paper the names of all 13 siblings, and after each of their names – the names of their children. I was trying to get a sense of all the cousins ( a lot! ) my great grandfather Frank had.
Merritt married Elizabeth Sweet Briggs on Dec. 25, 1855 at Versailles, NY. Elizabeth was born May 21, 1818 and her parents were Jacob and Nancy Briggs. Merritt was a harness maker. They lived at Garwoods, NY where they both died: She on Aug. 30, 1888 and he on Feb. 28, 1891. They had 3 children:
Evalyn Havens, b. Feb.18, 1857 at Fredonia, NY
Harvey M., b. and d. in July, 1858
Frank Miles, b. Jan. 20, 1860 ** my great grandfather
Above info can be found on pages 618 and 620 of the VanScoter book.
Note some ages. Merritt and Elizabeth married late in life. He was almost 50, and she was 37. When my great grandfather Frank was born, Merritt was almost 54 and Elizabeth was 41.
I have a book that was owned and signed by Elizabeth Sweet Briggs on August 2, 1854 or 1859, and then signed by Frank Miles in 1892. I will have another post about that book with photos. Frank must have acquired it after Merritt died in Feb. 1891.
A note about Merritt’s name. In formal and informal family documentation I observe Merritt’s name spelled in varying ways – such as Merik and Merih. Maybe this had to do with how the name sounded when pronounced?
Below are two photos of Meritt and Elizabeth found in a family cabinet card album in my possession. The photos are not dated, however one can narrow the date possibilities to about 20 years between 1866 to 1888. How so? Cabinet cards did not exist in the U.S. until 1866 so that is the earliest possible date. Elizabeth died in 1888 so it can’t be past that date. Cabinet cards were at their height of popularity in the 1880’s, and declined after that. They look older to me in the first photo, so I am “guestimating” the first photo was in the 1880’s and the second in the 1870’s.
In the album, these 2 photos are identified as them. The second one is identified clearly as “Merik VanScoter, Pa’s father and mother” in my grandmother Leota’s handwriting. “Pa” would be her dad Frank Miles. The first photo is identified in my dad’s handwriting simply as “Grandfather VanScoter.” My dad went through this album with Leota before she died and he added notes of clarification about some people. Leota must have said “that is my grandfather VanScoter.” Also remember that Leota would not have known her grandparents as they died before she was born.
When I look closely at these photos, I have some doubts/questions. Merritt’s hair puzzles me. I think they look older in the first photo, however his hair is more grey and his mustache has some darkness. But in the second photo, while they both look younger, his hair is all white. How can that be? If your hair goes white, it does not return to grey or dark. Each photo was taken by a different photographer. Perhaps lighting and technique comes into play? (I highlight my hair and in some photos my hair can look rather dark and in other photos rather light.) I looked at these photos under a good light with a magnifying glass, and his forehead and the hair on his head looks quite the same – even the wave/style to it – except in the first photo his hairline has receded and his hair also looks thinner. This would make sense with aging, but not the change from white to grayish hair. Elizabeth’s face is a bit different as she has jowls in the first photo, that I do not see in the second. Jowls do develop with age.
ANYWAYS – perhaps I over analyze these photos. If you have experience in identifying people in photos, your opinion welcome. I guess I have just a little doubt that each of these photos are the same couple? But people do change in appearance as they age, and 10-15 years can be significant. In addition, these two photos could be as much as 20 years apart.
Photo #1. This photo is first in the album.
Photo # 2. This photo is second in the album, a page forward.
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Page 10 in the VanScoter book begins: “In our American beginning was THEUNIS ELIASEN. Back of him it is ‘greatly dark’ for all our searching. His sailing is unknown: no shipping list contains his name, no clue is found to his coming. This mystery and the further fact that ‘his mark’ was a trident suggests the possibility of his having been a sea-faring man and his having while in the port of New Amsterdam abjured the deep. This though is but conjecture…”
– While his mark was a trident, he also signed his name, so this mark was not because he could not write. One theory about the trident was that he was born or was an infant when his parents sailed over from Holland. Seems a reasonable guess!
Perhaps you are thinking Theunis Eliasen? I thought this was the history of the VanScoter or Van Benschoten family? How does Theunis Eliasen come into it? The book thoroughly explains, including some history about surnames. Remember this is the 1600’s and surnames did not exist then, in the same way as now. I will highlight key info from pages 10-12 in the VanScoter book.
Theunis or Teunis is obviously his first name. (For more on this name, see the end of my last post. It is related to the name Anthony.) Eliasen means Elias’ son, as this was a way to identify people back then, but even today in nations like Iceland. So literally this meant Theunis, son of Elias. The book states: “This was a primitive Hollandish way of identification, – the taking of the father’s given name and using it as we today do our family name, the ending se, sen, or z (zoon) being equivalent to son of, and Eliasen meaning Elias son.”
The book further explains that “among the Dutch in America the name of the town in Holland whence a family came was often utilized preceded by ‘van’ – from – as a settled designation. Many names thus originated….Beyond a doubt Theunis or some forefather of his came from Bunschoten, a small one-time-walled town on a tidal way of the Zuyder Zee and a few miles south of that water; Van Bunschoten, not Van Benschoten having been the early form of the name here. It seems certain that our family had its origin whether plebeian or patrician at this little stronghold in the marshes.”
So…my great x 7 grandfather is Theunis Eliasen Van Bunschoten which means: Theunis, son of Elias, from the town of Bunschoten in Holland.
Being early to arrive in this land in the 1600’s, Theunis Eliasen appears in many records of Kingston (New York). His name can be found spelled in slight variations. The books states:
“But before proceeding, a few words as to the name. Theunis Eliasen, variously spelled but always easily identified, was the name commonly used by our old ancestor. On six occasions only does appear in any records as Van Bunschoten: once real estate is to him in that name; three times as sponsor for grandchildren who are given the name Theunis does he make use of his full cognomen; and twice after his name as a trustee of the Corporation of Kingston is Van Bunschoten added parenthetically. At all other appearances it is Teunis Elisse, Tones Elisen, Theunis Eliasz, or some other variant of the appellation he familiarly went by and which was Teunis son of Elias.”
He first appears in American records in 1671. From that time on, you will find his name in various records related to Kingston. See pages 12-20. It is really fascinating to see his name with real estate transactions, appointed as a chimney checker (fire safety of community due to thatch roofs), acting as a juryman, as a cavalryman, etc. He was prominent in municipal affairs, and was one of the original Trustees of the Corporation of Kingston and named in the charter granted by the Gov. in 1687. His name is on multiple corporation deeds. His name is also in church records, and over the years he served as deacon, elder, and church-master.
He was a trusted man in the community. In a court case in 1682, a witness strengthens his evidence by averring that “Theunes Eleson says the same.”
NOTE ⇒⇒ I recently found online this awesome 9-page pdf by another descendant from the early years of 17th century Kingston, NY. It is visually appealing and provides a history of Kingston, the key families, and other pertinent info. This person even visited modern day Kingston, and took photos of historical places. There is a section on the Van Bunschoten family.
Link here: http://www.bradleyrymph.com/genealogy_kingston.pdf
Unfortunately, very little is known about his wife Gerritje Gerrits. Records about her birth and parentage were apparently lost. She is first in the records in 1676 when Theunis Eliasen and his wife “Gerritje Gerrits” have a daughter, Hendrickje, baptized on May 22, 1676 at Bergen. (There are no records about their marriage.) Gerritje is last seen in the church records on July 21, 1700, when she and Teunis stand as sponsors for their little grandson Johannes Van Steenbergen.
Theunis Eliasen died February 16, 1728 (at age 84) in Kingston.
The children of Teunis and Gerritje were:
1. HENDRICKJE, bp. May 22, 1676 at Bergen, NJ; taken into the church at Kingston at seventeen years of age; no later trace found of her.
2. MARRITJE bp.
3. ELIAS bp. Nov 23, 1679, at Kingston
4. GERRIT bp. Mar 12, 1682, at Kingston ***
5. REBEKKA bp. Feb. 10, 1684, at Kingston; died young.
6. RACHEL bp. Jan. 17, 1686, at Kingston; died young.
7. JACOB bp. Jan. 15, 1688 at Kingston; evidently died young.
8. SOLOMON bp.
9. REBEKKA bp. Jan. 28, 1692, at Kingston
10. RACHEL bp. Dec. 22, 1695, at Kingston
This Rebekka and Rachel are named in conformity with a Dutch custom which was on the death of a child to christen the next infant of that sex with the same name.
*** Geritt was my great x 6 grandfather. My family is in the Gerrit line of Theunis Eliasen, which takes you to page 414 in the book. My last post was about Gerrit.
After going all the way back, this genealogy blog will now move forward to more recent VanScoter and Spicer history.
In the last post, I looked at Antony Van Benschoten and Margaret Wells, my great x5 grandparents. Antony’s parents were Gerritt Van Bunschoten and Antje Delva, my great x 6 grandparents. Learn more about them on pages 414-416 of the VanScoter book. The books shares this:
GERRIT Van Bunschoten baptized Mar. 12, 1682 is not found again in the records until his wedding in the spring of 1706, when Domine Henricus Beys who performs the marriage ceremony fails to record the day and month. The entry reads, under the head of 1706:
“Gerrit Van Bunschoten, j.m., born in Kingstowne and residing there, and Antje Delva, widow of Lucas de Wit, born in Kingstowne and residing there. First publication of Banns, March 31.”
Antje Delva was the daughter of Anthony Delva, or D’Elba, and Jannatje Hillebrants who were Roman Catholics and just possibly the only persons of that faith in the little Protestant community. This Antoni D’Elba it was who figured so prominently in the so called “Esopus mutiny” in 1667 when the Dutch burghers resisted the insolence of the English soldiery… (See the link and Van Scoter book, page 414, for more.
– Note that Antje ended up married 3 times, as her first husband Lucas De Wit died, her second husband Gerrit Van Bunschoten also died, and her third and final husband was Hendrick Rosekranse. Thereafter, she lived in Rochester and her date of death unknown.
Gerrit and Antje, after getting married, moved to the vicinity of Catskill but soon returned to Kingstowne, based on Kingstowne records. The books shares some of these records, and then states:
Unimportant as these accounts seem from them we discover two things: that Gerrit was a weaver, also that he was alive Apr. 11, 1712. But from a Court record of Aug. 2, 1712, when Gerrit Van Bunschoten appears as plaintiff and demands from a defendant 30 Gldrs. damage for the killing of his dog, a much closer limit is set to Gerrit’s death which clearly occurred between this latter date and Aug. 27, 1712, when Antje in Elias’ deed is recorded as a widow. On Oct. 26, 1721, Antje again married taking as her third husband Hendrick Rosekrarse…
The baptisms of the children of Gerrit and Antje as recorded in the Kingston Church books:
Gerritje, bp. Jan 19 1707
Antony, bp. Sep 11 1709 *
Salomon, bp. Nov 18 1711. No further trace of him whatever is anywhere found presumably he died young, certainly never married
*Antony is my great x 5 grandfather. The books states:
This name Antony, borne by Antje’s father and given to her second child, was a happy recognition of both grandfathers, it being the Latin or Italian equivalent for Teunis. So all through Gerrit’s descendants you find this form of the name adhered to, while among Elias’ and Solomon’s progeny the Dutch Teunis is the invariable form.
Interesting info on the name Theunis/Teunis/Antony HERE.
Which leads to going back one more generation. The parents of Gerrit Van Bunschoten were Teunis (Theunis) Eliasen. More next post.
VanScoter and Spicer Genealogy and Memorabilia 