Solved! Genevieve and Happy O'Callaghan

Once again, we'll start the new year by solving photo mysteries from the previous year.

In May, 2013, we published the "rabbit hole" photograph (at right). Based on photographer information and basic vital statistics from the Mariencheck side, we were  suspicious that this was Genevieve Mariencheck and her husband, Joseph "Happy" O'Callaghan.

After losing Genevieve in 1929, Happy married Mattie Mae Young in December of 1931. They had two children before she died while expecting their third in 1940. He was married to Florine C. O'Callaghan when he passed away in 1960. A few weeks after the photograph was published, a "cold call" email I'd sent to Happy's descendants was answered - by his grandson, Riley O'Callaghan! Riley shared the photograph below, showing Happy later in his life. Although the age difference and angles make it difficult to compare, the sloping eyes, pointed nose, chin shape, and hair line all point toward a match!

Later, in October 2013, a research trip to Memphis paid off in spades when this beautiful portrait of Genevieve Mariencheck was found in the collection of Lynn Jennings Park! Although, again, angles make it tricky to compare, the hair color/style, and nose and chin shape point toward a match!

Unfortunately, identifying the sitters doesn't solve the other mysteries within this photograph. Riley knew of no connection to Milwaukee, so we're unsure why they were there.  We'll have to assume the flags-of-the-world quilt and unidentified photographs in the background were photographer props.

Genevieve Mariencheck
Joseph "Happy" O'Callaghan

What's Your Name

What I know: This dapper gent came from the Mel Ferrer collection, which includes photographs found at the home of Agnes Grace Ferrer. That narrows the surname list to Grace, Ferrer, and McKees. There is no inscription, so we’re left to study the photograph itself for clues. What I want to be true:    When Mel first shared this photograph last year, I immediately dubbed our ancestor, “RPatz.” Look at the similarities! It’s not really so far-fetched … Robert Pattinson is British and so were the McKees! Clearly we’re cousins! Stay tuned, dear readers! I’ll let you know as soon as Rob calls to both identify this ancestor and insist on a face-to-face meeting with Dixie Roots! What I know about the photographer: This was not a typical day of Victorian photographer research. William Notman was an internationally-known, famous photographer! Born in Scotland, he immigrated to Canada in the 1850s and soon opened his own studio. Well-known throughout Canada and the United States for his portraiture, Notman was sought-out by the noble and the famous; he photographed Wadsworth Longfellow, Harriet Elizabeth Beecher Stowe, Sitting Bull, and Buffalo Bill, among others!  As his success grew, he opened more studios in cities like Montreal, Ottowa, and eventually, Toronto. Opened in partnership with one of his artist employees, John Arthur Fraser, the studio was located on the super-fashionable King Street.  King Street was a place to see and be-seen; and in the middle of it was Notman’s studio – the much sought-after stamp everyone wanted on the back of their portrait to send home. Notman & Fraser at 120 King Street (photo courtesy "The World of William Notman" see Sources) The Notman-Fraser studio opened on King in 1868. Fraser left Toronto in 1883 for Boston. So we’ll set our date range for the photograph at 1868-1883. The sitter looks between 20 and 30; we’re looking for a male relation of Agnes Grace born between 1838 and 1863. Based on current information, the likely candidates are: Thomas M. McKee (b. 1845) Dennis McKee (b. 1844) Alfred Smith (b. 1857) James Smith (b. 1859) Do you know who this is? Sources: The World of William Notman: The Nineteenth Century Through a Master Lens by Roger Hall and William Notman. Copyright 1993 McCord Museum (King Street Photograph) Dictionary of Canadian Biography

Front Back. "1810" marking is likely an administrative note (Notman was born in 1826)

What's Your Name

What I know: This photograph is from the collection of Joyce Mariencheck Klinck. The only certainty with this is that the woman on the right is Agnes Grace Ferrer. Beyond that, is all questions. Instinct says that the woman on the left is Agnes' mother, Gertrude McKee Grace. But could this be Bertha? As sisters, Bertha and Gert looked very similar. And other photographs of Gert from this period aren't quite this thin. The boys: Olin Ferrer and Donnie Grace? Or is that Tuck and Donnie? Then here's the really mysterious bit: Who was cut out of the picture entirely?! This photo was cut around the four figures and pasted onto black cardboard. If you look closely, a man's hand is seen on Agnes' shoulder. To be salacious, we've always pretended that this photograph originally included Edward F. Grace (Gert's husband and Agnes' father). After Edward ran off to New Orleans with another woman (persistent family rumor), someone cut him out of the picture - literally! Do you know who this is? So many cousins have duplicates of old family photographs! Does anyone have a duplicate of this picture - minus the hack-job, of course?

What's Your Name

What I know: This adorable young man was found in the collection of Joyce Mariencheck Klinck. Although her tin button box of old photos isn't organized by Mariencheck / Ferrer, we're pretty sure this is from her mother, Dell Ferrer's side of the family since most of the photographs that are this old once belonged to Agnes Grace Ferrer. The only clue we have to go on is the "Brother" inscription half-revealed at the bottom. Between Joyce's knowledge of her grandmother's handwriting and comparisons to other hand-written notes, we believe this inscription was written by Agnes herself. That means this could be Edwin Booth Grace (born 1891), William Raymond Grace (born 1897), John Emmet Grace (born 1898), or George Patrick Grace (born 1900). Do you know who this is?

Close up of "brother"

The ravaged original, including what's left of the inscription

What's Your Name?

This fantastic photo is from Emma Johnson Ferrer's photo album (Fred Belton collection). Emma, mother of Olin, Alice, Vella, Ruth, Annie Mae, and George Ferrer (phew!), is shown seated on the left. The question is: Who is the smiling gentleman next to her holding the reigns?

What I know about the time and place:

The back of the photograph is stamped "Arlington Studios, Hot Springs, AR." That means the photo was taken between 1890 and 1948. In 1890, a man named Norman McLeod opened Happy Hollow photography studio behind the Arlington Hotel in Hot Springs. He specialized in Wild West or comical poses and printed the images on postcard stock so they could be easily mailed to loved ones. In addition, McLeod  offered a wide range of sets, props, and animals (both alive and stuffed) that visitors could pose with, like the live cow pulling Emma's wagon here. Eventually, Happy Hollow expanded into an amusement part, shooting gallery, and petting zoo.

A postcard of McLeod's establishment
(courtesy Hot Springs Arkansas in Vintage Postcards, see Sources)

The fact that our stamp reads "Arlington Studios" helps narrow the time frame. Several resources mentioned the Happy Hollow stamp. One site said, "A picture that does not bear the name McLeod would be a disappointment to the friend to whom it was sent." However, in 1909, McLeod sold the business to David Anselberg, who ran it until 1948. If we presume that when the business changed hands, the studio stamp changed as well, we can shift our time frame to 1909 to 1948.

Finally, Emma's fashion helps shave some of the later years from the range. She's dressed similarly to our unknown ancestor in the July 31, 2013 post. Her walking skirt, bloused shirt, and fantastic shoes narrow our range to roughly 1909-1912.


What I know about the setup:

We've got Emma and a companion in a buggy pulled by a cow in front of a dilapidated cabin with a dead chicken (?) on the roof. Huh?! And what's with the sign that says, "Arkansas Traveler?!"

The Arkansas Traveler is at once a legend, a song, a painting, and a minor league baseball team. In about 1840, Colonel Sanford Faulkner became lost in rural Arkansas and asked for directions at a small log cabin. He turned his experience into a song and performance that he took on the road. In the years since, several variations of the tune and of the lyrics have surfaced. In 1856, Arkansas artist Edward Payson Washbourne painted a picture illustrating the meeting between the traveler and the squatter (shown here). Like the song, several imitations and variations have cropped up over the years - including a printing by Currier & Ives in 1870. The set of Emma's photo pokes fun at the prevailing hillbilly stereotype that eventually became synonymous with The Arkansas Traveler.

Washbourne's Arkansas Traveler (courtesy The Encyclopedia of Arkansas)

What about the mystery man?

We believe Emma had four brothers, all of whom would have been in their mid 30s to mid 40s during our time frame. This could be a brother. But, by 1910, Emma's husband, George Ferrer, had been gone for 12 years. Perhaps this is a new gentleman companion?

Do you know who this is?

Sources:  Hot Springs, Arkansas in Vintage Postcards, By Ray Hanley, Steven G. Hanley, 1998 The Melting Pot Genealogy Society: Happy Hollow in Hot Springs The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture: Arkansas Traveler

For Fun: To hear a fun rendition of the song The Arkansas Traveler, check out my cousin Madeleine Ferrer Donovan's blog, Bless Your Dead Heart. Her regular column, Today's Soundtrack, which she cleverly matches up with the time period of whatever she's researching, features a version by the 2nd South Carolina String Band. To see other photographs on the same Happy Hollow set (and even using the same, long-suffering cow!), visit Yesterday's Tennessee. To see dozens of other equally creative photographs that were taken by Norman McLeod at Happy Hollow, visit The Melting Pot Genealogy Society's "Happy Hollow Photographs."

What's Your Name?

What I know: This photograph came from the photo album of Emma Johnson Ferrer (Fred Belton collection), so it is likely a Johnson or Ferrer ancestor. The back of the photo is stamped with "Turner's Gallery, Meridian, Mississippi."  Though we weren't able to find out much (read that: anything) about the Turner Gallery, we found whispers of a J.W. Turner operating a studio on Front Street in Meridian in the 1870s. At print time, there was no proof of this rumor. We do have one clue, however: at the turn of the century, when Emma Ferrer was desperately searching for work so she could retrieve her children from the Alabama Methodist Orphanage, she was conducting her job search in ... Meridian, Mississippi. Dated letters show Emma in Meridian at least between the fall of 1898 and 1901. Emma was only in her early 30s at that time. Could this be her mother? Mrs. M.E. Johnson  was living in Melvin, Alabama according to family letters. But that's only about 40 miles away. Do you know who this is?

Is this our 3rd great grandmother?

What's Your Name?

One of Charles Dana Gibson's girls. In his words, she was "The American girl to all the world."

What I know: This photograph is from the Pat Sides Jennings collection, so it is likely a Mariencheck or Durling ancestor. Beyond that, we've nothing to turn to for clues except their fabulous attire. Both appear to be wearing fashion typical to the Edwardian period - roughly 1901-1910. Her "walking skirt" was gaining popularity during that time as the structure of women's clothing began steering more toward practical and away from fanciful. The skirts were cut wider at the bottom to allow for walking or even riding a bike. Her Edwardian collar and even the "Edwardian tuck" of her blouse are also typical of middle class women's dress from the period. The rest of her look is text book Gibson Girl! Created by illustrator Charles Gibson, the Gibson Girl was  the personification of female beauty. The drawings, which began appearing in 1890, featured up-swept, bouffant hair, hourglass, or "S-curve" figures, and a decidedly feminine attitude.  Our man is a tad harder to peg. His double-breasted frock overcoat is also typical of the Edwardian time frame. But two things are puzzling: First, we didn't find other examples of exaggerated sleeve caps like his. While this could be a bespoke garment, it doesn't seem probable. Secondly, the fit is atrocious! To quote Paul Klinck, "Whose jacket is that guy wearing?"  To be safe, we'll guess the date range as 1890-1910. Do you know who this is?

Sources: 
Charles Dana Gibson and the Gibson Girls, by livelyroots.com
Image courtesy Elizabeth Camden, "What's the Appeal of the Gibson Girl?"

What's Your Name?

What I know: This fantastic photograph is from the collection of Cheryl Grace. Based primarily on the ages of those shown, we believe this was taken between 1918 and 1926. Although many identities in the group are known, a great many are unknown. Look carefully ... Do you know who this is? Special thanks to Cheryl Grace for both the photograph and the research!
Eugene Doyle Tom McKee UNKNOWN Edwin McKee UNKNOWN Frank Gaia UNKNOWN Louise Van der Cammen Gia UNKNOWN UNKNONW Gertrude McKee Grace UNKNOWN UNKNOWN Frank "Bud" Gaia Agnes Grace Ferrer Lilly Brown Grace Raymond Grace UNKNOWN Lorine Kramer Doyle UNKNOWN UNKNOWN UNKNOWN UNKNOWN UNKNOWN UNKNOWN UNKNOWN UNKNOWN (Owie Ferrer?)

What's Your Name?

Photo likely taken between 1870-1872. Sources:  Pioneer Photographers of the Far West: A Biographical Dictionary, 1840-1865, by Peter E. Palmquist and Thomas R. Kailbourn  Young Frank Grace photo courtesy Kitty Curtis-Martin

What I know: This photograph came from the Agnes Grace Ferrer collection. Because it is marked in Vallejo, California, we presume this is a Grace ancestor since several headed west during the end of the 19th century. The Perkins, Photo. mark is likely that of Alfred Judson Perkins Sr (1838-1900). Perkins operated a photography studio at 182 Georgia Street from 1870 to 1872.  With those dates in mind, we're eying either Frank or Joseph Grace as prime suspects. Although it's unclear when Joseph headed west, Frank was well established in the Washington Territory by the early 1890s. He stopped for some length of time in Sacramento, California, where his daughter Pearl was born. Since that's only about 60 miles from Vallejo, Frank is our most likely candidate. The photo below is a confirmed image of Frank Grace at a much younger age: The hooded eyes, ears, chin, hair line, all seem similar, but we aren't certain. Do you know who this is?

What's Your Name?

What I know:

This photograph came from the collection of Agnes Grace Ferrer and was probably taken between 1861 and 1871. Because the back is stamped by a British photographer, we presume this is either a McKee or Hewitson family member. The following tree offers a quick who's who:

Note that Thomas McKee's half-siblings, Alfred and James Smith, are not included. Both were born after 1851, making them too young to be suspects.

What he’s wearing: What IS he wearing?! The fashion of this photograph is most confounding! He’s holding a top hat, but wearing “worn” shoes. His pant, waistcoat, and jacket are all ill-fitting. There’s something on or wrapped around his head. We looked for information on photographers providing studio clothing to subjects for photo sessions, but came up empty. What the photographer’s stamp tells us: Frederick Pipere (1823-1873) ran the Trafalgar Photographic Company (also known as the Charing Cross School of Photography) at various locations in and around Trafalgar Square. His wife, Sarah Ann, took over the business upon the event of his death. We set the date range to 1871 based upon the addresses listed on the stamp as compared to years of operation at these locations shown in city directories. Who are the suspects? Only three men were between the age of 20 and 35 during our 1861-1871 timeframe: George Hewitson (b. 1841), Dennis McKee (b. 1844), and Thomas M. McKee (b. 1846). Other known photographs of Thomas McKee show him much later in his life, making it tough to compare. We have no photographs (yet!) or either Dennis or George. Do you know who this is? Sources: The Photo Sleuth photoLondon Database For an interesting look at the history of the cravat (which our man is also wearing), visit The Fashion Historian

What's Your Name?

What I know:
This fantastic photograph is from the collection of Pat Sides Jennings. As the sign reads, this is the store of Joseph William Mariencheck at 78 Main Street.

According to city directories, Joseph started working for L. Fritz & Bro. when he was only 13 years old. Louis Fritz, whose family tinware manufacturing company had been in operation in Memphis since 1867, owned two parcels on Main Street at numbers 149 and 151. Joseph worked with Fritz for 16 years as a tinsmith and foreman until 1892 when he finally branched out on his own. opening an iron works / tin company on Washington Street. Eventually, he made his way back to Main street, where he ran a stove and tinware store below his residence at number 78. The store, which was eventually listed simply as "hardware," was in operation at the Main Street location until 1908 when he moved to 2nd street.

Ad for Joseph's business in 1892 Dow city directory (photo courtesy Shelby County Archives)

Hustle and bustle on Main Street, 1902 (photo courtesy Historic Memphis)

We'll have more in a future post about the businesses of both Louis Fritz and Joseph Mariencheck. Meanwhile, there's the topic mystery: who are the people in this photograph? It's easy to presume that we're looking at Joseph  W. Mariencheck himself. His only son, John Philip, was 12 years old in 1899 when the Main Street location opened - so the young boy in the photograph could be him. However, without any confirmed photographs of Joseph or Philip at this approximate age to compare to, we're leaving the identities of these subjects in the "unknown" column. Do you know who this is?

What's Your Name?

What I know: This photograph came from the Pat Sides Jennings collection, so it is likely a Mariencheck or Durling ancestor. It was taken at Genelli Studios in St. Louis, Missouri, which was open from about 1894 to 1900. The same studio was featured in a post on May 29, 2013; it's even possible this is from the same sitting. So we arrive at a similar proposition: Is this Louisa Mariencheck Schmidt? Louisa was born in September of 1858 to Philip and Sophia Mariencheck. That would put her at age 36-42 for the Genelli Studios timeframe, which seems to fit. Also, in 1888, Louisa married Adam Schmidt and they soon moved to St. Louis, Missouri. Do you know who this is?

What's Your Name?

What I Know: This is Bessie. All I know is that she was a friend of Audele Ferrer Mariencheck's (my grandmother). She's in many of our family photographs. A few of these were taken in June, 1944 outside of Fort Hood, TX. Buddy Mariencheck was stationed there for basic training and Dell visited one weekend. A lady named Mrs. Thompson would allow the soldier's wives to stay with her while they were in town. Stay tuned for another post soon featuring the many photographs from that weekend. We guess Bessie traveled with Dell on this trip. We thought perhaps Bessie was a neighbor, but a search of neighboring homes in the 1940 census came up empty. Although there are no "Bessies" on the roster of the 1939 graduating class of Catholic High School, this isn't a shock. Bessie appears to be a bit older than Dell in these pictures. Do you know who this is?

Bessie

Dell's inscription: "Dell, Elza, Bessie, Dorothy, and Margaret"

No inscription

Dell's inscription: "I'm taking Bessie for a ride. 6/44"

What's Your Name: Update

This photograph was originally published on 24 April 2013. Beyond its androgynous awesomeness, little was known. Since then, we have discovered the name/location of the photographer. While it doesn't clear up who the children are, it is interesting and might spark an idea for readers. The picture was marked by D.E Abbot in Huntington, WV. Darwin Eugene Abbot studied photography at Marshall and worked for Harper's Magazine before opening his own studio in Huntington in 1880. He expanded his business several times over the ensuing years, adding picture frame, molding, and glass manufacturing to his empire all while continuing to grow his photography studio. He worked as a photographer until his death in 1942. D.E. Abbot studio and frame shop Photo courtesy Marshall University's Photographers of Huntington, WV 1870-1900 Using the information on Abbot, we can cast an historical timeline net.  Let's estimate 1880-1920. Unfortunately, we don't know of any Ferrers or Johnsons that were anywhere near Huntington, WV between 1880 and 1920. But then again, we know little about the siblings of George Washington Ferrer or Emma Johnson. As more is learned, perhaps we can begin to deduce the identity of these lounging children. For more information on the life of D.E. Abbot, visit the Marshall University profile.

What's Your Name?

What I know: This photograph is from Emma Johnson Ferrer's album, so it's safe to this man is a Ferrer or Johnson. Sadly, there is no inscription or photographer's mark, so we have nothing more to go on here. He is wearing the plantation tie popular in the American South. But that only tells us he was stylish; it does not narrow down his location. Being stylish, we assume he was irritated that no one fixed that stray strand of hair before snapping the photograph. Do you know who this is?

What's Your Name?

What I know: This adorable image came from the Pat Sides Jennings collection, so it is likely a Mariencheck or Durling ancestor. It was taken at Genelli Studios in St. Louis, Missouri, which was open from about 1894 to 1900. Typically, the above information would be enough to run a report – Who was 2 to 4 years old between 1894 and 1900 in those two families? Unfortunately, only one person’s vital statistics match the above description: Louisa Mariencheck. Louisa, the sister of J. Philip Mariencheck, was born in Memphis in 1891. Sadly, she died only one year later. So this is not her. So we look to the other Louisa Mariencheck. Ah yes … there was more than one! Born in September of 1858 to Philip and Sophia Mariencheck, “elder Louisa” was baby Louisa’s aunt. In 1881 she married Daniel Cleary in Memphis; they had a son, William, in 1883. Although no death record has been found, we presume Daniel died sometime before 1888. For in 1888, Louisa married Adam Schmidt. Not long after, the family moved to the St. Louis, Missouri area. Where the trail goes cold. So far, we’ve found no records of additional children in the Schmidt household. Or is that Smith? To further complicate the search, it’s possible (if not probable) that the family changed the spelling of their surname from “Schmidt” to “Smith.” This change was common in the years surrounding both world wars to avoid discrimination against Germans. Do you know who this is?

What's Your Name?

Lilly Brown Grace and her son, Joseph.. Although Tuck signed his photin 1958, it was probably taken in about 1914.

This  photo came from the collection of Agnes Grace Ferrer. The inscription on the back reads, "South Speedway. May 7, 1916." Unfortunately, we can't find anything called "South Speedway" and there doesn't seem to have been any big "to-do" in Memphis on May 7. But what if this isn't in Memphis? The two ladies to Olin's left are a mystery. Are they his sisters?  The youngest child (standing on the siderail) is probably Joseph Grace. He was 2 in 1916. We believe his mother, Lillie, is on the far left. All others are currently unknown. 1. Lillie Brown Grace 2. Unknown 3. Unknown 4. Olin Ferrer 5. Joseph Grace 6. Unknown 7. Unknown   Do you know who this is?

What's Your Name?

These two photographs came from the collection of Agnes Grace Ferrer. Based on the inscriptions, we presume these to be pictures of her great grandmother, Emma Jane Taylor McKee. What the inscriptions tell us: The front of the photo says Our Dear Mother, TMM and God bless her forever is my prayer. Because this inscription seems to be signed with TMM, the assumption is that the front inscription was written by Thomas M. McKee. Thus “our mother” is Emma McKee. The back reads To Thomas McKee, Memphis Tenn, US and Left Vallejo July 15, 1870. The “To Thomas McKee” line seems to have been written by one person (perhaps the sender) while the other inscriptions appear to have been written by a second (perhaps Thomas himself). What the photographer’s stamp tells us: This photograph was taken by Monsieur & Madame Barat. George and Mrs. Barat operated two photography studios in Banbury, Oxfordshire (South Bar / The Green) from 1863 to 1870. The town of Banbury lies on the River Cherwell about 38 miles southeast of Birmingham where Emma McKee lived. The image on their stamp is the locally-famous Banbury Cross, located at the cross-roads of South Bar and Horsefair. Present day Banbury Cross. Photo courtesy Cotswald. What we know about Emma and Thomas McKee: The following is published with great uncertainty: Emma Jane Taylor was born in about 1820 and married John McKee in about 1842. They had two children, Thomas and Dennis, before John presumably passed away. In 1851, Emma married Alfred Smith; they had four children. Throughout this time, Emma appears to have lived in or around Birmingham. Thomas McKee moved from the U.K. to the U.S. in about 1868. Family lore says both he and his wife, Amelia, traveled back and forth between the continents several times before finally settling in Memphis, TN and starting a family. But Thomas did not stay put for long. He seems to have traveled to the West Coast a few times before finally abandoning his family for good and taking up permanent residence in California where he lived until his death in 1921. Shaky Solutions: In an 1870 Memphis city directory, Thomas McKee is listed as a clerk for the wholesale clothing company Seessel & Son. Keeping in mind that city directories reflect the status of the year before publication date, Thomas could easily be in Memphis in 1869, travel to Vallejo, CA (in the San Francisco Bay area) in 1870, and then be back in Memphis for the 1880 census. It’s unknown how many times he traveled back and forth in the ensuing decade. If Emma was born in 1820, she’d be between 43 and 50 during the 1863-1870 window of operation for the photography studio. That seems to match the age of the subject. Do you know who this is? If you have additional information about the McKees – or photographs of this woman that we can compare to – we’d love to hear from you! Sources: photoLondon From Daguerreotype to Dry Plate: The Grown of Professional Photography in Banbury, 1850-1920, by Sarah Gosling, 1984. Published in Cake and Cockhorse: The Magazine of The Banbury Historical Society Cotswolds	Front of photo presumably inscribed by Thomas M. McKee
	Back of photo with inscriptions from possibly two people
	Another photo presumed to be of Emma. Photo taken by W. Hart who operated in the mid 1800s at 125 Livery St, Constitution Hill, Birmingham

What's Your Name (The Rabbit Hole)

What I know: This fantastic photograph came from Pat Sides Jennings' collection, so these are likely Mariencheck or Durling ancestors. Piecing together clues from the image itself revealed the entrance to a rabbit hole that I’m trying desperately not to dive into head first. For example: The quilt behind the woman shows 9 country flags. Top left is Greece, top center is Panama, top right is Argentina, and obviously the center square is the U.S. flag. Did the woman make this quilt? Or is it simply a prop? What’s the significance of these flags as a group? What are the other five? The other photographs behind the couple do not seem to be additional photographs of them. So who are they? Are they relatives and friends or simply props? Finally, the photographer: The stamp on the photo reads Mitchell Art Studio Mitchell St. Milwaukee. Mitchell Art Studio, located at 478 Mitchell Street, was operated by photographer Bruno Koszewski. He appeared as such in census records and Milwaukee city directories in 1920, 1924, 1925, and 1929. Based on the clothing styles (and the disappointing fact that I can’t find much about Mr. Koszewski past 1929), we can narrow our field of possibilities to 1920-1930.

Time to play! The couple appears to be in their 20s, so let’s cast the net toward Mariencheck and Durling ancestors who were 18-25 between 1920 and 1930. That leaves us 6 possibilities: •    Genevieve Mariencheck (born 1906) •    Joseph E. O’Callaghan (born 1898) •    Joseph W. Mariencheck (born 1908) •    Lynn Sides (born 1909) •    Martin O’Callaghan (born 1895) •    Philip W. “Buster” Mariencheck (born 1910) Lynn Sides was the first husband of Theresa Mariencheck. However, Lynn and Theresa didn’t marry until 1935. That’s beyond the scope of our time range. Also, that’s definitely not Theresa in the photograph. So Lynn can safely be eliminated from the suspect list. Although Buster Mariencheck does fall into our range, he’s the youngest of our group and would’ve only been 20 in 1930. And, this man doesn’t look like Buster to me. I’m eliminating him as well. That leaves Genevieve, Joseph O., Joseph M., and Martin. Here’s where I confess: I REALLY want this to be a picture of Genevieve and Joseph O’Callaghan. A year before his death, my grandfather, Buddy Mariencheck (Genevieve’s brother) gave me one of her diaries. Since reading it, I’ve felt like I know her and have been searching for a picture of her ever since. Genevieve married Joseph “Happy” O’Callaghan in 1926. She was 20 years old that year and Happy was 28. Do you know who this is? If you have photos of Genevieve, Happy, Joe Mariencheck, or Martin O'Callaghan (Happy's brother), please share them with us! Special thanks to the wonderful librarians in the Humanities Department of the Milwaukee Public Library for their research assistance with Mr. Koszewski.