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The HBC biography section is for people or families that have achieved some degree of notariety or fame. HBC readers in many cases have submitted family portraits. HBC has until now not added them to the biography section. We believe now that this is a mistake. Many of the HBC readers contributing family portraits can also provide details about the boy and him family. This background information help us to assess social trends and put the fashions involved in perspective. This is just why the biographical section is an important part of HBC. As a result, HBC has decided to create pages for these relatively unknown people, when some basic family data is available. Incidentally if you find a relative here, please do tell us somehing about him. Here we are listing these biographies alpahabetically to facilitate looking up individual names. The alphabdetical list is the primary data base in this section. While we have not persued geneolgical resreach on these individual, having the names and in many cases the loaction provide the potential to acquire more back ground information in the future which may provide additonal insights into the fashion and life style trends.
William Hackney and big brother Robert had their portrait taken in 1914. Robert is the older boy standing. We have no ibnformation about the family. The boys look to be about 2 and 5 years old. Both boys are dressed in white. William wears a simple tunic-style dress with white socks and ankle strap shoes. Robert wears a white short pants sailor suit without any detailing with black long stockings and high-top shoes.
This 19th century portrait shows Duncan Halkett in a Highland Kilt. The CDV is British and given his name and outfit, we believe it was taken in Scotland. Duncn wears a classic Highland kilt outfit, including a Glengary cap and a sporan. Curiously he does not wear Argyl knee socks which were very common with such outfits The CDV is undated, but looks to have been taken in the 1870s. Duncan looks to be about 13-14 years old. Outfitslike this wold have been worn by boys from affluent families.
We believe that the name of this Hitler Youth boy is Rudolf Hanig, although we are not positive. We believe that he was from central Germany. While we are not positive about his name, he has left us a record of HJ experiences in a photographic album he prepared. It is not a complete record of his HJ experiences, but rather focuses on the trips that he and his HJ unit took. The photographs are largely undated, but look to us to have been taken before World War II, about 1936-38. The album contains 56 original photoographs. We assume he took them and thus is not in many of the photograhs. The quality of the photographs suggest that he is an older teenager and a rather talented photographer. The albumn shows that HJ got the opportunity to take many different trips as well as biking and skiing trips. We note visits to: Berlin, Brandenburg, Hamburg, Kiel, Laboe, Turingen, Timmendorf, and other places. Most of the photograph have interesting captions in old German script. For some reason the album wound up in Italy some time after the War. Given that he was an older HJ boy, he almost certainly would have been involved in the War. We have no information on his War experiences.
Thomas is named on the reverse of the wonderful silhouette as Thomas Hardwick (the brother of Mrs Fanny Upton). Thomas is an American boy, although we do not know where in America he is from. He looks to be wearing a dress with with a cape and large white collar. He was probably about 5 years old when the
silhouette was made which would date it to about 1840-41. It seems poor Thomas died at school in Roundhay, Leeds in 1850 when he was just 14 years old.
All five boys Haight boys wore dresses and long hair until about 8 years of age. At about 5 years of age under their dresses appeared baggy pantalettes. Gradually the boys began to wear suits. Another page shows two of the boys. One in a suit and another wearing a dress. A reader writes, "This costume appeared to be unique to this family. Well I found a match on ebay. The boy appears to be 7 or 8 years old. He wears a dress very similar to the Haight boys and has long hair. The only difference is that his is done up in ringlets."
Charles Hall was photographed in Lewiston, Maine wearing long ringlets curls and a kiltsuit with some sailor stylistic elements. The portrait is undated, but it looks like the early 1880s to HBC. He looks to be about 5-6 years old.
Robert Mason Hamilton had his portrait taken during 1897. Presunably he was from Chicago. Photo was taken in Chicago. There is writting on the back that reads, ROBERT MASON HAMILTON, "MY HUSBAND", 6 YRS. 18 Sep. AUG 29 - 97". I think that means that Robert's birthday was September 18 and that the portrait was taken August 29, 1897. Robert has long ringlet curls that come down over his shoulders. His front fringe is curly. He has a knee pants Fauntleroy suit, The jacket is worn open, but is rather long. It seems to have a divided sailor "V" collar and back flap. Note the heavy stockings even though it is August. His Fautleroy vlouse has a large white collar. I am not sure if it is lace, but there is a fancy front and wrist cuff extensions.
Harvey Eldriidge Hannaford, Jr. was born in 1892. The portrait here was taken in 1901. He would have been 9 years old. He is sitting in a rather elegant Art Nouveau chair for the portrait. The portrait was taken by W. N. Brenner in Cincinatti, Ohio. He wears a white shirt without a jacket because it is August. WE can't make out his collar, but he is wearing a bow-tie. He wears knee pants with long black stockings and lace-up high-top shoes. We do not have any details on his adult life, but he lived until 1975. His hair is done in bangs.
This CDV portrait is of John Montagu Hapford. He was 10 years old. The portrait was taken in March 1871. As it is still winter, John is wearing a coat. John for some reason has kept his coat on for the portrait. I'm not sure why mother did not have him take it off for the portrait. We do not know what kind of suit jacket he wore, but he wears bloomer knickers and tan or other light shade of long stockings. Also note the Glengary Scottish cap. The studio was Maull of London. Note the small dog. We assume that was the family dog.
This portrait shows an American boy wearing a button-on sailor suit. The buttons are quite large as would be common with a younger boy's outfit. The outfit looks like a play suit and Jackie is holding a ball. I'm not sure about the color, but it would presumably be white with blue trim. The boy is identified on the back as Jackie Hardy. The photograph is undated, but was probbly taken about 1940. Play suits like this were worn in the 1930s and early to mid-1940s.
Here we see twin boys wearing plaid suits and holding straw hats which look like boaters, They are posed standing arm in arm. The portrait was taken at the Lyon Studio, Saginaw Michigan. Written neatly on the back is "Neil & Dennis Harge (?), Saginaw". I'm not sure how to spell the last name.
These boys are not at all sure that they want their portrait taken. This undated image shows three American boys (David, Ross & Gordon Harper) poseing barefoot for their portait. They look to be about 3-7 years of age. We do not know where in America this portrait was takem , but they are definitekly American boys. They boys have been dressedup somewhat for their portrait, the youngest boy wears a tunic suit with lace trim. These tunic suits were one of the most popular styles for younger boys in the early 20th ventury. Notice that the belt on the tunic has no real function. Some were plain, others could be quite fancy. His older brothers wear identical stripped blouses with large Peter Pan collars.
This is a really cabinet card potrtrait of the Harrison boys. The older and seated brother has his feet resting on a pillow. The younger beruffled boy with shoulder length curls rests his hand on his brother's arm. The photographer was Sympson in Carthage, Illinois. They were the sons of George Harrison. I can't make out the middle initial written on the back of the card. There is a different town written on the back, but I can't make it out. The boys look to be about 5 and 11 years old. The younger boy has ringlet curls and wears a light colored Fauntleroy suit with alarge lace-trimed collar and floppy bow. His older brother wears a cdark collar buttoning knee pants suit, also with a lace-trimed collar and floppy bow. Both boys wear black long stockings.
This is CDV portrait shows a a boy holding a hat. Notice that it is slightly conical with a nearly flat-top hat. I make out his neckwear. He has a suit with a long-cut jacket and long pants. Notice how he uses only one of the buttons to close his jacket. This seems influenced by the cut-away jacket he probably wore as a younger boy. He does not seem to have a belt or if he does it is very narrow. The boy is identified on the back as, Clifton Harrison, age 12. The portrait was was taken by Tousley in Keesville, New York. There is an orange 2 cent bankcheck tax stamp on the back ink cancelled with the date July 26, 1866. There were no special stamps for photographs so whatever revenue stamps available were used.
This American image is a matted "studio" photograph from Montpelier, Vermont. The photograph is undated, but appears to be from the early 1900s, perhaps about 1905. Written beneath the photo are the words "Uncle Robert Harvey and Maurice". Embossed upon the matting beneath the photograph are the words "Ayers Art Studio, Montpelier, VT." Maurice wears a dark sailor tunic with his Dutch boy or Buster Brown bangs. I'm not sure how old Maurice was, pergaps 5-6 years old.
These two American children were photographed about 1910. These are Clara Metcalf and Robert Hathaway. I am not sure what their relationship is. The back of the photograph indicates that they Clara was 7 years old. Notice that it is the boy sitting on the horse. Both children are dressed in white. Clara wears a lacey dress with a hair bow and white stockings. Robert looks younger, about 4 years old. He wears a drssy white tunic with lace trim. The tunic has a wide white belt which was worn only for decoration. It had no real purpose. With his tunic h wears bloomer knickers and white stickings. Notice that the girl wears a dress and the boy wears a tunic. The children's hair is done differently, but both have white hairbows.
we note five framed and matted photographs of American boy John Hauerwaas, Jr. He was son of Lucy and John Hauerwaas. His father at the time the portraits were taken was President of the U.S. Steel Corporation, one of the most important industrial corporations in the United States. John looks to be about 8 years old. He wears a military uniform with what looks like a sailor cap. The uniform is not one I have seen American boys wearing. I has rather the look of a German cadet to it. Hauewaas does seem to be a German name. The cap looks to have a German emblem on it. John assumes various military poses for the different portrait. I can't make out the photographer, something like Fritz. He was located in Los Angeles, California. The portrait is undated, but would have had to have been taken before World War I.
This outdoors snapshot shows James Arthur Picard and Jack Heal. Presumably they are friends or cousins. For some reason Jack's name is written as "Little Jack Heal". Both boys wear fancy blouses with knee pants, and long black stockings. One boy has a Faunrleroy cut-away jacket. Both boys have long ringlets, but done differently. One boy has an added hair bow. They look about 4-5 years old. The snap shot is undated, but the boys wear styles popular in the 1890s and early 1900s. Because it is an outdoors snapshot rather than a studio cabinent card, it was probably taken about 1900-05. The studio was Emil J. Kraemer, Frederick St., Auburn, New York. I think that means that they orocessed the film rather than took the portrait.
Here we see Karl Heinz on his first day of school with his goodie cone that he seems very pleased with. His sailor hap has a tally enccribed with "Deutschland". On the backside is written "Ostern 1927". We (eastern) and the name of the boy (Karl-Heinz). It doesn;t look like he is wearing a sailor suit under what looks like a pea-jacket. Buut he is wearing knee pants and long stockings with high-top shoes.
A HBC reader has provided us a remarkable series of photographs showing how Herbert and Kurt Hender were dressed at different ages in the 1920s. Their mother clealy liked sailor suits, although they were not always dressed in them. We do not know much about the family except that they were from Dusseldorf and were a very affluent family. The boys were dressed very smartly and they even had a nurse to take care of them.
This is a CDV portrait an 11-year old boy. He is identified on the back as: Frank Mortimer Hene (or Wene). Mortimer is one of thoses names that essentially disappered in the 20th century. The portrait was taken by Morse in Hallowell, Maine. The dealer estimates that the portrait was taken 1877-83. Our experience is that most American CDVs were talen in the 1860s or 70s. The early 80s is possible, but we think the 70s is more likely. Frank wears a cut-away jacket with a vest. Note that this cut-away jacket has a lapel, but styled differently than the lapels on a sack suit. There appears to be some piping on the jacket. I'm not sure how to describe the neckwear, but it looks similarv to a bowtie. We can make out the collar.
We know very little about Leo Herbert, except the one phothograph we have of him. It is undated, but we estimate that it was taken about 1910. We know it was taken in Trinton, Mossuri. The photograph suggests that his mother had him study the piano. The most interesting aspect of the portrait is the justaposition of the rightlet curls and hair bow with the informal overalls. The images rather leads one to speculate about how Leo was dressed when not wearing his overalls. We assume that the overalls were used as play clothes around the home.
I do not know when this photo was taken or precisely where. It is of two brothers, one in his Boy Scout uniform and he is proudly holding his hat. The boys are standing on a hill overlooking some sort of factory. I was told that it looked like the tannery factory in Hartland, Maine but I do not know. It was clearly taken in a northern state and as the item was being sold in Maine, that is tghe most likely location. On the back it has "For grammie Cat" Dwight Hill or and Stewart Hill. On the back of the photo there is the word VELOX printed right in to paper. This may help date it.
HBC has no information about this American boy, Robert Hode. Some information, however, can be deduced about the boy and his outfit from the photograph. All that we know for sure about Robert is that he is American. He looks to be about 10 years old. Robert is rather elegantly dressed in what looks like a sailor tunic suit with a very large lace collar. Given his hair style, it would seem likely that he was being tutored at home and probably came from an affluent family.
Martin Hodgkinson, the 11-year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Lemuel Hodgkinson. A photograph shows him with his parents wearing short pants and knee socks (the standard dress for an Australian schoolboy). He already towers overs his parents at the abnormal height of 7 feet. There appears to have some glandular abnormality in the case of this boy's extraordinary height. Nevertheless, his parents dress him just like other 11-year old schoolboys, in short pants and knee socks. He wears a knit jumper with long sleeves and a colar. His parents have taught him good manners, and he holds his tea cup properly as would an adult. This photograph apparently appeared in an Australian magazine, although we don't know the source--probably a news story calling attention to the boy's abnormal tallness. I haven't been able to find out anything additional about the Hodgkinson family. The source tentatively dates the photo 1951. It is said to be Australian, but we don't know where in that large country. This photo is relevant to HBC's discussion of age-grading, because even though Martin is only 11 years old, his height makes him look more like 17 or 18, an age at which he would undoubtedly have graduated to long trousers.
Here is a cabinent card oirtrait of a boy orator striking a pose. He is Roy Chapin Hodgson. Note the medals on his lapel, no doubt awarded for his speaking skills. Children at the time were encouraged to develop speaking skills. Recitations and speeches were common activities promoted at school. The portraitvis undated, but was probably taken in the 1890s. The photographer was F.C. Flint of Syracuse, New York. Roy wears a kind of velvet tuxedo suit with a white vest and lace collar and wrist ruffles. I haven't seen a suit quite like this before.
This snapshot shows Harry Hoffman and his son James, posing with their cat on a chair. The snapshot is an AZO postcard. It is not postally used, but we would guess was taken about 1905. Note the father's long frock coat. James wears a blouse with what looks like a detchable collar and a small bowtie. We think he is wearing knee pants rather than knickers, but it is a littledifficult to tell.
This little German boy, Heinz Höhne was photographed with his goodie cone on his first day of school. Heinz would have been 6 years old. He really made out well. His cone is enormous. He would have had to lug in all the way to school. Surely he must have been the envy of the class. No one would have had a larger cone. But he couldn't get into the cone until after school. That must have been really a trial for the children. Heinz wears a military-styled school cap and a knee pants suit. Notice the shirt with a Schiller collar. He also wears long stockings and brand new high-top shoes. We can't see his book satchell, but the small case in front is for his lunch.
Here we have a little boy with a sheepish smile named Ellis Gray Holden. The portrait was taken in October 1908 and mother even noted Ellis' weight--42 pounds. He was 3 years 4 months old. The portrait is interesting because it shows Ellis wearing a flouncy cap which completes his sailor tunic. Boys commonly worer sailor tunics, but often we do not see matching headear in the photographic record. Some tunic suits came with the caps, especilly the sailor tunics, but many did not. The boys probably only wore the caps for more mormal occassions.
A HBC reader has provided us a photograph of a friend and his broyher, Daniel and Richard Holland. He indicates, "The portrait shows a college friend of mine, Richard Holland, and his older brother Daniel, with their mother in Boston. The photograph was taken in 1936. Richard, the younger boy, is 5 and a half years old; Daniel is about 7 or 8. The picture was taken in Boston during the Winter (February, 1936) and shows how respectable middle-class boys were dressed at that time for a posed photograph. Both boys wear V-necked sweaters with a stripe at the neck and wrists, white shirts the large collars of which
extend over their sweaters, and neatly tied neckties. Both boys wear short trousers and very long tan stockings held up by hose supporters, although you can't see the shorts and stockings of Daniel, the older boy."
Here we see a portrait of brother and sister Lotti and Willie Horn, taken in Hamburg during 1915. They look to be about 8 and 0years of age. It is a sweet image of both children dressed all in white. One would not imagine that a terrible war was waging in Europe at the time. Lotti is dressed all in white except for a light-colored hair bow. Willie wears a white sailor syit with blue detailing. The children's white socks have multiple colored bands.
This one-sixth plate Ambrotype is of John S. Van Horn. He was born in 1856 and looks about 4-5 years old, meaning this portrait was taken about 1859-60, just before the Civul War. He was from Syracuse, New York. The Van in his name suggests that he was of Dutch ancestry. His hair almost covers his ears. He has a white collar which he wears with a neckwear item that does not bow out. His suit has an open jacket with black trim and matchong knee pants that alomst reach his ankles. He also wears white stockings and high-top button shoes. We know little about John's adult life, but he lived until 1931.
Here we have a delightful photograph of William Cornelius Covenhoven Van Horne (age 3) on the grounds of his grandfather's mansion near Montreal. The boy's grandfather was the famous railway baron, Sir William Van Horne (1843-1915). Sir William was born in Will County, Illinois, the son of a struggling farmer-lawyer. He started life as a telegraph operator with the Illinois Central, the Michigan Central, and the Chicago and Alton railroads. He rose to become a great magnate of railroads in Canada and lived in Montreal as a Canadian citizen and president of the Canadian Pacific Railway.
Here we see a studio portrait of Philip and Maurice House. The boys wear sailor outfits and are photographed in mock sailor rigging. The younger boys wears a sailor dress. We are guessing thatvthe portrait was taken in the 1880s, but we are not sure about that. We also think the children are English. These rigging portraits are more commonnin England than America. The card logo seems to say G. West & Son. The studio was apparently located in Gosport and Pareham. I thinl that is in England. (American cards usually indicate the state.)
Here we have a cabinet card photo of a young boy wearing clothing typical of the Victorian era including a very delicate lace collar covering the boy's shoulders. The card has gilt edges and a plain back. The photographer for this photo is unknown. The boy, however, is identified on the back as Ralph Howard, born March 1884.
Here we have a cabinet card portrait of a little boy in a white dress with ringlet curls and hair bows. This was a common outfit for boys from affluent families in the 19th century. We would guess that he was 3-4 years old. In many cases we have guess with images like this. In this case the boy's name is written on the back of the card. His name was George Dewey Howell. We wonder if he was named after the war hero, Admiral Dewey who became a national ero after his victory at Manilla Bay (1898). The photographer was Huff in Newark, New Jersey. Presumably that was where George was from. The portrait is undatedm but we would guess was taken in the 1890s.
We have found some portraits of an Ameican boy, Harold Howes, in the 1900s. Harold was from Atlanta, Illinois. Some of the portraits were taken at the Elite studio. We have found several studio portraits. The portraits show Harold at different ages and in different outfits. Harold wore dresses, tunic suits and sailor suits. He also had different hair cuts. As a younger boy Harld had curls. Breeching and cutting hair varied from family to family. The portraits show several different views of his hair cuts. He seems to have been breeched at about age 4 and had his hair cut at about age 6 years.
This is one of those difficult images, I am not sure if they children are boys or girls, but in this case some of the names are on the back of the portrait. I had trouble, however reading the writing of one of the names. Ada and Charles Hoyt had four children. I think that they are from Fredericton, New Brunswick. A HBC reader notes that he bought the portrait from a local dealer situated between Fredericton and my hometown of Saint John. The portrait is not dated, but looks to us like the late 1890s.
This is a portrait of four American boys from Urbanna, Illinois. The boys are Robert, Linus, Ralph, and Harlry, I think from left to right. The portrait is undated, but the mount suggests to us the earlly or mid-1900s, perhaps about 1905. This would match the clothes, except it seems a little early for sandals so we are not entirely sure about the date. All three younger boys wer sailor outfits. They are different styles, but all with bloomer knickers and long stockings. Two of the boys wear double-strap sandals, but not the youngest boy. The older boy wears a striped shirt and necktie. The boys look to be about 4-11 years old.
Here we have another First Communion portrait, or at least we think it is a First Communion portrait. There are four children in the portrait. We think it is the older children having their First Communions. The older boy is Cletus Hullen. He wears a dark suit. The younger boy is Henry Oelschlagen. He wears a white shirt and white kneeopants with white long stockings. The girls are Margatet and Jeneviene Budina. I'm not sure what the younger children are doing with the older children. The portrait is undated and do not know where in America the portrait was taken.
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