apparently Figure 1.--Clarence Colestock was apparently the favorite grandson of Mrs. Wesley Gray, a friend of the noted American poet James Whitcomb Riley. It was Riley who wrote the poem "Little Orphan Annie". Mrs. Gray was reportedly Riley's inspiration for that film.

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.

Coate Boys (United States, 1870s)

The cabinet card of three children was taken in the Donaldson (strange script) studio in Logansport, Indiana. It is undated, but we would guess based on the mount was taken in the 1870s. We at first thought the children were an older girl wearing a dress with her two little brothers (perhaps twins) wearing bows, blouses, and knee pants. Girls with short hair are not all that unusual, so we assumed the older child was a girl even though the child looks rather like a boy. The dealer reports, however, that written on the back is 'Dan Coate's children' and 'Howard.' The children look about 6-10 years old. This would mean that the two little boys are the Coate boys and the older child is a boy named Howard. We do not know the relationship between the three, but you would assume that Howard was a cousin. It is rather unusual to have a photograph of an older boy wearing a dress with younger boys wearing knee pants. Unfortunately we do not have any more details about the family.

Cochrane, Ray (United States, about 1912)

This postcard portrait is a little unusual. The portrait shows Ray Cochrane in a Scttish get up. He was apparently from Polk County Minnesota. We believe he was born in 1904. We would guess he was about 8 years old. What is unusual is that he is not wearing a kilt suit or a proper Highland outfit. He looks to be wearing a Glengary cap, but with a blouse and no jacket. He has a kilt or plaid skirt, we can't make out much detail. He also has a plaid or over the shoulder material. He does not, however, have kneesocks, but rather dark long stockings. While se see boys wearing kilt suits with long stockings, we almost never see boys wearing long stockings with other kilt outfits. We do not know, but this seems an outfit that might be worn for some kind of Scottish ethnic event.

Cocroft Family (United States, 1886)

HBC has obtained a photograph of the Cocroft family of Staten Island, New York. Mrs Cocroft has 10 children and has she looks rather young, more presumably followed. It is difficult figuring out who is who in her family. She describes the children as "born as close together as nature permits". Mrs. Cocroft appears to have been particularly parcial to white smocks, presunmably the laundry load was a factor here even if she had help. The family is a good example as to how large 19th century families could be.

Coether, Leonard (United States, about 1900)

Here we see Leonard Coether. He is an American boy, although we are not sure where in America that he was from. The portrait looks to have been taken about 1900-05. Leonard is on a classic hobby horse and wears a sailor-styked tunic with ringlet curls and a hair bow.

Cohn, Charles (United States, 1925)

Until the arrival of the Eastern European Jews in the late-19th century, classical music was the reserve of the American cultural elite. But among Jewish families, even the poorest had a desire for their children, especially the boys, to learn musical instruments and perform in the classical tradition. Here we see an 8-year old New York Jewish boy, compltee with a bandaged finger, preparing to lead an orchestra. The newswire caption read, "Above is pictured eight year old prodigy Charles Cohn, who is to conduct the 'My Girl' orchestra during the entr'act concert at the Vanderbilt Theater today. Since earliest days the youngster has been musically inclined, and for the past year the Salvation Army has been paying for his music lessons. This concert is to be his first public test and friends are sure the youth will acquit himself with glory."

Colbert, Troy (United States, 1979)

We see 10-year old Troy Colbert playing basketball with his Australian friend, 11-year old Mark Neal in 1979. Troy lived in St. Petersburg, Florida. Mark was from Buchan near Sydney. The two boys in the days before the internet wanted penpals. Troy noticed a promotion for penpalls on the 'Big Blue Marble', a popular kids TV show. Mark saw a magazine ad. Troy had visited Australia earlier which is why he wanted a penpal there. Mark is visiting America for the first time, part of a big adventure with his globe-trotting grandmother. Troy models standared American wear at the time, cut-off short pants and tube socks. The shorts seem to have cartoon prints. He also wears a baseball cap, not yet very popular in Australia. Mark also wears a T-shirt, bit not the message/supporter type popular in America. He has what looks like summer school shorts and flipflops, not very good for baskebal. The boys appear to be enjoying themselves.

Colburn, Marion (United States, about 1890)

This is a cabinet card portrait identified on the back as, �Marion Colburn, Uncle Art�s younger son". Photo was taken by Nelson in Anoka, Minnesota. The dealer estimates the date at about 1889-92. HBC agrees as to the approximate date, in part becsause of the mount edges. We would not give quite as tight a time window as the dealr, but belueve that he is approximately correct. It has serated edges of he mount and smooth corners. We are not sure just what his neckwear is, but it is worth nothng that not all boys wore huge bows at the time.

Colestock, Clarence (United States, about 1900)

Clarence Colestock was reportedly the favorite grandson of Mrs. Wesley Gray, a friend of the noted American poet James Whitcomb Riley. It was Riley who wrote the poem "Little Orphant Annie". Mrs. Gray was the Riley's inspiration for that film. The comic strip "Little Orphan Annie" was loosely based on Riley's poem. It was for many years one of the most popular American comic strips. The comic strip in turn inspired the Broadway musical and film "Annie". Mrs. Gray's grandson, seems to have been about 6 years old when this portrait was taken, probably in Indianapolis. The photo is undated, but I would guess the 1900s. Clarence wears a sailor suit sith a huge wide-brimmed hat.

Coll, John L. (Canada, 1860)

Here we see John L. Coll and his younger sister who is unamed in the note left in he Daguerreotype case. John looks to be about 3-4 years old. His younger sibibling, possibly a brother, looks to be about 2 years old. We know that John was born in Morpeth, Ontario, Canada during 1857. So we know the portarit was taken about 1860-61. This was just the time that Dags and Ambros had begun to be replaced by CDVs and this is one of the few Canadian Dags we have found. It had a gutta percha case like most American Dags. John wears a white tunic outfit. With long pants that do not match. It is a front buttoning tunic. We are not sure about earlier tunics, but this seems fairly common at mid-century. John's litle brothe or sister wears a plaid dress. Both children have ruffeled collars. The note in the Dag says that John was the father of 'Cy' Coll, obviously written in more modern times.

Collins, Colley (United States, 1886)

This is a cabinet card photo of a boy identified on the back as, �Coley Collins". The photo was taken on July 14, 1886 by Mowry in Elmira, New York. American boys by the 1880s were increasingly wearing kneepants, but many boys like Colley wore long trousers as well. Note the very high lapels on Colley's jacket.

Colton, Clifford Kellogg (United States, 1888)

This cabinet portrait shows a little blond boy shown seated on a couch wearing a dress, long stockings and button shoes. The dress was a dark color, but we are unsure about the color. It had what looks likewhite contrastinng trim as piping on the edges of the garment. Large numbers of buttons were used in the decoration. The boy is identified as "Clifford Kellogg Colton 4 yr old 1888." The studio was the Johnson Bros, Watertown, N.Y., as indicated by the decorative script at bottom of the card.

Conant, Walter (United States, 1861)

Here we have a 1/6th plate ambrotype dated July 13, 1861. Identified and dated on back of image. It shows a boy holding a large American flag and perhaps the legs of the photographer's head rest stand behind him. He wears a hat, white shirt under an open front, bell sleeved cut-away jacket and long woolen pants. In pencil, on the paper behind the image is written, 'Taken At Camp Cameron July 13th 1861 Age 6 yrs 7 months Walter R. Conant'

Conway, John (United States, 1906)

This is a fun antique photo. A little barefoot boy sits inside an early pedal car. It reflects the style of early autmobiles. I am not sure if it was manufactured or home made. We welcome info from you experts. The boy is identified on the back in script as "John Conway, 1906". Unfortunately we do not know where he lived in America. John wears a white blouse and knee pants. It is clearly summer which is why he is barefoot. We note quite a number of American boys who were barefoot even when dressed up for church or other formal occassion.

Cook Boys (United States, 1880s?)

This cabinet portrait shows the three Cook boys photographed by Fowler in Haverhill, Massachusettes. We believe these children are relatives of Eben Mitchell, a prominent Haverhill businessman, who founded and was president of the Haverhill Hat Co. The children are not named, but are identified on the back as "3 sons of Alice Mitchell Cook & Joseph Cook". The two younger boys wear dresses. The older boy wears a kneepants suit. They look to be about -6 years old. The middle boy looks to be about 3-4 years old. Itsa little difficult to make out detaild. The two boys in dresses seen to have large white collars. The boy in the dark dress has pleating in the bodice front. The older boy wears a suit with Norfolk influences with an Eton collar and small bow. The portrait is undated, but looks like the mid-1880s to us. The size of the bow is one reason we suspect it was nit the late-80s or 90sd, although there is no way to be sure. All three boys have short hair. In front is the family pooch. You can be sure that the four had a good time together.

Cope, Ralph (United States, 1888)

This cabinet card shows a small boy wearing a dress with Little Lord Fauntleroy lace trim. The card is a little dark, makinbg it difficult to pick out sylistic detaild on the dress. Ringlet curls complete the Fauntleroy look. The portrait was taken a the B. F. Crutchfield Studio in North Vernon, Indiana. The back of the cabinet card reads: "RALPH COPE - SON OF TOWNSEND COPE - ABOUT 1888." Ralph looks to be about 3-4 years old. The card has destinctive serrated edges with smooth corners. This was a popular cabninet card mount style around 1890. The 1888 date may not be precise, but the clothes and mount conform that it was about when the portrait was made.

Coras Children (United States, about 1905)

Here we have a portrait of the Coras children. They seem to be an already well assimilated Italian-American family. The children look to be about 5-16 years old. The boy with the Fauntleroy blouse with a lrge ruffled collar and floppy bow. He looks to be about 10 years old. His older brother wears a detachable collar and small bowtie. It is difficult to make out what the girls are wearing, but the older girl is a teenagers and has a large white hair bow. Girls did not wear collar bows like the boys. Based on the clothing and cabinet card mount, we would guess the portrait was taken in the early-1900s decades. The photographer was the Risem's studio in Superior, Wisconsin.

Corder Children (United States, late-1920s)

Here we have a portrait of the Corder children. It was a postcard back snapshot. We do not have their names, only their father's name--Walter Corder. The boys were 6-8 years old. They have similar hair cuts. The younger boy wears a short pants sailor suit. His older brother wear a shirt and knickers with knee socks. Both boys wear double strap sandals which were not all that popular in America for boys by the 1920s. Here they seem to be summer wear. This snapshot is undated, but looks like the late-1920s. It is at this time American boys were shifting from long stockings to knee socks. The 1920s is confirmed by the AZO stamp box, 2 triangles up and two down.

Cordero, Roldolfo (United States, 1923- )

Here we note a Mexican-American boy from Los Angeles named Roldolfo wearing a romper suit with long stockings and sandals in 1925. The romper suit has a square collar with detailing at the collar and waist. It was a colored suit, although we do not know the color. He was 22 months old. Mother probably bought te 2-year old size. These romper suits are American styles. The family speaks Spanish, but the clothes seem to be entirely American in style. The AZO postcard stamp box has two triangles up and two downm but in this case the card is dated. The card has a message, but was not mailed. The message as far as we can make out read, "Desicames �ste como un recuerdo de nuestro hijito Roldolfo para nuwstro querido papa Dr. Primo Codero H. Edad 22 months." Signed Sus hijos Primo N. Cordero. N. Jesus A. de Codero. A post script reads, Los Angeles 5-9-25. We are guessing from this that Roldolfo's last name was Cordero.

Cosemans, Hugo (Belgium, 1951)

This Antwerp boy wears a traditional sailor suit for his First Communion portrait in 1951. There is printed text on the back about this boy's First Holy Communion. The portrait was to be given to be given to relatives and friends. His name was Hugo Cosemans. He looks to be about 7 years old. Notice he is wearing a button-on suit.

Cowell, H. Harry Jr. (United States, 1890)

This cabinet card portrait is of H. Harry Cowell Jr. He was 6 � yrs old when the portrait was taken February 1890. That means the boy was born about 1884. Harry wears a large white collar with lace trim and a huge floppy bow which covers up much of the collar. We are not sure about the color of the bow, but it may be red. He has a striped suit, but we can't see much detail. Harry's short hair is done in bangs. The portrait was taken by Harlow in Montpelier, Vermont.

Cowell, Sydney (United Sates, 1900s)

This cabinet portrait of Sydney Cowell shows him as a choir boy or alter boy. I am not sure if it it possible to destinguish between the two. He is probably Catholic, but an English name like Cowell raises the possibility that he is Anglican. Or could he be a Protestant chorister. There was a substanial intere in boy church choirs in the late-19th century. The portrait is undated, but the nount is the new style appearing at the tun of the century, so the portrait was probably taken in the 1900s. The studio backdrop is a stained class window.

Cox, Charles (United States, 1870s)

This little American boy wears a velvet-trimmed, pleated dress with a simulated long velvet vest. The long-skirted dress looks to have a separate vest and jacket, but it was porbably all one piece. They were just made to look like separate elenents. I I think this was more a style for a boy than a little girl. This needs, however, to be confirmed. The elements rather suggest a kilt suit. Nptice the striped stockings. The photographer was Mathieu Schramm, Santa Rosa, California. On the back of the cabinet card the boy is identified as Charles Cox. Hr looks to ne about 3-4 years old. The card is not dated, butlooks like the 1870s to us.

Crawford, Tommy Lee (United States, 1930s)

Here we have a portrait of Tommy Lee Crawford. Unfortunately the only information about the portrair is Tommy's name. We believe that he is American. The portrait suggests that he is a farm boy, probably from the South. I'm not sure about the date. I would guess the 1930s would be the most likely, but we are not at all sure about this. It is a color photograph, but here I think it is probably colorized. Tommy wears a stripped "T"shirt and bib-front shorts. Notice how the bib bit divides.

Criss, Laura Anna and Cecil (United States, 1967)

Here we see a traditional American family Christmas portrait. Families commonly sent out Christmas card picturing the family, most often the kids. They would be dressed up in their best clothes. Sometimes it was a portait made into a card or a photograph inclosed in the card. Here we see Laura Anna and Cecil Criss in matching red sailor outfits. They look to be about 4-6 years old. This portrait was taken in 1967. We don't see many boys wearing sailor outfits by the 1960s, although girls were still wearing sailor dresses. We still see a few boys with fashionable mothers like Cecil here wearing sailor suits for special occassions. Red was not very common, but seems apropriate for the Christmas holiday. Cecil wears a short pants uit. Laura Anna wears a dress.

Crocker, Fred and Willie (United States, 1908)

In many photographs we are left to wonder during the late-19th and early-20th centuries aboutvthe choice between shoes and long stockings or bare feet, Ourtendency is to assume that the children with bare feet were poor and couldn't afford shoes. That surely was a factor, bi\ut there were other factors involved that went beyond economic conditions. Those convention was accepted by people of any conditions. To an extent modesty was involved, perhaps more for girls than boys, at least by the 20th century. Amd there were also personal preferences which should not be discounted. Here we have a family portrait and both boys working. That takes one variable (social class/economics out of the equation. This photograph was taken by Lewis Hein (November 1908) in Chester, South Carolina. The boys are 11-year old Fred Crocker who is wearing long stockings and shoes and his 13-year old brother Willie who is barefoot. The fact that the boys are from the same family and working at the samne oplantvsuggests that it was a matter of personal preference. Willie presumably preferred to go barefoot. Normally the younger boy was more likely to go barefoot. The photo taken in front of the cotton mill where the boys worked.

Cromwell, James (United States, 1879)

The Mint Museum of Art In North Carolina displayed is a young boy's dress with a rosette "bustle" purchased in 1879 in Chicago for 4-year old James Cromwell. Such garments were worn over flounced petticoats with lace-trimmed or plain pantaletts beneath. As far as we can tell, this dress is not diffrent than a dress that might have been worn by James' sister. Unfortunately we have no more information about James and his family.

Cromwell, Many (United States, 1909)

This AZO postcard portrait was dated September 1909, suggesting school outfits. But the white suits, gloves, and hats seem more like dress-up Sunday school outfits. The children wear sailor outfits and hats. Threir names were Elenor and Edith O'Donnel and Many Cromwell. We would have thought that the boy and girl in the coordinsted sailor outfits were siblings, but apparently not. Perhaps they are cousins. White outfits with black long stockings were quite commin at the time, although white stockings were also worn. Note Many's hat. These down turned sailor hats were popular in the 1910s.

Cross Family (United States, 1903)

This charming oval mimnature portrait shows two members of the Cross family from Newport, Rhode Island. It was painted about in 1903 and they are holding their pet bunny. We know nothing about the family, but they were surely rich. Mewport at the time was a summer gatering point for the rich. Presunably they did not live there year round. The children look to be about 4-10 years old. The boy wears a Oliver Twist suit with a large, open ruffeled collar. This was a new style. Cillars in the1890s tended to be large, but wore buttoned up and commonly withan equally large bow. This is a more casual style. His big sister wears a large hat with some kind of frilly head covering. We seen a hat quite like that. Her white summer dress seems more conventional. WE would have guess the portrait was done a little later, but the 1903 date seems accepted.

Cross, Bert (United States, about 1905)

We note a portrait of happy little boy wearing a low-waistline dress. He is idebtified on the back as Bert Cross and a proud mother also tells that he was 2 years, 1 month old, He has styled long hair, although well off the shoulders. The studio was Lindquist in Superior, Wisconson. The cabinet card is undated, but as it is one of the new style mounts, we suspect it was taken arounf 1905. Bert wears a fancy white (or light-colored pastel) dress with hlf-length baloon sleeves. It was becoming less common for boys to wear dfesses, but we still see quite a number of younger boys wearing them in the 1900s. Note tht mother has chosen long stocking. In Europe children this age would have probably worn sicks rather than stockings. And notice that the stockngs were black. White long stockings were also worn, but black long stockings wee very common at the time, even with white outfits.

Cross, Ida and William (England, 1886)

This brother and sister, William and Ida Cross, were photographed in August 1886 at the Fleming Studio in Southsea, Hampshire. They are clearly from an affluent English family, although we have no details about them at this time. They look to be about 12-14 years old William wears a top hat and emaculate Eton suit, but I do not think it was his school uniform. Ida wears a wide-brimmed hat and classic sailor outfit. This is the only image we have of them so we do not know how they dressed when they were younger.

Crown Family (United States, 1899-1918)

The Brattleboo Historical Society has a wonderful collection of glass plate photos from the 19th and early 20th centuries. Rural and small town American life is portrayed in a superb collection featuring images from New England. Photographs of the Crown family is part of this collection. The family has four boys and and at least two girls. The photos date from 1899-1918. The boys are Harold, Raymond, Richard, and Paul. I think this is the order of their ages. The photos are dated and in some cases mis-dated. The boys were breeched at different ages. The older boys I think were breeched at about 4-5. The other two boys were older when breeched. A photo of Richard, at I would guess 6-8 years of age, shows him in a lovely white dress with his rather large girl doll. Several other images taken at 3 or 4 years show him in dresses, curls, and always with a hair bow, playing with his dolly. Judging by the number of photographs of him, I would guess he was his Mother favorite. The dresses the boys wore before being breeched were not boy dresses. They all look like little girls in frilly dresses, curled hair, and hair bows. The boys always wore hair bows in their curls until their hair was cut, which was sometime after they were breeched. Several images show Richard and Paul in tunic suit outfits with ringlet curls and hair bows.

Culbert Children (United States, about 1852)

This 6th plate cased Daguerreotype shows two siblings holding hands. Affixed to the back of the case is a period note, "Mother + Uncle Albert", and written on the inside of the back of the case is, "Maggie Culbert / Blooming Grove / Orange Co NY", a bit hard to read. Margaret Charlotte Culbert Gerow was born on June 4, 1844 and died on January 25, 1925. Albert, her only sibling, was born in 1846. They look to be about 7-9 years old. The portrait would have been taken about 1852, based on our asessment of the children's ages. Margaret wears a low-cut print dress with abreviated sleeves and shoulder bows with a necklass. Albert wears a front-buttoning tunis with a white collar and wide black belt with oud light-colored checked pants He wears his hair long, partoally covering his ears. Albert died by drowning just a few years after this dag was made. He fell though the ice of a pond while skating a little too early (November 23, 1857).

Cummings, Ralph Hunter (United States, 1883)

Outfits in the 1880s could vary substntially. Here we see a boy looking prim and proper wearing a nicely tailored, but rather plain kneepants suit. His name is Ralph Hunter Cummings. He was 7 years old when the photograph was taken on December 11, 1883". The portrait was taken by Brainerd in Rome, New York. He wears a modest white collar with a small bow.

Curtis, Rosamend J. and Raymond G. (United States, 1885)

This colorized portrait was made in 1885. The 2 1/2 year old twins were Rosamend J. and Raymond G Curtis. The dark brown mounts had gilt beveled edges. The twins wear matching white dresses with blue ribbon trim and white long stockings. They also both have gold necklasses and blue pendants. Their hair seems to be done similarly, although Raymond seems to have messed it up. The twins were from Springfield, Massachusetts.

Curtis, Wayne (United States, about 1905)

Here we see Wayne Curtis dressed in what looks like a sailor tunic in an early pedal car. The word 'Moon' can be seen painted on the side. I'm not sure what that meant. On the back, the boy is identified as Wayne Curtis and there is a hand stamp that says 'Nelson's Studio, Brainerd, Minn'. So we know where Wayne was from. The postcard portrait is undated, but we would estimate was taken about 1905.

Cushen, C. (England, 1890)

This cabinet card portrait shows C. Cushen, a student at the School of London School (1888-91). The City of London School also known as CLS and City, is a private day school for boys in the City of London on the banks of the River Thames. It has a history dating back to 1442. The boy here looks to be about 15 years old. He wers an Eton Suit uniform with a classic, pristine Eton collar. Quite a number of schools adopted Eton suits as their school uniform, often with small variations. We even have one of his school reports. He was a good student.

Cutsaw, John James (England, 1870s)

John James Cutsaw appears to be an English boy from an affluent family. A CDV portrait of him in a suit with bloomer knickers out for a ride was taken in the 1870s. We have no additional information about him.

Czechatowski, John (United States, 1928)

John Czechatowski had his first Communion portrait taken in 1928. The candle he holds was epecially common in German First Communion portraits. There are several interesting aspects to the portrait. The name is obviously Polish. American Catholics in the 1920s were primarily Irish or Eastern/Southern European ethnics. Poland was of course a predominantly Catholic country. His family would have migrated in the late-19th or early 20th century. We do not know where he was from, but probably a large mid-Western industrial city. He wears a greyish knickers suit with black long stockings. The suit easily could have been worn in the 1910s, but the lw-cut shoes are a good inicator of the 1920s. This colorized studio portrait was printed in post card format. The white border is another indicator of the 1920s although e see some from the late 1910s.

Created: November 4, 2002
Last updated: 1:08 AM 12/17/2023