Figure 1.--This little boy was Lincoln Muenks. He is wearing a plaid kilt skirt and a fancy big-collared coat. He is also wearing what looks like a flat cap. The outfit looks to be plaid dress rather than a kilt suit, but we can tell because of his heavy coat. Lincoln is holding a toy pistol in one hand and petting his beloved pet black dog with the other hand. The photographer was Chas. F. Weeks, Linn, Missouri. The portrait is undated, but oval format card mounts and the boy's outfit is consistent with about 1905.

This little boy was Lincoln Muenks. He is wearing a plaid kilt skirt and a fancy big-collared coat. I think the coat would have been seen at the time as a sailor style, but neither his cap or dress picks up on this. He is wearing what looks like a flat cap, a style we generally associate with some wgat older boys. The outfit looks to be plaid dress rather than a kilt suit. Notice the black long stockings which were very common in the 1900s for boys and girls. Lincoln is holding a toy pistol in one hand and petting his beloved pet black dog with the other hand. The photographer was Chas. F. Weeks, Linn, Missouri. The portrait is undated, but oval format card mounts and the boy's outfit when we first noted the portrait was consistent with about 1905. We know a little bit about Lincoln and his family. According to military draft records Lincoln Muenks was born on October 27, 1899 in Cole County, Missouri. After determining his bith date, we can now estimate with considerable that the portrait was taken in late 1902 or early 1903 becuse he looks about 3 years old. Dresses and klt suits for boys were going out of style in the 1900s, but we stll see them in the early 1900s when this portrait was taken. Lincoln's father was Charles Muenks, born in August of 1871 in Missouri. His mother was Belle Muenks, born in September of 1878 in Missouri. As listed in the 1900 U.S. Federal Census, Charles (Lincoln's dad) was a "Salon Keeper" and the family lived on Main Street in Linn, Missouri. By the 1910 census Lincoln's dad had become the County Treasurer. They still lived in Linn. In the 1920 census the family had moved to Jefferson City, Missouri. Charles had become a truck salesman and Lincoln was listed as being a bookkeeper at a bank. The family lived on East High Street. The 1930 census shows the family to have moved again but the name of the street is illegible. They did still live in Jefferson City. They must have been fairly well-to-do since their home value is one of the highest on their street. Lincoln's dad seems to have retired (or at least unemployed) by the time of this census, but Lincoln is listed as an "Auditor" with his "Work Location" listed as the "State Highway" so perhaps he drove to his clients' locations and kept no permanent office.

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Created: 2:59 AM 3/14/2008
Last edited: 3:00 AM 3/14/2008