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This is wonderfull family photograph dates from theearly-1860s, we think about 1862. It is undted but the ages and thr clothing and hair styles allow us to date the portrait to a narrow window. An enscription on the back identify the family-- "Mellspaugh (sic) Family, Mr & Mrs, Chas - Frank" and underneath the word "Chas" writing that looks like another name but we cannot decipher it. The oval shaped sepia photo is an albumen print mounted on a heavy paper board. The image alone is about 7 5/16" X 5 1/4". The size of the board is about 9 1/2" X 6 7/8". This is interesting becuse the dominant format during the early- or mid-1960s was the much smaller CDV. And this portrait was larger even than the cabinet cards that appeared about 1866. Non-standard images like this are quite rare. Anbumen prints had a major impact on porature. Dags and Ambros reqioured long exposures. This made it very difficult to expose groups, ot imossible, but difficult. The shorter exposure required by the albmn process meant that we begin to see many more family portrait in the 1860s. The photographer is unknon, but we suspect that the portrait was made in Joliet, Illinois.
Isaac was a prominent Joliet citizen. Research, including census records, historic newspapers and books suggest that the people in the photo are, from bottom left clockwise: Isaac T. Millspaugh (father). Born Orange County, New York, February. 26, 1820. (Age in photo about 40 years.) Charles H. Millspaugh (eldest son). Born Orange County, New York, about 1843. (Age in photo about 17 years.) Mary L. Millspaugh (mother). Born in Vermont in 1821. (Age in photo about 39 years.) Frank Millspaugh (youngest son), born in Joliet, Illinois about 1857. (Age in photo about 5 years.)
This is wonderfull family photograph dates from theearly-1860s, we think about 1862. It is undted but the ages and thr clothing and hair styles allow us to date the portrait to a narrow window.
The oval shaped sepia photo is an albumen print mounted on a heavy paper board. The image alone is about 7 5/16" X 5 1/4". The size of the board is about 9 1/2" X 6 7/8". This is interesting becuse the dominant format during the early- or mid-1960s was the much smaller CDV. And this portrait was larger even than the cabinet cards that appeared about 1866. Non-standard images like this are quite rare. Anbumen prints had a major impact on porature. Dags and Ambros reqioured long exposures. This made it very difficult to expose groups, ot imossible, but difficult. The shorter exposure required by the albmn process meant that we begin to see many more family portrait in the 1860s.
The photographer is unknon, but we suspect that the portrait was made in Joliet, Illinois.
An enscription on the back identify the family-- "Mellspaugh (sic) Family, Mr & Mrs, Chas - Frank" and underneath the word "Chas" writing that looks like another name but we cannot decipher it.
Research, including census records, historic newspapers and books enable us to identify the individuals.
Isaac T. Millspaugh was the family patriarch. He was born in Orange County, New York (February 26, 1820). Isaac was a prominent Joliet citizen. Age in photo about 40 years. His biography is in the book Portrait and Biographical Album of Will County, Illinois...1890. Born in NY, he was orphaned and learned to be a blacksmith. He came to Joliet in May 1844. He "made the first steel plow manufactured in Joliet" Later, he "fired the engine that pulled the first train out of Chicago and ran the first engine that came into Joliet over the Rock Island Railroad." Over the years he was elected and served as the Joliet assessor and also as the Joliet Justice of the Peace. He was "the organizer of Millspaugh's orchestra that furnished music for social gatherings for 42 years." Isaac married his first wife Charlotte E. Noyes in NY in 1842, and later, his second wife (pictured) formerly Miss Mary L. Roberts of Lockport, NY.
Charles H. Millspaugh was born in Orange County, New York, about 1843. Age in photo about 17 years. Charles (standing at left) was the son of Isaac and his first wife. He served in the Civil War as the musician of the 100th Illinois Regiment. We are not sure if he was a drummer boy or buggler. The Joliet Signal newspaper of September 8, 1863 printed a letter he had written to a friend from the front. He wrote "We have had the d________'s [devil's] own time crossing the Cumberland Mountains...we are within 25 miles of Chattanooga...." He added that the Rebels had several (Union) prisoners who were about to be shot, but his regiment got there 'just in time to save them'. (Note: the Battle of Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga took place a few months later on November 24, 1863.)
Mary L. Millspaugh was born in Vermont during 1821. Age in photo about 39 years. Mary was Isaac's second wife. We do not know what happened to his first wife. Mary is the mother of Frank and the stepmother of Charles.
Frank Millspaugh was born inJoliet, Illinois about 1857. Age in photo about 5 years. There is not much information about the youngest son Frank (seated between his parents) born in 1857 in the records we have found. A Frank Millspaugh of Joliet who was born in that year died at the age of 5 in 1862 and is buried in a Joliet cemetery. However, the 1870 and 1880 censuses state that Frank Millspaugh (born 1857) was living with his mother Mary Millspaugh and father Isaac Millspaugh in their home in Joliet.
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