Above is a photo postcard that was never sent. There is no address or any identifying information on the back. 3 1/2 x 5 3/8". *If* this was taken about 1914, it *could* be Vivian Willodene Wiseman born 1908 and her brother Samuel Wiseman born 1912, both children of Smith and Rose (Scott) Wiseman. Smith was the brother of my grandfather, Charles Wilson Wiseman. Smith moved to Dayton, Ohio shortly after his marriage to Rose in 1908. 
The pictures above and below are photographs mounted on cardboard; they have been cropped to emphasize the image. The girl by herself is 2 9/16 x 5 1/2 on a 5 x 8 1/2" card. The photo below is 5 5/8 x 3 15/16 on an 8 x 6" card. They both have a studio name embossed in the card: Hessel, Warsaw, Ind. *If* taken in the 1930s, they *could* be the two oldest children of Samuel Dewey and Ida Estella "Stella" (Wiseman) Mow; Mary Ellen and Thomas Mow.
According to the Indiana State Library, The Warsaw Daily Union was published from 1904-1949, which really doesn't help in narrowing down a timeframe for the picture! (The Daily Union merged with the Warsaw Times to become the Warsaw Times-Union, which is still being published.) The date of the newspaper is not legible. The headlines that I can make out are "Warsaw boys win in state matches", "Would build up new prosperity", "Heaven insulted by puff of locomotive", and "H. S. Kaufman chosen for superintendent".
Enlargements of the little girls in the pictures above. Is it the same girl in both pictures?
Other unidentified photos that I've previously posted about include Unraveling a little mystery (about Mercedes, the "Detroit Cousin") and, in 2007, a series of "Mystery Photos" from the Wiseman Family Bible. footnoteMaven analyzed one of those photos in her post titled Dating Old Photographs :: Becky's Mystery Photograph #9, which is an excellent resource for analyzing old photos.
Contributed to the 9th Edition of Smile For The Camera.
Updated 2:40 pm on January 11th: A Big Thank You to fM and Tamura Jones for providing clues and additional info. Check out the comments they left! The genea-bloggers are a wonderful group of people!
Regarding the photo of the kids covered in newspaper - H. S. Kaufman was superintendent of the Warsaw city schools 1908-1917. Charles J. Hessel, occupation photographer, was found in the 1910 census in Warsaw (pg 1a), as was Mr. Kaufman (pg 4b). So that really narrows down the timeframe IF the newspaper in the photo was a current issue. That said, if the picture was taken in 1908, then I currently have no one in my database who would "fit" that date! This info brings into question the date of the first photograph also, probably much earlier than I first thought.
9 comments:
First of all, beautiful pictures and beautiful children! I sure hope that in time you will discover who these little darlings are! Good luck!
Becky:
Is it possible that the headline read H.A. Kaufman rather than H.S.?
The Warsaw superintendent of schools was H. A. Kaufman from 1908 to 1917.
Does this help?
-fM
History of Warsaw High School.
Taylorstales - Thank you!
fM - Thank you! I forgot about that site. But it is definitely "H S". I found Horatio S. Kaufman in Warsaw, Kosciusko County in the 1910 census (pg 4b) listed as Superintendent, City Schools. Also found Charles J. Hessel (pg 1a) listed as Photographer, Studio!!
I was way off on guestimating a date on the "newspaper" photo. I was thinking more "modern" as in 1930. C.J. Hessel is not in the 1920 census index for Warsaw. Mr. Kaufman being made superintendent in 1908 certainly narrows down the timeframe! I'll have to take another look in my family database to see who might be a fit.
I'll bet I'm way off as far the date goes on that first picture too.
KOSCIUSKO COUNTY EDUCATION: PAST AND PRESENT
BY RANDY POLSTON
KOSCIUSKO LEADERSHIP ACADEMY 1987-1988
http://klaconnect.com/whitepapers/1988/Education%20Past%20and%20Present.pdf
states, in the section on the Warsaw Community School Corporation:
"Following Harter [as superintendent] was Early in 1902, H.S. Kaufman in 1908, and James Leffel in 1917, who remained until 1943"
The "Patterson's American Directory Vol XIII College And School Directory"
http://www.archive.org/stream/pattersonsameric027847mbp/pattersonsameric027847mbp_djvu.txt
of 1916 lists Horatio S. Kaufman:
Warsaw, Eosclnsko Co , pop. 4,430.
Pres Bd Educ J W Coleman
Sec Bd Educ Wilbur F Maish
City Superintendent Horatio S. Kaufman
Principal High School E E Robbing
Supv Music Carrie Jaques
Domestic Science Mamie Richards
Drawing Mrs Jennie Webbei
The H. A. Kaufman reference is easily explained; on a QWERTY keyboard the A and S are next to each other.
"Warsaw Boys" seems to be reference ot the local baseball club. perhaps associated with the school.
They are all adorable! I do think it is the same girl in the 2nd and 3rd photos. The cut out newspaper seems like an odd prop but it narrows down the date.
Tamura - Thank you for the information. It confirms that I was way off on the date of the picture. LOL.
Apple - I'm glad someone else thinks they are the same girl also. However, with the date being 1908 (assuming the newspaper was 'current' rather than an old one) I have no one in my database that would be the right age!
Those children are literally 'in the news'. Great photo - glad you have some new info - hope you do identify them soon.
That would be my grandmother Lucille wiseman and her brother Robert, children of Howard Wiseman and Harriet Gunter I have the same picture in my hall. In 1908 she would have been 4.I have pictures from Warsaw also will be glad to scan and send my "unidentifiables"
Nancy, please email me at kinexxions@gmail.com
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