52 Ancestors 2015: #7 Columbus Couple - a CDV Mystery

This carte de visite (CDV) is in a photo album that was owned by my third great grandmother, Sarah Ann Lane Bird (1836-1873.)  The album itself was given to her in 1865 as a Christmas present by a farmer from Greensburg, Indiana named Thomas George Hamilton.  A story has been handed down through my family that Sarah was an orphan and that the Hamilton family raised her. I think the couple pictured might be part of the Hamilton family.

The back of the photograph is undated, listing only the name of the photography studio. I sent a scan of the photo to a librarian from the Decatur County Public Library who was doing some research on the photographer, R.W. Snyder.  She told me that Snyder only operated his gallery in Columbus, Indiana between 1870 and 1879; therefore, the picture had to be taken in that time frame.

Another clue to consider:  Sarah died in June of 1873.  Yet it seems likely that she would have selected at least the first few pictures of her album, and this photo was placed in the third page of the album. So I believe the portrait was taken before her death.

The picture can be further dated by looking at the woman's clothing, so I researched fashions from the 1860's and 1870's.  By the late 1870's, a narrow silhouette coupled with exaggerated bustles, fitted sleeves, and squarish necklines began to take over.  This woman has more of a full-skirted dress, relaxed sleeves, and a v-shaped bodice, which are aspects more in line with the style of the late 1860's.

After piecing together all these clues, I would guess that this picture was taken around 1870-1873, during the beginning of R.W. Snyder's photography career. The man and woman, who both look very young, were probably no older than their early to mid twenties when they sat for this portrait.  That places their birthdates, more or less, around 1850-1853. I think it's reasonable to assume that this picture was taken for their wedding or engagement.

In the 1860 census, a 23 year-old Sarah "Maine" was a domestic servant in the Decatur County household of William Warder Hamilton, the brother of Thomas George Hamilton. Also in the same household with Sarah were William's two sons, Robert Cassius and William Brutus Hamilton. With further research, I found that William Brutus was born in 1847 and was married in December of 1870 -- just the right time frame to fit this photograph.  His wife, Catherine Cunningham,was born in 1851 in Ohio. The part that doesn't quite fit the puzzle is that they were married in Mason, Ohio ... over 100 miles from Columbus, Indiana. However, William and Catherine lived in Greensburg, Indiana after they were married, which is only 30 miles from Columbus.

Of course, much of this is speculation.  If you can help me identify anything about this photo or if you have any idea who the couple might be, please leave a comment -- I would love to know!

52 Ancestors: #33 Sarah Ann Lane's Album and a Shorthand Mystery

Sarah Ann Lane

Sarah Ann Lane was my third great-grandmother.  She was born on July 30, 1836.  Unfortunately, I don't know who her parents were or if she had any siblings.  I'm not even sure where she was born or where she lived before she was married.

I have some notes that my grandmother wrote in Gregg shorthand that contain information about Sarah's life.  The problem is that I can't read shorthand!  From what I can decipher, Sarah lived with the Hamilton family, and she may have come from Cincinnati on an orphan train.  I know that the initials "J. H." mentioned in the note stand for her husband, James Harvey Bird.

I really would like to know what the rest of this note says. Can anyone help me out with this?

My Grandmother's Shorthand Note.  

On Christmas day of 1864, Sarah received a photo album with the following inscription:
    
 A Christmas Gift
     To Sarah Lane,
     from T.G. Hamilton
     Dec. 25, 1864
     
I assume that T.G. Hamilton was a member of the Hamilton family mentioned in the shorthand note; however, I have not been able to find a census with Sarah living with the T.G. Hamilton family.  [EDIT on 12/7/14: Since posting this, I found a "Sarah Maine" listed as a domestic servant in the 1860 census in the household of William Warder Hamilton, T.G. Hamilton's brother!  I am pretty sure this is Sarah Lane; she is the right age and in the right place.]

Glass negative of Sarah Lane Bird.

On March 14, 1865, Sarah Lane was married to James Harvey Bird, a widower.  He was ten years her senior and already had seven children by his first wife.  Sarah and Harvey had three girls: Nina, Grace and Mary Edna (my great great grandmother.)

In 1873, Sarah gave birth to her only son. Sadly, Sarah and the baby both passed away in June of that year.  Since death records were not kept at that time in Decatur County, Indiana, I do not know the exact cause of her death.  She was only 36 years old.

Below is a slideshow of the 26 photographs contained in Sarah's album, given to her by T. G. Hamilton.  Sarah is in one of these photos herself, and there is a picture of her husband, James Harvey Bird.  The images are tintypes and carte de vistes. None of the pictures were originally identified. Fortunately, I was able to identify some of them by referring to labeled family pictures.

Because the number of photographs exceeds the limit for a slideshow, the album is divided into two parts.  Please let me know if you are able to identify any of these people.  Enjoy!



Below are the remaining eleven photographs.

52 Ancestors: #19 James Harvey Bird, Civil War Soldier for Nine Days

Tintype of James Harvey Bird

On the evening of July 8, 1863, Governor of Indiana, Oliver Morton, received word that a Confederate force led by General John Hunt Morgan had crossed the Ohio River and was heading toward Corydon. The governor at once issued a call upon the citizens of Indiana to leave their various occupations and organize for defense. Within 48 hours, 65,000 men had offered their services.  My great-great-great grandfather, James Harvey Bird (known as Harvey), was one of those men.

General John Hunt Morgan

The 104th Indiana Regiment was organized on July 10, 1863 in Greensburg, Indiana to repel Morgan's Raid, and Harvey enlisted that very day.  The 104th began pursuit of Morgan immediately.

After Morgan escaped into Ohio, the regiment returned to Greensburg and was mustered out on July 18, 1863.  Harvey Bird's service in the Union Army totaled nine days. Morgan and his men were later captured and put in the Ohio State Penitentiary. In November of 1863, the general and some of his officers tunneled out of their cells and boarded a train to Cincinnati.  A year later, Morgan was killed in battle.

Harvey Bird in his later years

James Harvey Bird was born on July 12, 1824 in Decatur County, Indiana, where he lived his entire life.  His father was William Bird (a War of 1812 veteran), and his mother's name was Maria Dent. Harvey was a successful farmer and won many awards for his hogs at the Decatur County Fair.  He married Nancy Johnson sometime before 1850 and they had six children together.  Nancy died in 1859, the same year that their last child was born.

On March 14, 1865, Harvey married Sarah Ann Lane.  They had four children, including my great-great-grandmother, Mary Edna Bird. Sarah died from complications of childbirth in 1873, along with her infant son.  Harvey remained a widower for the rest of his life -- nearly 20 years.

James Harvey Bird died on October 12, 1892 in Decatur County from heart trouble, or as his obituary was worded, "from an affection of the heart."  He had been in poor health for 10 years. "He was a man of rugged character and good-heartedness and many are the friends who will miss his jovial presence." (Greensburg Standard, October 14, 1892)

52 Ancestors: #9 Mary Edna Bird, Young Poet

Mary Edna Bird was a great admirer of poetry and even wrote some poems herself.  "Many were the beautiful words that Mary saved from different books and papers.  Often when she found something that she thought was nice, she would come bringing it to her husband or sisters and say, 'Listen to what a beautiful piece I have,' and read it to them." (From her obituary in the Greensburg Standard.)

At the age of 19, Mary composed the following poem in remembrance of her mother, Sarah Lane Bird, who died after childbirth, leaving Mary motherless at two years old. 

She slept.  We stood beside her

My great great grandmother, Mary Edna Bird, c. 1891

And watched her as she lay
With clasped hands on her bosom,
Like children when they pray.

The west was bright with sunset;
We knew that night was near,
And whispered to each other,
"O, would the moon were here!"

Night fell.  The peaceful moonlight  
Came in and kissed her face
So worn with pain and waiting,
Yet full of sweetest grace.

We heard far down the meadow
One lonesome whipporwill,
And with hushed voice we whispered,
"Dear mother sleepeth still."

She slept but ne'r to waken
To earth and sorrow more.
We heard the angels singing
Some song on heaven's far shore.

Mary's poem, in her own handwriting.

We knew the mystic boatman
Had sailed across the sea
And bourn the soul of mother
To God's eternity.

Gone home!  O,  angel mother
Sometimes from heaven's far strand
We hear your dear voice calling.
We see your beckoning hand.

And though between our pathways
There rolls so deep a tide,
We know you love your children 
The same as when you died.

The Bird sisters: Mary (left), Nina (top), and Grace (right.)

Mary Edna Bird was born January 22, 1871 in Decatur County, Indiana to James Harvey Bird and Sarah Ann Lane.  She had two older sisters, Nina and Grace, and six older half siblings: Leonidas, William, Alice, Ida Mae, James, and Martha. 

Mary married Romie Michael Sefton on December 21, 1891.  On October 12, 1893, she gave birth to healthy twin daughters, Mary Ida and Ruth Edna.  Tragically, Mary Edna had a "severe attack of heart disease" and died six hours later, one year to the day after the death of her father. 

After Mary died, her sister Nina stepped into the role of the twins' mother.  Nina and Romie were married in November of 1894.