
This is a cabinet card, from the antique shop in Dorset, Minnesota. The Photographer was Petefish in Scott City, Kans.
I will assume that this is Emma Norell.

I had some time on my hands..so I tried to locate some info on the Photographer without any luck. Then I did a search for Emma Norell. I found her obituary.
There was an email address of a relative..I sent a message..I will wait a few days..before I send off a snail mail inquiry.
Usually the quest for information is much harder than this..what are the chances that she remained unmarried..and in Kansas where she lived most of her life.
From the info in her Obituary..I will date her photograph sometime between 1887 and 1907..she would have been 19 to 29 years old. The formal background is not carried through into the photo with the twig/log bench and the animal fur or grassy mat on the floor.
Thanks for stopping by, do come again:)
Update:
Here is an excerpt from Emma's Mothers Obit..it includes all the names of her (Christinas) children.
To this union were born four boys and four girls, the husband and two sons [Olof John and Sven Arnold] having preceded the mother to their resting place. Three daughters - Mrs. P.A. [Christina] JOHNSON, Mrs. P.J. [Magdalena] PETERSON, and Miss Emma NORELL - and one son Eric, besides grandchildren and friends, were present at the funeral services. One daughter, Mrs. [Aaron][Anna] PETERSON, lives at Stockholm, Wisc. One son, Peter, in Barton County, Kan.
So Emma had three sisters..Christina, Magdalena and Anna.
Update : Jan 05, 2011
Iggy located a blog that featured an obituary of a relative..and from that was able to make contact with one of Emmas Great nieces in Kansas..The photo will be on it's way home in the morning to Darlene:)
This photo went Full Circle 20 on February 03, 2011
I wonder what the "Mother - Sister" notation on the photograph means. I found the obituary you quoted and noticed that there was one for her mother and for brother Eric beneath it.
ReplyDelete"With his parents he (Eric) came to the United States in 1870 and settled first in Minnesota, then in Nebraska. In 1885 Eric moved to the farm in Gove county. His father died in 1895 and since the death of their mother in 1920 Eric and his sister Emma have lived on the farm."
I found a "school" of Petefish's living in Scott City at the time - but no indication as to which was "the" photographer.
I love it when you have time on your hands and go searching for background. Great post.
ReplyDeleteWhen I look at the information, it looks as if it says Mothers Sister, which I assume is referring to Christine as "Mother," or did she have other sisters? Christine Johnson is the only one listed in the obituary, so could we assume this photo once belonged to one of Christine's children? Anyone's guess, I suppose. ;-) ~Abra
ReplyDeleteI love a little history behind the picture. It makes it so much more personal and interesting.
ReplyDeletethanx for teh effort.
Emma had three sisters..yes the notation is Mothers Sister. I will put up the list of Emmas brothers and sisters:) Connie
ReplyDeleteI also read it as "Mother's Sister" so to me this would say the photo was once in the hands of one of Emma's sister's children.
ReplyDeleteAh, thanks! My eyes were bleary this morning. "Mother's sister" makes a lot of sense - I think her niece (and her daughter) will be thrilled to see this photo.
ReplyDelete:)
What a lovely story, thanks Connie.
ReplyDeleteWow, I think what you do is so fascinating!
ReplyDeleteLike the previous commenter, the word that comes to my mind is "fascinating!"
ReplyDeleteIn a few years when my children are older, I hope to have time to dig into my own family history and to gather photographs.
Fascinating that you were able to locate this info. I'll be checking in for updates.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to see a bigger version of this amazing photograph - detail of her head and shoulders would be great. Her left arm and hand also look extraordinary, though thats probably just the dress.
ReplyDelete-Howard
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