Photos Without Families

This mellow-looking gentleman was Musical Director (“Capellmeister”) Steinbruch, who had his photograph taken in Elizabeth, New Jersey. We didn’t have a first name to go with the photo - but no problem! This man was so well known in New York and New Jersey’s German singing circles that I was able to identify him even without knowing his given name!

The gentlest photographs are often those of first-time mothers with their beautiful babies. In them, you can almost feel the awe of wonder, the vulnerability, and the immense love. One such photograph shows little Elisabeth Homann at five months old, sitting safely in the embrace of her mother. The image was dedicated to someone on June 19, 1892, in Hannover, Germany.

This lovely schoolgirl with the steady gaze and composed posture was Annie Bridget Britt of Boston. Annie was born on January 4, 1862, the first child of Patrick Britt, a trunk maker, and Elizabeth - also recorded as Bessy or Lizzy - née Sullivan. Both of her parents were immigrants from Ireland.

What I love about this blog - besides all the beautiful old images - is the history I get to learn and explore while uncovering the stories of the people in these photographs. This particular photo led me down both familiar and unfamiliar historical paths, and I can consider myself a little richer in knowledge after writing this post.

This is such a sad, heartbreaking story, but I believe we owe it to baby Kurt to share it with the world. The photo is labelled “Kurt Karsunke,” and the note in German simply says:

A beautiful woman in white, elegantly holding a fan, gazes dreamily away from the camera - as if lost in thought. This was Eugenie Forster, captured in a moment of quiet introspection. She dedicated this photograph to a good friend in September 1896, in Sigmaringen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.