Figure 1.--These American children appear to be Catholic. The photograph was probably taken in the 1910s. We are guessing that the older children here are doing their First Communion. I'm not sure why the younger children were included in the photograph. Unlike many photographs we know the children's names. Click on the image for more details.

The HBC biography section is for people or families that have achieved some degree of notariety or fame. HBC readers in many cases have submitted family portraits. HBC has until now not added them to the biography section. We believe now that this is a mistake. Many of the HBC readers contributing family portraits can also provide details about the boy and him family. This background information help us to assess social trends and put the fashions involved in perspective. This is just why the biographical section is an important part of HBC. As a result, HBC has decided to create pages for these relatively unknown people, when some basic family data is available. Incidentally if you find a relative here, please do tell us somehing about him. Here we are listing these biographies alpahabetically to facilitate looking up individual names. The alphabdetical list is the primary data base in this section. While we have not persued geneolgical resreach on these individual, having the names and in many cases the loaction provide the potential to acquire more back ground information in the future which may provide additonal insights into the fashion and life style trends.

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Nadler, William E. (United States, 1869- )

Here we see William E.Nadler about 1880. William was photographed at aboyt 11 years of age wearing an elaborate military drummers uniform. The cabinet card portrait was taken by S.A.Taylor from Amsterdam N.Y. We are not sure what kind of uniform William is wearing. He is too young to actually be in the Army. Perhaps he is a military school cadet. We are not sure if there is an academy near Amsterdam. He might be a member of some kind of civic or fraternal band. Or possibly it is just a costume.

Narvatic, Louis and Edmond (United States, 1912)

Here are two children who survivied the Titantic disaster in 1912 interested me. There seems to be contradictory information about who the children are. The photo has a notation at the top reading "Louis & Lola? Titanic survivors", but the Bain Collection from which the photo comes identifies the children as Louis and Edmond Narvatic as the two children. I tend to trust the Bain designation since both of the children look like boys to me and since the notation on the photo itself has a question mark after the names. It has been suggested that the photo might have been taken on the Carpathia, the ship that rescued some of the Titanic survivors, but the background of the photo showing a playground with a wire fence and wooden wall with some leafless shrubery does not look like the setting one would find on a ship. I think the photo must have been taken on land, possibly in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where most of the survivors were taken. There is a famous cemetery in Halifax where a number of the Titanic victims were buried.

Naylor-Leyland, G.V. (England, 1907)

This boy is G.V. Naylor-Leyland. He was about 15 years old when this portrait was taken in his Eton School uniform. Note the crisp Eton collar. The portrait is undated, but we estimate that it was taken about 1907. He was killed in action on Monday September 21, 1914 aged 22 years in France during the early phase of fighting during World War I. He was a Lieutenant with the Horse Guards (the 'Blues').

Newcomb, Fred (United States, 1862)

Several CDVs from a album compiled by the Newcomb family from New London Connecticut include boys and youth. Some are Newcomb boys. Other are their friends. And there is a CDDV of a school class at the Hill Street School in New London that FredNewcomb attended. We are guessing the boys at the school exchnged portrait of each other--and indication that the family and their friends were affluent. Some of the portraits are dated 1862. We believe that all of them were taken about the same time. This was early in the Civil War. The boys' patriotic frvor is displayed in a unit they formed--Star Company. New London was an important port and there would have been a lot of naval activity there. We know nothing about the Newcomb family otther than they look affluent. Al we have to go on are the CDVs.

Newell, Edward (United States, about 1890)

This tinted tin-type portait shows Eddie Newall about 1890. He is pictured with a small wooden wheelbarrow. Some more professionally posed than we note for many tin-types at the time. Eddie looks to be about 5 years old. He has long ringlet curls and is wearing a checked gingham dress. Looks like he's all set for Gardening, with his wide-brimmed straw hat sitting on a chair next to him--note the long streamer. Eddie Newell was the name written on the old photo album which had this and other photographs. The tinting is also very professionally done.

Nicholson Brothers (England 1870s?)

Here we see the Nicholson Brothers with their father. They were from Notingham. The image is undated, but we woild guess it was taken in the 1870s, both because of the clothing and the style of the mount. Both boys wear small Eton collars with basic bows. The boys collated suit jackets have a hint of Norfolk styling. They both wear kneepants with long stockings. Their father has a suit with small lapels.

Nordlota Boys (United States, about 1890)

Here we see three boys who are identified on the back of the cabinent card. Unfortunately the writing is not clear. It looks to be Nordlota, but that is not a name we recognize. Perhaps a HBC reader will have a better idea. Unfortunately someone has marked over the names. We do know their first names: Bill, George, and Henry. Their parents were Libbie Sm??? Nordlota. The portrait was taken by the NAS New Gallery in Denver, Colorado. It looks to have been taken about 1890. The boys are wearing dresses and a suit. The dresses are simple white frocks. This provides a good idea of when the boys were breeched.

North, Derek (England, about 1930)

Here we have a page for a society wedding. Lady Joan Wentworth-Fitzwilliam married Capt. G. P. Philipps, at the Guards' Chapel, Wellington Barracks. W are not sure about the date. We would say the late 1920s or early 30s. There were a record number of bridal attendants--seventeen. The bride is the daughter of the Earl and Countess Fitzwilliam. The bridegroom is the only son of Maj. Grismond Philipps and Mrs. Philipps, of Cwmgwili, Carmarthenshire. The page here is Derek North. I am not sure how he was related to the bridal couple.

Notman, William MacFarlane (Canada, 1865)

This CDV portrait shows William MacFarlane Notman in 1865. The portrait was taken by his father William Notman. William MacFarlane Notman also became a noted photographer. William wears a cut-away jacket although it is only cut away at the bottom. There look to be seven buttons to securely close thee jacket. He has a small white collar and simple bow. He wears very full knickers. This was an Englis style as American boys were more likely to wear knee pants or long pants at the time. He looks to be about 8 years old. Note the wonderful table. I'm not sure what is on it.

Noyas, Louise, George, and Libbie (United States, 1840s)

This is a portrait of three children. They look about 6-12 yeats old. While they are identified, we are not entirely sure about the names. This is a rare Daguerreotypre we have found where the individuals are identified. The identifification apparaently was written a few years after the Dag was taken because Louise has married and her married name is Davies. Unfortunately the writing is a little indestinct, especilly their last (family) name. We think it is Noyas, but we are not at all sure. Hopefully our HBC readers will be able to decphier the hand writing more definitively. WE are sure about Louise and Libbie, but are rather unsure about George, but the writing looks like "Geo.". We think the portrait was taken in the 1840s, but dating Dags is difficult. The portrait provides good views of the girls' dresses. One has an an open neck which was common for younger girls and the older girl has a vollared neck dress. She has a detinctive necklas. The boy's suit is rather indestinct, but he has a shirt with a small collar, another common sttle.. All three children have long hair, but only the girls hair is done in ringlets.

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O'Bane?, Henry (United States, 1865)

This is a albumen CDV portrait of a boy abiut 4 years old. He is on verso, but the writing is very difficult to make out. It seems to say "Uncle Henry (perhaps Benny) from Eddie S?. O'Bane? Hopefully HBC readers will have some insight as to the actual name. More clear is that the CDV is dated May 1865, at the vert end of the Civil War. The portrait was made by T. A. Beach of Delaware, Ohio. The Federal Revenue stamp has been removed, Henry wears a dress with diamond patterns, We do not know whay yhje color was. There looks to be white and back trim abnd a black waistband. The dress has colored band. Henry seems to be wearing pantalettes made in the same material as the dress. He has stripped stockings. His hair is very thick, but worn short.

Odell, Jack (England, 1912)

A HBC reader has provided an account about Jack Odell. He is an 11 year old boy who in 1912 went with his family went on a motor tour of Ireland. The photographic record of the holiday became an important historical document. The photographs taken onboard the White Star liner Titanic are the only primary source historians and documentary makers have of the ship's onboard life and they give an idea of how the boys on board were dressed.

Oelschlagen, Henry (United States, about 1915)

Here we have another First Communion portrait, or at least we think it is a First Communion portrait. There are four children in the portrait. We think it is the older children having their First Communions. The older boy is Cletus Hullen. He wears a dark suit. The younger boy is Henry Oelschlagen. He wears a white shirt and white kneeopants with white long stockings. The girls are Margatet and Jeneviene Budina. I'm not sure what the younger children are doing with the older children. The portrait is undated and do not know where in America the portrait was taken.

Ollerenshaw, Edward (England, early 19th century)

We note a portrait of Edward Ollerenshaw painted by an unknown author. Edward was the son of Edward Ollerenshaw thus he was Edward Jr. Edward Jr was the Great-great uncle of Lord Sauderson (spelling indestincr). There are some questiion marks on the label so apparently the identification is somewhat uncertain. The portrait is undated. It looks to us based on the ruffled clollar that Edward had his portrait taken in the early 19th century. We are, however, somewhat confused. Edward's jacket, however, does not look at all like a skeleton suit which was in fashion at the time.

Overaker, Lewis (United States, 1940s-50s)

A HBc reader has provided us some images of a New Illinois family--the Overaker family. They were from Springfield, Illinois--the state capital. Some of the photographs are from the 1940s and show us Lewis at different ages with his brother, coysins, and father. We aldso see various family members in different decades. Unfortunately we do not know much about the family other than can be deduced from the photographs.

Owen, Walter (United States, 1895)

This little American boy, Walter Own, had a cabinent portrait take, we think in 1895. Walter was born May 14, 1993. As he looks about 2 years old, we believe that the portrait was probanly taken in 1895. His parents were John Owen and his wife Anna Owen. The portrait was tajen by Hohmanny of Mondovi, Wisconsin. Walter wears a blouse kilt suit done with sailor styling. His blouse does not have the sailor "V" front, but the destinctive white stipes are a popular element in sailor styling. Mother has added a white bow. He has what looks like a fob more than a lanyard, but presumably has a whistle on it. An interesting aspect of the portrait is the studio chair he stands on. It shows an adjustable headrest that can be adjusted for the sitters height.

Owens, Roger and Rodreck (United States, 1890s)

These two boys are Rodger and Rodrick from were from Waupaca, Wisconsin. We think their last name was Ownens. The cabinent card portrait is undated, bit looks like the 1890s to us. At first glance we thought the boys were wearing wearing Fauntleroy kilt suits. But on closer examination they seem to be jacketed dresses. The difference is that rather than wearing a kilt skirt the boys seem to be wearing drsses. The top of the dresses is made to look like a vest, but the top seems to be sewed toether rather than separate garment. Kilt suits and dresses were still common for younger boys, especially in the early 1890s. Notice the boys are wearing striped long stockings, that was becomeing less common by the 1890s. On;y one of the boys wears ringlets. He looks to be a little older.

Created: 10:16 PM 10/17/2005
Last updated: 7:03 PM 10/18/2008