Periodically, the StLGS publications director will receive photos which have been orphaned. The photos come from a variety of sources including society events, members who have come across photos in their research, and sometimes, even from out-of-state resources. While the society concentrates on St. Louis history, a photo that may be from outside our area will be displayed because someone may be looking for it. We hope to help every picture displayed find a home.

If you recognize a picture as being pertinent to your genealogical research, you may contact the publications director at publications@stlgs.org . Many thanks to StLGS member, Shirley Wadell, for additional information on some of the photos.

Click on the thumbnail to display the full size picture.

Thumbnail Notes
3 German kids 3 German Children
These children are identified only by their first names. Caroline is six years and ten months old; Ferdinand is four years and six months, and Emil is two years, one month. The photo is dated 1878 and the photographer is Guerin, 506 Olive Street Road, St. Louis
Fannie Acton
The back of Fannie’s photo says: G. D. Wilson’s Double Light Rembrandt Gallery of Art, Corner Sixteenth Street and Franklin Avenue, St. Louis, Mo. [Further research shows her to be Frances Ann (Acton) Brown, b. 30 March 1859, d. 29 November 1931. Spouse: John J. Brown; parents Edward Acton and Jane Oakes.]
Peter Austin
Both photos depict Dr. Peter AUSTIN and were taken by different photographers in St. Louis, Mo. One is a cabinet card; the other is a carte de visite, similar to today’s business cards. The smaller photo says on the back: “Dr. Peter Austin, Grandm. Floyd was attended by this dr. when her last child was born.” It is marked “J. A. Scholten, photographer, 301 & 303 North 5th St., Cor. Of Olive. Entrance 509 Olive St., St. Louis, Mo.” in a decorative floral plaque graphic. The larger photo is marked “Strauss” on the front. On the back it says, “Dr. Peter Austin my grandfather’s brother.” It’s signed “E.S.B.” Strauss Photo was at 1818 Franklin Ave., St. Louis.
This photo is from the Gayer Studio, 22nd and St. Louis Ave. in St. Louis. There is nothing on the back. The photo was purchased from Collinsville, Illinois, on an Internet auction and donated to St. Louis Genealogical Society in 2001.
Pearl and Elmer Burick
We know these children belong to someone locally because this photo was left behind in our office in April 2017. No one has called to claim it, so if you know this family or if you left this photo, please contact us!
Burkhardt Wedding
This photo is in very bad condition, although it can be electronically enhanced so that most of the damage can be disguised. It appears as though it has been chewed or was damaged by etching with a hard object. The wedding couple is identified on the back as “Burkhardts Wedding Pictures.” On the lower right of the front is an embossed label that reads “Chas Betz, 586 W. Market, Lou., Ky.”
Cassilly Studios (boy)
This photo is unlabeled except for the name of the photography studio. This little boy is backed with buff paper. The address of the studio is on the back, 1264 South 4th Street.
Cassilly Studios (girl)
This photo is unlabeled except for the name of the photography studio. The photo is backed with pink paper. The address of the studio, 1264 South 4th Street, is on the back and it also says “See specimens at Stumpf’s Carpet Store, Corner Broadway and Rutger Sts.”
Ceremonial Man
Dressed in some ceremonial outfit, this man sports a cross on his sleeve as well as one on his hat. There is no name on the photo and it is quite discolored and faded. It is actually a postcard. In the bottom right corner, under his hand, is an embossed label that says Maxwell, ? Lawton Ave., St. Louis (some of the letters are missing). The reverse side is addressed in pencil to Rev. Robert H. Brown, 2710 N. Newstead, St. Louis, Mo. There is no stamp or postmark; it appears it was never mailed.
Church Reunion
There is a name and address written on the back, but it may be that of the contributor, Owen D. Snyder of Creve Coeur, Missouri. In pencil, it says “unidentified picture; maybe Mt. Zion Church Reunion.” The photo is yellowed but in good condition. The cardboard backing is crumbling on two sides and has been water damaged.
Minoh Rebecca Conklin and John Henry Ireton
We have a small packet of information on the Ireton family. There are two copies of this photo. On the back of one of them, it says: “This picture is from a tintype of the boys great-great grandparents: John Henry Ireton Born May 1, 1855 died Oct. 29, 1916; Minoh Rebecca Conklin, his wife married in Canton, Ohio March 5, 1879. She died about 193_.” There are four pages from an album or Bible. The originals are in ragged shape: yellowed and torn; however, there are copies of each page. The births are of members of the Ireton family, including John H., Minoh Conklin, James Harry, Charles Richard, and Margaret Bernice. The marriage page has John H. and Minoh’s marriage; the deaths record John H. Ireton; and the Memoranda page has the birth of John Harry Ireton in 1909. The spelling throughout is poor, so this may have been a farm family or one living in a rural area.
Walter Cummings
Walter Cummings sat for his portrait at Meier Studios in St. Louis. Embossed on the back is “From Meier, 1406 S. Broadway, 1814 N. Grand Ave., 2624 S. Jefferson Ave.” Walter was in Kansas City for the second portrait, done when he was much older. It is from Speake Studios, 807 Main Street, Kansas City, Mo. On the back, in pencil, are the names “A. E. Cummings” and “Walter Cummings.”
Charles Decker
Printed on the bottom of this photo is the following information: “Mr. Charles Decker, 19 Years old––Height, 31 inches––Weight 45 lbs.” The photo comes from an album purchased in Hermann, Missouri, in 2002.
Drum & Bugle Corps
This unmarked photo features the St. Louis County Drum & Bugle Corps (date unknown). It was previously published in the Winter 2007 StLGS Quarterly.
Lollie Edgar
This photo is from the Strauss Studio and is marked “Lollie Edgar—St. Louis” on the back. The front of the photo is marked “Strauss.” The back of the photo is marked “Strauss Photo.” The studio was 1818 Franklin Ave. in St. Louis. [Note: Lollie might be a nickname for Laura.]
Mrs. Elhardt
This photo is from the Roth Studios and is marked “Mrs. Elhardt” on the back. The front is stamped “Roth, 2006 S. Broadway, St. Louis.” The back of the photo is marked “S. Roth, Artistic Photographer, 2006 S. Broadway, St. Louis, Mo.” Mr. Roth apparently won a “First Premium” award at the St. Louis Fair in 1893. [Note: She might have been Lena Offerman, b. 31 October 1891, d. 12 February 1917, married to Louis Elhardt.]
Hess Family
This photo was found at our annual Family History Conference in Maryland Heights in April 2006. It has the number nineteen written on the back and the name “Hess” on both the back and the front. It has pieces of black paper still stuck to the back, indicating it was taken from an old album, and is torn along the right side.
Rose Heime nee Pickup
In pencil on the bottom, this says “Oklahoma, Bartlesville, Rose Heime nee Pickup, schoolmate/neighbor.” On the back there is a label that says “Dau of James and Kate Pickup m. Henry Heime 1898—to Bartlesville, OK.” [Note: rose was born 16 October 1872 and died 12 August 1958. Her parents were James W. Pickup and Catherine “Kate” Parker. She was married to Henry Heine.]
Josephine Henderson Josephine Henderson
No date is on this photo but the photographer is Nichols and Howard, 60 North Fourth St., St. Louis. There is a green stamp on the back featuring George Washington, the number “3” and “InterRevenue Proprietary,” leading us to think this might be of Civil War vintage.
Lou Henderson Lou Henderson
The front of this photo is stained; there is a black dot on the girl’s chin and dark stains on the right-hand side. Both clean up easily in a photo-editing program, as you can see. It is likely that Lou is the child of Josephine and Sam (pictured above and below). The photographer is Nichols and Howard, also as above.
Sam Henderson Sam Henderson
No date or other information on this photo, although he likely is related to the previous two, perhaps Josephine’s husband? The photographer was John H. Fitzgibbon, 116 North Fourth Street, St. Louis. Fitzgibbon was active from 1857 until 1882, which can help date the photo.
W. A. Hensley
This photo of W. A. Hensley was previously published in one of our Quarterly journals, but still remains unclaimed. It comes from White Studios in St. Louis. The stamped material on the back says, “White & Donnel, Proprietors, White Photographers, 1014 Washington Avenue, St. Louis.” In very faded ink it says, “W. A. Hensley to his sister Fanny A. Watson.”
Anna and William Hoffman
A tracing service in the Czech Republic is searching for relatives of this couple in order to restore property taken during WWII. Anna was born on 4 January 1907 in Ostrova, then Poland, now the Czech Republic. Her parents were Jendrich Katz and Amalia Loffel. She died in St. Louis on 15 May 1946 from a “hyperthyroidism crisis” and was buried by Rindskopf Roth in the Mt. Olive Cemetery (now United Hebrew Cemetery). At the time of her death, she and her husband, Vilem (William) were living at 5390 Pershing Avenue. William was working for the Angelica Corporation, based in Maplewood, Missouri.
William only bought one plot in the cemetery and his whereabouts after Anna’s death remain a mystery. If you have any knowledge of this couple, please contact the society at publications@stlgs.org and we will put you in touch with the tracing service.
Jonathon D. Hull
We currently have a copy of Jonathon’s Pennsylvania death certificate, issued in 1962, in the StLGS office. One of our members found it in a book she purchased at a past Family History Conference. Jonathon was born on 5 February 1884 in Lebanon Springs, New York. He was named for his father, and his mother’s name was Mary Schroder. His wife, also Mary, was the informant on his certificate. He died on 24 April 1933 of influenza, made worse by asthma. He was the manager of E. L. Brady, Inc., a plating business, and he lived at 6323 Douglas Avenue in Pittsburgh before his death. If you are related to Jonathon and would like his death certificate, please contact the publications director at publications@stlgs.org and we will be happy to forward the paper to you. [Note: He was John Douglas Hull, with an alternate birthdate of 7 February 1883. His wife waws Mary Brady.]
Lady and Man
Nothing is known of these two people other than they were in St. Louis to sit for their portraits at the Strauss Photography Studio, which, at one time was at 1818 Franklin Avenue. Their clothing and hair suggest either late nineteenth or early twentieth century. A woman in Maine is looking for the names of the individuals. If you think you might know who they are, please contact StLGS.
Wm. F. Lambach
The back of William’s photo says: St. Louis Double-Light Photograph Gallery. Brecht and Co., No. 906 Sixth St., near Franklin Ave., St. Louis, Mo.
This photo seems to be completely unmarked. It is in a folder that is decorated with Art Deco features in shades of gray and black. The photo was found by one of our members in the Galleria parking lot during the annual Nursery Foundation Book Fair in April 2000.
Lelia Mager
This photo is in excellent condition, although it is very yellowed from the acidic cover it’s been kept in. It is signed on the lower right: Lelia Mager, 12/25/14. Below the photo is the photographer’s signature: Tupper-Gaffney. [Note: She was Lelia Scherer, born 10 December 1887 or 1890, died 25 February 1950. She was married first to Benjamin Philip Mager, and second to Max Rosenfeld.]
John and Wilson McMurray
The back of this torn photo says, “This picture was taken on about November 1st 1887.” The front has two numbers in pencil and also on the back it says that the taller boy, number 1, is John Dennison McMurray and the smaller boy, presumably his brother, is Judge Wilson McMurray. [Note: John Dennison McMurray was born 13 December 1872 and died 19 March 1948. He was the son of Robert Emmett McMurray and Selina Gordon Dennison.]
Henry and Amelia Menzenwirth
This photo has a penciled message on the front that says, “Mr. and Mrs. Menzenwirth Amelia Bergman Dead.” On the back, someone has placed a label, which says that the woman is Amelia Bergmann, daughter of Heinrich and Maria. She married Henry Menzenwirth in 1892. There is also the penciled name “niebling Adele,” which is probably the photo’s owner. The photographer was Hammer Studio on South Broadway in St. Louis. [Note: Henry was born on 27 September 1862 in Missouri, and his wife, Amelia, was born on 1 December 1871. She was the daughter of Heinrich and Maria/Mary Bergmann.]
Mueller Wedding
There are no markings on this photo. The ornate paper frame in which it was found is marked “Mueller Sisters, 3021 Cherokee St., St. Louis.”
Anna (Recker) Niebling
Anna (Recker) Niebling is number 4 in this photo. The school is unknown but was around 2nd and Sidney Streets in St. Louis. The teacher was Mrs. Hansen and the date was 1882. The Kuhn Brothers were the photographers. [Note: Anna Carolina (Recker) Niebling was born on 18 October 1872 and died 29 June 1960. She was married to Ludwig/Louis Niebling. Her parents were William Recker and Caroline Plogstert. Her granddaughter hopes some of her classmates might be interested in the photo.]
The Parker Children
In pencil on the back, this says “Aunt Pauline (top), Grandmother Julia (left), and Uncle George Parker.” On the bottom, in ink, it says “Pauline, Julia, and George Parker 1880 (?) The photography studio was Genelli, Hulbert Bros., Proprietors, 923 Olive Street, St. Louis, Mo. [Note: Pauline P. Parker was born 6 May 1872 and died 3 March 1950. Julia Parker was born 6 May 1875 and died 18 September 1941. George Ward Parker was born 15 June 1878 and died 19 June 1963. They were children of George Ward Parker Sr. and Russella Lucy Russell.]
Pavlak/Zilinski Wedding
This marriage certificate is an original and we hope you can help us return it to its rightful owners. Mr. Joseph Zilinski of St. Louis married Miss Anna Pavlak of Springfield, Illinois, in Springfield on the 8th of May 1916. The witnesses were Martin and Rose Pavlak and they were married by John Czuberkis, “a Catholic clergy.”
Herman, Paul, and Loby Reim
On the back of this photo, it says “Herman, Paul, Loby Reim.” The photo was taken by St. Louis Photo. and Art Novelty Co., 3506 S. Jefferson Avenue, St. Louis, Mo. [Note: These were the children of Gottleib Reim and Katherine Paule. They have a FindaGrave memorial, no. 71622912.]
Altie May Remington
This is Altie May Remington. Her name is on the back, where it also says the photo was going to W. H. Keehane in Shrewsberry, Missouri, on 14 January 1899. The photo comes from the Goldsmith Studio at 1012 Olive Street in St. Louis. [Note: She was Alice Martha (Remington) Kaufer, born 18 August 1881 and died 9 September 1902. Her husband was Frederick Kaufer.]
Emma Ruff
Emma Ruff (or maybe Rupp). is written in pencil across the back. The photography studio is Roth, 2006 S. Broadway in St. Louis, and more information on the photography studio is on the back. [Note: This might be Emma Kathrine (Schulze) Ruff, born 4 May 1872, died 14 October 1940, married to Arthur Titus Ruff. She is buried at Valhalla Cemetery.]
Ruff/Wiesehan
In pencil under this child is the following, exactly as written: “Meta Ruff’s cousins daughter, Wiesehan.” On the back it says “Cousin Kate daughter Meta Ruffs Mrs. Wiesehan.” Sun Gallery, 2351 Market Street, near Jefferson is on the front; Schaeffer Art photography, same address, is on the back. [Note: This might be Meta Bertha (Rulfs) Allen Wiesehan, born 2 June 1885, died 20 May 1969. Her first marriage was to Alfred William Allen; second marriage to Gerhard Henry Wiesehan.]
Mrs. A. P. Russell
Although the mat is water damaged, the rest of her photo is in good condition. The photographer’s studio, Murillo, 1314 Olive St., St. Louis is stamped on the lower right corner of the mat. Mrs. Russell must have ordered additional copies of this photo. Under her penciled name on the back is “albumin print 11×14.”
Willie Schaub
This little boy is Willie Schaub, four months old, which, as you can see, is penciled on the front. The photo was taken at the Klotter and Scherer Photograph Art Gallery at 906 and 908 N. 6th Street in St. Louis.
Herman Schreiber
Herman Schreiber is written in pencil across the back. The photography studio is Fischer, 9th and Franklin Avenue in St. Louis, Mo. The spot over Herman’s eye and the one by his mouth appear to be ink stains and not part of the baby’s face. [Note: Herman was born on 7 April 1883 in St. Louis; his parents were John and Mary Schreiber.]
Norma Sheurman
Obviously happy, this baby is labeled on the back “Norma Sheurman.” There is also a name in pencil in a shaky handwriting that looks similar but with a widely different spelling. On the front it says “Schneidt Studio, 3300 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, Mo. [Note: Norma was born on 12 September 1904 in St. Louis. Her parents were Louis and Louise Schuerman. She married Paul M. Brown, but died of complications from childbirth on 4 July 1921. She is buried at Sts. Peter and Paul Cemetery and has a FindaGrave memorial, number 48161401.]
Soldier
This photo was found among the papers at St. Jacobi Lutheran Church in St. Louis. There is no identification on it, but it is mounted on the back of a postcard and in a cardboard holder with a round cutout. The young man’s clothing suggests a time period at the beginning of the twentieth century.
St. Wenceslaus School 1950
This photo has been cracked in several places. The accompanying image has been touched up a bit so the faces are clearer, but the actual photo is damaged across the center and in several other areas. In the lower left it reads, “St. Wenceslaus School, St. Louis, Oct 1950.” In the lower right, it reads, “Lester Tones (or maybe Jones) Studio.”
This young man is Ed Stoppelworth (or some variation of that name, the penciled name written on the front is unclear.) The photographer was When at 1631 Franklin Ave., St. Louis. There is nothing on the back and the image is faded but still easy enough to see. [Note: Edward Stoppelwerth was born on 25 November 1854 and died on 20 September 1900. He has a FindaGrave memorial, number 32147120.]
Millie Sullivan
In pencil on the back it says “Miss Millie Sullivan, 4650 Easton Ave.” On the front, etched into the black matting, and extremely hard to see, is the name of the photographer, Theo Ragu, S.W. corner Easton and Taylor, St. Louis, Mo.
Marie Jacqueline Taylor
This cabinet card photo, taken by Studio Genelli, Hulbert Bros., proprietors, at 923 Olive Street, St. Louis, Mo., is identified as “Marie Jacqueline TAYLOR (or Tayln), 10 years old.” The photographer advertised “Instantaneous Portraits of Children A Successful Specialty.” His patent is dated 29 Dec 1885.
This baby is Bryan Tremlett, which is known because someone has taped a note on the back that says he lived on Virginia Avenue in the city (St. Louis) as a child. The studio is F. W. Guerin, 506 Olive St., St. Louis, and there is a list of awards bestowed on the studio during the 1890s. 1899 is the last date on the list. [Note: Bryan Andrew Tremlett was born on 11 April 1900 and died 23 December 1979. He was the son of Harry and Belle Tremlett.]
Two Boys—N.Y. Studio
Sadly, these two young men are unidentified. On the front of this faded photo it says “New York Portrait Co., 1426 & 28 Franklin Ave., St. Louis, Mo.” On the back it also says that the manager of the New York Portrait Co. was Geo. G. Utt. The tiny print in the box says that the negative of the photo was being preserved “for future orders and can be reduced for the smallest locket or enlarged up to life-size and finished in Crayon or Water Color.”
This young, unknown woman has nothing on the back of the photo. On the front it says “St. Louis Artogravure Co., 1426 & 1428 Franklin Ave., St. Louis, MO. She is holding a Christian prayer book, so this is probably a first communion photo.

Unknown Baby
On the back of this unknown baby’s photo is the photographer’s information: L. F. Hammer, 1554 Corondelet (sic) Avenue near cor. Carroll St., St Louis, Mo.

Unknown Tween
This unknown young man was photographed by the Hammer Photography Studio in their “New Ground Floor Gallery” at 1534 Broadway, St Louis, Mo.

Unknown Tween
This unknown young man was photographed by L. Roth studio, where “instantaneous portraits of children” were “a successful specialty.” Roth was an “artistic photographer” at 2006 S. Broadway in St Louis.
John J. Wysocki
This photo of John J. Wysocki was previously published in one of our Quarterly journals, but still remains unclaimed. The actual image is only about an inch and a half in height. It has John’s name on the back in ink with “Ellis, Wis.” under it. There is a stamp in the oval that says “Nursey,” probably the name of the photo studio.

Last modified: 03-May-2023 09:55