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1891, Mrs. C.R.Morehead, El Paso, Texas Theo C. Marceau, fotographer, 826 Market St. Phelan Building San Franciso, CAL |
In keeping with yesterday's theme I'm posting a picture that may or may not be Mrs. Charles Robert Morehead, aka Lemire Morris Morehead. The back of the photo is stamped "C.R. Morehead, El Paso Texas" and "Mrs" is written in pen before the stamp. It is also annotated "1891." So does that mean the picture is of Lemire Morehead or did she stamp the photograph to show ownership? I've written about Charles and Lemire back in 2012. You can see a picture of her as a young woman in that blog post. I know she was living in Los Angeles during the later part of her life and that's where she died in 1910.
This 1891 picture was in a group of several other pictures including the one marked "Cousin Turner to Cousin Fannie." It's interesting to note that Lemire and Charles named their daughters Ida and Fanny. We're certain that John W. Moran and Sophia Gunn Moran named two of their daughters after the Moreheads. Fannie Lemira Moran was most likely a nod to Lemire Morris Morehead as well as Lemire's daughter Fanny and their other daughter was named Ida Morehead Moran and most definitely was named after Charles and Lemire's daughter, Ida Morehead!
Theo C. Marceau was a well known San Francisco photographer. The following comes from The San Francisco News Letter, July-Dec. 1896:
A WELL-KNOWN NAME.The signature at the foot of these lines has become ahousehold word in San Francisco. Photography, asthere are few cities in the world that can beat us at it.practiced here, has indeed become one of the arts, andcourse, but patient study and care in every detail hasOur atmosphere may have something to do with it, ofachieved more than anything else. Theo. C. Marceau,Phelan Building, can improve upon nature in his photo-whose beautiful studio is at 826 Market street, in thegraphs, and when one considers how handsome our womenespecially, find satisfaction in posing before his cameras.are, that is saying a great deal. A single glance at some of his work will suffice to prove what we say. Ladies,the person, divine their moods, and know how to catchOne must be an artist to know how one will look at one's best; one must be able, as it were, to fathom the nature ofwork done is perfect. All the latest styles of photographythem upon the plate that will hold them forever. This Mr. Marceau does, and he is surrounded by such efficient assistants in every department that every detail of theabsolutely lifelike. Considering the quality of his work,can be had in his studio. His color work is simply beauti- ful, and adds something to his pictures that makes them his prices are very low, reputation, in his case, bringinghim all the patrons he can desire.