Unknown Woman? by Gebhardt & Co., Memphis Tennessee

Here we have another photograph of an unknown woman, maybe.  See update below.  The only thing I do know is that the photograph was taken in Memphis, Tennessee at the Gebhardt & Co. studio located on Main street.  However, because she was a lady she used the ladies entrance  at no. 2 and 4 Mulberry Street!

The photo was taken between 1880 and 1895 which is when the Gebhardt studio, by this name and at this location, was in operation.



UPDATED January 15 2017

Today, Kent looked at the photograph and said she looked like the same woman in a painting we have.  We compared the two and she does appear to have the same facial features and she is prominently wearing a good size brooch.    The painting is that of a woman not yet married in her finery with her hair still down while the photograph is the married matronly picture showing a settled woman.  At least that's what we think!

We know the painted woman is Louise Elizabeth McLean, wife of Quincy Shumate. She was born July 28 1855 in Tennessee a daughter of Ephraim Harvey McLean and Mary Frances Hardin.  We know this because there is a fragile piece of paper on the back of the painting that tells us that it was painted by her daughter Pattie Shumate. The note also tells us that Pattie painted and it was her first first painting ever! She goes on to say that she was using a picture taken from a tintype, 3 1/2" x 4 1/2",  of her mother that was taken about 1876, it was a year or so before her marriage to Quincy and she was about 21 years old in the painting.  And it was taken in Shelbyville, Tennessee

Young Lady, Off the Shoulder Evening Dress by Thuss

This lovely young woman is unknown to us.  The photograph was taken at Thuss Studios, 230 Cherry Street, in Nashville, Tennessee. I liked her so much I've included a closeup of her lovely face.

Unknown Woman by McFadden Studio, Paducah KY

Another unknown woman from Moran Place.  She was immortalized by the McFadden Studio in Paducah Kentucky.  Taken in the early 1900's.

William G. McFadden was a photographer and an artist who worked in oil.  He was born Sept 14 1869 in Shelbyville, KY to William McFadden and Elizabeth Grub.  His wife was named Hattie, maiden name unknown    He died in Paducah at his home on November 6, 1941 and was interred at Oak Grove Cemetery in Paducah.

Obituary-Paducah Sun-Democrat 

November 6 1941

W.G. McFadden, Photographer for 52 years, Dies

Moved to Paducah at age of 7; was once School Board Member.

W.G. MdFadden, 72, Paducah photographer, died at 5 a.m. today at his home, 1413 South Third Street.

Mr. McFadden was born in Shelbyville, KY, September 14 1869, and moved with his family to Paducah when he was about seven years old.  He went into photographic work when he was about 20 years old with the old Hunt Photography studio on the second floor of a building on the northwest corner of Fourth and Broadway.

After obtaining experience Mr. McFadden went to Louisville where he worked for about three years.  He returned here and took over the Hunt studio.  He moved into the Oehlschlaeger building at Sixth and Broadway more than 15 years ago where he has been ever since.  Besides being a photographer, he was also an oil painter.

He was a member of the Theosophlet Church and the and the Paducah Theosophical Society.  At one time he was a member of the Paducah board of education. 

He is survived by his wido, Mrs. Hattie McFadden; two brothers, Dan McFadden, Paducah and Ed McFadden, Lebanon, Mo., a sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Lone, Philadelphia, Penn.

Funeral arrangements have not been completed. 

Randolph-Macon Women's College, Unknown Woman

We don't know who she is but we know she was at Randolph-Macon Women's College because it's written on the back of the photograph.  The college opened in 1893 with a class of 36 students and 12 professors.  In 2007 they changed the name to Randolph College because they began admitting men to the college for the first time.

The photographer was Adam H. Plecker of Lynchburg Virginia.  Plecker was the leading photographer in the area and is most well known for his portraits of Confederate Army Officers.  In addition to documenting Lynchburg and Confederate Army Officers he also photographed students at nearby colleges.

















Here's an advertisement for the college that appeared in the August 1906 edition of the Confederate Veteran.