According to the text the photo was taken “about 1887”. We believe the group was posed in front of the family residence at 37 Marion Street in Cleveland. We do not know what the occasion was. The original is quite faded, so an enhanced version is included in which it is easier to see the faces.
The notes on the back were written by Marie Boehmer (nee Betz) or one of her siblings, so ‘Dad’ refers to Edward R. Betz. With that in mind, the people in this photo are, left to right:
Back row: Edward R. Betz, Frank Humbert
Third row: Lena Sar Louis (Sarlouis), Henry Hylman, Celia Patterson, Frank Sar Louis (Sarlouis)
Second row: Kate Schaefer, Rosina Betz, Alois Betz, Conrad Betz
Front row: John Schaefer, Ed Schaefer, Jumbo (dog)
We have no information on Frank Humbert, Henry Hylman or Celia Patterson.
Lena Sar-Louis (Sarlouis) is a niece of Alois’. Her husband Frank Sar-Louis (Sarlouis) is the son of Peter Sarlouis of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. More to say about Lena and the Sarlouis family in the text accompanying the dinner party photo.
Kate Schaefer is likely to be Rosina’s daughter Catherine from her previous marriage to Joseph Keller. Since she is pictured here with children and without her husband it is possible she was widowed.
The photographer, named as “J. J. Betz” both in the text on the obverse, as well as in ink on the bottom left of the photo, is almost certainly Alois’ and Rosina’s son John J. Betz.
Original
Enhanced
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