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I reunite identified family photos that I find in antique shops and second hand stores with genealogists and family historians. If you see one of your ancestors here and would like to obtain the original, feel free to contact me at familyphotoreunion [ at ] yahoo [ dot ] com. I also accept donations of pre-1927 images to be reunited. I hope you enjoy your visit!
~The Archivist


Monday, January 16, 2012

Two Stories: Jacob Sedlacek and Henry Strasburg, Omaha, c. 1880, Part One


 As I research these old photographs, I am very aware that each and every cdv or cabinet card tells two stories:  one that centres around the subject, and one that centres around the photographer.   I'm dividing what started as one post into two.  The first will look at the subject of the photo:  Jacob Sedlacek.  Tomorrow's post will attempt to answer some questions about the photographer:  Henry Strasburg of Omaha.

This particular carte de visite is marked with the subject's name and dates:  "Jacob Sedlacek, 7/25/1851 to 4/14/1915.  I found a Jacob Sedlacek who fits in the 1910  US Federal Census for Richland, Sarpy, Nebraska: Jacob, 54, immig. 1866, b. Austria, with his wife Mary, 49 and children:  Anton, 25; Bessie, 22; James, 20; John, 13; Katie, 11; Emilia, 8 & Anna, 6.   [Daughter, Bessie, married a Mr. Elseman.  She died 27 Dec 1960 in Bellingham, Washington. Source:  Washington Death Certificates, 1907-1960]

The Sedlacek family also appears in the 1900 census for Richland.  Jacob's birth month & year is listed:  Jul 1849.  There are two additional children in this census:  Frank, b. July 1881 and Joseph, born March 1883.

In Douglas County Nebraska Marriage 1854-1881 I found "Jacob Sedlacek, [29, Omaha, born Bohemia, father: John Sedlacek, mother: Mary Milarik (Milnarik)] married Mary Pivonka [19, Omaha, b. Bohemia father: James Pivonka, mother: Anna Kolar.] Marriage date: 6 March 1880."

Find-a-Grave provides a picture of Jacob's final resting place.  His gravestone reads, b. 25 Jul 1850, d. 11 Apr. 1916.  While these dates do not match the photo's exactly, I'm not too concerned.  The dates differ throughout most of the records I've looked at.  The person who wrote this down on the photo could have been operating from memory.  I notice they are a year off on both dates, but have the correct months. 

Be sure to drop by for tomorrow's post about photographer, Henry Strasburg.

UPDATE December 1, 2013:  The image of Jacob Sedlacek has been reunited with a great grandchild. 

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