Oh, Those Sleeves! Lizzie Glass, Allegheny, PA circa 1895

This photograph is inscribed on the back, "Aunt Lizzie Glass," and was produced by the J. E. Sonnenberg Studio in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania.  The photographer's imprint provides us with two address, 136 Ohio Street and 67 Cedar Avenue.  Sonnenberg worked out of these locations from roughly 1881 to 1897.

There are a lot of clues to help date this cabinet card,  from Lizzie's enormous gigot sleeves to the pinked edges on the cabinet card.  I would date it sometime around 1895-96 when women's sleeves reached their fullest size at the shoulder.

Another help in identifying Lizzie is that this photograph came with a collection of Glass family photos, including one of "Aunt Lydia, "Ethel Glass," "Hazel Glass" and "Grandpa Mason."  All were taken in Allegheny, PA.  And even better, the photographs were found with a bible, complete with birth information on some of the Glass family members, including:

Ethel Elizabeth Glass, born Jan. 2, 1902
Mary Louis Glass, born Sept. 4, 1906
Hazel Lenora Glass, born 21 April 1910
Ethel Elizabeth Glass Patterson, d. May 27, 1929

Elizabeth (Lizzie) Glass, according to the bible, died December 30, 1945.  I found an obituary index listing for Elizabeth Glass who died in Butler Co., PA on this date.  Her maiden name is listed as Mehrmann.  I don't have access to the obituary so I can't provide details on its contents, but this information fits with the specifics I've uncovered in my research.

Elizabeth Mehrmann, daughter of Frank and Margaretta Mehrmann of Allegheny, married Roy E. Glass on the 27th of April 1898 in Allegheny.  In the 1900 US census, Elizabeth (b. 1874) and Roy (b. 1867) are living in Oakmont, Allegheny, PA with Roy's brother, Harry Glass (born 1877).

By 1910 the family has grown, and they are now living in W. Newton Ward, Westmoreland, PA.  Roy and Elizabeth have three children at this time:  Ethel, 8; Mary 3, and a newborn.  In the 1920 census for Beaver Ward, Beaver, PA we discover the newborn's name is "Hazel."

I will post the photographs of Ethel, and Hazel in an upcoming post.  I also discovered who "Aunt Lydia" is, and will be covering that in a future post as well.  I am still working on "Grandpa Mason."

UPDATE  March 10, 2012:  It's another Family Photo Reunion!  One of Lizzie's granddaughters has claimed this picture, along with 7 other photographs from the Glass family collection.  These will be heading back home shortly.