The Photographer Provides the Clues: Unknown Couple, Greene, Iowa, 1880s.

I found this cabinet card photograph with the  funeral card I wrote about in my Funeral Card Friday:  Margaret Emde post last week.  I suspect there is a connection with the Emde family, but there is really no way of knowing if these are the Emdes without another photograph to compare it to.

The photo was taken by L. L. Harvey in Greene, Butler County, Iowa. At the time of the 1880 census, Harvey was a 24-year-old photographer living as a boarder in Greene, and single.  He doesn't appear in the 1895 Iowa Census.   L.L. Harvey married Emma Winkelbleck and they had two children, Harold Harvey, born 1887 and Hellen Harvey, born 1894.  Emma enters into a second marriage with Levi Baker in 1899, so it is probable that L.L. Harvey died/left the area sometime between 1894 and 1895.

We can guess then, that the photograph was taken somewhere between 1880-1895.  With older folks it is difficult to date photos by fashion.  They held onto trends longer than young people.  Notice the woman's hairstyle:  she has parted her hair down the middle.  This was hugely popular in the 1860s and earlier.   Her dress style seems to be 1880s.  The embossed cabinet card border and gold script imprint indicate late 1880s.  There is nothing printed on the back.  I would place this card somewhere around 1885-1890.

Funeral Card Friday: Margaret Emde

There is no death! what seems so is transition,

This life of Mortal breath

but a suburb of the life elysian

Whose portal we call death.

I believe this "cabinet card" funeral card  was created for Margaret (Margaretha) Schwinn Emde, who died 1 September 1891 in Washington County, Iowa and is buried in the Wassonville Cemetery.  I found the information for Margaret Schwinn Emde in Grave Records of Washington County, Iowa; Graves Registration Project of W. P. A. 

Her age at time of death is provided on the funeral card, "Age 61 yrs., 5 mos., 26 days."  When I put it through my "date calculator" it comes out with a birth date of 6 March 1830.  The date of birth given on the Iowa Grave Record is 5 March 1830.  Still, it's only out a day out.  I think we probably have a match.

Margaret Emde appears in the 1880 US Federal Census living in Greene Township, Iowa, who was born in 1830 in Hesse-Darmstadt.  Her husband's name is Charles Emde. Margaretha was the mother of 7 living children:  Mary, 28;  Charles, 22; Albert,18;  Henry,16;  Christian, 14;  Minnie, 12;  and William, 10.  The 1870 census also shows the family in Green Twp., but with an additional daughter, Louisa, who would have been two years younger than Mary.  

Her son, Charles, who was born in 1858 shows up in the 1925 Iowa Census for Washington County, Lime Creek.  His mother's maiden name is listed as "Schorm," which I believe is a transcription error, but there isn't a link to the original document so I can't confirm this today.  However, son Christian, appears in the same census year in Liberty, Keokuk County, Iowa and the mother's maiden name is given as "Swinn."

UPDATE December 12, 2011:   Karen, a reader from Des Moines sent this obituary appearing in the Wellman Advance newspaper.  "Grandpa Emde" was Margaretha Schwinn Emde's husband.

The Wellman Advance - April 20, 1911

DEATH OF GRANDPA EMDE

Carl  F. Emde was born in Mengeringhousen, Waldenburg, Germany, November 13, 1825 and died at his home in Greene township, Iowa county, Iowa, April 13, 1911, at the age of 85 years and 5 months.

The deceased came to America at the age of 18 years. He settled in Findlay, Hancock county, Ohio, where he followed the carpenter trade. March 2 1851, he was united in marriage to Margaretha Schwinn. They came to Iowa in 1854, where he resided until his death. Ten children were born to this union, three together with their mother, have preceded him to the Great Beyond. Philip and Emma died in infancy and Albert at the age of 21 years. Those living are: Mrs. Maria Miller of George, Iowa; Mrs. Louisa Stoddard, Carl, Henry, Christian, and William of Wellman, Iowa; and Mrs. Wilhelmina Simmons, of Oklahoma. Their mother died September 1, 1891, at the age of 61 years, 5 months, and 26 days.

March 20, 1898, he was united in marriage to Mrs. Wilhelmina Zillmer, who with a boat of relatives and friends are left to mourn his death.

The deceased was a member of the German Lutheran church. He was confirmed in the faith at the age of 14 years, and remained a faithful member until his death. Mr. Emde always enjoyed good health until the last few years. His last illness covered a period of about 6 months, death coming as the only release from his suffering. He was a man of many good qualities and will be greatly missed.

The funeral was held at his home on Easter Sunday, April 16, 1911, at 10 a.m. Burial was in the Wassonville cemetery.