This is a priceless (to me) image in my computer file folders from the Carringer family collection:
This photograph is from my grandfather's photo album. The note on the back of the photograph indicates that this photo was taken at Christmas 1916. The setting is the Austin and Della (Smith) Carringer house at 2105 30th Street in San Diego (from the palm tree and the porch decoration seen in other photographs in this collection).
The people in this photograph are members of the Matthias Loucks family that lived in Oregon in this time period. I think that the persons in the photograph are:
* Matthias (Tice) Loucks (1846-1918), a native of Canada, died in Los Angeles.
* Harriet (Vaux) Loucks (1849-1924), the daughter of James and Harriet (Taylor) Vaux, and the first cousin of Abigail (Vaux) Smith, the mother of Della (Smith) Carringer.
* I think that the man in the cap is Wano Glenn Loucks (1886-1945), son of Matthias and Harriet (Vaux) Loucks), but I'm not sure. It might be his brother, Warren Tice Loucks (1889-1965) or his brother-in-law, Dallas Stubbs, husband of Blanche (Loucks) Stubbs.
* I think that the young girl is either Blanch P. Stubbs (born 1903) or Maude Stubbs (born 1906), daughters of Dallas and Blanche (Loucks) Stubbs. It may also be Thelma Loucks (born 1909), daughter of Wano and Bessie (--?--) Loucks.
* I don't know who the young man is - he may be Paul Stubbs (born 1899), the son of Wano and Bessie (--?--) Loucks, but he looks too young to be age 17.
If someone descended from this Loucks family can identify these persons, I would appreciate it! I have several more group photos of them with some of the Smith and Carringer families.
Hattie Sophia (Vaux) Loucks is my 1st cousin 4 time removed, with a common ancestors of James and Mary (Palmer) Vaux. My 2nd great-grandmother is a first cousin to Hattie.
A formal outdoor family portrait featuring five individuals—two older adults, one younger adult male, and two children (a boy and a girl)—standing closely together. They are positioned in front of a large palm tree and a wood-sided house with a porch. The lighting is bright and natural, casting distinct shadows, and the subjects maintain serious, unsmiling expressions typical of the era's photographic conventions.
2) Historical Background:
The photograph captures a middle-class American family during the World War I era, though prior to the United States' official entry into the conflict in 1917. The migration of families to Southern California for its climate and agricultural opportunities was booming during this period. The formal attire worn for a holiday gathering reflects the social norms of the time. Genealogists researching the Matthias Loucks family should consult the 1910 and 1920 US Federal Censuses for San Diego County, California, as well as local city directories and vital records to confirm family relationships and exact residential addresses.
3) Estimated Date:
Prediction: Circa 1916 (specifically December 1916). Confidence: High. Reasoning: The provided context specifies 'Christmas 1916.' The clothing styles perfectly corroborate this era. The boy's Norfolk jacket, the girl's drop-waist dress with a large sailor-style collar, the older man's high stiff collar, and the younger man's flat cap are all hallmark fashions of the mid-1910s. The lack of heavy winter outerwear aligns with a Southern California December.
4) Estimate location:
Prediction: San Diego, California (or Southern California). Confidence: High. Reasoning: The provided context states San Diego, CA. The visual evidence strongly supports this: the presence of a mature date palm tree and the bright, warm sunlight (especially if taken around Christmas, as the context claims) are highly characteristic of Southern California's Mediterranean climate. The wood-frame architecture is also typical of the region's early 20th-century residential buildings.
5) Visual Clues:
Fashion: The older man wears a three-piece suit with a high, stiff collar. The older woman wears a long dark skirt and a light, high-collared blouse with a long beaded necklace. The younger man sports a flat cap and suit jacket. The young girl wears a drop-waist dress with a prominent wide white collar, and the boy wears a belted Norfolk-style jacket. Environment: A mature date palm tree dominates the background, indicating a warm climate. The house features narrow horizontal clapboard siding and a porch. A bare, thorny branch is visible in the foreground, and a concrete walkway is on the lower right. Weather: Bright sunlight, suggesting clear weather.
6) Technical Details:
The image is a sepia-toned black-and-white photograph, likely a gelatin silver print, which was the dominant photographic medium for consumer and professional portraits in the 1910s. The image exhibits high contrast from direct sunlight and shows minor surface wear, but remains in good condition with sharp focus on the subjects.
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