Thursday, July 9, 2015

52 Ancestors No. 27 - Ottawa Photographs of Moynahan Kin?

I posess a number of family photographs that were taken at various locations on Sparks Street in Ottawa.

Sparks Street, Ottawa photographs


Pittaway & Jarvis Photographer
117 Sparks St., Ottawa


John Moynahan (1866-1933)


Of these nine Ottawa photographs, I have identified only one person, my great grandfather John Moynahan (1866-1933) pictured above.

This photo of John definitely precedes his serving on the first Sandwich South Council in 1893 and his marriage on May 10, 1898 (aged 32 years) to Mary Broderick (1869-1960).

I would date the photo between 1880-1890 and this correlates with the information I located about the Pittaway and Jarvis Photography Studio.

"When Samuel J. Jarvis completed his apprenticeship in 1882 he went into business first with A.G. Pittaway (opened on 15 February, 1882) at 117 Sparks Street "(From “Early Ottawa Photo Studios” (Alfred George) Pittaway& (Samuel James) Jarvis , 117 Sparks St. [1882-1890] "

I wondered if the Pittaway and Jarvis series of photos were fellow teachers with John Moynahan in the 1880s? But why would they be saved and passed down through the family? Or were they photographs of Moynahan kin who travelled to Ottawa for a visit together from Windsor, Ontario?


Cabinet Card - J.D. Wallis Photographer 
61 Sparks St., Ottawa

That brings me to this"cabinet card" taken at J.D. Wallis Photographer in Ottawa.

By the early 1870s, cartes de visite's were supplanted by "cabinet cards," which were also usually albumen prints, mounted on cardboard backs measuring 4.5 by 6.5 inches. Cabinet cards remained popular into the early twentieth century.

J.D. Wallis Photographer had three locations on Sparks St: at 56 Sparks St., [1873-1874] (1st of 3 locations: photos); 24 Sparks St. [1874-1875] (2nd of 3 locations, photo) and 61 Sparks St., [1875 - 1895] (3rd of 3 locations: photos)  Source: Early Photographers and Photography Studios in Ottawa, Ontario.

We know this photo was taken at 61 Sparks therefore at some time between 1875 and 1895. But who could it be?


The Bowler

The cane

 Jarvis Photographer
141 Sparks St., Ottawa


Samuel Jarvis operated a photo shop at different loactions on Sparks St.: 140 Sparks St (1875-1879) and 141 Sparks st. (1879-1892) Source: Early Photographers and Photography Studios in Ottawa, Ontario.
Only one photo was taken at Jarvis


Interesting tie

If you read this post and notice any other clues in these family photographs or if you have any information about Windsor, Ontario ancestors being photographed in Ottawa, Ontario in the late 1800s, please add a comment below.

I would love to solve these photographic mysteries.


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