Name/Title
Album, PhotographEntry/Object ID
2021.28.18.1Description
This is a small album measuring 5 1/8" by 3.75" and 1" thick. It has a cardboard cover with leather over the cardboard. There is a small metal clasp that has been broken. It contains 8 small carte de visite photos (some photos have been removed). There is an index in the back showing the 12 photos that used to be in the album. There is also a newer card in front that has names relating to the photos but no indication as to who wrote the names. In addition there are inscriptions under the photos that have been erased. Given the fact that the photos may have been moved around within the album, it is impossible to know for certain the names of each person.
We can get an idea of the dates of the photos as most were taken by the same photographer:
George Daniels Morse, noted as a traveling daguerreian and/or photographer, 1859 to 1889. Apparently based in San Francisco, he traveled to the northern part of California.
In addition, one of the cards (card6) has a revenue stamp which was used during the Civil War 08/01/1864 to 07/31/1866. This fits within the timaframe that GD Morse was in business.
The cards show they were given to "Emma". There is an Emma M. Garretson born 03/24/1858 in Benicia who attended the Young Ladies Seminary and Mills starting 1870. My guess would be that this album was created about 1874 possibly when she graduated.
The Garretson family starts with William Garretson marrying Sarah Wilson and moving to Benicia. One of their children was Nathan Hammond Garretson (08/26/1811) who married Jane Adelaide Howard (1818). There children were:
Fannie (1848)
Sallie (1850) teacher
Emma (1858)
William (1863 - 1916)
There is some connection between the old painting of the hospital and Fannie and Sarah Garretson. We also had a W.H. Garretson grocery store in the I.O.O.F. building.Collection
Benicia Historical Museum CollectionMade/Created
Artist
Morse, George Daniels
