A couple years ago I opened an old, moldy box in my Grandpa Schmidt's basement and found hundreds of old unidentified photos. I have finally uploaded all of these to a single post for other family members to look through. As I do more research I will undoubtedly make better estimations of dates and locations as well as identify more people within the photos. As I do I will update this page with my findings. If you recognize someone in any of the photos after the "Photos of Immediate Family" section, I would greatly appreciate it if you could let me know.
All information on photo studios originally from
http://www.mnhs.org. Specifically, I combined information from the photographer and studio directories. On some I also referred to newspapers during the time period to ensure they were actually operational. These directories are not 100% accurate in the years work, but should serve as a solid guideline.
Photos of Immediate Family
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Ken Schmidt Jr.
with Helen Burnes |
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Ken Schmidt Sr.,
Ken Schmidt Jr.,
Winifred Burnes |
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Unknown Woman,
Unknown Man,
Winifred Burnes,
Ken Schmidt Sr. |
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Unknown Woman,
Ken Schmidt Sr.,
Winifred Burnes,
Unknown Man |
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Bernice Schmidt,
Paula Jean,
Greg Schmidt |
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Ellen Dwyer and
daughter
Helen Burnes
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Unknown
Couple |
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Steve Schmidt,
Greg Schmidt
being carried by
Ken Schmidt Sr.
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All Persons Unknown
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All Persons
Unknown |
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All Persons
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Ellen Dwyer
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Winifred Burnes |
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| Kenneth Schmidt Sr. |
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Kenneth Schmidt Sr. (Football Player)
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| Ken Schmidt Sr. with his friend Andy from Austin |
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| Kenneth Schmidt Jr. in Aug 1943 |
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| Kenneth Schmidt Jr. holding son Greg on his 1st birthday |
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| Beaver Lake in the Autumn of 1983 |
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| Kenneth Schmidt Jr. in Aug 1943 |
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| The autumn leaves at Beaver Lake in 1983 |
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| Barbara Kay Schmidt |
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| Winnifred Burnes with her son Kenneth Schmidt Jr., Ken's wife Carole Kruse, and Ken and Carole's daughter Leanne Schmidt |
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| Greg Schmidt with his sister Jill Marie Schmidt |
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| Greg Schmidt in his scout uniform, 7/9/1976 |
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| Home at Beaver Lake |
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| Ken Schmidt Sr. Knight Caster Newspaper Article |
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| Ken Schmidt Sr. with daughter in law Carole Kruse |
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| Leanne Schmidt, Carole Kruse, Ken Schmidt Jr., Winnifred Burnes |
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| Greg Schmidt and Jill Marie Schmidt |
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| Jill Marie Schmidt, Leanne Schmidt, and Greg Schmidt on Christmas Card. |
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| Jill Marie Schmidt, Greg Schmidt, and Leanne Schmidt |
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| Raymond E. Dwyer Obituary |
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| Leanne Schmidt |
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| Kenneth Schmidt Jr. |
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| Mrs. Burnes Obituary |
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| Family Reunion |
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| Family Reunion |
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| Family Reunion |
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| Steve Schmidt |
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| Jill Marie Schmidt, Carole Schmidt, Greg Schmidt, Leanne Schmidt, Ken Schmidt |
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| Carole Schmidt, Greg Schmidt, Jill Schmidt, Leanne Schmidt, Ken Schmidt |
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| Jill Marie Schmidt, Carole Schmidt, Greg Schmidt, Leanne Schmidt, Ken Schmidt |
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| Jill Marie Schmidt and Paula Jean |
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| Ken, Babe, and Kenny Aug. 1943 |
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| Kenny, Oct. 1941 |
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| Kenny, 5 years and 4 months old |
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| Kenny 1943 |
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| Kenny 1943 |
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| Kenny, Oct. 1941 |
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| Kenny, Oct. 1941 |
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| Leanne Schmidt and Jill Marie Schmidt |
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| Leanne Schmidt |
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| Greg Schmidt and Jill Marie Schmidt |
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| Steve Schmidt and Ken Schmidt |
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| Unknown man holding Kenny, Oct 1941 |
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| Newspaper Article |
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| Ken Schmidt Jr., Barbara Schmidt, Ken Schmidt Sr. |
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| Greg Schmidt, Leanne Schmidt, and Jill Marie Schmidt |
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| 1973 Greg Schmidt 3rd Grade |
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| 1973 Jill Marie Schmidt 1st grade |
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| 1974 Grade 2 Jill Marie Schmidt |
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| 1974 Greg Schmidt Grade 4 |
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| 1974 Leanne Schmidt Kindergarten |
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| 1976 Greg Schmidt 6th Grade |
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| 1976 Jill Marie Schmidt 4th grade |
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| 1976 Leanne Schmidt 1st grade |
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| Carole Kruse |
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| Kenneth Schmidt Jr. |
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| Kenneth Schmidt Sr. High School photo |
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| Nov. 1969 Greg Schmidt Kindergarten |
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| Barbara Schmidt with her brother Ken |
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| Barbara Schmidt |
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| Barbara Schmidt |
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| Barbara Schmidt |
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| Barbara Schmidt |
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| Barbara Schmidt |
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| Barbara Schmidt with Kenneth Schmidt |
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| Barbara Schmidt |
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| Barbara Schmidt |
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| Ken Schmidt with his wife Carole Kruse |
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| Greg Schmidt with his dad Ken Schmidt |
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| Ken and maybe Winifred |
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| Ken and Steve |
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| Ken Schmidt and Winnifred |
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| Leanne Schmidt |
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| Mamie Toenges and Ellen Dwyer |
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| Ken Schmidt, Winifred, Ellen Dwyer, Ken Schmidt jr. |
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| Steve, Ken Schmidt Sr., Ken Schmidt Jr., Greg Schmidt in crib |
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| Virginia Loeffler |
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| Winifred and Ken |
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| Winifred, Jill, Ken, Helen |
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| Winifred, Steve, Ken, Barb |
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| Joan, Carole, Lillian, and John Kruse |
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| Probably between 1910-1920 |
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| Back Says Lewis Burnes |
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| June 1, 1924 |
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| Addressed to Miss Cathryn Dwyer in Albert Lea |
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| Probably between 1900-1910 |
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| Probably From the 1870s |
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| Daniel Dwyer |
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| Joseph Dwyer |
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| Daniel Dwyer |
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| Back reads "Joe Burnes" |
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| James H. Burnes holding daughter |
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| Jill Marie Schmidt |
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| John and Lillian Kruse |
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| John Kruse |
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| Kenneth Schmidt Jr. |
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| Addressed to Mrs. H. Dwyer, City |
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| Probably Mary Ryan |
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| Nellie Dwyer is probably in the photo, since it is of her workplace |
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| Processed in Jul of 1928 |
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| Back reads "Tom's Homestead" |
Berntson Photo Studio
This photo studio was located in Albert Lea, Minnesota.
Addresses it may have had include:
- 115 South Broadway, Albert Lea, Minnesota
- 117 1/2 South Broadway, Albert Lea, Minnesota
- 228 South Broadway, Albert Lea, Minnesota
Broad dates of operation may include:
Specific dates of operation may include:
Studio names throughout time may have included:
- Berntson's Photographers
- Berntson & Randina
Clues:
Going by the known addresses of family members, the following people would have lived near the photo studio:
325 W. Main St. (bet. 0.2 and 0.3 miles from studio)
- Mary Winifred Carey (1860-1936)
- Richard Cunningham (abt. 1921 - unknown)
- Patrick Henry Dwyer (1854-1940)
- Raymond Dwyer (1900 - after 1953)
- Wilfred L. Dwyer (1898-1953)
- Winifred Dwyer (1895-after 1953)
523 Euclid Ave. (bet. 0.4 and 0.5 miles from studio)
- Andrew Olson (abt 1884 - unknown)
- Bernice Elisabeth Schmidt (1917-2003)
- Kenneth George Schmidt (1914 - 1974)
- Viola Mamie Schmidt (1916-1982)
- Esther Elisabeth Toenges (1900-1968)
- Freda Catherine Toenges (1909-1990)
- Mamie Anna Toenges (1893-1962)
Main Suspect: Mamie Anna Toenges
Clothing outdated for time period, picture probably taken in the 1920's. The picture she is holding is probably a younger photo of herself. The photo studio was right next to the St. Theodore Catholic church suggesting this person might have been catholic, which would mean she was not Mamie because Mamie was Lutheran. The photo studio would have been on the way to the church they did attend though. She appears to be wearing a ring which means she is probably married or widowed. The hat on her head may be a mourning cap, which widows were expected to wear during the mourning period.
Chesley's Art Studio
Locations along with their dates of operations may have included:
- Geneva, New York
- Watertown, Wisconsin
- Monmouth, Illinois
- Cedar Street, Owatonna, Minnesota
- Newspapers indicate it was located here between at least 1865-1878
- Newspapers indicate it was also located here between at least 1891-1896
- Pipestone, Minnesota
More general possible dates of operation based on the operation dates of the studio include:
- 1860's
- 1870's
- 1880's
- 1890's
Clues:
The location Owatonna leads me to believe that they were part of the Burnes Family, although the possibility of them being Dwyers is not ruled out. The photo was likely taken in the 1860s or 1870s (striped stockings were popular for children in the 1860s).
Regardless it can be assumed they are brothers, so whatever family they come from will likely have at least 4 boys, possibly all 4 born in a row.
The size of the photo is 4" x 2.5". That means this is a Carte de Visite, popular in the 1860's.
The back of the card identifies the photo studio using the following words:
Chelsey's
Gallery of Art
Cor. of Cedar & Vine Sts.
Owatonna, Minnesota
Clement & Hanson
Photograph taken in Albert Lea Minnesota Studio.
Elgin R. Shepard's Home Studio
This photograph was taken in the Studio's Minneapolis, Minnesota Location.
The address of the studio was 2931 Portland, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Essery Photo Studio
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| Labelled "Fleming" |
G. M. Hanson
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| Helen Burnes, age 1 year, July 16, 1914 |
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| Helen Burnes |
This letter attached to the photos reads: "A merry Xmas to Nell from Agnes and Happy New Year to Nell from Nell".
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| Probably (from left to right): Bernice Schmidt, Kenneth Schmidt Sr., and Viola Schmidt |
Another picture shows this woman in North Dakota. That and her other facial features lead me to believe she is a Weiser.
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| Probably Bernice Schmidt or Ellen Agnes Dwyer. |
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| Probably Helen and Winifred Burnes |
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| Probably Kenneth Schmidt Sr. |
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| Probably Winifred and Mary Kelly |
Fuller Studio
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Update 4/20/2022: This is Leo Martin Carey, he was the first person from Freeborn County to die during WW1.
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| Winifred Carey |
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| Back Reads "Maggie Clanan" |
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| Nellie Dwyer |
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| Isadore Carey |
Alex Gylfe
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| Henry Dwyer |
Krause
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| Helen Burnes |
Lidberg and Booth
Baker
Located in California
Harrison
Located in Chicago
Mrs. J. E. Lewis Society Photos
Located in Connecticut
Fein and Schabel
Located in Illinois
I. O. Osmonson
Located in Iowa
Sunby
Located in Iowa
A. Hoch
Located in New York
Bristol Photo Co.
Located in New York
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| Elizabeth Burnes (sister of Margaret Burnes--Mrs Cornelius R. Sullivan) and little Marie Burnes- daughter of Bridget (Sullivan) Burnes (sister of Cornelius R.Sullivan) |
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| Bridget Sullivan, married to Edward Burnes |
Wetzel
Located in New York
Erickson Studio
Located in Fargo, North Dakota
Lee + Co.
Located in North Dakota
Miller
Located in South Dakota
Fermann and Wise
Located in Wisconsin
Postcard from Burlington Wisconsin
O. A. Osmunson
Orris Hunt
Vosburgh
W. J. Hoseth
Ramsey
Sussman
Anderson's
Packwood
Burnes Post Cards
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| Front Side |
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| Back Side |
The text on the back of this postcard reads: "Dad's barn on fire in [haynow?] - Grandpa Burnes (Lewis Burnes b.1835- d.1921) 1st man to right with hat on".
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The text on the back of the post card reads: "Dad (James Henry Burnes), Aunt Mattie (?), Mother (Ellen Agnes Dwyer), Me (Mary Winifred Burnes, nickname 'Babe') at Beaver Lake.
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The text on the back of the postcard reads: "? year, Beaver Lake bathhouse and beach (old beach). Helen, Winifred Burnes, Cousin Daniel Dwyer. Return to Helen Burnes, 221 1/2 S. Pearl St., A. Lea Mn. 56007".
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The text on the back of the postcard reads: "Year? 1918 or 1919. Barn Fire at Jim Burnes farm- Beaver Lake. A general ring was given on the telephone line for help. Return to Helen Burnes 221 1/2 S. Pearl St. Albert Lea, Mn. 56007.
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The text on the back of the postcard reads: "1920's, Jim and Nellie (Dwyer) Burnes at cottages on south side of Beaver Lake. Return to: Helen Burnes 221 1/2 S. Pearl St. 56007."
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Text on the back reads: "? year, Beaver Lake, Cousin Alice O'Brien from New York with Helen and Winifred Burnes sitting on the toboggan slide at Beaver Lake. Return to: Helen Burnes 221 1/2 S. Pearl St. Albert Lea, Mn 56007."
Renee, this is beautiful and must have taken forever to compile! This is great!
ReplyDeleteAre you considering putting everything that’s identified up on Wikitree for Scan a Thon soon? Or no?