Since it is impossible to determine the location of the picnic scene captured in this month’s historic image, I would like to show you instead, the front and back of this Gilbert Horton photograph, and tell the story of how its discovery 14 years ago was front page news on the local section of the Daily Herald.
Laura Cameron Behee had just earned a degree in history when she signed on as an intern with the Society in 1989, and by 1994 she was on the payroll and leading a group of volunteers cataloging donations, which was the beginning of the Society’s Archives. So it was while doing this work, that Laura came across this Horton image of an early picnic scene and immediately the name “Morse,” handwritten with an arrow pointing to a face in the photograph, jumped out at her. It had to be Eldridge Morse (1847-1914), editor and co-publisher of our first newspaper, the Northern Star, and this was the first photograph found to date of the man whose writings continue to nourish the imaginations of many early Snohomish researchers.
One of those researchers is (the late) David Dilgard, History Specialist with the Everett Public Library and the speaker that our Society turns to year after year for our annual meeting. “Morse himself looms rather large in Snohomish history,” David is quoted in the Daily Herald story, published July 11, 1994. “The absence of an image was galling, to say the least. It fills a void that has been there for a while.”
We imagine that what’s pictured here might be an outing of the Atheneum Society, founded by Morse and his mentor, the older Albert Folsom, Snohomish’s first doctor and co-publisher of The Northern Star -- though we know only the names of a few thanks to the ease and durability of the modern ballpoint pen in the hands of an eager chronicler. Identified on the right is Lot Wilbur, who is our famous drugstore proprietor, and his wife is indicated seated with the women, alongside Horton’s wife on the end. Since it is simple enough in this digital age to remove the hasty markings, dare I wish that all of the participants and been so identified? The restored image is on view in the Membership Office and Gallery at the Blackman House Museum and archival prints are available.
Of course, the better way to identify the subjects of a photograph is to list them on the reverse. In the case of this card-mounted image, however, we find instead a collection of names through whose hands the photograph passed. The Society’s ace genealogist, Ann Tuohy, looked into the older names at the top and learned that Orr B. Masemore’s wife, Susannah, may have been the mother to Minnie, who married Victor K. Lipp. Both families were living in Kansas when this picture was taken, and are listed as living in Snohomish on the 1910 census. Note the holes in the corners, evidence that this photograph was on display in the home. It is imagined that Horton made many copies to sell, perhaps even in his stationery and art supplies store that he opened with his brother in 1888, located in the building now home to Dream Dinners.
Ann is still working on the name “Frances,” evidently a member of an old Snohomish family the Empfields. Since the address is modern, perhaps a reader can help us out.
Almost hidden by the Society’s own hastily placed stamp of ownership is the elaborate stamp that Horton used on all of his photographs, this one marked as View #84. It seems the date handwritten on the face may be in error since this stamp wasn’t used until after 1886 when his partnership operating the Floating Palace Gallery with Lewis was dissolved.
Sadly, the data tells us that Morse’s friend and business partner, Albert Folsom, may not be included in the picture since he died the year before, in 1885. His is another face I would love to find in an old photograph.
Published in the Snohomish County Tribune, August 27, 2008.