Minnie's Photo Album

Minnie Johnson German's Photo Album

Minnie Johnson (1879-1946) kept a nice photo album that held cabinet cards, photos mounted on cards, typically 4.25 x 6.5 inches.

Photos include:
John and Cornelia Johnson, children and grandchildren.
Abel and Sabina German, children and grandchildren.

When I was in college, Harold D. German and I went through the album page by page, photo by photo.  He told me names of people in the photos, and how they were related, and I wrote the names and relationships on slips of paper that I slid into each frame pocket.  He knew all but a few.  For a few photos, he knew names, but had no idea how they were related.  I am attempting to find those relationships.

The photo album is more than 100 years old.  Pages in the album are bound together with brown fabric, which is beginning to fall apart, and much of the velvety texture on the outside of the album is gone.  Most photos are cabinet cards, photos mounted on cards, which were largely used from 1866 - 1900's.  It contains one small tintype, and a few small photos.  It has been well-cared for over the years and most photos are in good condition.

A few pages are missing photos, most likely removed by Minnie or her descendants and given to relatives.  I remember that it used to contain a tintype of Harold D. German and a few other tintypes, as well an ambrotype in a box-type frame about 3 inches square, all of which are now gone; only one tintype remains.  I vaguely remember Harold D. German taking the ambrotype.  Perhaps he removed other photos as well.  There were also a few duplicates which my mother may have given to one of her siblings.

About 10 odd-sized photos are lying loose in the album, between other pages or at the back.  All other photos slide into "frame-pockets."

The book was passed from Minnie German > Harold D. German > Phyllis Whited > Gay Whited.

Below are the photos in the album, in the order they appear in the album.  Identification is provided as given by Harold D. German.  Dates are from family records & Ancestry.com.

Click on photos to enlarge.

Front Cover of Minnie Johnson German's Photo Album

Pages are heavy and have this design.
Originally a piece of colored tissue paper separated each page from the next.
Most of the tissue paper is now gone.
The flowered paper covering the cardboard pages is now very fragile; some of the paper is torn.

THE PHOTOS

It's a real puzzle that the 2 photos on the very first page in the album,
which might be most significant,
are unknown.

Unknown.

Unknown.

Thomas Shaw (1852-1921), husband of Francis "Frankie" Johnson Shaw.  Marriage photo?
Tom was Minnie Johnson's brother-in-law

Francis "Frankie" Johnson Shaw (1861-1924), half-sister of Minnie Johnson,
oldest daughter of John Johnson & Mary Ray Johnson.  Marriage photo?

Hazel G. Shaw (1893-   ) 2 months 1 day, youngest daughter of Frankie & Tom Shaw
Niece of Minnie Johnson

Gertrude "Gertie" Shaw(1882-1957), oldest daughter of Frankie & Tom Shaw
Niece of Minnie Johnson

Unknown
Might be Gertrude "Gertie" Shaw, oldest daughter of Frankie & Tom Shaw

Gertrude "Gertie" Shaw (seated) daughter of Frankie & Tom Shaw and niece of Minnie Johnson,
and Minnie Johnson (standing), daughter of John & Cornelia Johnson

(L to R) Gertie, Clyde, & Edna Shaw, children of Frankie and Tom Shaw
grand-nieces & nephew of Minnie Jonson

Minnie Johnson (seated), daughter of John & Cornelia Johnson & aunt of Edna Shaw
with Edna Shaw(1886-1965), 3rd child of Frankie & Tom Shaw

Minnie Helena Johnson (1879-1946),
daughter of John and Cornelia Johnson
Minnie later married Ed German and was mother of Harold D., Curtis, and Millard German.
This is her photo album.

Lillian Johnson Bell (1907-1939), daughter of Clarence Johnson,
granddaughter of John Johnson & Mary Ray Johnson
with husband Jesse Bell
Lillian was Minnie Johnson's grand-niece

Hazel Shaw (1893-    ), youngest daughter of Frances & Tom Shaw, niece of Minnie Johnson
with husband Guy Shorader

Clyde (1884-1959) and Faye Shaw with children Leona, Donald, Henrietta
Clyde was 2nd child of Frankie & Tom Shaw,
& nephew of Minnie Johnson

Cornelia Richardson Johnson (1837-1924) and husband John Johnson (1834-1904).
Parents of Frankie, Eugene, Isaac, Clarence, & Minnie Johnson, & Ada Richardson
Grandparents of Harold, Curtis, & Millard German; Gertie, Clyde, Ed & Hazel Shaw; John, Theodore, Lillian, Edna, Selma, & Roswell Johnson; & children of Ada Richardson

Harvey Pratt German (1888-1960), son of Abel & Sabina German, brother of Ed German,
 brother-in-law of Minnie German

Chesman "Chet" Arthur German (1873-1953), son of Abel & Sabina German, brother of Ed German,
 brother-in-law of Minnie Germanwith wife Eva Adella Hadley (1876-1964) 

Charles "Charlie" Pingry Talbot (1886-1991) and wife Vesta Mabel German Talbot (1890-1958)
Vesta was next to youngest daughter of Abel & Sabina German, & sister-in-law of Minnie German 

Unknown

John Johnson (1834-1904), Father of Minnie Johnson German
Wearing G.A.R. medal

Cornelia Richardson Johnson (1837-1924), mother of Minnie Johnson

Theodore Vosburg, relationship unknown

Chesman "Chet" Arthur German (1873-1953), son of Abel & Sabina German, brother of Ed German,
 brother-in-law of Minnie German 

Unknown
Perhaps Vesta German, sister of Ed German?

Vesta Mabel German Talbot (1890-1958) daughter of Abel & Sabina German, sister of Ed German,
 sister-in-law of Minnie German

Henry LaVerne German (1881-1955) son of Abel & Sabina German, brother of Ed German,
 brother-in-law of Minnie German

Henry LaVerne German (1881-1955) son of Abel & Sabina German, brother of Ed German,
 brother-in-law of Minnie German
with wife Della Cleora Campbell (1881-    )

Gerald Arvin Hadley (1901-1966), oldest son of Nettie Grace German (1871-1965) & Milo David Hadley (1870-1956)
Nettie was the oldest daughter of Abel & Sabina German, sister of Ed German
& sister-in-law of Minnie German
Gerald was the same age as Harold D. German, son of Ed & Minnie German

Harold Dwight German (1901-1984), oldest son of Ed & Minnie German,
grandson of John & Cornelia Johnson and Abel & Sabina German

Millard Lawrence German (1906-1961), youngest son of Ed & Minnie German,
grandson of John & Cornelia Johnson and Abel & Sabina German 

(L to R) Millard, Curtis, & Harold D. German, sons of Ed & Minnie German,
grandson of John & Cornelia Johnson and Abel & Sabina German

(Top Left) Harold German, tintype ? maybe Gerald Hadley?
(Bottom Left) Curtis & Harold German, Millard German

Vesta Grace German, 8 months 1 week, 20 lbs, December 1914 (written on back)
Probably daughter of one of Ed German's brother

Francis "Frankie" Shaw and husband Tom Shaw
Frankie was Minnie Johnson's half-sister

Cornelia Richardson Johnson (1837-1924),
mother of Minnie Johnson German

Minnie and Ed German, and sons
(L ro R) Harold, Millard, Curtis

(L to R) Millard, Curtis, & Harold German, sons of Minnie & Ed German

Curtis German (on chair);
(L to R on floor) brothers Gerald & Aubrey Lewis Hadley, and Harold German
Curtis & Harold are sons of Minnie & Ed German
Gerald & Aubray Hadley are sons of Nettie Grace German & Milo Hadley & nephews of Minnie & Ed German
Gerald & Aubrey are cousins of Harold & Curtis

(L to R) Curtis & Harold German, sons of Minnie & Ed German

Eugene "Gene" Newell, relationship unknown
Fought in the Spanish American War (1898); is said to have carried the flag up San Juan Hill

Eugene "Gene" Newell, relationship unknown
Grew up in Wisconsin.  Enlisted in the army in Beloit, Kansas 1896
Perhaps a relative or friend of Johnson family in Wisconsin?

Sabina "Bina" Catherine Howard (1851-1924), mother of Ed German,
mother-in-law of Minnie Johnson German

Abel German (1839-1904), father of Ed German,
father-in-law of Minnie Johnson German

(L to R)Brothers   Henry, Chet, Ed, Otis German
Sons of Abel & Sabina German

Unknown
On back:  Compliments of your soldier boy.

Henry LaVerne German (1881-1955) with wife Della Campbell German & daughter Maxine
Henry is a son of Abel & Sabina German, brother of Ed German,
& brother-in-law of Minnie German

Gertrude "Gertie" Shaw, daughter of Frankie & Tom Shaw,
niece of Minnie German

Minnie Johnson German, her husband Ed German, and niece Gertie Shaw

Edna Shaw (with large hat), daughter of Frankie & Tom Shaw,
Niece of Minnie Johnson German

Clarence R. Johnson (1872-1954) and wife Ella Mina Strange Johnson (1878-1942); wedding photo?
Clarence is the youngest son of John Johnson and Mary Ray Johnson,
and half-brother of Minnie Johnson German
Clarence lost his hearing at age 2 years.  Mina also had a significant hearing loss.

Harold & Curtis German, sons of Ed & Minnie Johnson German

Minnie Johnson with parents John & Cornelia Johnson.
Note the bird with a long tail on top of Minnie's hat.

Ed and Minnie German.  Probably wedding photo.
This is Minnie's photo album.

Ed German, Minnie's husband-to-be

Ed German, Minnie's husband-to-be

Ed German

Minnie Helena Johnson German

Children of Tom & Francis Shaw(L to R) Gertie 18 yrs, Edna 13, Clyde 15, & Hazel 7 Shaw,
children of Frankie & Tom Shaw
and Nora 23 daughter of Tom Shaw & his 1st wife, Eva Grace Hillaker, who died of measles in 1880
when Nora was about 3 yrs old.  Tom married Frankie a year later.

Unknown

John Johnson's Siblings
Photo taken in Wisconsin where John and Cornelia Johnson were visiting.
Names except Cornelia are probable.  Seated woman 2nd from right is definitely Cornelia Richardson Johnson.
(Back) Jonette Johnson, Eli Johnson, John Johnson
(Front) Eli's wife Martha OR a sister?, Inger Johnson Dahlen?, Cornelia Johnson, Ellen Johnson Ottum?
I believe the man with the long beard is John Johnson because he looks similar to
John Johnson in a photo taken later in life, shown on the Kansas page.

Ed and Minnie German with sons Curtis, Harold, & Millard

Harold German, oldest son of Ed & Minnie German

Harold German, oldest son of Ed & Minnie German

(L to R) Harold, Millard, & Curtis German, sons of Minnie & Ed German
with dog, Johnny

John Matthew Brodie (1971-1921),
father of Cecil Alice Brodie who married Harold Dwight German
Harold was the oldest son of Minnie & Ed German