Taking the Children's Portraits in 1881

Last September I posted about The Hendrick and Hodges Families that owned and lived in the Tiner Hendrick House from 1901 to 1994. I have been transcribing the diary that Gertrude wrote when the family was living in Stockdale, Texas in 1881, before they purchased the Tiner Hendrick House.

Gertrude Hendrick 1881 Diary

In the diary, Gertrude tells about the family's trip to San Antonio to have the children's photographs made. 

Gertrude Hendrick diary 1881, p. 33

 

We had the girls' photos, but we didn't know the story about how the photographs were taken in 1881 until the diary was transcribed. Here's the transcript of the diary entry for October 17, 1881.

[33]

                                                      1881

           Monday October 17^th

           Set out at 2 p.m. for San Antonio

           [via] Messrs H & S’s arrive at

Lavernia at 6 p.m.not fatigued

Tu       18 Leave L. before day – just com

fortably within 6 miles of S.

rains come on – follows mud

and every other inconvenience

dreary dreary evening in [my rooms]

Wed   19 Have the Childrens photographs

           taken – Three years we have

           been trying to effect this – not for

           our own gratification but for

           Sr. N. P. ‘s – price of pictures 36/0

           incidental expenses [pound sign] 15..0..0

           leave S. in the afternoon -Seek

           shelter for the night at the house

           of a German 4 miles on our way

Thu     20 Again on the road – weather

           good though threatning – dine

           at Lavernia – Supper and stay

           over night at Mr. H. which we reach

           by [oc nine]

Fri       21 Home T. G. arrive in slight

           rain which quickly grows heavy

           continues all day

 

You can see from the entry that having the children's photographs taken in 1881 was quite an ordeal. The trip from Stockdale to San Antonio and back took them 5 days!

 

On November 1st Gertrude records her response on receiving the photographs. The family was Catholic and were celebrating All Saints Day in their home in Stockdale, 145 years ago.

 

Nov        1 “All Saints Day”

                  We invoke the Saints at the

                  little altar draped for All Souls

                  This is all that remains to us to do

                  J. returns late having the long

                  talked of pictures of the children

                  May’s is bad Angeline’s good. Baby’s

                  middling. May tastefully dresses

                  our candle for “all Souls” which

                  burns at the foot of the little altar