Late last year I was doing background on another matter, when I came upon   a picture of three young ladies.

It was a 4×6 glass plate negative, bust portrait, taken by Harvey L. Boston, renowned photographer of the time, noted for his portraits of prairie families.

The caption indicates the photo was taken July, 26, 1900, in Nebraska.

One can tell they were not really into this photo thing by their expressions.

Remember, it was in July, Nebraska, hot, humid, they were wearing high neck starched white collars, white blouses with ruffles on the bodices. Most uncomfortable, I’d imagine. Add to that, they likely had to stay real still, for minutes, while the negative was exposed.

 

The girls were the daughters of Frederick and Eliza Harper Ware.

All were born in Iowa; Ava, 1878, Avarilla, 1884, and Mayme, 1876.

Fred and family moved to Nebraska’s Butler County area around 1890.

 

Intrigued, I wondered what ever happened with them over the years.

 

I find that Mayme Lillian Ware had married Joseph Kasparek, in Butler County Nebraska in August 14, 1889, before the picture was made.

Between 1906 and 1910, she and Joseph moved to Oklahoma City. Census for 1910-20-30 so indicate.

Joseph died in Oklahoma City in September 1928.

Mayme became administratix of his estate, and became embroiled in a court case with the Liberty National Bank of Oklahoma City, over an outstanding loan made just months before Joseph’s death. She came up losing some $2500, (in 1928 dollars) after an appeal.

 

Mayme Ware Kasparek died in Oklahoma City in 1960. A search of cemeteries in the Oklahoma City area failed to locate her, nor Joseph’s, burial site.

I assume there are children from this marriage, but unable to find them.

Efforts to determine, through the Kasparek web sites, if there were children, have come to naught.

 

 

There was a large Kasparek family in the Butler County, Nebraska area, perhaps the other girls married into them as well. No indication of that has been found.

As for Ava, and Avarilla? They just disappeared into the “black hole” of genealogy; last known to be in David City, Butler County, NE, as per 1920 census.

 

I am just an interested party, and, I don’t see how I could possibly be related, but then, who knows?

Anyway, a very interesting story.

 

Photographer, Harvey L. Boston, 1871-1927

Negatives in possession of Thorpe Opera House Foundation/Boston Studio Project.

David City, Butler County, Nebraska.

 

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