The following scanned JPEG files are from some old Isely
photographs that I recently brought home from my Mother's home in Brawley,
California. They were originally in
the possession of her parents, Merrill N. & Mildred Myers Isely. I have included all images of those in
Merrill & Mildred's generation and before: I have not included images of subsequent
generations. Following is a list of
the images with a description. The
notes on the photographs often appear to have been written many years after the
photographs were taken, and appear to be in the handwriting of my Grandfather
(Merrill), my Grandmother (Mildred), or my Mother (Mary Frances).
Glen E. Hermsmeier
San Marcos, Texas
January 2003
01--Rebecca Colett
(Nickerson)--Second wife of David A. Nickerson and stepmother to Frances
E. Nickerson (Isely, Wells).
R Collett (Nickerson) 01--Caption on back, "Rebecca Collett Nickerson . .
. step grandmother of
Merrill Isely" Studio is
Rogers, 106 E. Douglas, Ave., Wichita, Kas.
Collett Relatives 01--Caption on back, "3 Collett Sisters at Turkey Run .
. . left Aunt Ellen . . . 2 Aunt
Hanna . . . 3 Aunt Lou . . .Relatives from Ohio" Studio is Butterworth of Wilmington,
O.
02--Elise Dubach
(Isely)--Wife of Christian H. Isely. Her story is told in "Sunbonnet Days",
by Bliss Isely.
Elise Dubach (Isely) 01--One of three photographs in an evelope with the
following undated note
from Bliss Isely: "Dear
Merrill, In case you do not recognize the pictures, the handsome
lady is Grandmother Isely at the age of 19. The fierce soldier is Grandfather Isely
in 1861.
The children in the family group are your father at aboput the age of 5,
Aunt Alice, and
Aunt Jo. A Merry Christmas
to you and yours. Bliss"
Elise Dubach (Isely) 02--Caption on back, "Elise Dubach Isely" Studio is Chase of Hiawatha,
Kansas.
Elise Dubach (Isely) 03--Caption on back, "Elise Dubach
Isely"
Elise Dubach (Isely) 04--Caption on back, "Elise Dubach
Isely"
03--Bliss Isely--Son of Christian H. & Elise Dubach
Isely. Noted author.
Bliss Isely 01--Caption on back, "Bliss Isely"
Bliss Isely 02--Caption on back, " 58 yrs . . . Bliss
Isely"
Bliss Isely 03--Caption on back, "Bliss Isely"
04--Charles C. Isely--Son of Christian H. & Elise Dubach
Isely.
CC Isely 01--Caption on back, "C.C. Isely"
CC Isely 02--Caption on back, "1939 . . . CC Isely"
CC Isely 03--Caption on back, "C.C. Isely" (probably 1945)
CC Isely 04--Caption on back, "C.C. Isely-1945"
CC Isely 05--Caption on back, "C.C. Isely-1945"
CC Isely Family 01--Caption on back, "September 1924 . . . C.C. Isely
family"
Mrs CC Isely--Caption on back, "1945 . . . Mrs CC Isely
(Almeda)"
05--Christian H. Isely--Husband of Elise Dubach. Born is Switzerland, raised in Ohio,
Civil War veteran (Union). Early
settler of Brown County, Kansas, with brothers Fred and Henry
Isely.
CH Isely 01--One of three photographs in an evelope with the following
undated note from Bliss
Isely: "Dear Merrill, In
case you do not recognize the pictures, the handsome lady is
Grandmother Isely at the age of 19.
The fierce soldier is Grandfather Isely in 1861. The
children in the family group are your father at aboput the age of 5, Aunt
Alice, and Aunt
Jo. A Merry Christmas to you
and yours. Bliss"
CH Isely 02--Caption on back, "CH Isely" Studio is Chase of Hiawatha,
Kansas.
CH Isely 03--Caption on back, "Christian H. Isely" Studio is Baldwin Studio of Wichita,
Kan.
CH & Elise Isely 01--Caption on back, "Mr CH Isely & Elise Dubach
Isely"
CH Isely Family 01--One of three photographs in an evelope with the
following undated note
from Bliss Isely: "Dear
Merrill, In case you do not recognize the pictures, the handsome
lady is Grandmother Isely at the age of 19. The fierce soldier is Grandfather Isely
in 1861.
The children in the family group are your father at aboput the age of 5,
Aunt Alice, and
Aunt Jo. A Merry Christmas
to you and yours.
Bliss"
CH Isely & Brothers 01--Caption on back, "The three Isely brothers .
. . Left to right . . . Henry Fred
& Christian"
CH & Fred Isely Families 01--Photo is back of postcard addressed to
"Mrs. Sopha Isely . . .
Fairview, Kans." Message is,
"Dear Mrs. Isely, I want to congratulate you on the return
of your birthday. May you be
kept in health and in peace for many years to come. This is
not a birthday card but I thought you might appreciate it. Your pastor, J.A. Hunsicker" It
was not sent through the mail.
06--David D. Isely--Son of Bliss Isely.
DD Isely 01--Appears to be a newspaper clipping.
07--Dwight Isely--Son of Christian H. & Elise Dubach
Isely.
D Isely 01--Caption on back, "Dwight Isely" Studio is Livingston, 110 E. Douglas
Ave., Wichita,
Ks. ("Beatrice R." is also
written on back)
08--Frank C. Isely--Son of William H. & Frances E.
Nickerson Isely.
FC Isely 01--Caption on back, "Frank Isely" Studio is Livingston, 110 E. Douglas
Ave., Wichita,
Ks.
FC Isely 02--Caption on back, "Frank Isely"
09--Frederick B. Isely--Son of Christian H. & Elise
Dubach Isely.
FB Isely 01--Caption on back, "Fred B. Isely" Studio is Chase of Hiawatha,
Kansas.
FB Isely Family 01--Caption on back, "Dear Aunt Sophia, This picture will
show you how much the
children have grown since you visited us. Merry Christmas and love for all. Fred.
Fayette, Missouri . . . Top of Mt. Manitou . . . Aug.
1917"
FB Isely Family 02--Caption on back, "Xmas 1924 . . . Frederick B Jr. 12,
Ralph D 15, Harold, Marian,
Fred, Mary"
FB Isely Family 03--Caption on back, "The F.B. Isely family . . . Xmas
1924 . . . Taken Xmas Day in
Fort Worth Texas . . . Frederick Jr 12 ys old . . . Ralph D 15."
10--James W. Isely--Son of Christian H. & Elise Dubach
Isely.
JW Isely Family 01--Photo is back of an unmailed postcard. Caption on front, "James Isely family"
11--Lydia J. Isely (Wellman)--Daughter of Christian H. &
Elise Dubach Isely.
LI Wellman Family 01--Caption on back, "Mrs. Lydia I Wellman and children
. . . Fred, Paul . . .
Alice, Manly" (top, left to right, then bottom, left to
right)
Wellman Family with Elise Isely 01--Caption on back, "The Four
Generations . . . Elise Dubach Isely
great gradmother . . . (Lydia) Jo Wellman grandmother . . . Paul Wellman
father . . . Paul Jr.
baby"
12--M. Alice Isely--Daughter of Christian H. & Elise
Dubach Isely. Twin sister of
William H. Isely.
MA Isely 01--Caption on back, "Alice Isely" Studio is Reed.
13--Merrill N. Isely--Son of William H. & Frances E.
Nickerson Isely. Congregational
missionary in Turkey.
MN Isely 01--Caption on back, "Merrill N. Isely . . . Age 9 weeks." Studio is Sawyer, 112 E.
Douglas Ave., Wichita, Kan.
MN Isely 02--Caption on back, "Merrill N. Isely--Born
1894"
MN Isely 03--Caption on back, "Merrill N. Isely" (no date, probably about
1900)
MN Isely 04--Caption on lower matte, "Merrill N. Isely . . . 1918" Studio is Fred H. Reed, 119 E.
Douglas Ave.,
Wichita.
MN Isely 05--Caption on back of folio, "MN Isely . . . 1928" Stamp of folio, "A portrait by JE Purdy
and Company, 145 Tremont St., Boston"
MN Isely 06--Caption on back, "MN Isely . . . In Turkey . . . c.
1939"
MN Isely 07--Caption on back, "1961 . . . Rev. Merrill N. Isely . . .
Office of Communication for, The
United Church of Christ, 289 Park Avenue South, New York 10,
N.Y."
M & M Isely 01--Caption on back, "Lovers . . . Mildred Merrill
Isely"
M & M Isely 02--Photo is back of an unmailed postcard. Message on front is "Leaving Turkey . .
.
1961"
MN Isely Family 01--Caption on lower matte is "Mildred and Merrill Isely
. . . Henry (Bill) Mary
Frances . . . 1936" Studio
is Purdy's of Boston. (The actual
date is more likely around
1928)
MN Isely Family 02--Photo is back of an unmailed postcard. Message on front is "Mother's Day
Greeting . . . May 14, 1939 . . . Much love from us all . . Mildred,
Merrill, Caroline, Bill,
"Muffin""
MN Isely Family 03--Caption on back, "1939 . . .
Gaziantep"
14--Merrill N. & Frank C. Isely--Sons of William H. &
Frances E. Nickerson Isely.
M & F Isely 01--Caption on back, "Merrill and Frank"
M & F Isely 02--Caption on back, "Frank & Merrill"
M & F Isely 03--Caption on back, "Merrill & Frank Isely . . .
South yard . . . 1616 Holyoke Ave. . . .
Wichita Kansas"
M & F Isely 04--Caption on back, "Frank and Merrill
Isely"
M & F Isely 05--Caption on back, "Frank - Merrill"
M & F Isely 06--Caption on back, "At the farm in Brown Co. . . .
Frank and Merrill"
M & F Isely 07--No caption on back.
M & F Isely 08--Caption on lower right matte, "Frank and Merrill
Isely" Wichita studio name is not
readable.
15--Quentin H. Isely--Son of Charles C. Isely.
QH Isely 01--Caption on back, "Lt. Quentin H. Isely . . .
1945"
QH Isely 02--Caption on back, "Lt. Quentin H. Isely . . . 1945 . . . Son
of C.C. Isely""
16--William H. Isely--Son of Christian H. and Elise Dubach
Isely. Twin brother of M. Alice
Isely. First Dean of Fairmont
College (later Wichita State University).
WH Isely 01--Caption on back, "WH Isely . . . Ottawa . . . 1892" Studio is E.H. Corwin of Ottawa,
Kansas.
WH Isely 02--Caption on back, "Upper Left, Merrill Boomer (for whom
Merrill Isely was named) . . .
W.H Isely Middle lower row . . . 1890 about" Studio is Parker's of Ottawa,
Kansas.
WH Isely 03--Caption on back, "Wm Henry Isely . . . Commencement
1891" Studio is Martin, 226 S.
Main Street, Ottawa, Kansas.
WH Isely 04--Caption on back, "WH Isely sitting . . . Earnest
Starkweather . . . 1892" Studio is
The
Little Gallery, "Round the Corner", Ottawa, Kans.
WH Isely 05--Caption on back, "WH Isely . . . Cambridge . . . Harvard . .
. 1892-3" Studio is Pach
Bros of Cambridge, Mass.
WH Isely 06--Caption on back, "HW Isely . . . 1905 about" Studio is Baldwin.
WH Isely 07--Caption on back, "HW Isely . . . 1906"
WH Isely 08--Caption on back, "Dean WH Isely 1907"
WH Isely 09--Single leaf apparently torn from a book, no additional notes
on back.
WH & FN Isely 01--Caption on back, "Ottawa College Play . . .
"Bazaro" . . . Father Mother Leading
Parts . . . WHI Frances Nickerson . . . Ottawa 1893" Photograph is brittle, possibly on
metal. Frances E. Nickerson
is lower left, William H. Isely is lower right. I also question
Grandpa Merrill's date--both his parents were in the Ottawa U. class of
1891, so the date
may actually be earlier.
Ottawa U 01--Ottawa University Class of 1891. Frances E. Nickerson (Isely,Wells) is
row 3, column
1; William H. Isely is row 3, column 2. Printed on back is "W.H. Martin, Leading
Photographer, Ottawa, Kans.
Duplicates of this or any other photo made in these rooms,
at reduced rates."
WH Isely-Ft. Riley 01--Caption on back, "Pictures . . . Fort Riley . . .
1906 . . . WH Isely" The small
item between the photographs is a 1914 calendar.
WH Isely-Ft. Riley 02--Caption on back, "WH Isely . . . Fort Riley,
Kansas . . . 1906 . . . National
Guard"
Ft. Riley 01--No caption.
(another in the 1906 Fort Riley series)
Ft. Riley 02--Caption on back, "WH Isely . . . 1906 . . . Fort Riley . .
. National Guard"
17--Isely Family Groups
Isely Family 01--Caption on back, "Charles Isely, James Isely, Bliss
Isely . . . Fred Isely, Dwight?,
W.H. Isely" (top, left to
right, then bottom, left to right).
Studio is Maynard Bros.
Portraits in Sabetha, Kas.
Isely Family 02--Caption on back, "Iselys at Springdale Picnic Grounds .
. . July 4, 1901? . . . Near
Morrill"
Isely Family 03--Caption on back, "Paul Wellman, Frank Isely, Merrill
Isely, Frederick Wellman"
(left to right)
Isely Family 04--Caption on back, "Paul Wellman, Merrill Isely, Frederick
Wellman, Frank Isely"
(left to right)
Isely Family 05--Caption on back, "Summer-1922 . . . Iselys . . . Harold,
Robert, Ralph, Charles, Philip
. . . Gene, Thornton, Quentin, Frederick" (top, left to right, then
bottom, left to right).
Isely Family 06--Caption on back, "Frederick I. Wellman & . . . Frank
& Eunice Isely"
18--Mary McClung (Myers, Green). Mother of Mildred Myers
(Isely).
M McClung (Myers,Green) 01--Caption on back, "Mary McClung Myers . . .
Oct 1900" Studio is
E.A. Leon, Artist of Kansas City.
M Myers Family 01--Caption on back, "Merle Mary Ruth Mildred . . . Myers . . . May 26,
1906"
19--Mildred Myers (Isely, Nute). Wife of Merrill N. Isely. Congregational missionary in
Turkey.
M Myers (Isely,Nute) 01--Folio is stamped "A portait by J.E. Purdy and
Company, 145 Tremont
St., Boston"
M Myers (Isely, Nute) 02--Caption on lower right photo, "Mildred Isely .
. . 1961" Studio is
Harvard Studio, 669 Boylston Street, Boston, Mass.
Ruth & M Myers 01--Caption on back, "A Merry Loving Christmas to
Grandpa from the girlies . . .
Dec. 10-96. Kansas City . . . Ruth Myers 3 1/2 yrs . . . Mildred Myers 1
1/2 yrs" Studio is
Hansford, 542 Minnesota Avenue, Kansas City, Kansas.
Ruth & M Myers 02--Caption on back, "Dec 5 1903 . . . Ruth &
Mildred Myers" also in pencil,
"Aunt Gertrude" (recipient of the photo?). Studio is Burdsal, 124 N. Main St.,
Wichita,
Kan.
20--David A. Nickerson.
Father of Frances E. Nickerson (Isely,Wells).
DA Nickerson 01--Caption on back, "David Nickerson . . . father of
Frances E Nickerson Isely-
Wells" Studio is Rogers, 106
E. Douglas Ave., Wichita, Kas.
21--Frances E. Nickerson (Isely, Wells). Wife of William H. Isely.
1626 N Holyoke 01--Caption on back, "1626 N. Holyoke . . . Wichita,
Kans."
FE Nickerson 01--Caption on back, "Frances Nickerson . . . Isely Wells .
. . about 1891" Studio is
E.H. Corwin of Ottawa, Kansas.
FE Nickerson 02--Caption on back, "Frances Nickerson . . . Ottawa 1891 .
. . From Wayne Parker,
son of W.H. Parker . . . Via E.E. Parker? . . . Verda's Story . . .
Frances "Maybe I should
have been nicer to him""
Studio is Matrin, 226 S. Main Street, Ottawa, Kansas.
FE Nickerson 03--Caption on back, "Frances Nickerson Isely Wells on
left" Studio is W.H. Martin
of Ottawa, Kans.
FE Nickerson 04--Caption on back, "Frances E. Nickerson . . .
Isely--Wells" Studio is E.H. Corwin
of Ottawa, Kansas.
FE Nickerson 05--Caption on lower right matte, "Frances Isely-Wells" Studio is Fred H. Reed, 119
E. Douglas Ave., Wichita.
FE Nickerson 06--Caption on lower right matte, "Mary Nickerson
Isely" Studio is Reid of Fort
Worth. (her given name was
Frances Elizabeth Nickerson)
FN Isely Family 01--Caption on back, " MN & FC Isely . . . Mother
1909 Probably . . . 1626 N
Hoyoke . . . Wichita"
22--C.B. Wells--Second husband of Frances E. Nickerson
(Isely, Wells). He was a
minister.
CB Wells 01--Caption on back, "1930 . . . C.B. Wells"
M Wells (Cronin) 01--Caption on back, "Marion Wells Cronin" Studio is Pollenger Studio of
Wichita, Ks. (daugher of CB Wells?)
23--Unknown
Unknown 01--Caption on back, "Rt. Mary Frances McKay . . . Lt. S Kimmings?" Studio is
Butterworth of Wilmington, O. (studio is the same as Collett Relatives
01)
Unknown 02--Probably Merrill N. Isely about 1897.
I've also included scans of the following
photographs:
Mary F. Isely (Hermsmeier)--Daughter of Merrill N. &
Mildred Myers Isely.
LF & MF Hermsmeier 01--Caption on lower left matte, "March 1949" Studio is The Henson Studio,
Minneapolis, Minn.
MF Isely (Hermsmeier) 01--Caption on back, "Mary Frances Isely . . .
Aintab Spring 1925 . . . 2 yr 4
mo."
MF Isely (Hermsmeier) 02--Caption on lower right matte, "Mary Frances
Isely . . . 1944- . . .
Graduation from KSU College"
Studio is Newburg Studio of Minneapolis.
MF Isely (Hermsmeier) 03--Caption on lower right photo, "Lots of love to
Grandmother and
Grandfather from Mary Frances"
Caption on lower matte, "1940-Grad from Newton Mass
HS" Studio is Alfred Brown
of Brookline, Mass.
MF Isely (Hermsmeier) 04--Caption on lower right matte, "MF Isely . . .
1947" Studio is Univerrsal
Studios.