Bondsville Mill, E. Brandywine Twp., April 1898. Cataloging photographs is one of the most interesting aspects of my work as photo archivist of the Chester County Historical Society. Trying to make sense of some collections is like putting together a puzzle with a number of the pieces missing. The collection of glass plate negatives donated by Mildred Clower Somerville 1962 was one of those enigmas. It is a fine collection of images of the Bondsville textile mill in E. Brandywine Twp., views taken in Fisherville, family photographs and some views in West Chester, PA, between 1898 and 1904. But some information needed to understand the collection was never recorded. Who took the photographs? Why were the places photographed selected? One particular inscription on a negative envelope was particularly puzzling: “Home of Grandparents and I, 7/8/1900″ It showed a house in Fisherville which still stands today on the Bondsville Road. But who is “I” and who are the grandparents? "Home of Grandparents and I" on Bondsville Rd., Fisherville, 1900. Looking into the history of the donor, I found that Mildred Clower Somerville was born in West Chester in 1901, daughter of Elizabeth Austerberry and John Clower. Could the “I” mentioned above be either of her parents? I discovered in CCHS clippings file that John Clower, 1871-1959, was the son of Thomas Maxwell Clower, the president of Beaver Mills also known as the Bondsville Mills in E. Brandywine Township. Under his father’s instruction, John learned the weaving trade. The Daily Local News reported on November 12, 1895 that he was hired as the instructor of weaving and Keeper at the Chester County Prison, making a monthly salary of $65! That following year he married Elizabeth Austerberry and the couple settled on Market St. in West Chester. Somehow it did not seem likely that John Clower had any reason to live apart from his parents. Austerberry family graves, May 14, 1901. It wasn’t until I took a closer look at some rather ordinary looking photographs of tombstones that the whole story came into focus. There were four tombstones in a row. The first read: “Joseph H. Austerberry Born at Oldham, Lancashire, England Dec. 26, 1847 Died Feb. 8th 1883 in the 35th year of his age.” Next to it was a tombstone of equal size which was blank, and then two smaller stones which were graves of children, Mary J. Austerberry 1876-1880 and James R. Austerberry 1882-1885. It became apparent that tragedy struck this family. This was the father and siblings of Elizabeth Austerberry Clower and the blank tombstone would one day be inscribed with her mother’s name Mary Riley Austerberry. I can see how young Elizabeth would go to live with her grandparents. But who were they? Other tombstone photographs revealed graves of some of the Riley family in East Brandywine Baptist Cemetery. A Federal Census Record for E. Brandywine Twp. for 1850 revealed a James Riley living in Fisherville a few doors down from T. Maxwell Clower. The newspaper clippings file yielded an obituary on James Riley that gave the whole story. James Riley and his wife, Elizabeth came to work at the Fisherville Mill just after their marriage from Manchester, England in 1847. The mill employed many weavers from England at that time. James worked as a weaver at the mill and later conducted a general store in Fisherville. The couple raised eight children. So now it became clear that the “I” in the photo caption was Elizabeth Austerberry Clower and the grandparents were James and Elizabeth Riley of Fisherville. Elizabeth Austerberry and John Clower with daughter Mildred taken in the yard of Chester County Prison, West Chester, PA, 1902. The Mildred Clower Somerville collection is now cataloged and available when you visit the Chester County Historical Society library. Pamela Powell, Photo Archivist I need to say a word of thanks to two very important people. We would not be able to enjoy these fascinating images from the past without their contribution. First I must thank CCHS volunteer Mary Painter for printing all of them in the CCHS darkroom and supporting this important work of the Society. Secondly, the Society is grateful to photographer David Gifford, of Gifford Images in West Chester, PA. Gifford donated to CCHS all of his darkroom equipment when he “went digital.” Letting go of this equipment which were the tools of his art was not easy. But the craft of traditional black and white photography lives on at CCHS through the program to print CCHS’ glass plate negatives. The Society and our researchers appreciate your contributions. Thank you!
June 9 2010, 4:03pm | Original Link »