Cabinet Card’s often present more questions than answers; this is one of those images. The Cabinet Card features two men in uniform, wearing sashes that look like a portion of the American flag. Both men are wearing caps that display a number. Each man is also wearing a badge and ribbons on their jacket. One of the ribbons may say Washington Campaign and have Millersburg written on the bottom line, but this is just a hypothesis. Hopefully, a visitor to this site will share a more informed opinion about what organization these men may be representing. Are they Firemen, Railroad Workers, Military Veterans, Fraternal Organization Members, or some other specific occupational or service group? The photographer is Charles W. Noll. If his nickname was Chuck, than he is the unofficial namesake of the former football coach, Chuck Noll of the Pittsburgh Steelers. The photographer is listed in the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania directories of 1902 and 1904.
TWO PATRIOTS IN MILLERSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA PHOTOGRAPHED BY EX PITTSBURGH STEELERS COACH CHUCK NOLL
“DA VINCI CODE” CABINET CARD: KNIGHTS OF THE TEMPLAR MAN IN BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS
This cabinet card is an image of a gentleman dressed in his fraternal organization uniform. He has badges on his sash as well as on his jacket. Two of the badges have words on them that can be deciphered. The lower badge on his sash states “In Hoc Signo Vinces” which is the latin rendering of the Greek phrase, “with this as your standard you shall have victory”. This motto has been used on many coat of arms and banners including those belonging to families, cities, regiments, sport teams, and even pall mall cigarettes. More relevant to this photograph, the motto appears on the “Knight Templar Cross” in the York Rite branch of free masonry. The second readable badge is the one located below the gentleman’s left shoulder. The badge states the name “Hugues De Payens”. Hugues De Payens (1070-1136) was a frankish knight who was the cofounder and first Grandmaster of the Knights Templar. This cabinet card conjures up thoughts of the “Da Vinci Code”. The photographer of this cabinet card is Conly of Boston, Massachusetts. Charles F. Conly went looking for a job at age 20 and found a help wanted sign in the window of famed Boston photographer, Warren (see category Photographers: Warren). Ten years later he succeeded Warren as the proprietor of the studio. He had a meteoric rise from office boy to entrepreneur. At the beginning of his career he spent some time in the theatrical profession and he thus became the favorite photographer of Boston’s theatrical performers. Conly’s obituary appears in the 1893 edition of Anthony’s Photographic Bulletin. Interestingly, the article states that Conly was a prominent secret society man and that delegations from the Elks, Odd Fellows and the Royal Arcanum and Columbian Lodge of Masons were represented at his funeral. To view other photographs by Conly, click on the category “Photographer: Conly”.
A MAN AND HIS MEDAL IN PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA
This dapper gentleman is wearing a medal and ribbon as he poses for this portrait at the studio of Applegate, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. What does this medal and ribbon represent? Is this gentleman a veteran of the civil war? Is he a member of a fraternal organization or political party? The answer to these questions will be very difficult to obtain but perhaps a visitor to this site may have some ideas to share about the type of medal and ribbon the subject is wearing. The gentleman’s beard is quite interesting. He has no mustache or whiskers immediately under his lower lip. He qualifies for Cabinet Card Gallery’s category of “Beards (Only The Best). The photographer of this cabinet card led an interesting life. In 1860, James R. Applegate had a photographic studio in Philadelphia that was three floors high. In 1877, a St. Louis photography magazine visited Applegate’s studio and wrote that he “encases 50 portrait faces every minute…. with a bevy of young ladies finishing the same and scores waiting to be set”. In 1884, Applegate opened the first successful amusement pier in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The boardwalk included one of his photography studios. In 1891, he moved the carousel from the boardwalk to Philadelphia and a year later, the police raided the carousel and arrested him and 200 guests. He was charged with “keeping a disorderly house” and an unnamed more serious offense.
LOYAL ORANGE LODGE MEMBER IN TROY, NEW YORK
This Cabinet Card is a great image of a member of a fraternal organization. The image has great clarity and the image of the sash is very detailed. The previous owner of this photograph reports that the subject of this photograph was a member of the Loyal Orange Lodge. The Orange Institution (Orange Order) is a Protestant fraternal organization based mainly in Scotland and Ireland. There are also some lodges in the Commonwealth and in the United States. The Orange Lodge organization was founded in 1796 in Ireland. The organization has had strong ties to unionism. The name of the group is derived from King William of Orange. An article appears in an 1874 edition of the New York Times that reports that the State Grand Orange Lodge Meeting was being held in Troy, New York which is the location that this photograph was taken by Lloyd’s studio. James H. Lloyd’s photographs can be found in National Magazine (1906) in a story about photographing architecture. In addition, the Photographic Journal of America (1891) announces that Lloyd was awarded a certificate of merit by the US State Department for a photograph of the Troy Polytechnic Institute. The photograph had been exhibited at the Paris Expositon.
Fraternal Organization Member in Great Britain
Interesting Cabinet card photograph of a member of a Fraternal Organization. He is wearing very elaborate garb which is captured well by the photographer. Is this distinguished looking man a member of a Masonic group? I would appreciate information from anyone who can supply me with this gentleman’s affiliation. The photographer is Wolstenholme of BlackPool and Middleton, England.
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 