The reverse of this cabinet card has an inscription that reveals that the names of the two girls appearing in this image are Ola and Gertie Cogswell. They are wearing lovely dresses and bows. They have terrific long hair and curls. The siblings appear in the 1900 census. At the time of the census, Ola was nine years old and Gertie was seven years old, They were living with their family in Cato, Michigan. Their family consisted of their parents Harley and Ella, and siblings Theodocia (age 5) and Harold (age 3). At some point after 1900, the family appears to have moved to Grand Rapids. The photographer of this image is the Chapman studio which was located in Stanton, Michigan. Ira O. Chapman (1853-1908) and E. Frank Chapman (1858-1916) were brothers who operated as photographers in Stanton, Michigan. It is unclear which brother is the creator of this cabinet card. At one point in time, the pair conducted business in Stanton as “Chapman Brothers” studio. A portrait of a group of members of the Grand Army of the Republic that was done by the photographer brothers, appears in the Flat River Museum in Greenville, Michigan.
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 