This cabinet card photograph is a portrait of Mr. Henry Lutsch. The reverse of the photograph has an inscription stating “Henry Lutsch, a teacher of mine”. There is no other identifying information. The photographer and the studio location are unknown. Perhaps one of Cabinet Card Gallery’s visitors, will be able to provide additional information. They have demonstrated amazing genealogical detective skills in the past illustrated by their informative comments. The only information that I was able to recover, comes from the 1880 U.S. census. Henry Lutsch was born 1n 1869, in the state of Wisconsin. The head of household, at the time of the census was Jacob Lutsch, who was born in Switzerland. Jacob Lutsch was probably Henry”s father. The “Census Place” was Great Bend, Barton, Kansas. The town of Great Bend was settled in the early 1870’s and located in Barton County, Kansas. Interestingly, this cabinet card was originally purchased from a collector in Kansas. Mr Lutsch is a handsome man and he has an admirable mustache which places him in Cabinet Card Gallery’s category of “Mustaches (Only the Best). Click on the category to view some amazing displays of facial hair. Thinking about this cabinet card prompts the question as to why a student would want a photograph of his, or her, teacher. Is the answer to the question as simple as that the student wanted a keepsake from their education experience; like modern day students often want a yearbook upon graduation. Another possible explanation is that the student had a crush on the handsome Mr Lutsch, and wanted a portrait of him in order to hang on to their fantasy, just a little longer.
“A TEACHER OF MINE”: A PORTRAIT OF MR HENRY LUTSCH
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 