

Eight good old boys pose for their portrait at the studio of Samuel S. Johnston in Polo, Illinois. These fellows are dressed like they are workers. Their work clothing includes a various assortment of hats and many of the guys are wearing suspenders. It is apparent that these men are not desk workers. They clearly have jobs requiring physical effort. Samuel Johnston was born in Ohio in 1826. His name appears in the 1870 census and he is listed as a photographer living in Polo. His name and photography business also appear in a number of business directories from the 1870’s. Sam was married to Sarah J. Johnston. The town of Polo was named after Marco Polo. The town was incorporated in 1876. ADDENDUM: The buyer of this cabinet card was the great-grandson of one of the men in this photo. He reports that his great grand dad was a buggy maker and the other men in the photograph were his co-workers. (SOLD)
