I found a photo album full of cabinet card photos of Elston family and friends from about 1880-1910–unfortunately only two were labeled with names. It is possible the album belonged to Nellie Elston, since one of the photos is signed to her from “Mary”.
I suspect most of the Huron County photos are Elstons. The Brant pictures are likely Martins and/or Plumsteads, and Aurora, Illinois, are Plumsteads. Detroit photos are probably Fannie Elston’s Hubbard family and/or friends.
Can you identify someone? Please note the photo number and get in touch!
Photo 20: Seated man. Photographer T. Banslaugh, Artist, Paris (Ontario).
Photo 21: Four men. Photographer and location unknown.
Photo 22a: Standing young man. Photographer Park & Co., Brantford, Ontario. See 22b for reverse.
Photo 22b: Reverse of photo 22a. Photographer Park & Co, Brantford, Ontario.
Photo 23b: Reverse side of John Elston’s portrait at the Wingham Fall Fair.
Photo 24: Susan and James Plumstead? Photographer and location unknown.
Photo 25: Three girls and one boy. Same imprint as John Elston’s photo from the Wingham Fall Fair. Possibly four of his Elston children. Photographer W. Langdale, Wingham, Ontario. See 23b for reverse.
Photo 26a: William F. Thayer? Photographer D? C. Pratt, 48 Broadway, Aurora, Illinois. See 26b for reverse.
Photo 26b: Reverse of photo 26a. Photographer D? C. Pratt, 48 Broadway, Aurora, Illinois.
Photo 27: Seated woman. Photographer Geo. Stewart, Cor. Hamilton St. & Square, Goderich, Ontario.
Photo 28: Portrait of a man. Found with album, loose inside cover. Photographer and location unknown.
Photo 29: Seated woman. Found loose inside cover of album. Photographer difficult to read, “A. C. Bellamiy, Broadway”?
Here is what we know so far: John Elston was born in England in about 1830, and immigrated to Canada in about 1851. In Canada, he first lived near Galt (now Cambridge), Ontario, where he married Mary Martin. By 1865, they had moved to Morris Township in Huron County, where John started a farm as they continued building their family. John died in Morris in 1912. We know he was involved with the Wingham fall fair, and was a good neighbour. We also know he could grow a mean fluffy neckbeard.
Things begin to get foggy when we look at John’s life before he came to Huron County. In most records his birth location is listed as Lincolnshire. There were lots of Elstons living in Lincolnshire at the time. His wife Mary and her family had also immigrated from Lincolnshire (Glanford Brigg and the south part of Yorkshire, just across the Humber). Whether John and Mary became acquainted with each other before, during, or after their big boat ride west is a mystery, as is the date and location of their marriage. I’ll be looking at their early life together in more depth in the near future.