Photograph by E.A.S. Wyllie of Tulare, CA. Circa 1891. An interesting image with: a faux window, someone holding a bird, and the stuffed toy dog. The names of the people are written on the back of the photo: Reuben McVey, Minnie Debolt, Willie Rice, Ada Hulen. Tulare County's marriage records do list an Ada A. Hulen and L.C. Rice marrying on May 26, 1892.
(Update 7/23/13): Photographer E.A.S. Wyllie (Edward Arthur Sanders Wyllie) was born in Calcutta, India in 1848. His father was an Army officer there. Edward's family returned to England when he was still young. Around 1870 he moved to New Zealand. While in NZ, he was part of a militia that was involved with the arrest of Māori spiritual leader Te Whiti. Wyllie moved to California in 1886. He had a studio in Tulare for a number of years before moving on to more metropolitan areas (i.e. Sacramento, Los Angeles and San Francisco). By this time (the mid 1890s) he was promoting himself as a medium and spirit photographer. Sometime after leaving Tulare, he dropped the "E.A.S." and just went by Edward Wyllie. He eventually moved back to England where he died in 1911.
--Many thanks to New Zealand archivist Gareth Winters for the information on Mr. Wyllie.
(Update 7/23/13): Photographer E.A.S. Wyllie (Edward Arthur Sanders Wyllie) was born in Calcutta, India in 1848. His father was an Army officer there. Edward's family returned to England when he was still young. Around 1870 he moved to New Zealand. While in NZ, he was part of a militia that was involved with the arrest of Māori spiritual leader Te Whiti. Wyllie moved to California in 1886. He had a studio in Tulare for a number of years before moving on to more metropolitan areas (i.e. Sacramento, Los Angeles and San Francisco). By this time (the mid 1890s) he was promoting himself as a medium and spirit photographer. Sometime after leaving Tulare, he dropped the "E.A.S." and just went by Edward Wyllie. He eventually moved back to England where he died in 1911.
--Many thanks to New Zealand archivist Gareth Winters for the information on Mr. Wyllie.
(Update 9/7/13) Back to discussing the four people in this photo... Ada A. Hulen divorced L.C. Rice in 1898. "Reuben McVey" may be Reuben Christopher McVey who was one of Ada's relatives from Missouri. Minnie L. Debolt passed way on 7/22/1933, while living in Arizona. Her remains were sent to Tulare. Minnie's Tulare newspaper obituary mentions her brother George W. DeBolt (of Tulare) and her sister Mabel E. Barsaloux of Winslow, AZ.
I was surprised to find a description of this photo on a web page discussing the descendants of Absalom McVey (1802-1891). See here, about halfway down the page is where it mentions this photo.
Most of the research I've done on the people in this photograph has been focused on Ada A. Hulen. Ada was a great-grandchild of Absalom McVey. Her father was Taylor Absalom Hulen whose mother was Hannah Adaline McVey (daughter of Absalom McVey).
I am now fairly sure that this is the same Ada A. Hulen (Ada Adaline Hulen) who later performed in Wild West shows. Her stage-name was Ada Sommerville and she married another Western performer by the name of Bee Ho Gray. The evidence supporting this is circumstantial, but for me the balance of this evidence indicates that it is true. If someone wishes me to lay out this evidence I will.
Most of the research I've done on the people in this photograph has been focused on Ada A. Hulen. Ada was a great-grandchild of Absalom McVey. Her father was Taylor Absalom Hulen whose mother was Hannah Adaline McVey (daughter of Absalom McVey).
I am now fairly sure that this is the same Ada A. Hulen (Ada Adaline Hulen) who later performed in Wild West shows. Her stage-name was Ada Sommerville and she married another Western performer by the name of Bee Ho Gray. The evidence supporting this is circumstantial, but for me the balance of this evidence indicates that it is true. If someone wishes me to lay out this evidence I will.
Around 1892, Ada's father (Taylor) apparently became persona non grata with a lot of his family. e. g. Tayor A. Hulen had moved away to Denver. And for the next 20 years he spent much of his time living with Minnie L. DeBolt. (Yes, the same Minnie who is in the photo). While all this was going on, the 'official story' used by his family back in Tulare County was that Taylor had died... Although Taylor's wife (Susan) did claim in the 1900 census that she was divorced.
In the 1900 U.S. Census, Taylor lists Minnie and her sister Mabel E. (DeBolt) Van Loan as his nieces, which could be true (i.e. It's possible that Taylor's sister could have been their mother). Mabel later married one of Taylor's business partners in Denver, Thomas N. Barsaloux. Minnie married John V. Taylor around 1900. But in the 1910 U.S. Census she is listed as a widow and is living with Taylor Hulen, again. I believe Taylor was Reuben C. McVey's first cousin.
(Update 9/21/13) Since my last post, I was contacted by David Stielow who is distantly related to Ada Hulen's mother (Susan Shaw). Over quite a few years, David has done extensive research into his family history (the Vanderburgh family).
Here is what he was able to tell me:
Ada Hulen (of Tulare County) is the same person who appeared in Wild West shows as Ada Sommerville. e.g. Vanderburgh family member, Annie Bondesen, was a contemporary of Ada and her parents. In one of Annie's journals where she listed family members with their spouses & children, she has "Ada Summervile Bee- ho Grey. .. none" next to "Taylor Hulen" and the families of Ada's brother and sister (The "none" meaning Ada and Bee Ho had no children).
Ada was possibly adopted, she may have actually been the biological child of Taylor Hulen's brother (Frank).
Minnie and Mabel DeBolt were in fact Taylor Hulen's nieces.
Before Mabel married Thomas N. Barsaloux, Ada may have also been married to Mr. Barsaloux for a short while.
In the 1900 U.S. Census, Taylor lists Minnie and her sister Mabel E. (DeBolt) Van Loan as his nieces, which could be true (i.e. It's possible that Taylor's sister could have been their mother). Mabel later married one of Taylor's business partners in Denver, Thomas N. Barsaloux. Minnie married John V. Taylor around 1900. But in the 1910 U.S. Census she is listed as a widow and is living with Taylor Hulen, again. I believe Taylor was Reuben C. McVey's first cousin.
(Update 9/21/13) Since my last post, I was contacted by David Stielow who is distantly related to Ada Hulen's mother (Susan Shaw). Over quite a few years, David has done extensive research into his family history (the Vanderburgh family).
Here is what he was able to tell me:
Ada Hulen (of Tulare County) is the same person who appeared in Wild West shows as Ada Sommerville. e.g. Vanderburgh family member, Annie Bondesen, was a contemporary of Ada and her parents. In one of Annie's journals where she listed family members with their spouses & children, she has "Ada Summervile Bee- ho Grey. .. none" next to "Taylor Hulen" and the families of Ada's brother and sister (The "none" meaning Ada and Bee Ho had no children).
Ada was possibly adopted, she may have actually been the biological child of Taylor Hulen's brother (Frank).
Minnie and Mabel DeBolt were in fact Taylor Hulen's nieces.
Before Mabel married Thomas N. Barsaloux, Ada may have also been married to Mr. Barsaloux for a short while.
This image is from a photo postcard dated February 2, 1911. The photograph was taken in Porterville looking east from 2nd Street down Thurman Ave. None of the homes in the foreground (nor the church) are still there anymore. At the right side of this photograph is the old Saint Anne's Roman Catholic church which was built in 1892 and torn-down in 1925.
A photo postcard image of Terminus Beach along the Kaweah River. Circa 1918.
This beach was located near the present day Terminus Dam.
This beach was located near the present day Terminus Dam.
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