UPDATE: Identified as Neele (Owens) LILLIE (1898-1942)
The unidentified young lady’s hairdo has fascinated me since I first saw this photograph. At first glance, I thought she was wearing some kind of hat sassily pulled down over her brow. At second glance, I saw her hair styled in a French roll or twist bun coiffed on the top of her head and stretched down over her forehead.
She is wearing a white blouse with sleeves attached to armholes that extend below the natural shoulder line. Tiny buttons along the collar and down the front are buttoned through rouleau button loops. The collar appears to be convertible. When worn open as in the picture, lapels are formed with the buttons and button loops extending along the edge. In the open neckline, she is wearing a fine chain necklace with a pendant.
There is no writing on the back or front of the photograph. Nothing to identify the lady or the photographer.
Any takers on dating the photograph of this unidentified young lady with the strange hairdo?
UPDATE (17 Nov 2016): My 4th cousins once removed, Julie and Jeanne, granddaughters of Robert Wiley LILLIE and Neele OWENS have identified her as their grandmother Neele. I’ve removed the photo of Carrie Enoch that I included for comparison.
More about this collection, how it came to be in my possession,
and links to previous posts in the series can be found here.
© 2016, copyright Cathy Meder-Dempsey. All rights reserved.
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I got it! Is there a prize? James N. Walton opened a photography studioo in Aurora in November 1863 and left in 1865. This is in a History of Dearborn and Ohio Counties, Indiana on google books.
You’re welcome.
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I may have to do some more research on the photographer. I’m a bit perplexed since the Walton photograph was dated 1892.
Thank you, Vera, for looking him up.
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Should specify that is the 2nd photo, but they look like the same person to me. Was the first one also from Aurora? Was there any identification of the photographer on the back?
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No identification at all on the first photo. The second was identified as 1892 by the young lady Carrie. At least this is what was on two copies of the same photo.
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I am terrible at dating photos, but the two women do resemble each other (if, in fact, they are two different women). And that hairstyle! I won’t even say who it remind me of….
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One of my Lillie cousins thinks this is her grandmother Neele Owens Lillie. We are checking into it. This would mean not the same person as Carrie Enoch and not related by blood.
I’m not even going to go there…. Thanks for the good laugh, Amy.
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🙂
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very stylish hair
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🙂 Thank you!
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Very unusual hair! She must have been very cutting edge!
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It’s different! Thanks Luanne.
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