ca. 1861-ca. 1883
Guide to the Photograph Collection
Abstract
Album containing photographs of members of the May family of Boston.
Biographical Sketch
Members of the May family of Boston have long been associated with progressive and philanthropic causes. Samuel May (1776-1870) was an early proprietor of the Boston Athenaeum, involved in the founding of the Massachusetts Asylum for the Blind, and active as an Overseer of the Poor and deacon of Hollis St. Church in Boston. His wife Mary (Goddard) May (1787-1882) was involved in the temperance and antislavery causes. Among their children were Samuel May, Jr., Unitarian minister of Leicester, Mass.; John Joseph May, a partner in his father's hardware business, abolitionist, and active participant in the Union cause during the Civil War; and Abigail W. May, active in relief work during the Civil War and later in freedmen's relief, as well as a founder of the New England Women's Club and active in women's suffrage and dress reform. Samuel Joseph May, the abolitionist minister of Brooklyn, Conn. and Syracuse, N.Y., was a cousin.
Caroline May Davis (1840-1920) was the daughter of John Joseph May and Caroline Simpkins (Danforth) May. In 1868, she married Alexander Henry Davis and had two daughters: Mary May, born in 1870, and Ethel, born in 1873.
Sources
May, Samuel Jr. A Genealogy of the Descendants of John May Who Came from England to Roxbury in America, 1640 (Boston: Franklin Press; Rand, Avery, 1878).
Collection Description
Album of carte de visite and cabinet photographs, primarily members of the May family of Boston, including abolitionists and reformers Rev. Samuel May, Rev. Samuel Joseph May, and Abby W. May. In addition to family members, the album includes photographs of Union Civil War officers and prominent Bostonians, including James T. and Annie Fields, Rev. Robert C. Waterston, and Rev. Samuel K. Lothrop. Most of the photographs have been identified in an unknown hand, possibly that of Caroline May Davis. Identified Boston photographers include J. A. Whipple, Black and Batchelder, and Allen & Horton, among many others.
Acquisition Information
Acquired by purchase, March 2021.
Arrangement
The photographs in this collection are listed in the order in which they appear in the album.
Detailed Description of the Collection
May, William Chance (1853-1878), 1874.
Taken by Pierson & Braun, Paris.Carte de visite.Caption: "Will May, brother of CMD."
May, John Joseph (1813-1903).
Taken by Davis & Co., Boston.Carte de visite.Caption: "John J. May, father of CMD."
May, William Chance (1853-1878), 1874.
Taken by Pierson & Braun, Paris.Carte de visite.Inscribed on verso of photograph: "Will May, 1874."
Unidentified man.
Taken by W. Loring Clark, Boston.Carte de visite.Inscribed on verso of photograph: "Johnny Boys Great Great Uncle Sam of Boston, America."
May, Samuel (1776-1870), 1866.
Taken by Whipple, Boston.Carte de visite.Caption: "Samuel May, Grandfather of C.M.D."; inscribed on verso of photograph: "Samuel May aged 90."
May, Samuel (1776-1870).
Taken by Black & Batchelder, Boston.Carte de visite.Caption: "Samuel May."
May, Mary Goddard (1787-1882).
Taken by an unidentified photographer.Carte de visite.Caption: "Mary May, Grandmother of C.M.D."
May, Samuel (1776-1870), 1866.
Taken by Whipple, Boston.Carte de visite.Caption: "Samuel May."; inscribed on verso of photograph: "Samuel May on his 90th birthday Dec. 1866."
May, Samuel (1810-1899).
Taken by an unidentified photographer.Carte de visite.Caption: "Rev. Samuel May, uncle of C.M.D."
May, Sarah Russell (1813-1895).
Taken by Allen & Horton, Boston.Carte de visite.Caption: "Sarah Russell May, wife of Rev. S. May."
May, John Pierpont (1846-1936).
Taken by Allen, Boston.Carte de visite.Caption: "John Pierpont May, brother of C.M.D."
May, Rebecca Bradford (1848-1889).
Taken by W. Loring Clark, Boston.Carte de visite.Caption: "Rebecca, first wife of John P. May."
Tilden, Charles Linzee (1842-1906).
Taken by William Shew, San Francisco.Carte de visite.Caption: "C. Linzee Tilden."
Tilden, Effie Bird (1852-1950).
Taken by A. H. Smith, Salem, Mass.Carte de visite.Caption: "Effie, wife of Linzee Tilden."
May, Leslie Walker (1880-1966).
Taken by Notman, Boston.Carte de visite.Caption: "Leslie May."
Tilden, Elizabeth Winsor (1875- ), 1878.
Taken by Notman & Campbell, Boston.Carte de visite.Caption: "Lisa, daughter of Effie & Linzee Tilden." Inscribed on image: "Lisa Tilden 3 yrs."
May, Abigail Williams (1829-1888).
Taken by Black & Batchelder, Boston.Carte de visite.Caption: "Abby W. May, Aunt of C.M.D."
Boardman, Mary Goddard May (1824-1914).
Taken by Allen & Horton, Boston.Carte de visite.Caption: "Mary May Boardman, Aunt of C.M.D."
Aiken, Mary Louisa Crossman (1840-1869).
Taken by J. W. Black, Boston.Carte de visite.Caption: "Louisa Aiken, cousin of C.M.D."
Aiken, Henry Martyn (1823-1901).
Taken by Black & Batchelder, Boston.Carte de visite.Caption: "Henry Aiken."
May, J. Russell (1844-1921).
Taken by an unidentified photographer.Carte de visite.Caption: "J. Russell May, cousin of C.M.D."
May, Edward (1838-1917).
Taken by C. D. Fredericks & Co., New York.Carte de visite.Caption: "Admiral Edward May, Cousin of C.M.D."
May, Adeline (1836-1918).
Taken by Allen & Horton, Boston.Carte de visite.Caption: "Adeline May, Cousin of C.M.D."
May, Edward (1838-1917).
Taken by Allen, Boston.Carte de visite.Caption: "Admiral Edward May."
May, Martha Rand Morse (1827-1894).
Taken by Whipple, Boston.Carte de visite.Caption: "Martha wife of Frederick W. G. May."
May, Frederick Warren Goddard (1821-1904), holding a baby probably Martha Rand May (1863-1875).
Taken by Whipple, Boston.Carte de visite.Caption: "Frederick W. G. May, uncle of C.M.D."
May, William Chance (1853-1878), 1874.
Taken by Pierson & Braun, Paris.Carte de visite.Unidentified woman.
Taken by C. F. Conly, Boston.Carte de visite.May, William Chance (1853-1878), 1874.
Taken by Pierson & Braun, Paris.Carte de visite.Caption: "William C. May."
May, William Chance (1853-1878).
Taken by Jones, Salem, Mass.Carte de visite.Caption: "William C. May."
Blank.
May, Samuel Joseph (1797-1871).
Taken by A. Sonrel, Boston.Carte de visite.Caption: "Samuel J. May, cousin of John J. May Great Abolitionist."
Blank.
May, John Joseph, Caroline S., and William C., 1874.
Taken by Pierson & Braun.Cabinet photograph.Caption: "John J. May, Caroline S. May, William C. May, taken in Paris."
Blank.
Kirkland, Theodosia Burr Wilkinson (1837-1919) with a child, possibly Caroline Kirkland (1865-1930).
Taken by Disderi & Co., Paris.Carte de visite.Caption: "Theodosia Burr Wilkinson Kirkland, Major Joseph Kirkland parents of Caroline."
Kirkland, Joseph (1830-1894), [1864-1866].
Taken by S. M. Fassett, Chicago.Carte de visite.Caption: "Theodosia Burr Wilkinson Kirkland, Major Joseph Kirkland parents of Caroline."
Kirkland, Theodosia Burr Wilkinson (1837-1919).
Taken by Whipple, Boston.Carte de visite.Inscribed on verso: "Miss Wilkinson."
White, William.
Taken by J. W. Black, Boston.Carte de visite.Caption: "Major William White 44th Mass. Regiment."
White, William.
Taken by J. W. Black, Boston.Carte de visite.Caption: "Major White."
Howard, John R. and [Tobe] Ames, 1864.
Taken by Henry Ulke, Washington, D.C.Carte de visite.Caption: "Capt. John R. Howard." Inscribed on verso: "[Tobe] Ames & Jack Howard Washington, D.C. Feb. 1864."
Haven, Franklin (1836-1908).
Taken by J. W. Black, Boston.Carte de visite.Caption: "Col. Franklin Haven."
Haven, Ned.
Taken by J. W. Black, Boston.Carte de visite.Caption: "Col. Ned Haven."
Unidentified man, [1864-1866].
Taken by Silas Selleck, San Francisco.Carte de visite.Inscribed on photograph: "Ye Olde Fellow Dreameth!"
Col. Van Brunt, [1864-1866].
Taken by Whipple, Boston.Carte de visite.Caption: "Col. Van Brunt Boston."
Lothrop, Samuel Kirkland (1804-1886).
Taken by J. W. Black, Boston.Carte de visite.Caption: "Rev Dr. Lothrop Boston."
Channing, Walter (1786-1876).
Taken by Whipple, Boston.Carte de visite.Caption: "Dr Walter Channing Boston."
Blank.
Watkins, James T. (1808-1867), July 1864.
Taken by Johnson's Photograph Gallery, San Francisco.Carte de visite.Caption: "Commodore Watkins Pacific Fleet."
Unidentified man.
Taken by an unidentified photographer.Carte de visite.Caption: "Sinclair English Consul at San Salvadore."
Blank.
May, William Chance (1853-1878), 1875.
Taken at World's Palace of Art, San Francisco.Cabinet photograph.The caption: "John Joseph May, father of C.M.D." is incorrect.
May, Caroline S. (1817-1900), 1875.
Taken at World's Palace of Art, San Francisco.Cabinet photograph.Caption: "Caroline S. May, Mother of C.M.D."
Blank.
Fields, James T. (1817-1881).
Taken by Black & Batchelder, Boston.Carte de visite.Caption: "James T. Fields Boston."
Fields, Annie (1834-1915).
Taken by J. W. Black, Boston.Carte de visite.Caption: "Mrs. James T. Fields Boston."
"Major Baldwin."
Taken by an unidentified photographer.Carte de visite.Seward, Clarence Armstrong (1828-1897).
Taken at Brady's National Photographic Galleries, Washington, D.C.Carte de visite.Caption: "Clarence Seward Secretary for State."
Blank.
Unidentified man.
Taken by Ryder, Syracuse.Cabinet photograph.May, Abigail Williams (1829-1888).
Taken by Notman, Boston.Cabinet photograph.Caption: "Abby W. May."
May, Mary Goddard (1787-1882), 1870.
Taken by Allen & Rowell, Boston.Cabinet photograph.Caption: "Mary May." Inscribed on verso: "This picture taken in 1870 M.M. being then in her 83d year."
Westcott, Edward N. (1846-1898).
Taken by Bonta & Curtiss, Syracuse, N.Y.Cabinet photograph.Caption: "Edward N. Westcott author of 'David Harum'."
Blank.
Waterston, Helen Ruthven (1841-1858).
Taken by J. W. Black, Boston.Carte de visite photograph of a portrait.Caption: "Miss Waterston."
Waterston, Robert Cassie (1812-1893).
Taken by an unidentified photographer.Carte de visite.Caption: "Rev. Robert Waterston."
Pierpont, John (1785-1866).
Taken by Silsbee, Case & Co., Boston.Carte de visite.Caption: "Rev. John Pierpont Grandfather of Pierpont Morgan."
Unidentified group.
Taken by Davis & Co., Boston.Carte de visite.Blank.
Sigrid.
Taken by Einan, Hammerfest.Carte de visite.Caption: "Children of Hotel landlady at Hammerfest Norway in Lapp Costume."
Unidentified woman and girl.
Taken by Einan, Hammerfest.Carte de visite.Inscribed on verso: "Landlady at Hammerfest."
Two unidentified girls.
Taken by Einan, Hammerfest.Carte de visite.Unidentified girl with dog.
Taken by Einan, Hammerfest.Carte de visite.Blank.
Unidentified woman.
Taken by an unidentified photographer.Carte de visite.Preferred Citation
May family photograph album, Massachusetts Historical Society.
Access Terms
This collection is indexed under the following headings in ABIGAIL, the online catalog of the Massachusetts Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related persons, organizations, or subjects should search the catalog using these headings.