Swedish American Settlers, Olivia Area, Texas, circa 1900

Swedish American Settlers, Olivia Area, Calhoun County, Texas, circa 1900

A group of Swedish American settlers sits and stands in front of a large wooden water tank, next to a wooden building. One woman holds a guitar.  Could this be the choir of Eden Church? a celebration?

Place: It is likely that this picture, like many others in this collection, was taken in the Olivia area of Calhoun county, Texas. Possibly it was taken at the Linds. The only other Texas building in these pictures with this type of horizontal siding (rather than the more common board and batten) is the Lind store. And another picture in a separate family picture collection (not a negative) shows a group of people standing beside a building with this type of siding and is labeled on the back "at the Linds".  Here we also see a large wooden water tank, but it is not the same one that was shown in an earlier post.  These two tanks are the only ones in the Paulson collection pictures.

People:  Most of the people in this picture are still unidentified. Presently - only Ellen Swenson  (center, slightly to the right, capped sleeves, locket) is identified.  It  is her presence that gives this picture its tentative date. She is wearing the same dress and locket as in an earlier post. (Ellen Swenson) Many of the other people in this picture are present in many other pictures - I continue to work on identifying them and will go back and update (and also correct) earlier posts.

The damage to this negative was caused by dampness and an earlier attempt to protect these negative by placing tissue between the negatives.  The tissue bonded with the emulsion (whether through damp or pressure.) The resulting design is interesting, but not helpful.


Identifiers:
Negative: Paulson207
Ellen Swenson (for more information on Ellen and her life - go here.)
Place: Olivia area, Calhoun County, Texas
Date: Circa 1900