Last week we saw the first online photo album of amateur, turn-of-the-twentieth-century, local guy, Fred Pfingsten. His intent was, with his camera, to take photos of his family and farm. The catalyst for the purchase could very well have been his wedding to Emma Rohlwing that took place on September 3, 1903.
Multiple photos were taken by Mr. Pfingsten on his wedding day. This is a continuation of those photos. The earlier blog post can be seen here.
It seems this photo, likely taken by Fred Pfingsten near dusk, illuminates the interior, upper structure of the tent. The size of the tent is quite large and probably allowed for a wooden floor to be placed inside for the dancing and merrymaking that would follow. Notice the American flag that is hoisted on one of the poles of the tent. The dining, “Welcome” tent is likely to the right and a young girl stands in front of the tent. The trees in the background almost block the Pfingsten house that is barely visible by its roof line and chimney at the back of the photo.
Taken from more of a distance, with this photo Fred went beyond one of the farm fence lines and out into the field to capture a longer shot of the location of the wedding festivities. The large tent is to the left, and the dining “Welcome” tent is to the right. The Pfingsten house is in the background. We can just make out the chimney on the left side of the house.
This group of men, raising their steins to the young couple, don’t appear to be too happy. However, given the fact that holding a smile for an extended period while Fred staged the photo, it is not too surprising that most them look somber. Anyone’s mouth would likely relax from a smile into repose.
To a man, the partygoers are dressed in suits and hats. Even the young boy in front has on a wide-brimmed hat that he wears with his white shirt. One man has a watch chain on his vest and another holds a cigar. Some, as is the fashion today, have beards, while others are clean shaven.
It seems that the beer is dark in color and that they hired someone from the outside to dispense it. The gentleman in the upper left, who is wearing an apron, appears to be the “bartender.” There is a more blurred gentleman in an apron standing to the left of him who probably worked with him.
More curiously is the sign, tent or wagon that has the letters F. S W A. In doing some research, the only company that comes close is T.F. Swan of Elgin whose business, in an 1883 edition of Elgin Daily News, is listed as a type of dry goods store. Maybe by 1903 he had expanded into the line of canvas and tents?
This photo of the wedding party was, also, likely arranged by Fred, before he took his place in a chair next to his bride and allowed someone else to “take” the photo. Four bridesmaids, four groomsmen and two flower girls make up the group.
Unfortunately, the wedding party is unidentified though, it is somewhat easy to recognize that two of the women and one of the girls have the same eyes as Emma. The ladies, second from the left and second from the right in the back row, and the young girl to the right of Fred are quite probably Emma’s sisters. She had a large number of siblings who she would have likely included in her wedding.
Fred had only sisters who survived to adulthood so the men standing around him were either cousins or friends. It is interesting to note that both Fred and Emma were the oldest children in their families, though other family members married before them.
This is another one of the glass plate negative photos produced by the Conant students. We can’t be sure that the photo was taken at the Rohlwing/Pfingsten wedding but it seems somewhat likely based on the fact that the women’s dresses resemble, quite strongly, the dresses on the ladies in the photo above.
The young girls are in their white, Sunday best and the location appears to be the Pfingsten farm, judging by the trees in the background.
What makes this photo so unique and wonderful for its time is the casual posing of two of the couples who have definitely had a good day. Most other photos of the day were often staged in a photographer’s studio. Fred’s informal, unpretentious camera caught these marvelous moments right on his family’s farm. What a treasure.
Jane Rozek
Local History Librarian
Schaumburg Township District Library
jrozek@stdl.org