Schuerfeld Photos (probably 1860s)

Not much information is available about these photos. On the back of this one, in one hand, "Johan Schuerfeld"; another hand "Mother's father and mother", and in another, "John Henry Schuerfeld and Elsie Holtman". This would make them the grandparents of my grandfather, Lawrence Wachenheim, his mother being Annie Schuerfeld. The child is not identified - do I see mumps? (nearly 1 in 5 children in the late 1800s died before 5 years old.)

Elsie is in the ancestor chart as "Anna Margarita Ilsabein Holltmann", born 3/4/1828 in Herford, Germany (was there a country called Germany then?). She married 11/29/1857 to Johann Hennicke (or Heinrich) Schuerfeld. He was born 9/19/1832 in Reingsheim, Germany. I dont have much to add about life for these immigrants either in Germany or in the US, beyond some earlier intries. She died in 1904. Johan / John died in 1901.



On the reverse of this photo, in one hand "Annie Schuerfeld", in another "Mother and Uncle Henry" and in another, "Anna Schuerfeld Wachenheim and Henry Schuerfeld". In the ancestry chart, Annie is named Anna Maria Fredicker Schuerfeld, born 10/13/1860 in Quincy, Illinois.


These photos are easier to view on the internet than they are in person - the contrast seems better, and the backlighting and enlarging process provides more clarity. In the blog, these photos are approximate actual size. Double clicking on the photos enlarges them considerably. Given the similarity of appearance, my guess is that these photos would have been taken at the same time. When were they taken? No date on the photos. I'm guessing 1860s due to birthdates and apparent ages of the children. These are on paper, not tintypes; postive paper prints dominated photography from 1850s to 1870.