Volume 6 , Issue 40

Chick Studio, WWI and 1918...

"I think I previously sent you a copy of a photo of a group of Woods County men, taken in front of the old courthouse in September 1918, as they were getting ready to leave to join the military service. On closer inspection of that photo, I have learned that my maternal grandfather, Bertsell Riggs, is wearing a suit identical to the suit he is wearing in a portrait with my grandmother, Fern (Sherrell) Riggs. I have wondered if that portrait was their wedding portrait (June 1919), but my mother's sister thought it had been taken earlier than that, perhaps in 1918. So now I am curious.
      The WWI photo of the boys was taken by the Chick Studio in Alva - the portrait picture has no studio mark. I think there are three possibilities so far as the circumstances under which this portrait was taken:
      (1) my grandparents, not yet married, had an appointment to have their portrait made at an undetermined date and Bertsell wore his only formal suit (he was a construction worker and a farmer, and I assume that he only had one suit, though I am not certain);
     (2) the portrait was taken on the same day that the men departed, either as a personal decision by my grandparents OR through an arrangement with Chick Studios to take such portraits of the men before they left for the service;
     (3) this may be my grandparents' wedding portrait, taken in June 1919. My questions for area historians are these:
      (1) Do the records of Chick Studio still exist and, if so, could the date of the portait be determined?
      (2) Did Chick Studios offer some sort of a 'deal' for departing soldiers to have portraits made with loved ones before they left?
     I have TWO photos of WWI men - I'd be happy to send them along; it would be great if more of the men could be identified." -- Rod Murrow   |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

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