Watkins and Orton families papers, 1886-1971.

LaRC Manuscripts Collection 185, originally part of a larger 1967 donation by descendant, Dorothy Inbusch of Milwaukee, is made up of personal papers of the Watkins and Orton families of New Orleans and Milwaukee.  Included are handwritten and typed correspondence, certificates including an 1890 German-language birth certificate for John Orton Watkins, financial documents, drawings, poetry, scrapbooks, family and travel photographs, biographical and genealogical information, medical notes and a prescription by Dr. William H. Watkins, a 1902 memorial resolution by the Orleans Parish Medical Society following the death of Dr. Watkins, invitations and other items of social ephemera, New Orleans Carnival newspaper clippings, and other printed items.

This collection's numerous family photographs include formal posed studio portraits made in New Orleans, Milwaukee, and Vienna, as well as many less formal, almost candid shots.  It seems that twins run in the family.  A family photographer would pose the little children in typical traditional serious shots, then follow these up with images of them behaving in a more natural silly manner, which may or may not have been planned, but is unusual in family albums of the day.

Image 1 above:  Uncaptioned photograph, undated but probably around the turn of the century, Watkins and Orton families papers, Manuscripts Collection 185, Box 3. 

Images 2/3: Uncaptioned photographs in same collection, v. 1 (scrapbook).

Images of items in the Louisiana Research Collection may not be re-published without permission.


Posted by Susanna Powers