This cabinet card was formed by affixing a thin photograph onto a thicker paper backing. It was a popular presentation for photographic portraits in the latter half of the nineteenth and the early twentieth centuries. Dr. James Fletcher (1853-1926) was a physician in the town of Cabin Hill (now Conicville), which is located west of Mount Jackson in Shenandoah County, Virginia. He and his wife, Martha "Mattie" Coffman, had two daughters. The cane, which is featured prominently in this image, seems to be a harbinger of the paralysis that would eventually claim Dr. Fletcher's life.
  Elon Sheetz (1893-1969) was one of the seven sons of Asa and Mary Elizabeth “Lizzie” Dirting Sheetz. He was raised in the family home in Calvary, which is a community west of Woodstock, Virginia. Another image in this exhibitions shows Elon dressed in a business suit and posing with his brothers. Here he wears the uniform denoting his career as a Shenandoah County game warden. In that role Elon helped restore the county’s deer population, which at the time was nearly eliminated by excessive hunting.
 During his long career Hugh Morrison Jr. photographed many Shenandoah County residents at various stages of their lives. Hazel Foltz Seal (1912-1992) was one such sitter. Morrison first photographed her as a baby in about 1913. Around 1916 he took a picture of her as a toddler, and around 1919 he posed her with her brother, J. William Foltz (about 1919-2003). The next time Morrison photographed Hazel, she was a teenager in the late 1920s. In 1943, three decades after her baby portrait, Hazel sat again for Morrison. This time she was a bride, and her husband, Charles Edward Seal (1898-1956), was at her side.
Image 1 of 5  During his long career Hugh Morrison Jr. photographed many Shenandoah County residents at various stages of their lives. Hazel Foltz Seal (1912-1992) was one such sitter. Morrison first photographed her as a baby in about 1913. Around 1916 he took a picture of her as a toddler, and around 1919 he posed her with her brother, J. William Foltz (about 1919-2003). The next time Morrison photographed Hazel, she was a teenager in the late 1920s. In 1943, three decades after her baby portrait, Hazel sat again for Morrison. This time she was a bride, and her husband, Charles Edward Seal (1898-1956), was at her side.
Image 2 of 5  During his long career Hugh Morrison Jr. photographed many Shenandoah County residents at various stages of their lives. Hazel Foltz Seal (1912-1992) was one such sitter. Morrison first photographed her as a baby in about 1913. Around 1916 he took a picture of her as a toddler, and around 1919 he posed her with her brother, J. William Foltz (about 1919-2003). The next time Morrison photographed Hazel, she was a teenager in the late 1920s. In 1943, three decades after her baby portrait, Hazel sat again for Morrison. This time she was a bride, and her husband, Charles Edward Seal (1898-1956), was at her side.
Image 3 of 5  During his long career Hugh Morrison Jr. photographed many Shenandoah County residents at various stages of their lives. Hazel Foltz Seal (1912-1992) was one such sitter. Morrison first photographed her as a baby in about 1913. Around 1916 he took a picture of her as a toddler, and around 1919 he posed her with her brother, J. William Foltz (about 1919-2003). The next time Morrison photographed Hazel, she was a teenager in the late 1920s. In 1943, three decades after her baby portrait, Hazel sat again for Morrison. This time she was a bride, and her husband, Charles Edward Seal (1898-1956), was at her side.
Image 4 of 5  During his long career Hugh Morrison Jr. photographed many Shenandoah County residents at various stages of their lives. Hazel Foltz Seal (1912-1992) was one such sitter. Morrison first photographed her as a baby in about 1913. Around 1916 he took a picture of her as a toddler, and around 1919 he posed her with her brother, J. William Foltz (about 1919-2003). The next time Morrison photographed Hazel, she was a teenager in the late 1920s. In 1943, three decades after her baby portrait, Hazel sat again for Morrison. This time she was a bride, and her husband, Charles Edward Seal (1898-1956), was at her side.
Image 5 of 5  In the fall of 1932 this team of young men took first place in the poultry-judging competition at the Virginia State Fair. The team's effort broke all previous record in this category. The men celebrated the success by posing with their FFA (Future Farmers of America) trophies. The Northern Virginian then published this photograph in its winter edition of 1932. The photograph testifies to the high regard this achievement garnered in the agricultural Shenandoah Valley. Left to right, Stanley Wright (1916-1948) was from Saumsville and Richard Wilkins (life dates unknown) and Sam Clem Jr. (life dates unknown) were from Woodstock.
 When Marvin Bowman (1898-1978) was a boy, Hugh Morrison Jr. presented his portrait mounted as shown here. By the time Marvin was an adult, Morrison was delivering his photographs in folders. Marvin Bowman was born on the farm in Bowmans Crossing which has been in the family since the late 1700s. His career included 21 years with the Shenandoah County Board of Supervisors, where he was chairman from 1955 to 1961. He also was a board member of Bethel Lutheran Church in Hamburg and president of Shenandoah Mutual Fire Insurance Company.
Image 1 of 2  When Marvin Bowman (1898-1978) was a boy, Hugh Morrison Jr. presented his portrait mounted as shown here. By the time Marvin was an adult, Morrison was delivering his photographs in folders. Marvin Bowman was born on the farm in Bowmans Crossing which has been in the family since the late 1700s. His career included 21 years with the Shenandoah County Board of Supervisors, where he was chairman from 1955 to 1961. He also was a board member of Bethel Lutheran Church in Hamburg and president of Shenandoah Mutual Fire Insurance Company.
Image 2 of 2  Shenandoah County residents often celebrated a special occasion with a portrait by Hugh Morrison Jr. This fashionable couple was noting a third wedding anniversary. James Mooney (1875-1964) and Minnie Josephine Webb (1876-1916) were married on May 23, 1899, in Shenandoah Country, Virginia. They lived in Cabin Hill (now Conicville) and had one child. Fourteen years after this portrait was taken the marriage had an untimely end when Minnie died of typhoid fever. After her death James traveled west for a time. He later returned to Conicville, where he died at the age of 89.
Take a look at the sitters in these images. Why do you think they were getting their pictures taken? Also note how Morrison has positioned them, adjusted the lighting, and sometimes used props. What do you think he was trying to express about these people? Photo Gallery
These images below are scans of glass-plate negatives taken by Morrison. Some of these images show areas of damage that have occurred over time. Others include distracting elements that Morrison likely would have cropped in a finished photograph, such as glimpses of equipment or props. Many images show numbers that have been added by the Shenandoah County Historical Society for archival records. Today the names of many of the people in the images taken by Hugh Morrison Jr. are unknown. Each image in this gallery speaks of his skill, and together they provide a window into half a century of Shenandoah County history and culture. Click on the thumbnails below to enlarge the images. To exit the gallery, click on the image. |
Inside the Studio | Children in the Studio | The Art of the Sitting |
