In June 2022, I purchased an eBay listing titled, “2 Antique Magic Lantern Glass Slide Brooklyn NY Prospect Park Kingston Ave Room.” The listing featured two seemingly unique and original glass plate photos from old New York. In one of the pictures, a woman and perhaps a teenage girl were both visible and facing away from the camera while walking on a path, purportedly in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park.
The second photo displayed what appeared as a child’s bedroom. The room likely belonged to a young girl, seeing as the shot featured several dolls.
In an eBay message, the seller told me either they or someone else obtained both old New York pictures from the same estate. In other words, the possibility of both photos sharing some connection seemed possible, if not likely.
My mission with this project – a project I previously published a full video about in July 2022 – was to attempt to locate the names of the woman and girl visible in the first photo.
An unknown person likely from decades into the past labeled the glass plate photograph showing the child’s bedroom as 112 Kingston Ave. – a real address in Brooklyn. That address stood as perhaps the most significant piece of information in either picture, seeing as the location provided a starting point for my research.
Beginning My Research in Old New York
I initially believed the two old New York glass plate photos definitely evoked a late 19th century feeling, as opposed to early 20th century. Both the clothing on the woman and girl – as well as the items in the child’s bedroom – made me think perhaps one or two photographers captured the pictures no earlier than the 1870s and no later than the 1890s.
A search for 112 Kingston Ave. on the newspaper-archiving website Newspapers.com displayed possibly-helpful results as old as the early 1870s.
For example, on Sept. 27, 1870, The Brooklyn Daily Eagle printed an advertisement reading, “Board – Two Boarders Wanted – One room on second floor; house finely furnished and beautifully located; board first-class; all the improvements in house and room; no other boarders. Terms reasonable. 112 Kingston Ave., near Dean St. Apply at any time.”
On May 23 and 24, 1871, the Eagle published another ad reading, “For Sale. A good, city made leather-top wagon; has been run one season; is in good order; will be sold cheap, as owner has no use for it; also a set of light single harnesses, nearly new. Apply at any time, at 112 Kingston Ave., near Dean St.”
A few months later, on Sept. 14, the Eagle printed a different ad reading, “For sale. A new and handsome piano. Cost $500. Will sell for $300. Also parlor, dining room, bedroom and library furniture. All black walnut and handsome. Will sell cheap, as owner is leaving the country. Call at any time at 112 Kingston Ave., near Dean St.” (The ad’s usage of the word “call” reflected the desire for someone to drop by in-person.)
Two weeks later, on Sept. 29, the Eagle published, “For sale or to let. House and 7 lots. House is modern, and has 12 rooms, with all the modern improvements; it is situated in a splendid neighborhood; 45 minutes from ferries by Atlantic or Fulton avs; garden has some fruit, &c., and stable; will sell all or part for loss than cost, or will rent for $800 per year; owner is going away to remain, and must do something with this within a week. 112 Kingston Ave., near Dean St.; Kingston Ave. is the first street above Brooklyn Ave.”
Then, on Oct. 23, 1872, The New York Herald printed an ad saying the owner, presumably the new owner of 112 Kingston Ave., was selling a small Cuban saddle pony. The ad read, “For sale. Pony. Small Cuban saddle pony. Very choice. 112 Kingston Ave.”
None of these listings provided much help to my research. They did, however, shed some light on happenings at 112 Kingston Ave. back in the early 1870s in old New York. According to the ads, the owner or owners may have had a good bit of land to work with, including 112 Kingston Ave. and possibly seven lots. The ownership featured a stable and garden, presumably before workers filled the lots with the houses existing now in present-day.
Just half a block from 112 Kingston Ave., on Dean Street, stands the Elkins House. Abandoned for years, workers recently restored the house. It’s possible the home at 112 Kingston Ave. once looked something it in the 1870s.
Searching for Old New York Records on Ancestry.com
A search of Ancestry.com for 112 Kingston Ave. displayed results for men named William V. Hanson and Charles Goldberg.
On Oct. 15, 1904, The Brooklyn Daily Times published an article about William Hanson’s death. The story named Hanson’s daughter as Mrs. C. H. Goldberg – a reference to her husband’s name, C. H. Goldberg. Again, Ancestry.com displayed results for both William Hanson and Charles Goldberg as bearing an association with 112 Kingston Ave. In other words, C. H. Goldberg is Charles H. Goldberg.
In a review of my records from the time I researched this matter, it appeared I obtained from New York City’s Department of Records & Information Services a marriage certificate dated Oct. 2, 1878, for Charles H. Goldberg and Ella Hanson. (I was unable to locate the same record online in July 2024 to confirm the department’s website as my original source.)
The existence of the marriage certificate said Ella was William Hanson’s daughter. Further, William Hanson’s name appeared on the back side of the certificate as “father’s name” for the bride.
If we are to take the leap of believing the two old New York glass plate photos I purchased from eBay share a connection, then Ella Goldberg might very well be the taller woman shown walking in the first picture, after her name was changed for the marriage with Hanson.
At this point in my research, I sought to confirm this theory by locating more data.
Searching Old New York City Directories
Lain and Company’s old New York city directories listed William Hanson at 112 Kingston Ave. between the 1870s and 1890s, meaning he lived at the location or at least owned the property for quite a long time. For example, the 1876 city directory (archived) listed William Hanson spelled with an “e” in Hanson rather than an “o.” 23 years later, the 1899 city directory (archived) displayed William Hanson at the same address, just five years before his death.
As for Charles Goldberg – William Hanson’s son-in-law – Trow’s New York City Directory booklets (archived) listed him at the address from 1879-1884. This information might indicate Charles Goldberg lived with Ella’s parents for the first few years of their marriage, after the pair married in 1878.
The Girl in the Photo
One unfortunate fact I learned when doing research: Ella Goldberg died nine days before her father, William. On Oct. 7, 1904, the Brooklyn newspaper The Standard Union published, “Funeral services will be conducted this evening by the Rev. Dr. Cadman over the remains of Mrs. Ella Goldberg, wife of Charles H. Goldberg, who died on Wednesday at her residence, 26A New York Avenue, after an illness of six months. Mrs. Goldberg was born in the Thirteenth ward, Eastern District, Aug. 29, 1857. Her husband is a well-known manufacturer of woodenware, with offices in Manhattan. She also leaves two daughters, Edith and Estelle. The interment will be in Evergreen Cemetery.”
Again, the newspaper clipping identified Ella Goldberg’s daughters as named Edith and Estelle.
On April 14, 1888, the Long Island edition of The Brooklyn Daily Times published Edith Goldberg’s name as attending a wedding with her parents. Estelle Goldberg was not named, perhaps indicating she was either not yet born or too young to attend.
At this stage in my research, I believed it to be a possibility Ella Goldberg and her daughter, Edith, might be the two women in the first old New York glass plate photo. Still, I sought more data.
Finding Information About Edith and Estelle
On March 13, 1892, The Brooklyn Citizen newspaper published Edith Goldberg’s name as a “sixth grammar grade” student. Edith Goldberg married William J. Berry, making her Edith G. Berry. After William J. Berry died in 1931, Edith appeared to marry again, this time to Frank Ruff.
A picture on findagrave.com showed Edith Berry Ruff lived from 1881 through 1965. In other words, Edith was born three years after her parents, Charles and Ella, married. So when was Estelle Goldberg, Charles and Ella’s other daughter, born?
On Sept. 24, 1910, the Brooklyn Life publication printed Estelle Goldberg married F. Remsen Ryder, who may have been named Stephen Remsen Ryder, Jr. That made her Mrs. S. Remsen Ryder, Jr. A 1971 newspaper article said she was 83 when she died that year, making her birth year around 1888. This meant Estelle appeared seven years younger than her sister, Edith.
If a photographer truly captured the picture of the two women in Prospect Park, and if the photo truly showed Ella and Edith Goldberg – with Edith born in 1881 – based on the appearance of Edith’s height reflecting her teenage years, I estimated the picture dated to the mid-1890s.
A Room Fit for a Girl
As for the old New York photo of the room, again, it’s not entirely clear if the two pictures originated from the same family. As I mentioned before, the eBay seller told me the two glass plate photos came from the same estate. However, the mailing address written on the image – 112 Kingston Ave. – indicated the picture of the room truly belonged to the inhabitants of the home. The Hanson family, including young sisters Edith and Estelle, were those inhabitants. If the room belonged to one of the girls, it’s unclear if the room was Edith’s or Estelle’s, or if it belonged to both of them.
An examination of the glass plate picture of the room displays a doll, figurines, a moon on the wall and an American flag parachute-shaped piece of cloth hanging on the mirror. Family photos or some other literature are tucked into a floral pattern item on the wall.
On the dresser, several items can be seen including a fan, dolls, art, glass containers and other items.
A shelf is visible in the mirror. Off to the left in the mirror’s reflection appear to be a sink and faucet. I also observed pPrhaps a candle on the wall, animal figurines, artwork and a clock.
Depending on how this picture is facing – meaning the photo might be incorrectly horizontally mirrored – the clock indicated the time may have been around 9:00 a.m., 12:15 p.m., 12:45 p.m., or 3:00 p.m. The sun appears to be shining into the window, indicating a time of day in the morning or afternoon, and not the middle of the day.
On a soft piece of furniture – possibly a daybed and not a couch – I observed a pillow and what looks to be a folded shirt or other item, perhaps made of cloth. The design of the rug is also visible on the floor.
Tucked into a frame on the right side of the photo was a small illustration of cats. Similarly, looking back into the mirror, there’s another picture tucked into a different frame, which might also be an illustration of a cat. I purchased one of these old illustrations on eBay.
About halfway through my research for this project, I realized something that left me stunned. According to Google Street View, as of 2024, 112 Kingston Ave. is the location of a laundromat. Believe it or not, this was my laundromat for several years. I spent a lot of time inside the building.
History
While I was not able to definitively link both photos, I was still able to learn about people who perhaps haven’t been discussed for decades. By digging into history and trying to go back in time and figure out a mystery, I personally believe the first glass plate picture to show Ella Goldberg and her eldest daughter, Edith.