I have an interesting old photo to share with you today – a large family unit!  The dark dresses of the women lead me to believe it was made about 1900 – reminds me of my old Linton family photo from that time period.  This was in a wood frame, with gold leaves at each corner.  It must have hung on someone’s wall for many years!

Notice all the men wear beards – but the father’s beard is trimmed in a rather unusual way!  Don’t you think the father and mother sit in the center, surrounded by their sons and daughters?

But the most interesting part of this photo is the photographer!  At the edge of the cardboard area is embossed ‘H. Morrison Jr., Woodstock, Virginia’.  With just a little research I found out so much about this man!

Hugh Morrison, Jr., 1871-1950, was the son of Hugh Starke and Susan Ellick Morrison, born in Harrison, Virginia.  His father was a photographer, and that is where the son learned his trade!  By the late 1890’s the younger Morrison was a traveling photographer and in 1899 rented a building on W. Court Street in Woodstock where he opened his studio.  He married Grace Johnson and they had ten children.  Hugh was well known and liked in his community, where he was mayor 1926-1938, all the while continuing with photography.  When Hugh passed away in 1950 his son Louis continued the business, and then handed it down to his son James in 1984.  The shop was closed four years later.  For 100+ years the Morrison family operated their photography business.  Imagine how many photos they took!  Some of the glass negatives from Hugh Jr.’s shop were given to the Woodstock Historical Society.

If you would like to read more about Hugh Morrison, Jr., go to this enjoyable website – Hugh Morrison Exhibition!