E. R. Healy Ground Floor Gallery’s Portrait Photograph of Aletha Jocephine Houx
THE PHOTOGRAPHER/ PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIO:
Photographers: Edwin Ruthven Healy (b. 1856-1923) & Addie Gossage Healy (b. Petaluma, California July 1860-?)
Active in Petaluma: 1896 -1905+
Biographical Note: By 1879, E. R. Healy was working as a painter in Petaluma. In 1880, he moved to Alameda, California but returned to Petaluma in 1881 to marry Ada “Addie” Gossage, a native of Petaluma. They moved numerous times but returned to Petaluma by 1896 to open the Ground Floor Photography Studio at 816 ½ Main Street. They ran the studio together until 1905 when Edwin decided to start a mining company. Addie continued to run the studio until 1908 when they departed Petaluma for Berkeley, California. They were both buried in Cypress Hill Memorial Park, Petaluma.
Bibliography: Palmquist, Shadowcatchers, pgs. 111-112; Mautz, pg. 109.
THE SITTER:
Name: Aletha Jocephine “Josie” Houx Olmsted. According to the inscription on the back of this portrait, it was taken when the sitter was known by her birth name, Aletha Jocephine “Josie” Houx.
Description: In this head-and-shoulders portrait, Aletha Jocephine “Josie” Houx poses frontally, but turns her head and gaze to the viewer’s right. Her hair is center-parted, combed to the back of her head, and secured with a dark bow. She wears a dark blouse which has white piping at the neck, large pleated sleeves, and a prominent front flounce. Over her dark blouse she wears a large, rectangular, white, lace, yoke collar.
Biographical Note: Aletha Houx was raised at the Houx Homestead in Two Rock Valley. She attended Petaluma High School and was a member of the University of California, Berkeley class of 1904. She was a participating member of the Order of the Eastern Star.
Family Affiliation: Aletha Jocephine “Josie” Houx Olmsted was the daughter of Two Rock pioneers, William Duncan Houx (1853-1951) and Martha Jan Vestal Houx (1855-1942). In November of 1904, Aletha became the first wife of John “Jack” Alexander Olmsted Sr. (1876-1953), the editor and publisher of the Petaluma Argus. Together they had four children, Duncan Houx Olmsted (1905-2000), Aletha May Olmsted (1908-2004), John Alexander Olmsted (1910-1999), and Geneva Alberta Olmsted (1911-1995).
Bibliography:
THE PHOTOGRAPH:
Format / Size: The square, diamond-shaped format of this portrait is rare; it measures approximately 9.5 x 9.5 cm
Medium: albumen photographic print mounted on cardstock
Description, front: All four edges of this square, diamond-shaped, portrait are pinked, and the photographer’s imprint appears along the bottom on both the left and right sides.
Description, back: Handwritten at the top of the card in pencil in print is, “Jocephine Houx”. Below this, handwritten in pencil, in cursive is,“Mother of John Olmsted family.”.
Date: circa 1896. The format of this portrait suggests it was most probably among the first produced by the E. R. Healy Ground Floor Gallery.
Condition: This card is heavily soiled.
Owner: Petaluma Historical Library & Museum, 1984-289-01
Reproduction rights: The Petaluma Museum Association makes no assertions as to ownership of any original copyrights to the digitized images here reproduced. These images are intended for personal or research use only. Any other kind of use, including, but not limited to commercial or scholarly publication in any medium or format, public exhibition, or use online or in a web site, may be subject to additional restrictions including but not limited to the copyrights held by parties other than the Association. USERS ARE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE for determining the existence of such rights and for obtaining any permissions and/or paying associated fees necessary for the proposed use.