Spear, Clara Whitney (1873-1954) (4 of 4)
/Charles Lainer’s Portrait Photograph of Marcella “Ella” & Clara Whitney
THE PHOTOGRAPHER/ PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIO:
Photographer: Charles Lainer
Studio Location: 715 Market Street, San Francisco, CA
THE SITTERS:
Names: Marcella “Ella” Whitney Wheaton (1866-1915) and Clara Whitney Spear (1873-1954). (At the time this portrait has taken, these two sisters may have been known by their maiden name, Whitney. Marcella married in October 1892 at the age of 26, and Clara married in 1893 at the age of 20.)
Description: This is a lovely portrait of two sisters. Ella, the elder sister, is on the viewer’s left and Clara is on the right. There was 7 years age different between the sisters. Unfortunately, due to the faded quality of the photograph, it is not possible to distinguish the details of their blouses. An element of interest is Ella’s coiffure. Her hair has been arranged into a tight, small, bun on the top of her head which has been garnished with a unique hair ornament giving additional height to the arrangement.
Biographical Note: Clara Whitney was raised in Petaluma. She attended Mills College in Oakland, California and was married in 1893 at the age of 20 to Lewis Eugene Spear. Clara died at the age of 81 in Santa Barbara, California but was buried in Petaluma’s Cypress Lawn Memorial Park.
Family Affiliation: Clara Whitney Spear was the seventh and last child of the prominent Petaluma pioneers Albion Paris Whitney (1825-1884) and Susan Durgin Eastman Whitney (1832-1917). Her father was a California State Senator and wealthy businessman. Her mother managed the family business after his death and was an active participant in the women’s suffrage movement. Her paternal grandmother was Olive Parlin Whitney, and her siblings were Cleora Melissa Whitney Hewlett, Nancy Jane “Jenny” Whitney Morrow, Arthur Leslie Whitney, Leona Merrill Whitney, Marcella “Ella” Whitney Wheaton, and Albion Harvey Whitney. Clara’s husband was Lewis Eugene Spear (1867-1953). He was a California business man who organized the Pacific Steel and Wire Company in San Francisco and later established the Pacific Wire Rope Company in Los Angeles.
Bibliography:
THE PHOTOGRAPH:
Format / Size: carte de visite, approximately 5 x 6.75 cm
Medium: albumen photographic print mounted on cardstock
Description, front:
Description, back: Handwritten along the top edge in script in bold black ink is, “Ella Whitney”, “Clara Whitney”. Below this is Chas. Lainer’s elaborate imprint which includes an image of San Francisco’s Cliff House and his many award medallions.
Date: circa 1890 - 1895
Condition: Both sides of this card are heavily soiled, stained, and faded. Additionally, a significant strip of the bottom of this card has been trimmed.
Owner: Petaluma Historical Library & Museum, 1981-835-26
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.