Rayson Brown, 1920s Nature Photographer

G. Rayson Brown (1898-1974) was fascinated by the wonders of nature. He combined that love of the outdoors with his photography hobby in the early 1920s after moving to Los Angeles, California. Rayson was my husband's Great Uncle. Warren, Rayson's only child, inherited the collection. Warren didn't have children and when he passed, my husband and I became the keepers of the collection.

Rayson photographed people, always outdoors, as well as majestic scenery, plants, animals and insects. Some of his close-up plant, animal and insect photos were sold to magazines and published. He took great pride in carefully documenting and cataloging his collection. Out of the hundreds of photos, I chose a few of my favorites to share.

Rayson married Edythe Grace Sisson in 1923, soon after arriving in Los Angeles. Edythe and her family are in many of Rayson's photographs.

Edythe and Mrs. Holden at Camp Baldy, 1924

Edythe and her mother in Stoddard Canyon, 1924

In the photo below, from left to right, are Edythe's father Charles Sisson, Edythe, her Uncle Herbert Bragg and Aunt Mae (Duffield) Bragg, her mother Edith (Duffield) Sisson, her sister Vera (Sisson) Armstrong and brother-in-law Bill Armstrong.

Sissons, Braggs, Armstrongs & Brown picnic, Stoddard Canyon, 1924

"Yours truly" [Rayson] & wife, 1926

Edythe and Aunt Nellie Nettleingham at Seal Beach, 1927

Edythe's Aunt Mae and Uncle Herb lived in Long Beach. The family took many trips there to visit and enjoy the beach.

Long Beach Pier, 1923

Long Beach Waterfront, 1923

Rayson and Edythe, usually with her sister Vera and brother-in-law Bill Armstrong, explored as much of the state as they could when not working. Rayson always had his camera and tripod on hand to document their travels.

Lighthouse at end of San Pedro Calif. breakwater, 1923

Road around Catalina Island looking East, 1923

Glass Bottom Boat Catalina, 1923

Scene from Busch Gardens, 1924

There are dozens of photos of the aftermath of a 1925 earthquake in Santa Barbara.

Santa Barbara Earthquake ruins, 1925

Yachts in Race to Honolulu, 1926

Rayson must have truly loved photographing and documenting the plants, animals, and insects found in nature. There are hundreds of photos and boxes and boxes of slides. Getting clear, close-up photos is a challenge for photographers today but was even more so in the 1920s.

Tarantula and it's abode, 1923

Carpenter bees, 1925

Butterfly, 1925

Sow Bug, 1925

Spotted Anthomya fly (Gray), 1925

Elderbug, Black, white and red, 1925

Buffalo tree hopper (Green), 1925

Milliped (Brown), 1925

1925

Crane fly, 1927

Alligator in Los Angeles alligator farm, 1923

Lizzard, 1924

Burrowing owl, 1925

Geranium seed (magnified), 1926

Duffield/Sisson Postcards No. 56

Postcard 56, like the last one, was sent from Lyle Green to his sister-in-law Edith (Duffield) Sisson to update her on the condition of her little sister Eva following an operation.

City Hall and Court House, Chicago

The Cook County Building, which houses the City Hall offices and the County Court House, is still in use today. The building was designed by Holiburd & Roche, Architects, and constructed in 1910.

Postmarked April 6, 1913, at 1:30 AM in Chicago.

Addressed to:

Mrs. Edith Sisson

Ottawa

Ill

408 Marcy St.

Dear Ede,

Everything all O.K.

Eva started to eat 

to-day appetite good

and pains growing

less every day.

Lyle

Duffield/Sisson Postcards No. 55

This postcard is the 55th in order by date from the collection of Edith (Duffield) Sisson, my husband's great-grandmother. The collection was saved by Edith's daughter, Edythe (Sisson) Brown, and after she died, her son Warren became the caretaker. When he passed away, I was lucky to have the chance to rescue many family treasures from being tossed out, including this great collection.

Edith's little sister Eva (Duffield) Green has authored a several of the postcards in this collection so far (3, 28, 29, 30, 31, 41, 45, 49). This one and the next are penned by her husband, Lyle Green. It seems that Eva has had an operation and Lyle is sending updates. The Green's lived north of Ottawa in the community of Dayton and operated a dairy farm. They must have been in Chicago, however, for Eva's surgery. Both postcards are postmarked in Chicago and feature subject matter of the city.

WHALEBACK STEAMER CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS ENTERING HARBOR, CHICAGO
No. 809, V. O. Hammon Pub. Co., Chicago

The S.S. Christopher Columbus was a steamship designed by Scottish immigrant Alexander McDougall, inventor of the whaleback hull shape. It was the longest Whaleback ever built and the only one built for passenger service. At the time of this postcard, 1913, it was running a daily service from Chicago to Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Postmarked in Chicago, Apr 3, 1913, 3:30 PM

Addressed to:

Mrs. Chas Sisson

Ottawa

Ill.

408 Marcy St.

Eva is getting along

all right. had the operation 

at 8:30 yesterday morning.

She is in considerable

pain but that is to be

expected for a few days.

Will write again in 

a day or two.

Lyle

The Isaac Baumgardner family of South Ottawa, Illinois

Isaac Baumgardner and his wife, Barbara (Shank), moved from York, Pennsylvania to South Ottawa township, LaSalle County, Illinois about 1856-1857. Their daughter Mary was almost 4 years old and baby Sarah was born as they traveled to their new home. Isaac and Barbara would welcome two sons, Albert and Harry, and another daughter, Daisy, in Ottawa. The family made many friends among the residents in the community, including the Duffield family. 

Edith A. (Duffield) Sisson kept in close contact with the family and considered them her dear friends. She received a postcard from Mrs. Baumgardner in 1912 after the death of Sarah's husband Charley. She mentions an upcoming visit from her friend "Mrs. Challis from Ulysses, Nebraska" in a 1922 letter. And when Isaac died in 1918, he had added Edith Sisson to his will to receive $100 in appreciation for the many and valuable favors in the past years (Illinois Wills and Probate Records, Ancestry.com). Learning of these relationships, it was no surprise to find the following photographs in Edith's collection. 

Sarah E (Baumgardner) Challis

Sarah Eve (Baumgardner) Challis, (1856-1942)
Photographed in Ulysses, Nebraska,
From the collection of Edith Sisson.

 Charley Challis

Charles H. Challis (1853-1912),
husband of Sarah E Baumgardner.
Photographed in Ulysses, Nebraska.
From the collection of Edith Sisson.

 Guy Challis, front

Baby Challis, believed to be Guy Challis (1880-1882), son of Charles and Sarah.
Photographed in Ottawa, Illinois.
From the collection of Edith Sisson.

 Guy Challis, Back

Labeled Baby Challis, believed to be Guy Challis (1880-1882), son of Charles and Sarah.
Photographed in Ottawa, Illinois.
From the collection of Edith Sisson.

 Blanche Challis

Labeled Little girl Challis, Blanche E. Challis (b. 1882). Married Lloyd Jackson.
Photographed in Ulysses, Nebraska.
From the collection of Edith Sisson.

Albert Baumgardner, front

Thomas Albert Baumgardner (1858-1927). Married Anna Nistel.
Photographed in Ottawa, Illinois.
From the collection of Edith Sisson.

 Albert Baumgardner, back

Thomas Albert Baumgardner (1858-1927).
Photographed in Ottawa, Illinois.
From the collection of Edith Sisson.

Harry Baumgardner, front

Harry P. Baumgardner (1866-1890).
Photographed in Ottawa, Illinois.
From the collection of Edith Sisson.

 Harry Baumgardner, back

Harry P. Baumgardner (1866-1890).
Photographed in Ottawa, Illinois.
From the collection of Edith Sisson.

Daisy Baumgardner, front

Daisy Maude Baumgardner (1872-1948).
Photographed in Ottawa, Illinois.
From the collection of Edith Sisson.

 Daisy Baumgardner, back

Daisy Maude Baumgardner (1872-1948).
Photographed in Ottawa, Illinois.
From the collection of Edith Sisson.

Daisy Baumgardner

Daisy Maude Baumgardner (1872-1948). Married W S Hayward.
Photographed in Ottawa, Illinois.
From the collection of Edith Sisson.

Please contact me if you are a descendant of Isaac and Barbara Baumgardner and would like to have these photos.

Duffield/Sisson Postcards, No. 54

This next postcard from the collection of Edith (Duffield) Sisson illustrates that, in 1912, friendships endured over distance, families stuck together when times got tough, and being neighborly was the right thing to do.

BIRDS-EYE VIEW   56  ULYSSES NEB.

Postmarked Jun 3, 7 PM. The year and post office city didn't show up.

Addressed to:

Mrs Charls Cisson

Ottawa

Ill

south side 

(The Sisson's lived in South Ottawa)

Ulyses Neb

Jun 2 -12

Mrs Sisson

We are still here trying to 

sell evry thing I am so tired 

of the place Sarah is going to 

live with us she must sell 

evry thing it takes time to get 

rid of it I know you are tired 

taken care of hour home but 

we did not inteng to stay so 

long but will try and come home 

midle of next week if arangements 

can be made Love to all

From Mrs Baumgardner

Mr. & Mrs. Baumgardner lived a short distance away from Edith (Duffield) and her husband Charles Sisson in Ottawa, Illinois. The Baumgardner and the Duffield children had grown up attending the same schools. Sarah Eve Baumgardner, born in 1856, had married Charles Henry Challis in 1879 and moved to Ulysses, Nebraska. Charles was the editor and publisher of the Ulysses Dispatch until his unexpected death in May of 1912. These photos of Sarah, Charles, and their children were found in Edith's collection, and I know the families kept in touch even after Sarah moved to Nebraska. She was almost nine years older than Edith, but it seems they were friends despite the difference in age. In one of Edith's letters written in 1922, she mentions that Mrs. Challis will be coming to visit.

Sarah (Baumgardner) Challis,
Photographed in Ulysses, Nebraska,
From the collection of Edith Sisson.

Sarah's parents were about 80 years old when they traveled to Ulysses to help her settle the household after her husband's death. Edith stepped in to care for their home in Ottawa while they were gone. This note tells us that Sarah was planning to go back to Ottawa to live with her parents. She probably helped her parents a great deal until their deaths. Her mother died in 1917, followed soon after by her father in 1918. After their deaths, Sarah moved to Scotts Bluff, Nebraska to live near her daughter, Blanche, and son-in-law, Lloyd Jackson. Sarah died in 1942 in Scotts Bluff and was buried next to her husband in Ulysses.

Before Mr. Baumgardner died, he made an addition to his will. His five surviving children would inherit his estate, but he also wanted to leave $100 to Edith Sisson in appreciation for the many and valuable favors in the past years.

Duffield/Sisson Postcards No. 53

The Pillars of Hercules, on the O. R. & N.

From the back of the postcard:

The Pillars of Hercules, on the O. R. & N.

The storm God of the mountains fashioned these stately 

pillars, and made them the gateway to scenes beyond 

of unspeakable beauty and grandeur. About these 

pinnacles there dwelt the guardian angels of the God 

Coyote.

The Pillars of Hercules pictured here are not in the Straits of Gibraltar but on the Columbia River near Portland, Oregon. The train tracks no longer run through the columns, and the tree on top is gone, but they can still be seen today. The Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company, O. R. & N., provided travelers a gateway to the Pacific Northwest.

This postcard was part of the Gifford Series, published by Benj. A. Gifford, The Dalles, Oregon.
Copyright 1908, card No. 240.

            Postmarked November 4, 1911 at The Dalles, Oregon.

Addressed to:

Mrs Edith Sisson

Ottawa

Illinois

Marcy. St.

Dear Sister Edith-

We are on our way to California at Dalles to day. 

Will leave here for Portland Sun morning we are O.K. 

hope you are all well I will write you again

Lovingly

Sister Mae.

Marie Louise "Mae" Duffield and her husband, Herbert Bragg, moved from Ottawa, Illinois to Long Beach, California between the years 1910 and 1920 according to the Federal Census records. This trip may have been the actual "move" or perhaps was just a pleasure trip that put the thought into their heads. Mae was two years older than Edith, and from her notes seems to have been a practical and to the point type of woman. 

Edith (Duffield) Sisson saved many postcards and letters. I am honored to be the current caretaker of this wonderful collection and keep them in the family.

Duffield/Sisson Postcards No. 52

In the early 1900s, before automobiles were parked at nearly every home, travel of any distance was typically by train. Postcards featuring trains and the depots were very common. Train depots were often elaborate buildings, making them an attractive postcard subject. Travelers who wanted to let the family back home know how their trip was going would purchase a postcard at the depot while the train was in the station and send an update. Postcards were also used to pen quick notes, such as this one from the collection of Edith (Duffield) Sisson.

This card was sent as a thank you note by a woman named Daisy Haywood. It features a depot in Kinsley, Kansas for the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway (AT&SF). This depot was built in 1887 and was used first for the AT&SF and later the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway. The small building next to the depot was used a freight house. The buildings were demolished in 1999.

A. T. & S. F. Depot, Kinsley, Kans.

Postmarked in Kinsley, Kansas, September 1911

Addressed to:

Mrs. Edith Cisson

Marcy St.

Ottawa

Ills.

9/2/1911

Mrs. Cisson,

Dear friend: - I rec'd a letter from

the folks telling how pleased they 

were on finding things so well taken

care of in their absence and I

take this way in thanking

you, which is but a weak

way of putting it, for the kind-

ness that you have shown

them. We all fully appreci-

ate the kindness.

Your friend Daisy Haywood