My Grandmother's

Photo Album
from

Tintypes to Cabinet
Cards
by

Richard C. Gretzinger

May 2020
 Table Of Contents
Foreword 1
Chapter 1 Ferrotype Photos 2
Chapter 2 Carte De Visite 6
Chapter 3 Cabinet Cards 8
Chapter 4 The Family Photo Album 11
Chapter 5 The Friends Photo Album 16
Chapter 6 Geo. W. Weidner Photography Studio 19
Chapter 7 John D. Strunk Photography Studio 21
Chapter 8 Photos From Other Photography Studios 24
Chapter 9 Strunk Genealogy 29
Chapter 10 An Engagement Puzzle 31
Chapter 11 Conclusions 36

ii
 Foreword
My grandparent’s front parlor was a treasure trove of family portraits and photo albums.
There were two photo albums, one with a green cover and one with a red cover. The
green cover album rested on a stand. This album probably belonged to my
grandmother, Ellen (aka Ella) Huber Gretzinger. It has 36 photos and a number of the
photos were identified by a small handwritten note glued to the album page below the
photo. The notes identified various family members.

The red album has 41 unidentified photos. I believe none of these photos were family
or friends. There were photos of twenty-six males, fourteen females and one family
photo. In the early 1900s, many photos were “collectables.”

The albums contain three types of photos-tintypes (Ferrotypes), Carte De Visite and
Cabinet Cards. Each of these types is discussed in Chapters 1, 2 and 3. The last two
types of photos were mounted on cardboard that listed the name and address of the
photography studio that produced the photo.

Most all of the photos in Family Photo Album (Chapter 4, the green album) came
from a studio in Quakertown owned by George W. Weidner. Because my 2nd
great-grandaunt, Caroline Gretzinger, married Charles Weidner, I researched a
possible family connection between George and Charles Weidner (see Chapter 6).

The photos in the red album, The Frieds Photo Album, Chapter 5, came from studios
in Reading, Allentown, Wilkes-Barre and one each from Quakertown, Kutztown,
Philadelphia, Pottstown and Pottsville. Only one was from a studio in Quakertown, a
few miles from Trumbauersville, my grandparent’s hometown. The majority of the
Reading photos came from the studio of John D. Strunk.

I also included a discussion regarding the photography studio of John D. Strunk.

Almost half of all the photos in the red album were from his studio (see Chapter 7). In
Chapter 8, I briefly review the other photography studios that produced photos for the
red album.

As I researched the Strunk family, I included John D. Strunk who produced a number of
photos in the red album. As noted above, his studio was in Reading. I included this
family line in my research. The results of my research can be found in Chapter 9.

One of the family photos was of Lillie Gretzinger, my great-aunt. During a family
reunion in the late 1990s, there was a discussion concerning Lillie’s marriage
engagement to a relative of the Strunk family. Unfortunately, she died of typhoid in
1911 before she was married. I researched the Strunk family that lived in
Trumbauersville looking for a connection. Chapter 10 reports my results regarding
Lillie’s engagement. In Chapter 11, I summarize my conclusions.

1
 Chapter 1
Ferrotype Photos

My family's photo albums had three types* of phots-Ferrotypes (tintypes), Carte

DeVisite (Cards for Visiting) and Cabinet Cards. This chapter discusses Ferrotypes
and includes copies of seven tintypes from the album. Chapter 2 discusses Carte De
Visite and Chapter 3 Cabinet Cards.
Ferrotypes first appeared in the 1850s, A very underexposed negative image was
produced on a thin iron plate. It was blackened by painting, lacquering or enameling,
and coated with a photographic emulsion.
By using a very under exposed image, a photographer could prepare, expose, develop,
and varnish a ferrotype plate in just a few minutes. Since the medium (iron, rather than
glass) was cheap, ferrotype process was used by itinerant photographers.
The term ‘ferrotype’ was in common use, but the public tended to prefer the less formal
‘tintype’, implying the cheap and tinny. Most ferrotypes are small, about 2×3 inches.
They are a very dark grey-black and the image quality is often poor.

Ferrotypes were sometimes put into cheap cardboard mounts. Three of our album's
tintypes are mounted into cardboard mounts. The remaining four tintypes were not
mounted in the album.

On the next three pages are enlarged copies of these seven tintypes. None of these
photos is identified and I do not recognize any of them. The first two that follow appear
to be about the same age and may be husband and wife.

_____________________________________________________________________
*The sources for the the three types of photos discussed in Chapters 1, 2 and 3 were the Science and
Media Museum at <HTTPS://BLOG.SCIENCEANDMEDIAMUSEUM.ORG.UK.> and Collectors Weekly at
<https://www.collectorsweekly>

2
Note the text that was handwritten on the back side of this mount. It reads, "This is for
my mother ???" Part of the last word was cut off when the cover corners were
rounded.

The cardboard mount measures 2-1/2 x 4 inches.

3
 The cardboard mount measures 2-1/2 x 4 inches.

The remaining five tintypes on the next page ane not identified. Their size varies. The
infant in a cardboard mount measures 3-1/2 x 5 inches. The two to the right of the
cardboard mount measure 2-1/4 x 3-1/2 inches and the two small tintypes at the bottom
measure 1 x 1-1/2 inches.

4
5
 Chapter 2
Carte De Visite

The carte de visite (French for visiting card), abbreviated CdV, was a type of
photograph which was patented in Paris by photographer André Disdéri in 1854. Each
photograph was the size of a visiting card (2.5x4 inches), and such photograph cards
were commonly traded among friends and visitors in the 1860s.
Albums for the collection and display of cards became a common fixture in Victorian
parlors. The immense popularity of these card photographs led to the publication and
collection of photographs of prominent persons.
The carte de visite photograph proved to be a very popular item during the American
Civil War. Soldiers, friends and family members would have a means of inexpensively
obtaining photographs and sending them to loved ones in small envelopes. Photos of
Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, and other celebrities of the era became instant hits
in the North. People were not only buying photographs of themselves, but also
collecting photographs of celebrities.
The relative thickness of the cardboard mount can indicate a rough date. Generally, the
thinner the mount, the earlier the photograph. The shape of the cardboard mount can
also help with dating. Early cartes produced in the 1860s usually have square corners.
In the 1870s, mounts with rounded corners were introduced. Following are examples
from the red album of both square corner and rounded corner cartes.

Square corner cartes

6
Rounded Corner Cartes

7
 Chapter 3
Cabinet Cards

As described in Collectors Weekly, an online magazine, Cabinet Cards were

introduced in the 1860s. They were photographs similar to cartes-de-visite, only larger.
Measuring approximately four inches by six inches and mounted on cardstock (similar
to cardboard), cabinet card photos got their name from their size—they were just the
right size to be displayed on a cabinet.
Although some cabinet cards depicting landscapes can be found, most featured
Victorian-era portraits of individuals or families—it was popular to mail cabinet cards to
friends and family living abroad. Early cabinet cards were sepia-toned; in later years,
the majority of them were printed in black-and-white.
Cabinet cards reached their peak of popularity in the 1870s through the 1890s. They
continued to be made into the 1900s, albeit less frequently. With the introduction of the
real photo postcard in the early 20th century, cabinet cards fell almost completely out of
favor in the U.S., and only managed to hang on for a little longer in Europe.
Following are three examples of Cabinet Cards that were mounted in the the red album.

8
9
10
 Chapter 4
The Family Photo Album
The family photo album with its green cover was on display in my grandmother’s (Ellen
Huber Gretzinger’s) front parlor. It rested on a green stand as shown in the following
photo.

Some of the photos were identified with a small handwritten note glued to the album
page below the photos. Following are two photos, one identified as “my father” and the
second as “my sisters.”

11
 Oswin K. Huber, my father
Circa 1910

My grandmother’s father was Oswin K. Huber (1866-1930). I estimate Oswin’s age in

the photo to be about 25 years.

12
The next photo has a handwritten note, “my sisters.” The note was on the left side of
the photo. I enlaged the note in the next photo.

My Sisters
Circa 1896
My grandmother’s (Ellen’s, aka Ella’s) sisters alive in 1896 were Pearl (age 6yrs) and
Minnie (age 5yrs). I believe the females standing in the photo are (from left to
right)-Pearl, Minnie and Ella. The standing male is Ella’s brother, Clarence (age 10
yrs). The other two males are William (age 3 yrs) and Harold (age 1 yr).

13
Another of the photos has a handwritten note, “grandpa.” Based on the note, the photo
would be of Ella’s grandfather, David Huber (1821-1897). The boy in the photo
appears to be about 5 years old making the photo’s date about 1825.

Grandpa
This photo is a tintype. Since these photos were introduced in the1850s, I do not
believe this is a photo of David Huber. I believe it is a photo of Henry S. Gretzinger
(1857-1933). Based on the estimated age of 5 years, the photo would have been taken
in 1862.
The only other photos identified in the album were the two below. The handwritten
note identified the photos as “grandpa” and “grandma.”

Grandpa and Grandma, circa 1885

The handwritten note below the photos follows.
14
These photos are definitely of Henry S. Gretzinger and his wife, Ellamanda L. Hoff
Gretzinger. I recognized Henry and Elamanda from their wedding portrait. It appears
Ella called her father-in-law and mother-in-law grandpa and grandma.
I maintain that the notes under each photo were written by Ella because she listed a
previous photo of Oswin K. Huber as her father. I identified the photo of Oswin from
other pictures of him in possession of the Huber family who recorded Oswin as Ella's
father.
The only other photo in the album I recognized was that of my grandfather, Charles
Gretzinger (1886-1952), and his sister, Lillie (1888-1911). This photo was taken about
1898.

15
 Chapter 5
The Friends Photo Album

I inventoried the photos mounted in the red album that appears below. I estimate that
the album dates from the late 1800s and has a number of condition issues due to use
and age.

The album cover measures 9 inches wide and 11inches tall. On the right side is a
metal latch that can be closed to secure the album. On the last page of this chapter is
a picture of an idential album for sale on eBay.
None of the 41 photos in this album were identified. They were procuced by seven
different photography studios. Almost half were from two studios in Reading, Berks
County, PA.
Note that the cover on the red album for sale on eBay is identified as, "Our Friends." I
believe that our red album is also for "Our Friends." I also believe that many of the
photos are just "collectables." Examples are included in Chapters 1, 2 and 3.

16
The album has 18 pages with various mounting sizes for photos. Below are pictures of
the open album to pages for medium size photos (4" x 6") and large size photos (4" x
8"). I used the green stand to hold the album open.

17
 Photo Album for Sale on eBay

$90

Our red album is identical to the one above that is for sale on eBay. Our
album,however, no longer has the phrase, "Our Friends." But the underline bar
remains.

18
 Chapter 6
Geo. W. Weidner Photography Studio
Of the 41 photos in the red album, only one was from a local studio. That studio was owned
by George W. Weidner. The photo from his studio follows. The family in the photo was not
identified and I do not recognize them.

19
Since my 2nd great-grandaunt, Caroline Gretzinger, married Charles Weidner, I thought we
might be related to the photographer, George W. Weidner.
George was born on 16 September 1863 in Amityville, about six miles northeast of
Pottstown, Berks County, Pennsylvania. He was a son of Peter Weidner (1824-1891) and
Catharine Frederick (1834-1908). Peter and Catharine had five sons and one daughter.
George relocated to Quakertown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. In 1900, he is boarding in
the Harvey O. Stover* household on Ambler Street, Quakertown. George's occupation was
recorded as "photographer."
The 1902 issue on page 182 of Steiner’s Bucks County Directory listed “Weidner, Geo. W.,
photographer, Quakertown Borough, Bucks Co., PA.” His studio was on West Broad Street
in Quakertown.
George married Minnie A., maiden name unknown. They are recorded in the 1920 Census
for Quakertown. No children were listed and none have been identified. Minnie died in 1931
at age 59. She is buried at Perkasie Mausoleum, Perkasie, Bucks Co., PA. George died five
years later on 14 January 1936 at age 72. He is also buried at Perkasie Mausoleum.
I have not been able to connect George’s lineage to my Weidner ancestors. One source
listed that Peter Weidner, George’s father, was from Germany. I have not been able to verify
that source.

________________________________________________________________________
*Harvey O. Stover was my 5th cousin three times removed. In the 1900 Census for
Quakertown, Harvey, his wife Sara Ann (nee Snyder), and two sons, Howard and Vernon,
were listed in the household. Two boarders were also in the household: Harvey Groff (a
stove-molder) and George Weidner (a photographer).

20
 Chapter 7
John D. Strunk Photography Studio

Of the 41 photos in red album, nine came for the John D. Strunk photography studio in
Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania. None of the photos was identified. I doubt if
any are family or friends. They may be just "collectables.”
John was born in Exeter Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania on 17 March 1856.
When he was five years of age, the family moved to Reading where his father, Henry Y.
Strunk (1833-1906) opened a flour and feed business located at Walnut & Mulberry
Streets.
John worked for his father by driving the delivery wagon. At age 18, he became an
apprentice with the firm of Patten & Dietrich Photography Studio at 7th & Penn Streets.
After mastering the trade, he opened his first studio at the age of 21. His photography
studio was located at 826 Penn Street in Reading. Seven of the nine Strunk photos are
from this studio. One of these photos follow. It is a Cabinet Card that measures 6.5
inches by 4.5 inches.

21
In 1909, John moved his studio to a better location at 730 Penn Street, Reading.
Following are two Cabinet Cards produced at his new location. Again, no identification
of the photos.

.
The back side of the Cabinet Cards had an elaborate design promoting the studio.

22
An advertisement in the newspaper announced his new studio’s opening at 730 Penn
street. A copy of the add follows.

As advertised, John was selling his Cabinet Cards for $1 a dozen. Today (2020), that
would amount to about $30 a dozen, or $2.50 per card.

John continued his photography business from the new location for the next 10 years.
In 1918, John decided to move again. The Bulletin of Photography, Volume XXII-Jan 2
to Jun 26, 1918, reported, “John D. Strunk of 730 Penn Street, Reading, PA purchased
a 2-story building at 10 North 9th Street, Reading for $11,500.* He will demolish the
building and erect a 3-story building with skylights. The new building will be ready 1
April 1919.”
He continued his photography business at 9th Street for the next 10 years. He died on
10 March 1930. Mr. Strunk was unmarried. The only survivor was a sister, Anna, wife
of Harry D. Levan, Reading. John D. Strunk is buried at the Charles Evans Cemetery,
Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania.

_____________________________________________________________________
*At an annual inflation rate of 3.1%, the purchase price today would be $260,000. The new
3-story building at 10 North 9th Street still stands today.

23
 Chapter 8
Photos From Other Photography Studios
The 41 photos from the red album came from 14 studios. Only four studios produced three
or more photos. I selected samples from seven of these studios. Because of the
widespread location of the studio, I continue to believe the photos were collectbles, with the
exception of the tintypes, and not family members and probably not friends.
The first three samples are from the Pennsylvania studios of Lindenmuth-Allentown, Wallace
A, Dietrich-Kutztown and Hafer-Reading. All three photos were type Carte De Visite.

The following pages are four photos, one each from the studios of De Witt-Wilkes-Barre, Wm.
A. Fea-Reading, Kline & Jones-Philadelphia and George M. Bretz-Pottsville. These four
photos are Cabinet Card types. The name of the studio is not shown on the front of the last
two photos. The back of the photo with the studio name is shown to the right of these photos.

24
25
26
27
28
 Chapter 9
Strunk Genealogy
Because I have a number of Strunk cousins, I was interested in the family history of
photographer John D. Strunk discussed in Chapter 7. I hoped to find a family
connection.
John D. Strunk’s father was Henry Y. Strunk (1803-1866) who is buried at Charles
Evans Cemetery, Reading, Berks Co., Pennsylvania. His grandfather was Heinrich
Strunk (1833-1906) and is buried at Bally Mennonite Cemetery, Bally, Berks Co.,
Pennsylvania. Bally is located about 15 miles west of Quakertown, Pennsylvania
where many of my Struck cousins resided.
My Strunk cousins settled in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Clarence R. Strunk, my 5th
cousin twice removed, was born in Bucks County, PA on 18 July 1901. He was a son
of Reuben R. and Sarah Strunk.
In the 1900 Census, Reuben and Sarah were living in Richland borough, Richland
Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. His occupation was recorded as “tailoring.”
Ten years later Reuben R., wife Sarah, son Clarence R. and Reuben’s mother,
Elizabeth, were residing on East Broad Street in Trumbauersville, Milford Township,
Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The 1910 Census for Trumbauersville recorded
Rueben’s occupation as “undertaker” and his wife, Sarah Catharine, was recorded as
working in a cigar factory. Invoices for funeral services, however, show that Sarah was
the funeral director in Trumbauersville. Reuben, my 4th cousin three times removed,
was probably working in the cigar factory.
Sarah's son, Clarence R. Strunk, was probably employed in the family business. In
1926, Clarence left the family business and relocated to Quakertown where he opened
his own funeral business, “C. R. Strunk” at 821 West Main Street. Clarence operated
the business to his death on 27 November 1987 at the age of 86. He is buried at Christ
Union Cemetery, Trumbauersville, Bucks Co., PA. His son, C. Richard Strunk,
managed the business until his retirement in 1994 when it was sold to Michael B.
Schmauder.
Reuben was a son of Samuel S. Strunk and Elizabeth Roth. Samuel was born on 9
May 1829 in Bucks County and his wife on 16 October 1837 in Bucks County. They
had eight children, four sons and four daughters. Samuel died 20 February 1901 and
Elizabeth on 25 July 1917. Both are buried at East Swamp Mennonite Cemetery,
Quakertown, Bucks Co, PA. Samuel was the husband of my 3rd cousin four times
removed.
Samuel S. Strunk was a son of William Strunk and Elizabeth Slifer, my 3rd cousin four
times removed. William was born on 3 August1789 in Milford Township, Bucks County,

29
Pennsylvania. About 1816 he married Elizabeth. They had six children, three sons and
three daughters. William died on 23 May1853 and sixteen years later, Elizabeth died
on 21 October 1869. William is buried at West Swamp Mennonite Cemetery and
Elizabeth at East Swamp, both in Quakertown, Bucks Co., Pennsylvania. When they
passed, he was 84, she was 74.
William’s father was Henry Strunk who was born about 1755. He married Elizabeth
(maiden name unknown) born about 1760. They had five children, three sons and two
daughters. Henry died in 1844 and is buried at East Swamp Mennonite Cemetery,
Quakertown, Bucks Co., Pennsylvania. Elizabeth’s death date and burial location are
unknown.
As I researched these two families, I found both Strunk lines had ancestors that were
buried in Mennonite cemeteries. John D. Strunk’s grandfather, Heinrich Strunk
(1833-1906) is buried at Bally Mennonite Cemetery, Bally, Berks County. Clarence R.
Strunk’s grandfather, Samuel Strunk (1829-1901) is buried at East Swamp Mennonite
Cemetery, Quakertown, Bucks County.
Both Strunk ancestors were Mennonites. Henrich and Samuel lived about about 15
miles from each other (as noted above, Bally is 15 miles west of Quakertown).
Because of their close proximity and of the same religious persuasion, the family
members may have known one another. I have not, however, been able to connect
these two Strunk family lines in Pennsylvania. The families are possibly connected in
their country of origin, Germany.

30
 Chapter 10
An Engagement Puzzle

I vaguely recall a discussion regarding my great-aunt, Lillie Gretzinger, who was,

reportedly, engaged to be married to someone connected to the funeral business.* I do
not recall the identity of Lillie’s fiancé
Lillie's portrait hung in my grandmother's front parlor. It dates from about 1906.

_____________________________________________________________________
*The undertaker in Trumbauersville in the 1900s was Sarah Catharne Rotenberger Strunk, wife
of Reuben Strunk. Alternate spellings for her maiden name are-Rodenberger and Rothenberger

31
In 1910, Lillie lived on North Main Street in Trumbauersville with her father, Henry. Her
mother died in 1908. A map of Trumbauersville from 1910 shows the location of the
Gretzinger residence on North Main Street.

The source for the 1910 maps of Trumbauersville was the "Bicentennial Issue History of
Trumbauersville, PA," page 44 and 45, Published 1976, Willis R. Wonsidler, Historian.

32
The Trumbauersville Strunk funeral services, operated by Reuben Strunk's wife, Sarah
Catharine, was on East Broad Street. The location is noted on the following map.

Lillie Gretzinger, born in 1888, died in1911 of typhoid at the age of 23 before she
married. Based on her death date, I assume she would have been engaged to be
married about 1910. Since Reuben Strunk’s wife, Sarah, was the undertaker, one of
her male siblings may have worked in the family funeral business and could have been
Lillie’s fiancé.
Sarah had seven male siblings. Five of them (Edwin, Harvey, John, Jacob and William)
were married between 1895 and 1911. I eliminated them as possible fiancés.
The two remaining male siblings were Elmer and Raymond. Raymond was born on 21
June 1892. As a single man, he registered for the draft on 5 June 1917. He was
assigned to the 79th Division, Company F. Raymond died in France and was
temporarily buried in the American Cemetery No. 148 in Pranthvoy, Haute-Marne,
France. His remains did not arrive home to Pennsylvania until almost three years after
his death. A Military Memorial Service was held 19 June 1921. It is possible that he
was engaged to Lillie around 1910.

33
The remaining sibling, Elmer, was born in 1889. In the 1910 Census for
Trumbauersville, he was single and was living on Kumry Road at the upper end of
North Main Street with his parents. His occupation was recorded as “Stripper” in a cigar
factory. He was also single in the 1930 and 1940 Census. Elmer died in 1951 and is
buried at Union Cemetery, Trumbauersville. It appears he never married. He also is a
possible fiancé.
Sarah had four sisters-Laura, Emma, Lillie and Esther. The sisters married between
1894 and 1908. Their male children were born between 1906 and 1932. I also
eliminated these males as possible fiancés.
Other possible fiancés to Lillie include the siblings of Sarah’s husband, Reuben Strunk.
Reuben had three brothers and four sisters. The brothers included Milton, born in
1866, William, born in 1867 and Samuel born in 1872. They were married between
1892 and 1901.Thus, I eliminated them as possible grooms.
Milton Strunk had no surviving sons. William Strunk had two sons. They were born in
1903 and 1906. Samuel Strunk had a son, Leroy, born in 1897. In 1910, he would
have been 13 years old. I also eliminated William’s sons and Leroy as possible
betrotheds.
Other possible fiancés include Rueben’s nephews, the sons of his sisters Catherine,
Elizabeth, Ella and Annie. Reuben’s nephews may have worked in the family
undertaking business.
Catherine Strunk married Titus Taylor and had five sons. Only two were born before
1888 (Lillie’s birth year)-Frank born 1884 and Harvey born 1885. The other three sons
were born after 1895. I eliminated them because of the age difference with Lillie. I also
eliminated Frank and Harvey as possible future husbands to Lillie because Frank was
married about 1905 and Harvey was married in 1906,
Reuben’s sister, Elizabeth Strunk, died in 1934 unmarried. She was the housekeeper
for her sister, Catherine, and her husband, Titus Taylor.
Ella Strunk married Elwood Sell. She had two daughters.
The remaining sister, Annie, was born in 1881. In the 1900 Census for Richland
Township, Bucks County, she was 19 years of age and listed as “Single” working in a
cigar factory. I have not been able to determine if Annie married. She was single at
age 19. If she did marry at age 20, her first son would have been born about 1900. This
son would be almost 20 years younger than Lillie Gretzinger. I do not believe any of
Annie’s children would be possible fiancés.

34
Based on my research, I have exhausted all possible Strunk/Rotenberger family
members that may have been engaged to Lillie Gretzinger. The only reasonable fiancé
candidates are Elmer and Raymond Rotenberger, siblings of Sarah Catharine
Rotenberger Strunk, the funeral director in Trumbauersville.

35
 Chapter 11
Conclusions
Photo Album
During my research, I discovered two photo albums--one with a green cover and one
with a red cover. I have the green cover album with a stand and the red cover album.
Ellamanda and her husband, Henry Gretzinger, lived in a house on North Main Street,
Trumbauersville that was built to Henry’s specifications. After the death of his wife in
1908, Henry married and resided in his wife's home. His son, Charles and his wife, Ella,
moved into Henry's home on North Main Street.
After Ellamanda’s death in 1908 and Lillie's death in 1911, the albums were in the
possession of my grandmother, Ella. As a boy, I recall the albums were in her front
parlor that was off-limits to youngsters.
After the death of my grandmother, Ella Gretzinger, I received the red album and my
brother the green album and stand. Recently, my brother passed the green album and
stand to me. I have concluded the albums were originally the property of Ella Huber
Gretzinger, grandmother.

Album Photos
Of the 41 red album photos, only three were identified with a name; however, the
names were only their given names. They do not appear to be family members. The
remaining 33 Carte De Visite and Cabinet Card photos were produced by seven
different studios from Reading to Wilkes-Barre to Philadelphia.
As I researched the various photography studios, I found various unidentified Cabinet
Cards can be purchased on eBay. Prices for one Cabinet Card ranged from a few
dollars to $20. It appears there is a collector’s market for these photos.
Because the photos were not identified and were from various studios, I concluded they
were “collectibles,” not family members or relatives.
The five tintype photos however, may be family or friends. But they were not identified
and I do not recognize the subjects in these photos.
The green album, however, is a family album. It includes a number of photos that were
identified: my paternal great-grandparents, my paternal grandfather and his sister and
my grandmother's father.

36
Genealogy
Because of Gretzinger ties to the Weidner and Strunk families, I explored possible
family connections to George W. Weidner of Quakertown and to John D. Strunk of
Reading. I could not establish a family connection to either George or John to my
family line.
As for the engagement of my great-aunt, Lillie Gretzinger, I believe there are two
possible fiancés-Raymond (1892-1918) and Elmer (1889-1951) Rotenberger, siblings of
Sarah Catharine Rotenberger Strunk. Raymond was an auto mechanic and worked in
Philadelphia. Elmer lived in Trumbauersville and worked in a cigar factory as a tobacco
stripper. Lillie lived in Trumbauersville and worked in a cigar factory as a cigar maker.
Raymond was four years younger than Lillie and Elmer was one year younger. On the
basis of their employment, residences and ages, I believe Elmer is the most likely male
that was engaged to Lillie.

Tracking the Photo Albums

The following is chronological sequence of residences I used to track the location of the
photo albums. As noted in Chapter 4, the green Family Photo Album has notes that
identify various family members, including Henry Gretzinger.
After Henry moved out of his home, Charles and his family moved into Henry’s home
on North Main Street. The albums were in the front parlor of the home alongside the
portrait of Lillie. As a boy, I still remember my grandparent’s (Charles and
Ellen’s/Ella’s) front parlor with the many family photos and portraits on the walls.
The photo albums remained in my grandparent’s home on North Main Street until the
death of my grandmother, Ella Gretzinger, in 1964. After her death, the albums were
distributed to various family members, including my brother. Recently, he passed the
green album and stand to me.
Following is a summary of the family residences as reported in the US Census records
from 1900 to 1940. The census records support my theory that the photo albums never
left Henry’s home on North Main Street until 1964.

37
Gretzinger Residences 1910-1940
1900 Census for Trumbauersville
Henry, his wife Ellamanda, son Charles and daughter, Lillie were living in a home that
Henry owned free (no mortgage). Henry had this house built to his specifications on
North Main Street. The house was a double-family dwelling and Henry rented one side
of the double house to Mary Stahr, age 54, her sister and four nieces..
Eight years later, Ellamanda died on 13 March 1908.

1910 Census for Trumbauersville

Henry was living with his daughter, Lillie, on North Main Street in the home he had built.
Henry’s son, Charles, was married in 1907 to Ellen Huber and was living in the
household of Emma Huber, his wife’s mother. The tenant in the other side of Henry’s
double home was Charles H. Stull and his wife.
Lillie died on 12 November 1911.

1920 Census for Trumbauersville

After Lillie’s death, Henry remarried sometime between 1911 and 1919 and in 1920
was living on East Broad Street with his second wife, Mary G. Freed. His son, Charles,
was living in Henry’s house on North Main Street with his wife Ellen (aka Ella), two
sons, Ralph and Wilmer (my father) and a daughter, Myrtle. Charles was paying rent,
presumably to his father, Henry, who built the house of North Main Street. The census
did not record the rental amount.

1930 Census for Trumbauersville

Henry and Mary, were living in a house on East Broad Street. The house was recorded
as “owned” with a value of $4,000. Charles, his wife and three children were living in
the Henry’s home North Main Street. Charles was paying $8 per month rent
(presumably to his father, Henry). The other home in this double-dwelling was rented
by Allen G. Benner and his wife, Estella. Their rent was $10. Henry died in 1933.

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Monthly Rentals in 1930: $8 Amount today: $125
$10 Amount today: $160
Home Value in 1930: $4,000 Value today: $63,000

(today's dollars based on the average annual CPI from 1930 to 2019 of 3.11%)

NOTE: The rental amounts and home values were those that the census enumerator
obtained from the family member(s) he/she was interviewing.

1940 Census for Trumbauersville

Charles, his wife, Ellen (aka Ella), his son, Ralph, and Ralph’s wife, Dorothy were living
in the home on North Main Street. Charles now owned the home and its value listed in
the census was $2,400. The other double-dwelling was rented at $10 per month by his
daughter, Myrtle, and her husband, Leon Hartwich.
Monthly Rental in 1940: $10 Amount today: $200
Home Value in 1940: $2,400 Value today: $46,000

(today's dollars based on the average annual CPI from 1940 to 2019 of 3.75%)

1910 Trumbauersville Map References (map page 29)

The double-dwelling house that Henry built on North Main Street was the 13th house on
the left side of North Main Street above the intersection of Broad and Main Streets.
Emma Huber’s home was the 2nd house on the right side of North Main Street above
the Broad and Main intersection.

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