EGGLESTON, Edwin Lee

EGGLESTON, Edwin Lee

This photo was one of five located at one of my favorite Antique shops; Stone Soup Antiques Gallery in Ballston Spa, NY. Based on the large tie knot, it must have been taken around 1890. The studio was the Ralph Huested Photographic Studio which had branches in Mannsville, Ellis Village, Belleville and Henderson, Jefferson Co., New York.

Edwin Lee Eggleston was born 18 Dec 1832/33 in Henderson, New York to parents Hector D. Eggleston (1802-1865) and Isabelle Sedgewick Lee (1803-1894). He had several siblings including Julius T. (1823-1848), Elizabeth (1825-1825), Ellen (1826-1827), Ellen (1828-_), Dewitt C. (1830-1857), Roswell P. (1835-1853), Henry K. (1839-1916), Isabelle J. (1841-1901), Henrietta L. (1846-1925), and Julius T. (1823-1848).

At age 29, in 1862, Edwin enlisted in the Civil War with Company E of the 10th NY Heavy Artillery, and attained the rank of Sergeant. He returned home to Henderson in 1865.

1868 - At age 35, in Prince Edward Canada, he married 26 year old Ellen M. Harris (daughter of Herman Harris and Polly Case) on 18 Oct 1868. Ellen lived to age 44, dying in 1886. From this union was born three children; a daughter Caroline Eggleston (1869-1895), a son Samuel Eggleston (1871-_), and daughter Henrietta "Etta" Eggleston (1873-1959).

(Click for larger image)

1888 - married second wife Rhoda McKenzie.

1890, June 4, Watertown (NY) Daily Times - this fascinating newspaper snip (at right) mentions both Edwin Eggleston visiting the town of Henderson, and Ralph Heusted opening his photographic studio. This may actually have been the very time this photograph was taken, because Eggleston was living in Ontario Canada at the time, but was visiting in Henderson.

Edwin died April 13, 1922 in Los Angeles. This obituary for Edwin was located in the Watertown (NY) Daily Times, April 22, 1922. (You can click on the obit pictures for a larger image.)