BROADWATER FAMILY PHOTO – SOMERSET COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
This is an original cabinet card type photograph that’s identified on the back:
Roy
Alfred
Wife & Baby
Charles Broadwater
Susan Lepley
“
Nellie’s only cousin on mother’s
side
Nellie
So, I was intrigued to find out who these people were! I found Charles Broadwater and wife Susan on the 1880 census in Rawlins County, Kansas. They were from Pennsylvania. I traced Charles back 10 and 20 more years and found he was the son of Ephraim and Lydia Broadwater of Somerset County, Pennsylvania. He married Susan Lepley between 1870-1872, but she apparently died (or they were divorced) by 1900 when he was shown with wife Jennie (Stoner). He and Jennie had two children, Roy (shown here) and Nellie (shown here). So, I’m thinking the person who wrote the names on the photo got Charles’ 1st and 2nd wives names mixed up, OR his first wife was still alive circa 1901 when this photo was taken but they were divorced. Not sure.
How I came up with the 1901 date was the Alfred shown here was the son of Charles and Susan. He was born about 1875 and married in 1898 to Clara Steif. Their first son John was born about 1901. Since the baby in the photo is an infant, I’m guessing the photo was taken about 1901.
The photographer’s imprint on the bottom of the photo was: G. H. Broadwater, Thomas, W. Va. This turned out to be Gilbert H. Broadwater, son of Charles and Susan, who was shown on the 1900 and 1910 censuses in Tucker County, West Virginia. He was a photographer!
Measures: about 9” wide x 7” tall.
