Cabinet Card Collection

This collection of late-Victorian cabinet cards came from the School Sisters of St. Francis Motherhouse in Erlenbad, Germany in 2019.

Cabinet cards were a form of popular portrait photography at the end of the 19th century, and many people used them to send pictures of themselves to friends and family. It is believed that these are portraits of the earliest members of the School Sisters of St. Francis who emigrated from Germany to join the congregation and sent photos back home once they were received into the community.

Unfortunately, the photos are not labeled, so the names of these early pioneering sisters are not known. Do you recognize someone? If you think you have information about any of these sisters, please contact the School Sisters of St. Francis Archives at archives@sssf.org or by calling 414-944-6031.

 

Card 5

Card 6

Card 7

Card 8

Card 9

Card 10

Card 11

Card 12

Card 13

Card 14

Card 15

Card 16

Card 17

Card 18

Card 19

Card 20

Card 21

Card 22

Card 23

Card 24

Card 25

Card 26

Card 27

Card 28 picture

Card 29

Card 30

Card 31

Card 32

Card 33

Card 34

Card 35

Card 36

Card 37

Card 38

Card 39

Card 40

Card 41

Card 42

Card 43

Card 44

Below are some additional portraits of known sisters found in the Archive’s files. Half of these sisters were born in the U.S. and the rest emigrated from Europe, but they all kept their cabinet cards as mementos of their early days.

Josepha Loewel

Sister Josepha Loewel

Hyacintha Gremminger

Sister Hyacintha Gremminger

Emmanuel Vennewitz (right), Angela (left) Ignatius (seated), Cross and Son

Sisters Emmanuel Vennewitz (right), Angela (left) Ignatius (seated)

Pacifica Bongard

Sister Pacifica Bongard

Josephine Sausen

Sister Josephine Sausen

Simeona Mock

Sister Simeona Mock

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