Anderson, Flora May (Mae) Church (1893-1985)
/E. R. Healy Ground Floor Gallery’s Portrait Photograph of Flora May (Mae) Church
THE PHOTOGRAPHER/ PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIO:
EDWIN RUTHVEN HEALY (1856-1923) and ADA “ADDIE” GOSSAGE HEALY (1860-1923). Edwin and Ada Healy were married, and both were listed in California directories as photographers. It has been assumed they worked together; however, ascertaining their division of labor is problematic. The “E. R. Healy Ground Floor Gallery” was opened in 1896 at 816 Main Street, Petaluma, California. It was later relocated to 818 Main Street and sold in June 1905. In 1906 the Healys moved to Berkeley, California. (To view all portraits in this collection taken at the E. R. Healy Ground Floor Gallery and for additional information on Edwin and Ada Healy, click on their names in blue above.)
THE SITTER:
Name: Flora May (Mae) Church Anderson. This portrait was taken when the sitter was a child and known by her birth name, Flora May (Mae) Church.
Description: Portrayed here at the age of five, Flora May (Mae) Church sits up very straight with her hands in her lap in a distinct spindle back chair with ball finials. Her legs dangle adorably above the floor, and she crosses them at the ankle. She wears what appears to be a wool tweed dress with a dark velvet yoke which matches her leggings. Her dress has puff sleeves and is gathered at the waist. She also wears a dark colored ruff around her neck.
Biographical Note: Flora May (Mae) Church Anderson was raised on the “Church Ranch” in Two Rock. She graduated from Petaluma High School in 1912 and in that year completed an herbarium of Sonoma County wild flowers as a botany class project. This impressive, 106 page collection was preserved by her family and donated to the PHL&M. A digital copy of it can be found by clicking on her bibliography below. In 1914, she graduated from San Jose State College with a teaching degree and worked as an educator in the Petaluma area for forty-three years. She taught at Hicks Valley School and was a principal of Wilson School and Cinnabar School.
Family Affiliation: Flora May (Mae)Church Anderson was the last of eight children born to Minnie Belle Warders Church (1864-1958) and Walter A. Church (1856-1923), early pioneers of the Two Rock community. She was married to Cyril Anderson (d.1933) a Petaluma Police Officer. (See the many portraits of Church family members in this archive.)
Bibliography:
THE PHOTOGRAPH:
Format / Size: cabinet card
Medium: collodion or gelatin print mounted on cardstock
Description, front: In this cabinet card, the spindle backed chair with ball finials is quite a unique studio prop. Additionally, the portrait is set in front of a faintly painted backdrop depicting a small curve-legged table seen in the left of the composition. The thin boarder of the card has a pebble texture, and the photographer’s imprint is embossed along the bottom edge.
Description, back: Handwritten in pencil in cursive along the top edge is, “Flora May”.
Date: The date of “1898” is handwritten on the back of a second, lesser-quality copy of this portrait held in the PHL&M collection.
Condition: There are numerous white marks located mostly in the center bottom half of the card. The pebbled edge is heavily soiled.
Owner: Petaluma Historical Library & Museum, 1979-425-p17-p10, Church Family Album, album donated by Flora Church Anderson
Reproduction rights: The Petaluma Museum Association makes no assertions as to ownership of any original copyrights to the digitized images here reproduced. These images are intended for personal or research use only. Any other kind of use, including, but not limited to commercial or scholarly publication in any medium or format, public exhibition, or use online or in a web site, may be subject to additional restrictions including but not limited to the copyrights held by parties other than the Association. USERS ARE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE for determining the existence of such rights and for obtaining any permissions and/or paying associated fees necessary for the proposed use.