Hall, Mary Louise Brown (1860-1932)(5 of 6)

Unidentified Photographer, Portrait Photograph of Anna “Annie” Alexis ferguson brown, Mary Louise Brown Hall, Aletha Hall O’brien Baker & Margaret Aletha O’Brien

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THE PHOTOGRAPHER/ PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIO:

Photographer: unidentified

THE SITTERS:

Names: Anna “Annie” Alexis Ferguson Brown, Mary Louise Brown Hall, Aletha Hall O’Brien Baker, and Margaret Aletha O’Brien. Aletha Hall O’Brien Baker would have been known as Aletha Hall O’Brien at the time this portrait was taken.

Description: Aletha Hall O’Brien (Baker) (1883-1966) appears in the center of this pyramidal composition directly above her daughter, Margaret Aletha O’Brien (1908-1990). On the left is Anna “Annie” Alexis Ferguson Brown (1841-1920), the child’s maternal great-grandmother. On the right, is Mary Louise Brown Hall (1860-1932), the child’s maternal grandmother.

Biographical Note: Mary Louise, or Lulu as she was called, was the first of twelve children born to the early Petaluma pioneers, Daniel and Annie Brown.  She was born in Petaluma on March 5, 1860, and attended the Brick School and Petaluma High School.  Lulu graduated from high school in 1878 along with five other students including her future husband, Gilbert Hall.  Two years later on May 29, 1882, Lulu and Gil eloped to Marin County and were married there by a Justice of the Peace.  The next day the Brown parents arranged for them to be married in a Catholic ceremony in their home.  The Hall couple settled in Petaluma and for a few years resided in Santa Rosa while Gil was acting as Sonoma County Auditor and Recorder. From girlhood and throughout her adult years, Mary Louise was active in St. Vincent Church events.  At one time she was photographed driving a horse and buggy down Main Street with a friend while collecting donations for a Catholic fair.  The tintype still exists.

The marriage of the Hall couple lasted almost fifty years.  Gil died on January 24, 1932, and Mary Louise followed on August 25th of the same year.  Five daughters survived the Hall couple, Aletha, Evelyn, Kathleen, Geraldine, and Dorothy; one son died at birth.  Gilbert and Mary Louise lived at 325 Post Street in Petaluma and were buried together in Calvary Catholic Cemetery.

*This biographical note was written by Annie Alexis Ferguson Brown’s descendant, Kathleen O’Brien Balestrini.

Family Affiliation: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/42046382/mary_louise_hall. Search this archive and the Sonoma County Library photograph archive for additional portraits of the Hall and Brown families.

Bibliography: Petaluma Argus-Courier: August 25, 1932, p. 3 (obit); August 27, 1932, p. 3. Petaluma Daily Morning Courier: July 29, 1911, p.1; August 28, 1911, p. 5. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/42046382/mary-louise-hall.

THE PHOTOGRAPH:

Format / Size:  5 x 7 3/4

Medium: Gelatin or collodion photographic print

Description, front:

Description, back: Handwritten in script in pencil is : “Annie Alexis Ferguson Brown (left) 1841-1920”; “Mary Louise Brown Hall" (right) 1860-1932”; Aletha Hall O’Brien Baker (top) 1883-1966; and “Margaret O’Brien McSherry Fassoth Reed (BABY) 1908-1996”.

Date: 1910-1912

Condition: This photograph is in good condition.

Owner: From the collection of Kathleen O’Brien Balestrini, digital copy by permission.

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.