Hart, Augusta Ayers (1868-1913)
/Richard Reece Percival’s Portrait Photograph of Augusta Ayers Hart
THE PHOTOGRAPHER/ PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIO:
RICHARD REECE PERCIVAL was born in England in 1835 and died in Rhode Island in 1917. He operated the R. Percival Gallery in Petaluma between October 1867 and September 1870 and again between March 1871 and at least May 1871. After departing Petaluma, he continued working as a photographer in San Jose, California. (For additional information on this photographer and to view all portraits by him in the collection, click on his name in blue above.)
THE SITTER:
Name: Augusta Ayers Hart. At the time this portrait was taken, the sitter would have been known as Augusta Ayers.
Description: This full-frontal, seated portrait of Augusta Ayers Hart was taken when she was between 2 and 3 years old. She sits atop a drapery-covered prop and appears displeased. She holds a toy in her left hand and scowls directly at the viewer. She is attired in a flounced, off-the-shoulder dress; a white, lace petticoat; white, lace bloomers; white stockings; and Mary-Jane slippers. Off-the-shoulder dresses for young girls were fashionable at this time. In what may have been a statement of modesty, a lace garment under her dress cloaks her shoulders and the top of her arms. Her blond, center-parted hair has been carefully curled and secured with a ribbon.
Biographical Note: According to her September 5, 1908 marriage certificate, Augusta was Head Nurse of the McNutt Hospital in San Francisco. She died at the age of 45 of heart failure. Although residing at the time of her death in Hercules, California, she was buried with her family members in the Cypress Hill Cemetery in Petaluma.
Family Affiliation: In 1868, Amelia Ayers was born in Petaluma to early Petaluma pioneers, William Ayers (1829-1899) and Martha Wade Ayers (1829 or 30 - 1890). Augusta married Louis Eugene Hart in 1880. It appears they had no children. There are numerous additional portraits of the Ayers family members on this website. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/72995362/augusta-hart.
Bibliography: Richmond Daily Independent, June 18, 1913, p. 3.
THE PHOTOGRAPH:
Format / Size: Carte de visite
Medium: albumen photographic print mounted on cardstock
Description, front: Handwritten in script in pencil at the bottom of the card is: “Augusta Ayers”.
Description, back: Richard Percival’s imprint appear in red ink in the center of the card. At the top, handwritten in script in pencil is : “Property of Rosa Ayers”. (Rosalie “Rosa” Ayers Blakely was Augusta’s elder sister.) Along the bottom edge, handwritten in script in black marker is: “Augusta Ayers”.
Date: 1869 to September 1870 or March 1871 to May 1871.
Condition: Both sides of this carte de visite are slightly soiled.
Owner: The Cyndi Logan Collection, 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.