Inventory of the John W. Cain Photographs, 1890-1940

Biography of John W. Cain

This collection of late 19th and early 20th century photographs was found in the house of Mr. Roger M. Carroll on Hamilton Avenue in Akron, Ohio. They were originally the property of John W. Cain and his wife, Emma. Many of the earlier photographs, particularly the portraits, seem to represent Mrs. Cain's family, the Von Kanels. Mrs. Cain's father, John Von Kanel, was a Swiss immigrant who ran a watch repair shop in Akron. In 1904, Emma married Walter H. Bowman, a photographer from Canton, Ohio. Their marriage lasted until 1912 when Bowman died, leaving Emma and their son, Robert. Most of the early photographs were probably taken by Bowman. In 1920, Emma married John W. Cain, a local contractor. Many of the snapshots in this collection seem to date from this period and may represent John and Emma Cain and Mr. Cain's family. The Cains lived in the Hamilton Avenue house from around 1948 to 1955.

Scope and Content

The collection includes one folder of correspondence, several hundred photographic prints, and a few postcards dating from approximately 1890 to 1940. The prints (there are no negatives) are of two general types: portraits and snapshots.

The correspondence dates from the early 1940s. The letters have no direct relationship to the photographs, but do shed some light on family relationships. The portraits are professionally produced and mounted prints dating from about 1890 to 1920. Since nearly all of the portraits are unidentified, they have been classified according to subject, i.e., Children, Groups, Men, and Women. While the quality of the portraits varies, most represent good examples of clothing and styles of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This is particularly true of the group portraits and those of children.

The postcards date from about 1907 to 1940. As with the photographs, there is little identification, so the postcards are also arranged by subject. The cards of children are particularly well-made, as are some of those in the Groups category.

The snapshots represent nonprofessional, casual photographs probably taken by a family member and processed commercially. As with the portraits, few of these photographs are identified and, therefore, they are arranged in similar groups. Most of the snapshots date from the 1910s through the late 1930s. While they lack the quality of the portraits, the snapshots have the advantage of showing people in their everyday surroundings, providing incidental views of houses, yards, automobiles, and the like.

Statement of Arrangement

Restrictions on Use

Copyright restrictions may apply. Permission to reproduce or publish materials in this collection must be secured in writing from Archival Services, University Libraries, The University of Akron.

Restrictions on Access

No restrictions on access; except not available through interlibrary loan. Copyright restrictions may apply. Permission to reproduce or publish materials in this collection must be secured in writing from Archival Services, University Libraries, The University of Akron.

William T. Sawyer Family Papers

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Persons:

Family Names:

Material Types:

Preferred Citation

[Identification of Item], John W. Cain Photographs, Archival Services, University Libraries, The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio

Acquisition Information

The John W. Cain Photographs were donated to the University of Akron Archival Services in 1981.

Processing Information

Originally processed by Hamp Smith, 1982; re-housed and updated by Student Assistant Megan Powley, 2013

Detailed Description of The Collection