Carrie S. Couch, 1856-1927, from photographer to inventor

 

Carrie S. Couch, Sarah Caroline Couch, or Sarah C. Couch, her life is full of conflicting information. Was she born in Rome, Oneida County, New York, or Rochester, Monroe County, New York? Carrie’s death certificate and obituary agree on a birth date of 2 October 1856. The obituary reads Rochester and her death certificate reads Rome. As the family arrived in LaSalle County, Illinois, in approximately January 1857, she was a very young baby.

 1860 – Brookfield Township, LaSalle County, Illinois, U.S. Federal Census

1870 – unable to find her as of this article

1880 – unable to find her as of this article

1896 – Kankakee, Kankakee County, Illinois, city directory lists Elisha T Couch, farmer, Carrie A, photographer, George H Couch, farmer, all reside at 230 Locust Street

1898 – Kankakee, Kankakee County, Illinois, city directory lists Jane A. Couch (widow of Elisha T) resides at 230 Locust, George H. Couch boards at 230 Locust,  Carrie S. Couch retoucher for C E Voss  boards at 230 Locust,

1900 – Crotty [Seneca], LaSalle County, Illinois, daughter of Jane A., occupation photographer. Also, in the home is George, son of Jane A. U.S. Federal Census

1904 - Kankakee, Kankakee County, Illinois, city directory, Carrie S Couch, retoucher, boards  192 Rosewood Ave

1906 – Marseilles Plaindealer, 20 April, page 2, newspaper notice of mother [Jane] ill and returned home to Seneca after living with her daughter [Carrie] in Kankakee

1910 – Crotty [Seneca], LaSalle County, Illinois, Main Street, Carrie and George living together (sister and brother), Carrie, own income [no occupation given] U.S. Federal Census

1912 - Bumble Bee newspaper, quoted from TheStory of Seneca, Illinois, page 4-15 “In 1912, Couch’s touted their new art studio with ‘fine photographs and reasonable prices’ opposite the post office in Seneca.”

1917 – U.S. patient for flour sifter   

1920 – Crotty [Seneca], LaSalle County, Illinois, Carrie and George living together (sister and brother), Carrie occupation photographer, U.S. Federal Census    

1927 – Republican-Times, Ottawa, Illinois, 5 July 1927, obituary. Carrie went to the hospital in Joliet for surgery on 19 June. She was doing well, yet passed away 4 July 1927.

 Couch family photos have been printed on card stock from C. E. Voss. Carrie apprenticed and worked for Charles E Voss. Mr. Voss was a well known Kankakee photographer. His studio was located downtown next to the train station, great access for tourist traffic. The studio location would be within walking distance of Carrie’s home. My research trip to Kankakee many years ago did not produce success with finding further information on Mr. Voss. 

MaureenTaylor, The Photo Detective, thank you!!! Without your encouragement, I would never have attempted to follow Carrie all these years. We met years ago at a national conference. Your comment stuck with me for years; “the faces and the hands do not match.” You explained that the faces appeared the appropriate age, but the hands were way too young. This blog introduces my attempt to explain the photographer and the photograph. Would Carrie, age about 20, be working for Mr. Voss as early as the late 1870s in Kankakee? The photo in question is labeled Grandma and Grandpa Dunaham [Dunham]. These people would be Carrie’s grandparents. This photograph of grandma and grandpa deserves a blog of its own.

What is Carrie S Couch's relationship to me? Carrie is my great-grandaunt. She is the daughter of Jane A. Dunham, 1823-1906, and Elisha T. Couch, 1820-1896.