DUNHAM and COUCH in the Kankakee, IL city directories circa 1900

1896	DUNHAM, Nathan A - woodworker, 371 Indiana Ave
	COUCH, Elisha T - farmer, 230 Locust, also same address Carrie A. & George H.
The city directory has no publisher and no page numbers. The directory pages were scanned at the Kankakee Public Library in August 2016.
1898-99	DUNHAM, Nathan A - David Bradley Mfg Co, res 371 Indiana Ave, pg 63
	DUNHAM, Charles - painter, res 392 Rosewood Ave, pg 179
	COUCH, Jane - wid of Elisha T, res 230 Locust, pg 55
	COUCH, George H. bds 230 Locust, pg 55
	COUCH, Carrie S. retoucher CE Voss, bds 230 Locust, pg 55
"Smith's Directory of Kankakee 1898-1899," no front page, Kankakee, Illinois Public Library, viewed and copied 2 September 2010 by Selma Blackmon.
1902	DUNHAM, N.A. - carpenter, 198 Dearborn Ave, pg 81
Kankakee City Directory, Dunlap & Livingston printers, Kankakee Public Library
1904	DUNHAM, Nathan A, mach F & W, h 200 Harrison Ave, pg 89
	COUCH, Carrie S, retoucher, bds 192 Rosewood Ave, pg 77
"Directory of City of Kankakee, Illinois, Illinois Eastern Hospital and Bradley Illinois also Kankakee County Illinois for 1904." Kankakee: compiled by Frank O. Chapman, printers Republican Co. Kankakee Public Library. Scanned August 2016 by Selma Blackmon.
1911	DUNHAM, Florence Mrs, dressmkr, r 157 Hickory, pg 167
"Samson's Kankakee, Illinois City Directory and Kankakee County Directory 1911." Bloomington: Chas. M. Samsom. scanned at the Kankakee Public Library August 2016 by Selma Blackmon.

Nathan A or Nathaniel A DUNHAM married Florence SNYDER. According to census records, they later divorced. For my research see Roots_Digger family tree on Ancestry.com.

                                                                                                                                                               

During my research trip in August 2016, the Kankakee City Directories and the map was scanned at the Kankakee Public Library, 201 E. Merchant St, Kankakee, Illinois 60901. The addresses were plotted on the 1900 map "Standard Atlas of Kankakee County Illinois..." Chicago: compiled and published by George A Ogle. 1899. Today, these are empty lots just north of the original court house. Carrie Couch worked for Mr. Voss. Charles E. Voss, photographer lived and worked in the same area.

Questions: Charles and Nathan (Nathaniel) DUNHAM are they connected? With COUCH and DUNHAM living so close, is there any connection?

National Geographic Maps type in Kankakee, Illinois for a free view of the town.

http://www.natgeomaps.com/trail-maps/pdf-quads#internalmap

Wordless Wednesday: 1870’s. Illinois. Kankakee. Dunham and Couch family. Voss photographer.

Please help identify my family.

 The back of the photo reads: Great-grandfather and great-grandmother Dunham. Grandma Couch’s mother and father. The “great” has been added at a later date. The writing resembles Nettie Couch (1884-1965). Nettie Couch is my maternal grandmother.

Kankakee, Illinois, was both a vacation destination and major train route during the late 1800’s.

According to the city directories, Charles E. Voss was a photographer in Kankakee during the turn of the century. With a studio located near the train depot, his business thrived on travelers. 

According to the 1898 city directory, Carrie Sarah Couch (1857-1927) worked for C. E. Voss as a retoucher. Her skill may account for Mr. Dunham’s even beard and the lack of aging on their faces even though their hands are wrinkled. 

The photograph has been dated as circa 1870. The edge of the card and embossing are in a gold color. The back of the card lacks the fancy embossing characteristic of the 1880’s. 

Sources:

Kankakee County Museum, www.kankakeecountymuseum.com.

Kankakee Public Library, genealogical collection maintained by Kankakee Valley Genealogical Society, www.kvgs.org.

Taylor, Maureen, “Photo Detective,” www.photodectective.com or www.maureentaylor.com.