Large photo from 1898 with bigwigs

You forgot "Rob," who I think must be the dog. And I love your cat walking in front of the picture!

I'm not sure of its value... maybe to somebody who is interested in Yale graduates, or in at least one of the subjects of the photo. ???

Is the backing made of wood? I can't tell if wood or paper. I hope it's paper, and that whatever is touching the photo's back is non-acidic.

I wonder what "The Fleeing Squadron" means?

 

Those wigs don't really look all that big to me...................

 

The error on the label saying that Thomas G Thatcher was a professor of Latin probably stems from the fact that his father (Thomas A Thatcher) was in fact a professor at Yale (source 1870 Census.) Since Thomas G was also a lawyer, I have to assume that he is the "Thatcher" in the firm founded by Barnum? He seems to have lived in Bergen County, NJ following his graduation in 1871 (an easy commute to NYC.)

I wonder whether "Fleeing Squadron" is a joke based on "Flying Squadron?" Not that there was any "flying" going on at the time, but perhaps a sailing term?

 

I agree, Book. They seem not to have all been students at the same time. I'll keep looking.

 

As I am sure you have found, the George Adee in the picture is George Augustus Adee, Yale class of 1867, Lawyer and Banker, for whom the Adee Memorial Boathouse at Yale was built in 1911. He died in 1908.

This article about the "new" boathouse gives information about the 1911 version. Seems that Adee the elder was "a keen oarsman" on the crew team during his time at Yale. Guess who else was a crew member when at Yale? Julian Wheeler Curtiss (note the spelling with 2 s's) Class of 1879.

http://www.andrewcusack.com/2006/old-yale-boathouse-faces-wrecking-ball/

I'm getting more convinced at "boating" may be the connection.

 

They all look to be "Little People" to me!

 

Just at one end.............

 

Forgot to mention that George A Adee was also a banker and lawyer. Barnum, Bannard and Thatcher were students at both Yale and Columbia (law school) at the same time, and their time at Yale overlapped with Curtiss. So we still have the Law-Finance connection going too.

 

I'm trying to figure out why the gentlemen in the rear don't seem to have feet and the bottom part of their legs?

 

Also, if they all belonged to something like the Yale Club or Skull and Bones, they didn't have to be at Yale at the same time to know each other.

 

Um...question. The address given looks like 3 East 23th Street. A good address, but not gramatically possible. Is it that it's actually 28th Street...just rubbed off a tad?

 

Quite true, Pat, although there does seem to be quite a web of connections between them. The "odd man out" (so far anyway) is this Henry James - absolutely not THE Henry James, of course. It's such a common name and thus far I have not found a confirmed reason for him to be involved with the others.

 

Good catch, Silver. It looks to me like it's probably an 8 that's missing a bit of the paper.