Estella and Ada Ringling
That is exactly what happened today when I rescued a gorgeous late-19th-century cabinet card portrait. Thanks to a beautifully preserved original photograph and a priceless handwritten note on the back, we get to step back in time and meet two sisters: Ada and Estella Ringling.
The front of the card introduces us to two young girls looking remarkably serious, sporting the short, blunt-cut bangs popular for children in the late-Victorian era. The older girl on the right is Ada, protecting a beautiful, bisque-headed doll, while her little sister, Estella, sits beside her on the left.
Turn the card over, and the real magic happens. In faded pencil, an adult's handwriting reads:
"me about 4 or 5"
"Ada, about 7 or 8 yrs old"
The stamp on the back tells us exactly where they were standing: the studio of L. F. Hammer, Photographer, located at 1534 South Broadway in St. Louis, Missouri. Ludwig Frederick Hammer Jr. was highly celebrated for his children's photography during the 1890s. Judging by the girls' ages and their distinct clothing—Ada’s heavy, high-collared ribbed dress and Estella's wide, ruffled collar—we can pinpoint this exact moment to roughly 1894–1898.
So, who were these little girls?
Ada and Estella grew up in a bustling, turn-of-the-century St. Louis home headed by their parents, Albert and Sophia Ringling. Growing up in St. Louis during this decade meant witnessing a city rapidly expanding, culminating in the grand excitement of the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair right as the girls were entering adulthood.
While the "Ringling" surname inevitably makes you wonder about a circus connection, these girls were part of the vibrant German-American community that defined St. Louis at the time.
The most beautiful thing about this artifact is the word "me" on the reverse side. That single word tells us that Estella survived childhood, carried this photo with her into adulthood, and took the time to label it so her story wouldn't be forgotten.
As the sisters grew up, their lives shifted. Estella eventually met and married a man named Grover C. Smith. Looking for a fresh start, the couple packed up their lives—and Estella's most cherished childhood memories—and relocated to Wichita, Kansas.
Estella lived out her adult life in Wichita, keeping this little piece of her St. Louis childhood safe among her belongings. Decades after her passing, the photo found its way into a local flea market, just waiting for someone to recognize its value.
It’s an incredible feeling to connect the dots of a 130-year-old photograph. Holding this card, you realize it isn't just an antique; it’s a tangible link to Albert and Sophia’s daughters, a beloved childhood doll, and a sisterly bond that traveled all the way from the banks of the Mississippi to the plains of Kansas.
Ada and Estella are forgotten no longer. Welcome to the collection, girls.
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