Sadie King


Every antique portrait tells a story, but some require a little bit of detective work. This week, I acquired a photo that would require some research. Looking at the picture, we see a lovely teenage girl in a bright white dress. 

​Turning the mount over revealed the clues needed to bring her identity to light: a cursive signature written in blue ink, Sadie King, and a faint pencil notation reading, Age 16 years.

At the turn of the 20th century, reaching the age of 16 was a major milestone for a young woman. It marked the transition into adulthood, celebrated by putting her hair up for the first time and wearing a formal white dress for a professional studio portrait.

​Diving into the 1900 U.S. Federal Census records quickly revealed a perfect match for our mystery girl.

​In 1900, 16 year old Sadie King was living on North 4th Avenue in Wichita. Born in October 1883, she lived in a busy working class home with her father, George W. King (a day laborer originally from Indiana), her mother, Mary, and her older brother, Albert.

​Sadie didn't remain a King for very long after this photo was taken. On November 27, 1901, she married a local man named Frank M. Corn in Sedgwick County.

​As Sadie Corn, she and Frank raised their own Wichita family. Over the next few decades, they raised their children in the region, a daughter named Thelma and a son named Albert.

While the census and local marriage archives give us a picture of her early life, family home, and marriage in Sedgwick County, the exact date of her death isn't recorded in the standard biographical files. 

​It is incredible to think that this single afternoon at a Wichita photo studio over 125 years ago managed to preserve Sadie's youth so perfectly. Because her family treasured it for generations, her story remains intact for us to appreciate today.





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