Biography of Floyd G. Ingraham of Springwater NY

Click any image to enlarge.

See the Floyd G. Ingraham Family Page here.

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Floyd G. Ingraham in 1906.

In August, 1906, Floyd purchased a motorcycle. In 1909 Floyd G. Ingraham married Anna Elizabeth Cork (1891-1981) on 1 September 1909, in Livingston County New York.

At age 28, (1909) Floyd G. Ingraham and Anna Elizabeth lived with his Father-in-law Mr. Joseph Cork of East Springwater and his wife, Luthera Estella Cork.

Floyd’s Uncle was Albert George Jackman (1839-1914). A. G. Jackman attended Lima Seminary and at Philadelphia where he graduated from Hahnemann Medical College. A.G. Jackman owned a store in North Cohocton for about fifteen years.

At age 38, (1919) Floyd and Anna lived in their own house on North Main Street in Springwater, NY. (house across route 15A from Joyce O’Neil?) This 1902 map shows Marchus Ingram (mis-spelled Ingraham) living on North Main Street, Springwater, across from Kellogg Road. I am assuming that Floyd bought the house from his parents.

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Springwater NY in 1902.

Floyd and Anna had one son, Kenneth Marchus Ingraham (1914-1975). In 1940 Census records show that Kenneth Ingraham was married to Margaret Vivien Connors (1916-1977) and had a son Arnold. Kenneth worked as a bus driver for the local school.

Kenneth and Margaret also had a daughter, Patricia Mary Ingraham who married Richard D. Meese (1936-2006). Patricia died 16 February 2004 in Rush, Monroe County NY. Patricia and Richard were buried in the Mount Vernon-Evergreen cemetery in Springwater NY.

Floyd Ingraham was very good friends with Burdett Johnson (of local boat building fame). Floyd and Anna often visited Burdett Johnson and his family at a cottage on Canadice Lake. Floyd Ingraham also spent time with George Johnson (same Johnson family as Burdett) at the Inlet Resort on Canadice Lake.

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Ingraham photo of a Johnson boat.

In 1904, Floyd began his photographic career. We owe Floyd for many of the family photographs that have survived until today. It is assumed that he carried on with mason work, along with photography, for the rest of his life.

For his photography work, Floyd would have used a camera such as the 1904 Chautauqua Seneca Uno wet plate camera. Below is a glass negative (wet plate) that was developed by the photographer and later used to print Real Photo Post Cards and Cabinet Photos.

If you have seen any of the Springwater or Canadice Lake photos posted on local historical websites, they were probably taken by Floyd Ingraham.(Johnson Brothers also took many local photos- more on them later.) Most of the photos that Floyd Ingraham took became what are known as Real Photo Post Cards. These RPPCs are highly prized collectibles because these views were never meant to be published in books, they were for sale to the local public only. Therefore, these views and individual photos would not be found anywhere else except as the original RPPC. A good example of this is the Webster Crossing Panoramic View below.

Why were Real Photo Postcards so popular? In 1904, only 8% of American homes had a telephone. A three-minute call from Denver to New York City cost eleven dollars at a time when a man’s average wage was 22 cents per hour and the average yearly salary would be between $200 and $400 dollars per year. Meanwhile the U.S. Post Office only charged one cent for a postcard. Plus, in all our local towns and villages, the mail was delivered twice per day! In 1907, the U.S. Post Office allowed what is called the split back post card which allowed the sender to write a message opposite the address the post card was going to. Postcards exploded! It was the way families separated by miles could keep track of family news and events at a very cheap cost. Since Floyd did not have a portrait studio at home, most of his photos of people were taken outdoors as examples below show. These photos were all printed as RPPCs (Real Photo Post Cards).

Also, very important is how Floyd Ingraham’s photos can be used to document changes to a house or property.

By 1919, ads in local papers reveal that Floyd Ingraham was now using Kodak Camera & Kodak Film (Dry Plate?). Floyd G. Ingraham was a member of “The National Protectives League”, “The Odd Fellows (I.O.O.F.)” and “The Maccabees”.

Floyd Ingraham died 22 January 1920 from appendicitis at the hospital in Dansville NY. Floyd George Ingraham was buried in the Mount Vernon Evergreen Cemetery, Springwater NY.

Floyd G. Ingraham’s widow Anna remarried to Floyd H. Caskey (1885-1972) sometime after 1925 and before 1930 according to Census Records. Anna was the second wife of Floyd Caskey.