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Congregational Church Girls
Image from a tintype, circa 1883
Congregational Church Girls
Image from a tintype, circa 1883
These Ames girls attended the wood frame Congregational Church on the corner of Kellogg and Iowa Street (now Sixth). This enhanced image is from a tintype dating around 1883 that was offered to the Ames Public Library in 1951 by Ruth Duncan Tilden, one of the girls in the photo.
| Back row from left:
Flo Cramblitt, Rose Cramblitt, unidentified, Abbie Perry, Gertrude Morris,
Cora Parkhill
Second row: Della Jones, Ruth Duncan, Alice Thomas, Lillie Paxton, Nettie Underwood In front: Katie Marie Condit, (an illegible identity) |
The tintype, also known as a ferrotype, is a variation on an ambrotype that was introduced in the 1850s, but produced on metallic sheet (not actually tin) instead of glass. It has been suggested that tin refers to the tin shears used to separate the images from the whole plate, others feel that it was just a way of indicating a cheap metal. The original name was Melainotype, because the plate was coated with collodion and sensitized just before use, as in the wet plate process.
Tintypes images don't display the contrast of a modern film negative, so compared with other processes the color tones seem dull and uninteresting. The image at the top of the page has been digitally enhanced to correct the contrast for modern eyes.
Learn more about tintypes from the following websites: Maryland Institute College of Art - Ancestorville - Wikipedia
The featured tintype came with a list of names identified from memory by Ruth Duncan Tilden. As you can see below, Ruth placed question marks to the left of a name if she wasn't absolutely positive about the identity. The name at the bottom of the list was added later in pencil, and is difficult distinguish. Learn more about the history of the Ames Congregational Church.
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| Monday, March 30, 1959
Mrs. Tilden Died; Longtime Ames Resident
Mrs. Ruth Duncan Tilden, 87, 605 Kellogg Avenue, died today at 7AM at a nursing home in Nevada, Story County, Iowa. She had been in ill health for several years. Born at Darlington, Lafayette County, Wisconsin, she had lived in Ames, Story County, Iowa since 1882. Her father was John E. Duncan, publisher of the “Ames Intelligencer,” one of the first newspapers here. She graduated from Ames High School and was an 1895 graduate of Iowa State College. Mrs. Tilden was a member of the PEO since 1900 and was President of Chapter AA in 1917. She was a member of Pi Beta Phi Sorority and was active in alumnae affairs at Iowa State. A member of the First Congregational Church for 75 years, she served on the Board of Deacons; was Superintendent of the Primary Department of the Sunday School and a member of the church choir for many years, also serving as soloist. A charter member of the Ames Woman’s Club, she served as President from 1921-1923. She was a member of the Book and Basket Club for 62 years. Her husband, L. C. Tilden, preceded her in death in September 1953. Survivors include a son, Clark D. Tilden of Ames, President of Tilden’s Department Store; a daughter, Mrs. Harriet T. McJimsey, also of Ames, Associate Professor of Textiles and Clothing at Iowa State; five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, April 1, at 10AM from the First Congregational Church with the Reverend W. Murray Allan officiating. Burial will be in the Ames Municipal Cemetery. |