Found Photos – Henry N. Mudge – A Suitcase of Negatives, 1916 to 1925 – Christoph Traugott

While out photoing in the rural Manchester and Glasgow, Scott County, Illinois areas, I stopped into the Winchester Historic Square area, and made a beeline for the Antique store, but it was closed, so circled around the area taking photos of the courthouse and other historic buildings. My father, who accompanied me on the trip, was wandering around too, and somehow found the owner, who let us in the back of the store. It turns out the place was formerly an antique store, converting into a medical services facility. They were wanting to get rid of everything, just nothing much there that interested me. That is until looked in a normally-closed back room; there on the bottom of stacked cardboard boxes full of miscellaneous antiques, a SUITCASE FULL of prints and negatives.

The photos, mainly constituting of trips to Indiana and Illinois Sand Dunes, taken by a Henry N. Mudge (Feb. 20, 1853 to Jan. 5, 1927) of Illinois. Advertising Agent of the Illinois Central Railroad, the Main Line of Mid-America. Henry N. Mudge was also President of the American Philatelic Society (1909-1911), his photo envelope return (or Office) address said, 6643 Normal Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, which was also the Headquarters of the American Philatelic Society at the time. Henry was the son of Zachariah and Caroline (Goodridge) Mudge. His spouse was Lydia S. Bowler Mudge (1851 – 1910).

His photos feature a cast of characters, from Esther Johnson, Anna Johnson, Charlie Johnson, Eleanor Marie Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, Hilda Lundeen & Carl, Esther C. The Johnson house was located at 7315 South Union Ave, also a 6720 South Lowe Ave, is mentioned a good deal. Frequent locations are Olympia Fields, Mineral Springs, Dune Park, and Parlor Park. Olympia Fields, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, is about 25 miles south of The Loop. Indiana Dunes State Park is also fairly close to the Chicago area. Also mentioned are Waverly Beach (Porter, Indiana) and some place called “Wyckliffe.”

Illinois Central Magazine, Jan. 1922: 

H. N. Mudge, who has just retired as general advertising agent of the Illinois Central, has been in that position continuously for 30 years and 8 months. Mr. Mudge was born in Massachusetts in 1853. He was educated in the public schools of that state and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology at Boston, where he later served as an instructor for several years. He was advertising agent of the Burlington for seven years before he came to the Illinois Central. Among various activities for the Illinois Central, Mr. Mudge was the author of the “Rambler’ stories which were published each month for six years in the Illinois Central Magazine. He is an ardent amateur photographer and often illustrated his stories with pictures taken by himself. The accompanying picture was taken last summer on the Indiana sand dunes, where Mr. Mudge frequently takes outings. Mr. Mudge confesses enthusiasm for the outdoor life.

122 roll film, Postcard-Format (3¼ × 5½)

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