Center for Archival Collections

Introduction | Biographical Sketch | Scope and Content | Inventory

Introduction

The papers of the Betty Bucher Becker family, consists of 1 linear feet of material centered on the family of John George Isham and the related Knaggs and Bucher families.

The material was donated to the Center for Archival Collections through the cooperation of Betty C. Becker of Waterville, Ohio on July 31, 1995. No restrictions exist on the use of this collection. Duplication is permitted for the purposes of preservation and research. The register was completed by Marilyn Levinson, Curator of Manuscripts in June 2000.

Biographical Sketch

The central families that make up the core of the Betty Bucher Becker include the Ishams, Knaggs, and Buchers. The line starts with John George Isham, who married Eliza Daggett in 1843, with whom he had two sons, Benjamin Smith and Alfred Daggett Isham. After her death in 1848 he married Sarah Cooper adding to the family with six children, Jirah Henry, Alice Janet, Sarah May, Charles William, Frances Lillian, and John Findlay Torrence Isham. In 1892 John F. T. Isham was married to Emeline Knaggs, daughter of John and Wealthy (Gunn) Knaggs, also of Waterville. Their only surviving daughter, Wealthy May Isham married Benjamin Franklin Bucher in 1914 having a family of three daughters, Helen Marie, who married Forest Earl Aldrich, Marjorie May "Midge", who married three times (Eugene Leroy Shufelt, J. Rex Leslie, and David P. Campbell) and Betty Claire, who married Joe Dale Becker.

Scope and Content

The Betty Bucher Becker Collection is primarily a photographic collection centered around Waterville, Ohio and the Isham, Bucher, Knaggs, and Gunn families, with some additional genealogical/family history material. The majority of the photos are from the Isham farm near Waterville, but there are also several pictures showing the effects of various floods in the area, including those in 1904, 1913, and 1941. Among the most notable photos in the collection are several shots of the construction of the Ohio Electric Interurban Bridge at Waterville around 1906.

Series Description

LITERARY PRODUCTIONS

DIARY - JOHN GEORGE ISHAM
1864
Transcription of a pocket diary kept while serving as the superintendent of repairs on the Miami and Erie Canal, along with two pages from a memorandum book

FAMILY GENEALOGY NOTES
1966-1983
Three separate compilations of family history related to John George Isham and related families, including An Account of the Affairs of John George Isham, Waterville Pioneer Families, and A Compilation of Bucher Family history

PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIAL

PHOTOGRAPH ALBUM
Circa 1893
Album with the name John Stebbins (J.G. Isham's grandson) on the flyleaf, includes photos of the Isham farm, scenes of Waterville, Ohio, Washington, D.C., the World's Fair in Chicago, Niagara Falls, and other locations

PHOTOGRAPHIC NEGATIVES
1904-1941
Glass plate negatives of various sizes showing the Isham farm near Waterville, as well as several scenes of flooding in the area over various years. Among the most notable photos in the collection are several shots of the construction of the Ohio Electric Interurban Bridge at Waterville around 1906

PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTS
1890s-1941
Contact prints, with some copy negatives, of many of the glass negatives in the collection, many with identification

Inventory

Box 1

Folder

1. Diary of John George Isham, 1864
2. The House that John Built : An Account of the Affairs of John George Isham and Some of His Descendents, 1968
3. Waterville Pioneer Families : Isham, Cooper, Dyer, Gunn, Knaggs, 1978
4. A Compilation of Bucher Family History, 1983
5. John Stebbins Photograph Album, circa 1893

Box 2

Folder 1 (4x5 glass negatives - Identified by May Knaggs Isham)

1. Grampa & Grandma Knaggs home
2. House taken from south pasture
3. Al Buckham's shanty during high water, 1903
4. View in front of house (with ducks)
5. Papa & cat (milking cows) "From factory to consumer"
6. Our pig pen and chicken coop
7. Ravine and south orchard
8. Shep and Flower (dogs) in our yard showing swing and rock pile
9. Our house showing evergreen tree and May Isham on Uncle Will's pony Prince
10. High water in school yard
11. Stone quarry about 1904 or 1905
12. Willows and road going south
13. Roadway south with willows, river and canal, taken from old south orchard
14. Buckham's shanty in high water
15. Chicken coop that set in southeast corner of garden
16. Chicken coop that set in southeast corner of garden
17. Mr. Buckham, Charley Courtright, Mama and I
18. Ravine, showing tent under old apple tree in south orchard
19. Helen's first picture
20. Cow and calf, showing old barn in background at farm
21. Wood pile, ice house, chicken coop and pig pen in backyard
22. Our barn just after built
23. Flower, our dog
24. May Isham and her dolls (just after operation on my nose)
25. Helen Bucher and doll
26. Snowball tree from south (puzzle: find me)
27. Snowball tree from east
28. Babe and Barney, our delivery horse when I was young
29. May Isham in parlor at farm
30. May Isham and her bike
31. Babe Isham, dogs Flower and Boy (Mr. Buckham's dog) and granary, in snow
32. The morning after the glorious 1st (Gladys Knorr, Bessie Carroll, Nellie Mills, Clarissa Bennett, Bill Crosley (or Crosby)
33. Midge and Helen as babies
34. Midge and Helen as babies
35. Sunday School Class of 1907, taken mid-July 1914 (identifications on envelope)
36. Torry and Babe Isham with wheelbarrow
37. Babe and John Jenks
38. Canal and bank south of house (Mr. Buckham's livebox for fish in background)
39. Family on porch, taken at Herb's
40. Family on porch, taken at Herb's
41. Frank's brothers and sisters, except Herb
42. Frank's brothers and sisters-in-law
43. May Bucher in our dining room at Scotten Ave., Detroit
44. Benson girls and Babe taken in our living room in Detroit
45. Geese under apple tree in old orchard south of house
46. Torry Isham and Babe Isham
47. Old Fanny's puppies on rug in living room, Prince and Rover
48. Frank dressed like a tramp
49. Torry Isham with cows and cat
50. Isham Irish
51. Frank, Iris and I in parlor after our wedding
52. The Benson girls
53. Our house on Scotten Ave. in Detroit
54. Aunt Rae, Mr. Tryon and I in parlor
55. Babe Isham with hair hanging down
56. Helen Bucher's 1st picture
57. Helen Bucher's 1st picture with 2 embroidered pillows
58. Helen Bucher's 1st picture with 2 embroidered pillows
59. John Jenks and Babe Isham
60. Papa milking and feeding cats (caution: broken plate)
61. Emma Isham and Babe Isham
62. Fanny's pups with Mama
63. Up river road at high water
64. Cows in barnyard at farm
65. Geese, canal, just above our house on farm, looking east across the river
66. Scene from side porch
67. Going out our lane at farm

    Box 3

    Folder 1 (5x7 glass negatives - Identified by May Knaggs Isham)

68. Helen Bucher's baby pictures (copy negatives)
69. Helen Bucher's baby pictures (copy negatives)
70. Helen Bucher's baby pictures (copy negatives)
71. Helen Bucher's baby pictures (copy negatives)
72. Helen Bucher's baby pictures (copy negatives)
73. Unidentified girl in 15 poses (divided negative)
74. May and Frank Bucher with Iris Tuttle, after their wedding, Juen 28, 1914
75. Ruth Fletcher, Austen Bath, Frank Bucher and May Isham
76. Ruth Fletcher and May Isham
77. Elmer, Papa, Mama, Babe and I in front of farmhouse
78. May Bucher and Helen

    Folder 1 (8x10 glass negatives - Identified by May Knaggs Isham)

79. Frank Bucher and Helen in carriage, taken in wheat field
80. May Isham Bucher and Helen in carriage, taken in wheat field (note: broken corner)
81. Helen, Midge and I (May Bucher), July 1918
82. Helen, Midge and I (May Bucher), July 1918
83. Family group (Elmer, Rollie, Uncle Art, Mr. Tryon, Babe, Aunt Della, Iris, Mama and Aunt Rae)
84. Family group (Elmer, Rollie, Uncle Art, Mr. Tryon, Babe, Aunt Della, Iris, Mama and Aunt Rae)
85. River Road, Waterville, during high water, 1913
86. Our cows in barnyard
87. Ohio Electric Bridge during 1913 flood, showing Roche de Boeuf
88. Ohio Electric Bridge, showing Roche de Boeuf
89. Mama watering cows in front of farm
90. Schoolhouse during high water, 1913
91. In front of farm during high water
92. In front of farm during high water
93. Small pond with water lilies
94. A sheep with geese
95. Sheep in pasture
96. Cows
97. Knaggs homestead, Aunt Rae and Uncle Alex
98. Frank Bucher, with tire removal tool, tire off rim (BROKEN CORNER, PIECE MISSING)
99. Frank Bucher, posed with tire removal tool, tire off rim (BROKEN CORNER, PIECE MISSING)
100. Frank Bucher, with tire removal tool, in garage
101. Frank Bucher, with tire removal tool, beginning removal
102. Frank Bucher, with tire removal tool, close-up view
103. Frank Bucher, with tire removal tool, tire partly off
104. Ohio Electric Interurban Bridge under construction (split plate - two views

Folder 2 (Prints)

1. Wealthy Sarah (Gunn) Knaggs and daughter Marie Louise Knaggs
2. Miami and Erie Canal near Waterville, showing oil derricks
3. House where Marie lived, 1870-1920, built by Willard Gunn

Folder 3 (Prints and negatives)

1. Grand Rapids, Ohio, people on ice flow, flood of 1904
2. Barn raising rig, could also be used to pull up sucker rods from wells
3. Waterville, Ohio bridge collapse, flood of 1904
4. Man on washed out "island", near Waterville, Ohio, flood of 1904
5. Man suspended on lines, over river by washed-out RR bridge, 1904
6. Man suspended on lines, over river by washed-out RR bridge, 1904
7. Two families who camped in orchard of Isham farm one summer, cross-dressed
8. Ruth Fletcher and John Stoner in front of Waterville Post Office, Mechanic Street, just east of Third, circa 1912
9. Waterville Modern Woodmen of America (Columbian House in background)
10. Waterville Modern Woodmen of America (negative only)
11. Waterville Bridge collapse, July 24, 1941
12. Waterville Bridge collapse, July 24, 1941 (closer view)
13. Roche de Boeuf, before the Interurban Bridge (negative only)
14. Man in front of outbuildings and derrick (negative only)
15. Ohio Electric Interurban Bridge, under construction, from distance, 1906
16. Ohio Electric Interurban Bridge, under construction, with men, 1906
17. Horse and cart in a cultivated field (negative only)
18. Union Hotel, Waterville, circa 1920 (with separate identification sheet)
19. Third Street, Waterville, Ohio, looking north, 1940 (negative only)
20. Fire in Waterville, Ohio (negative only)
21. Swing bridge over the canal, Waterville
22. Iron bridge (negative only)
23. Man with threshing rig (negative only)
24. Waterville, Ohio aerial view showing quarry and Interurban Bridge, circa 1907 (with background information sheet)
25. Crescent Livery Stable, run by Cliff Lee (negative only)
26. Canal boat (negative only)

Folder 4 (Contact Prints and Copy Negatives)

1. Frank Bucher and Helen in carriage, taken in wheat field (neg 79)
2. May Isham Bucher and Helen in carriage, taken in wheat field (note: broken corner) (neg 80)
3. Helen, Midge and I (May Bucher), July 1918 (neg 81)
4. Knaggs homestead, Aunt Rae and Uncle Alex (#97 contact only)
5. Frank Bucher, with tire removal tool, beginning removal (#101)
6. Frank Bucher, with tire removal tool, close-up view (#102 contact only)
7. Frank Bucher, with tire removal tool, tire partly off (#103 contact only)
8. Ohio Electric Bridge, showing Roche de Boeuf (#88 contact only)
9. Stone quarry about 1904 or 1905 (#11 contact only)
10. Willows and road going south (#12 contact only)
11. Roadway south with willows, river and canal, taken from old south orchard (#13 contact only)
12. Wood pile, ice house, chicken coop and pig pen in backyard (#21 contact only)
13. Our barn just after built (#22 contact only)
14. Canal and bank south of house (Mr. Buckham's livebox for fish in background) (#38 contact only)
15. Going out our lane at farm (#67 contact only)
16. Ohio Electric Interurban Bridge under construction (split plate) (#104 multiple copy negs)

Manuscripts by Subject | Family Collections | Photograph Collections