Today I’m trying to figure out the identity of the fellow in this picture.  It was taken at the Vetter Studio at 301 1st street Hoboken, New Jersey.  Albert Vetter had a studio at this address only from the years 1895-1901. 1895 is the only year that 301 1st street is listed as the sole address, he had two studios from 1896 onward.

So who was in the New York area during that time period?  Gus Almquist (22 years old) and his brother Claes (21) arrived in 1901.  John Anderson (Alfrieda’s brother) did not arrive until 1906, after the Vetter studio closed the 301 1st street location. John H. Hendrickson, Augusta Almquist’s (Gus’s sister’s) future husband was in New York at the time the studio was open, and would have been in his mid-20’s, but seems like an unlikely person for the family (Gus and then Clarence) to have held onto a photo of.

Looking at this fellow and an early picture of Gus side by side I see similarities but I don’t believe it to be the same person:

Mystery man                        Gus at about age 20.

Could this be Claes Theodore Almquist then?  Claes lived in the New York area, with his wife Mary and daughters Violet and Mildred.  I only base the existence of this wife and two daughters on the 1915 New York state census, where he is called Theodore, but the birth year is right.  Claes was listed as living in America in his Father’s will in 1926.  At some point however, Claes moved back to Sweden, our Swedish cousin Eva lists him as buried in Prästbordet 1:51, Själevad, Västernorrlands län Sweden in September 7, 1965.  She also lists Mary (or at least a wife of unknown name) as dead in 1916.  In 1920 there is a Theodore Almquist in New York who is listed as widowed, with a similar immigration and birth date as our Theodore.  I’m not sure if Theodore is the person who is rumored to be Alfrieda Munter’s daughter Blanche’s real father, that mystery continues.

There is a second photo of the same mystery person:

This image has a western feel to it, with a painted background of mountains and trees. It appears to be a copy of an older image, so there is no studio information to be found on the front or back.  He certainly looks very Almquisty.

What do you think?  I think Gus’s brother Claes Theodore Almquist is the most likely person to be the one pictured here.