THE PHOTO ALBUMS OF THE BLILEY FAMILY IN BOULDER, COLORADO The Lives and Times of Three Generations of Blileys Through Photos

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION -- Background story on this project.

ALBUMS ONLINE -- List of albums online and a brief description.

ALBUM OWNERS -- Links to profiles of the three album owners and creators.

OTHER BLILEY.NET PHOTO GALLERIES & RESOURCES

INTRODUCTION

November 2, 2015

In October 2010, I made a trip to Boulder, Colorado to visit my brother, John, to begin work on archiving the wealth of family history resources stored in his beautifully-dry basement. I was there for ten days and barely processed one-half of the material.

One area that was certainly beyond the time that was available was a set of ten family photo albums. I knew it would take weeks to even process one or two of these. John supportively agreed to allow me to pack them up and have them shipped to my home in Webster, NY along with two cubic feet of other family history material. All of non-album materials were processed first. That took several years to accomplish.

The first step was to do a quick-and-dirty job of photographing the albums in their present state before I disassembled them for scanning. Preview galleries of these photos are linked from this page for you to view online, or download in PDF format. Since these are virtually throw-away resources, I was not particularly interested in making high quality images, and defer producing quality images for later. The PDF versions do not have the benefit of page numbers. This phase was completed in January of 2014.

What is involved? In general, I scan a whole page from an album at high resolution, then edit each photo within the same file and save it as a composite. I commonly adjust the brightness and contrast of each photo image on the page to make it as serviceable as possible. Often, through digital image processing, I can bring out detail that was otherwise barely discernable.

O.K. So the photos are often not as I found them, but it does make the intentions of the photographer a realization and we get to see more than you can with the naked eye. I usually, scan the pages at a minimum of 800 ppi and loose photos between 600 and 2,400 ppi. As the project matured, I began scanning whole pages at 1200 ppi on a regular basis. The files are bigger, but I figured that I would net see these albums again after I was done and the work needed to be done before they deteriorated.

I also adjust the color and usually dropped the sepia tone brown in favor of black and white. I also remove any yellowing or color shifting due to changes in the photo’s chemistry or molds. In short you get a better resource in its original historical context. Look at the samples in a presentation I made to the local genealogy society several years ago for an example of how this process makes a significant difference.

Below is a list a brief description of each album. There is online browser-based versions, and a downloadable PDF version. When the photos and scans are too large to present at full resolution, I have reduced it to a point that something practical can be made for viewing online. This year I created high-quality scanned images that have been uploaded for viewing. If you need an even higher-resolution TIFF file, drop me a line and I can send it to you.

This has been a HUGE project that has taken me over 400 hours of work in the last year. I hope you find the results beneficial. I welcome any comments on the photos as a whole, or on individual ones.

Thank you for your support.

Chuck

E-Mail: K3NAU@AOL.com
Phone: (585) 872-9155         

HIGH VERSUS MEDIUM RESOLUTION

What is the difference between high and medium resolution images? First all albums were scanned at a minimum of 600 ppi and most at 1,200 and 1,800 ppi. The “medium” resolution Web pages are limited to 1,024 pixels on the longest side. The “high” resolution Web pages are at the dimensions of the original scans and can be as large as twenty inches or more at a base resolution of 72 ppi.

The medium resolution images are suitable for most viewing. Should you want to see a photo or page at really high resolution, got to the high resolution Web gallery. If you want a really high quality image, I can provide TIFF files for each one. The statistics on the project are 8,362 data files occupying at 56 GB on my hard drive.

CAUTION: The average image file for medium resolution images is less than 200 kilobytes, but the high resolution Web page images average 8 Mb and a few are up to 25 Mb! The high-resolution galleries may take up to a minute to load on a high-speed Internet connection and typically 10 to 30 seconds to load individual photos. The PDF files are nice for offline viewing, but take note of the large size of the files.

ALBUMS ONLINE

Below is the list of albums at that I have processed. The albums copied by handheld camera are definitely inferior to the high-resolution scanned versions. However, they give the viewer a se3nse of browsing through the actual album. I would recommend viewing both if you have the time.

Please keep in mind these are frequently large Web page files and PDF files. Many of the PDFs are large--between 10 and 25 megabytes--to provide for reasonably high quality images. The albums are presented below in a rough chronological order. A detailed description of the albums is also provided that contains my observations and a list of the primary image files used to create the Web pages. These are listed as "Read Me First" links.

ALBUM 1	Frank A. Bliley -- Family Album A Gift from Sam & Inez Album Scanned Pages Web Page: High-Rez / Med-Rez PDF: Med-Rez (73 Mb) Scanned Photos Web Page: High-Rez / Med-Rez PDF: Med-Rez (82 Mb) Detailed Description of Album with scanning File List PDF: Read Me First Hand-Held Photos of Album Pages Web Page: High-Rez / Med-Rez PDF: High-Rez / Med-Rez / Low-Rez	This album contains 109 photos from an unlabeled album by Sam Wagner. It appears to be a work-in-progress, and on smaller pages than were usually used by Sam and Inez. Most images are identical to albums of Sam and Inez Wagner of the same period. It has many unique photos, of which75 are new to me. These “new” photos are marked with stars. Some are marked with “Location?” indicating place that are new to me or previously unidentified. Sam and Inez created 11 know albums and probably more. For more samples of their albums click here and for an in-depth story of their family lives click here. The album pages were archived in a random order. An attempt was made to order them by paring pages with similar wrinkle patters on the edge. All other attempts to order them proved either fruitless or too time consuming. These PDF version are also at 800 ppi , however, the overall print size is significantly reduced from the original 7" x 10" to 1" x 1.5" size.
ALBUM 2	Wagner-Bliley Album -- Uncaptioned Scanned Pages Web Page: High-Rez / Med-Rez PDF: Med-Rez (31 Mb) Scanned Photos Web Page: High-Rez / Med-Rez PDF: Med-Rez (100 Mb) Detailed Description of Album with scanning File List PDF: Read Me First Hand-Held Photos of Album Pages Web Page: High-Rez / Med-Rez PDF: High-Rez / Med-Rez	This appears to be an album similar to other ones that Wally Venable scanned from Dave Wagner’s house. I am now beginning to think Sam and Inez created souvenir albums after Charles and Mary Jane celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1906. The recipients then embellished them with their own favorite photos. This an example of that practice.
ALBUM 3	Frank A. Bliley -- College Years 1 - C1880s Scanned Photos Web Page: High-Rez / Med-Rez PDF: Med-Rez (31 Mb) Detailed Description of Album with scanning File List PDF: Read Me First Hand-Held Photos of Album Pages Web Page: High-Rez / Med-Rez PDF: High-Rez / Med-Rez	This album contains a lot of individuals that appear to be college friends and professors from his yeas at Edinboro Normal School between 1883 and 1886. These are followed by photos of Frank and family members are from the same period. You will notice the photo and obituary of Martha Jane Aiken, a woman he dated in college.   Size: 15" x 7" x 3" Pages: 24
ALBUM 4	Frank A. Bliley -- College Years 2 - C1880s Scanned Photos Web Page: High-Rez / Med-Rez PDF: Med-Rez (55 Mb) Detailed Description of Album with scanning File List PDF: Read Me First Hand-Held Photos of Album Pages Web Page: High-Rez / Med-Rez PDF: High-Rez / Med-Rez	This album contains a lot of individuals that appear to be college friends from the early 1880s. These are followed by photos of Frank and family members are from the same period.   Size: 5" x 7" x 2-1/4" Pages: 4
ALBUM 5	Frank A. Bliley -- Cousin's Album of 1883 Scanned Photos Web Page: High-Rez / Med-Rez PDF: Med-Rez (34 Mb) Detailed Description of Album with scanning File List PDF: Read Me First Hand-Held Photos of Album Pages Web Page: High-Rez / Med-Rez PDF: Med-Rez / Low-Rez	This album appeared to be a gift from the family in Renick, Missouri to two of Frank’s sisters. My feeling is it has been expanded upon over the years.
ALBUM 6	Lula Dawson Bliley -- Family Album 2* 1880s Scanned Photos Web Page: High-Rez / Med-Rez PDF: Med-Rez (12 Mb) Detailed Description of Album with scanning File List PDF: Read Me First Hand-Held Photos of Album Pages Web Page: High-Rez / Med-Rez PDF: High-Rez / Low-Rez	Old photo album of the Dawson family. Not many photos, but almost all individuals are identified.   Size: 11-1/2" x 9-1/2" x 2" - Pages: 32 *SPECIAL NOTE: The first Lula's album in her collection is in the hands of my cousin and her grandson, James Oldham, of Erie, Pennsylvania. It is extensively detailed in another area of this site. Click here to got to that delightful album and learn more about her.
ALBUM 7	Frank Dawson Bliley -- Photo Album 1  1920–27 Scanned Pages Web Page: High-Rez / Med-Rez PDF: Med-Rez (45 Mb) Detailed Description of Album with scanning File List PDF: Read Me First Hand-Held Photos of Album Pages Web Page: High-Rez / Med-Rez PDF: Med-Rez	This album is titled "Scenes of Great Interest to the Blileys" and all photos are by Frank Dawson Bliley. Most of the content is a set of travel galleries in a narrow timeframe. There are also some photos of his family at home and Erie, Pennsylvania. Locations include Colroado, Erie, PA and travels with the family to other eastern states.
ALBUM 8	Frank Dawson Bliley -- Photo Album 2  1922–39 Scanned Pages Web Page: High-Rez / Med-Rez PDF: Med-Rez (12 Mb) Detailed Description of Album with scanning File List PDF: Read Me First Hand-Held Photos of Album Pages Web Page: High-Rez / Med-Rez PDF: Med-Rez	This album appears to be a work in progress with many blank pages. Most of the photos are from Frank's high school years with a focus on family, including his sister's dating of George Malcolm Oldham.   Size: 7" x 10" 3/8" - 6 Pages:
ALBUM 9	Frank Dawson Bliley -- Photo Album 3 - Family 1922–1928 Scanned Pages Web Page: High-Rez / Med-Rez PDF: Med-Rez (19 Mb) Detailed Description of Album with scanning File List PDF: Read Me First Hand-Held Photos of Album Pages Web Page: High-Rez / Med-Rez PDF: Med-Rez	This album is titled "Scenes of Great Interest to the Blileys" and all photos are by Frank Dawson Bliley. Most of the content is a set of travel galleries in a narrow timeframe. There are also some photos of his family at home and Erie, Pennsylvania. Do not be disturbed by the presence of the Klu Klux Clan photos in Marion, Indiana. Marion was the home of the Klan. No doubt the Bliley family found the Klan march to be only of cultural interest and not complementary to their philosophy.
ALBUM 10	Isabelle Rosenberg's 1930's Album Scanned Pages Web Page: High-Rez / Med-Rez PDF: Med-Rez (14 Mb) Detailed Description of Album with scanning File List PDF: Read Me First Hand-Held Photos of Album Pages Web Page: High-Rez / Med-Rez	Here is a love story in photos. The first photo is of my mother's boyfriend and future husband—Frank Dawson Bliley. When I first saw the album, I thought it was Dad's as it started with many photos of him and his mobile ham radio setup in his new car. Soon, the album's focus was on his girlfriend and future wife, Isabelle Rosenberg. She graduated from secretarial school in June 1933 and went to work at the Bliley Electric Company, Erie, PA as secretary to the production manager. Within a few weeks, she was promoted to the president's personal secretary whom she would soon begin dating, and marry five years later. You will notice her new love is the first person in this album. Is that a surprise? :-)     Size: 7-1/4" x 11" x 1", Pages 26
ALBUM 11	Frank A. Bliley -- Photo Album 5 - Family Scanned Pages Web Page: High-Rez / Med-Rez PDF: Med-Rez (36 Mb)	This album was almost overlooked. I scanned it in Boulder back in October 2010 and forgot about it. It was almost overlooked in this album project but at the last minute I rediscovered it. :-) The album contains several important photos--especially two of the old family farm houses as they looked in 1936. The first is on Kuhl Road in southern Harbor Creek Township what was purchased when Andreas & Catherine Bleile[Bliley] immigrated from Germany in 1834.   Size: 7-1/4" x 11" x 1", Pages 21 and 9 loose photos and post cards.

      

PROFILES OF THE ALBUMS OWNERS

These albums were create or owned by three family members--my grandfather and grandmother Bliley and my father. Below are links to biographical items on this Web site to my father and grand parents.

My Grandfather: Frank Anderson Bliley (March 13, 1865 - February 14, 1946)

My Grandmother: Lula Dawson Bliley (August 6, 1875 - March 16, 1945)

My Father: Frank Dawson Bliley (April 29, 1906 - May 17, 1955)

OTHER BLILEY.NET PHOTO GALLERIES & RESOURCES

Photo Albums of Sam and Inez Wagner of Wesleyville, Pennsylvania

I have begun work on the large glass plate collection of photos taken, by or copied by, Sam Wagner. This small sample of eight photos provides some insight to Sam's photographic duplication techniques and an apparent experiment with Ambrotype positive imaging. (Caution: These are large images.)

Family Assets in Boulder Colorado (40 Pages)

This gallery is of the family assets that I found in Boulder, Colorado, in the home of my brother John in Sept. 2007. I did a quick and dirty job of photographing and scanning them. Among the treasures is a photo album by Sam and Inez. This is a archival gallery of 114 images to be used for reference only. Most of these items are the personal possessions collected by Frank Anderson Bliley. Included is the family bible records page, his education certificates, The deed for the transfer of the family farm on Station Road, in Wesleyville,to Wilfred Bliley, on the retirement of his parents.in 1892. The "sea chest" believed to have been the property of Charles A. Bliley, Frank's father.

The Web page gallery will start as a slideshow. To stop the show and choose images from the navigation frame at the bottom, click on the square between the arrows on the top of the page. Note: the pencil comments in white, are in the hand of Frank Anderson Bliley, my grandfather. (NOTE: This is a temporary gallery and location on this site and most photos are duplicates of the Bliley Archives galleries briefly described above.)

Lula Dawson Bliley's Personal Photo Album (52 pages)

My grandmother's personal photo album from the 1930s. Well organized with almost every photo captioned with place and names. All photos in chronological order. Principal families: Bliley, Dawson and Halls. Web page also includes development story and guidelines for the preparation of a family photo album CD of her work.

---

This site and associated images are Copyright 2014, by Charles A. Bliley, Webster, NY, U.S.A.

Permission granted for use in personal genealogy work and non-profit distribution with copyright and source credit.

|| RETURN TO HOME ||