The Wilkes-Barre glass negatives had many clues in the images to help me solve the identity of some of the places and people within them. The wonderful luck of the original seller of the glass plates reaching out to Paul Holbrook, who owns many from the collection and features them on his page, Camera Americana was a huge help. With the information we received and a little bit of sleuthing, we were able to identify the photographer as Harry W. Nesbitt of Plymouth, Pennsylvania.
(Just joining me? Start with part 1 in this blog series by going here.)
I had been sitting on the photographer's and his family's identities for weeks but didn't want to release it until I could do my best to find living descendants. I've reached out to several and am still waiting to hear back. At this time, no connection has taken place, but I will let you know.
What happened to Harry Nesbitt, the photographer, and Mary his wife?
Photo restored by Paul Holbrook of Camera Americana. Used with permission.
They lived a happy, simple life in Plymouth and died there. Harry died on February 2, 1938. He is buried in the Forty Fort Cemetery, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. His wife, Mary, died on Nov 1, 1950, and is buried beside him.
Photo owned and restored by Robin Clark of Memory Lane Photos . Used with permission.
Published in the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader. Harry Nesbitt's obituary published on February 3, 1938, p24 and Mary Ballamy Nesbitt's obituary published on November 2, 1950, p38. Accessed at newspapers.com.
I believe Harry Nesbitt took this photograph in the Forty-Fort Cemetery:
Photo from the collection owned and restored by Paul Holbrook of Camera Americana. Used with permission.
The Forty-Fort Cemetery in Forty-Fort, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania had significant damage after flooding from Hurricane Agnes in 1972. Over 2,700 graves were destroyed and washed away. Of that number, only 1,410 were recovered. That may be why this civil war mortar isn't at this cemetery anymore. It may have been damaged or removed after clean up.
Photo accessed at thecemeterytraveler.blogspot.com.
However, stones for both Harry and Mary Nesbitt can be found today.
Accessed at FindaGrave.com
Harry and Mary Nesbitt had two children, Charles Ballamy Nesbitt and Margaret Nesbitt.
Photo from the collection owned and restored by Paul Holbrook of Camera Americana. Used with permission.
Charles Ballamy Nesbitt was born on October 26, 1900 in Plymouth, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.
Photo from the collection owned and restored by Paul Holbrook of Camera Americana. Used with permission.
Charles B. Nesbitt was an adorable child who captured not only the heart of his parents but the heart of all of us, over 120 years later through the lens of his father's camera.
Photo from the collection owned and restored by Paul Holbrook of Camera Americana. Used with permission.
Photo from the collection owned and restored by Paul Holbrook of Camera Americana. Used with permission.
Photo from the collection owned and restored by Paul Holbrook of Camera Americana. Used with permission.
Photo from the collection owned and restored by Paul Holbrook of Camera Americana. Used with permission.
The buffet behind Charles B.'s hammock survived three generations. It was just sold at an auction in 2021. Someone in the Plymouth/Wilkes-Barre, PA area now owns a piece of Nesbitt family history!
There are many pictures of Charles B. Nesbitt in the glass negative collection. We see a bit of his fun and playful personality in these images. And some of his michievous side too!
Photo from the collection owned and restored by Paul Holbrook of Camera Americana. Used with permission.
Charles is in the middle with two friends:
Photo from the collection owned and restored by Paul Holbrook of Camera Americana. Used with permission.
Here, he is on the end at the far right:
Photo from the collection owned and restored by Paul Holbrook of Camera Americana. Used with permission.
Some pictures in the collection show Charles when he was a little bit older. Including this one. (That's him, holding his knee, on the far right)
Photo owned and restored by Robin Clark of Memory Lane Photos . Used with permission.
Charles graduated in 1918 from Plymouth High School. He went on to Penn State University and a career as an engineer.
On May 26, 1926 Charles married Elizabeth Davenport of Nanticoke and the young couple resided in Kingston, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.
Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, May 27, 1926, p15. Accessed at newspapers.com
Charles B. Nesbitt and Elizabeth had two children, Charles Davenport Nesbitt and Elaine Nesbitt.
Charles D. Nesbitt was born on April 1, 1927. He attended school in Kingston, PA and served in WW2. He married Pauline Handley and they later moved to Georgia. Charles D. Nesbitt died in 1992.
Elaine Nesbitt, daughter of Charles Ballamy Nesbitt and Elizabeth Davenport Nesbitt was born on February 9, 1932. She attended school in Kingston and later graduated from Wilkes College. She married Phillip Nicholas. Elaine Nesbitt Nicholas died on July 25, 1992.
These are the children of the little boy in the pictures and the grandchildren of Harry Nesbitt, the photographer:
Charles Davenport Nesbitt Elaine Nesbitt
Pictures from yearbooks accessed at ancestry.com
Charles B. Nesbitt married his second wife, Margaret Roberts, with whom he had one son, John Roberts Nesbitt. John died in 2021.
Charles Bellamy Nesbitt, the little boy we saw in the Wilkes-Barre glass negatives, grew up, as all little boys must do.
Photo from the collection owned and restored by Paul Holbrook of Camera Americana. Used with permission.
Charles Ballamy Nesbitt, Penn State University, 1922
Accessed at ancestry.com
Charles B. Nesbitt died in 1984. He is buried in the Nesbitt plot of the Forty-Fort Cemetery, Forty-Fort, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.
Stay tuned for information on Charles' sister, Margaret, coming soon!
Photo from the collection owned and restored by Paul Holbrook of Camera Americana. Used with permission.
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