Etter Family Collection

Title

Subject

Families

Families--portraits

Etter, Henry Ross, 1882-1939

Etter, James, 1843-1935

Illinois--Palmyra

Description

The Etter Family Collection focuses on the Etter family of Macoupin County, Illinois. The Etter Family came to Illinois in 1826 with the arrival of Henry and Eliza Etter and their young family. Their son, Henry Etter, Jr., married Estereen Davidson and he worked on the family farm throughout his life.

James Etter, the son of Henry and Estereen, was born in 1848. James worked on the family farm before moving to his own farm. He served as constable, road commissioner, township clerk and collector and assessor of the township of South Palmyra. He married Julia Richie in 1873 and had six children including Henry Ross Etter.

Henry Ross Etter attended Drake College and worked as a teacher for four years. Beginning in 1903, Etter worked as an editor for the Weekly Transcript in Palmyra. Etter purchased the newspaper in 1909 and served as the publication's owner and publisher. Etter married Laura Thompson in 1905 and the couple had two children, Florence Evelyn and Lorton Dale.

Images in this collection include several family photographs of the James Etter and Henry Ross Etter families.

Collection Items

James Etter and Family

James Etter and his wife, Julia Florence Ritchie-Etter, pose for a portrait with their children Elfa, Eli Scott, Henry Ross, and Ola Jane. On verso: "This should be duplicated before it fades. As far as I know only picture of our grandmother Etter.…

Law Office of H. Ross Etter

Henry Ross Etter sits at his desk in his law office at Palmyra.

H. Ross Etter in a New Ford

Henry Ross Etter sits in the driver's seat of a new 1915 Ford automobile in Kansas.

H. Ross Etter

A young Henry Ross Etter poses for a portrait.

Group of Seven

Seven unidentified individuals pose outside of a building.

Children with Flags

Several children pose holding small American flags.

H. Ross Etter School Class

School teacher H. Ross Etter and his students stand outside of a school house in Palmyra. On verso: "Simpson Hill School?"

F. Evelyn Etter, Thelma Cox, and Jessie Bessie Carmichael

Florence Evelyn Etter, Thelma Cox, and Jessie Bessie Carmichael pose for a portrait with a baby buggy. On verso: "F. Evelyn Etter with ribbon; Thelma Cox in Buggy; Jessie Bessie Carmichael."

Eureka Springs

Henry Ross Etter stands next to a rock formation during a visit to Eureka Springs, Arkansas.

Dale Etter, Paul Vogel, Beulah Schacht, and Joyce Adams

Dale Etter, Paul Vogel, and Beulah Schacht pose for a photo with Miss Rural Electrification Joyce Adams of Tennessee.

Etter Family Members

Several members of the Etter family stand outside of the James Richie home in Palmyra. On verso: "2nd from left - holding child - James Ritchey (spelling changed by family to Ritchie during this generation), 4th from left - Sarah Ross-Richie, 5th…

Etter Family Outside Home

The Etter family poses for a photo outside of their home. From left to right: Elfa Jane Etter, James Etter, Julia Florence Ritchie Etter, Eli Scott Etter, and Henry Ross Etter (on horseback). On verso: "This picture is printed in reverse - L of house…