WAUTaftFamilyPHColl848.xmlGuide to the Taft Family Photograph Collection circa 1914-1920Taft Family Photograph CollectionSpecial Collections, University of Washington Libraries© 2015 (Last modified: 11/27/2017)
Seattle, WA 98195
Finding aid written in English.Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard).University of Washington Libraries, Special CollectionsPH0848Taft familyTaft family Photograph Collectioncirca 1914-192016 negatives (1 box) : glass plate negativesscans printed from glass plate negativesCollection materials are in English.Photographs of Beulah May Taft Godfrey, her daughter Loyal Taft Godfrey, and other family members. Also includes photographs of the Niedergesaess family's yacht Yankee II

Beulah May Taft (1881-1974) was born in Waco, Texas, to Sarah Frances Gurley and William B. Taft. Beulah came to Seattle as a baby with her parents. In 1907, she married Otto Christian (Bert) Niedergesaess (1884-1963), an immigrant from New Zealand. Beulah and Otto had two daughters, Carol (1909-1933) and Loyal (1914-2001). During World War I, the family adopted the surname Godfrey, which was the family name of Otto's mother. During the 1920s, the family moved to Brooklyn, New York, where Otto operated the Godfrey Propeller Adjusting Corporation. Beulah was an avid photographer, particularly of her children. This collection includes examples of her work. Beulah's elder daughter Carol became a Broadway dancer known as Joan Winters. She was arrested as a spy in Istanbul in October 1933 and was murdered the next month in Jerusalem. Loyal spent her later years on Bainbridge Island where she was joined by her parents.

Photographs of Beulah May Taft Godfrey, her daughter Loyal Taft Godfrey, and other family members. Also includes photographs of the Niedergesaess family's boat Yankee II . It was sold in 1915 and used to transport passenger and freight traffic in the San Juan Islands.

View the digital version of the collection

Access to the original glass plate negatives is restricted for preservation purposes. The scans are available for viewing and the entire collection is available on the digital site. Contact Special Collections for more information.

Request at UW

Restrictions may exist on reproduction, quotation, or publication. Contact Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries for details.

Gift of Loyal Taft Morgan and Ken Ward (her son), 1998.

Processed by Marion Brown, 2009; processing completed by Jack Falk, 2012.

Taft family--PhotographsVisual Materials Collections (University of Washington)PhotographsWashington (State)Seattle

 

11Beulah May Taft Godfrey and newborn daughter Loyal Taft GodfreyJuly 31, 1914

According to Loyal's son Kenneth Ward, "My grandmother, Beulah May Taft, set up her camera in a room where she would give birth to her second child. The picture was taken within 15 minutes of the birth of my mother Loyal Taft Niedergesaess. On that day a General Mobilization was announced by Russia, Germany and Austria-Hungary. My grandmother wanted anti-German Seattle to know that the child of Otto Christian Niedergesaess was born to a patriotic family. The child, my mother, would be known as "Loyal T"."

12Loyal Taft Niedergesaess at age 1, wearing a sash bow 13Group of children dressed in kimonoscirca 1916

Written on sleeve: Bill Taft's gift of kimonos to all the cousins.

14Group portrait of family memberscirca 1917 15Grandma Sarah Gurley Taft and her sisters from Texas (Ada and Elizabeth?) showing Loyal how to knitcirca 1917 16Children on a beach with boatYankee IIin backgroundcirca 1918 17People standing on the deck ofYankee IIcirca 1918 18Grandma Sarah Gurley Taft and her two sisters from Texas (Ada and Elizabeth?) knittingcirca 1919 19Grandma Sarah Gurley Taft with her sisters and other family memberscirca 1919 110Loyal Taft Niedergesaess as little girlundated 111Loyal's cats in a basketundated 112Two children in a boatundated 113Child seated with older woman (possibly grandmother or great-aunt)undated 114Woman (possibly a nurse) and child near a bushundated 115Two children in living room (possibly Loyal with older sister Carol in chair) in front of a fireplaceundated 116Child and baby in baby carriage (possibly Loyal with older sister Carol)undated