I am creating a directory of Indiana photographers, 1840-1940,
and am now focusing on Kosciusko County photographers. One in
particular interests me-- Henry C. Milice (1834-1908). He was
a photographer in Warsaw for over 50 years, from 1856 until his
death in 1908. He undoubtedly documented aspects of the town
that written histories can only hint at, but I doubt that much of
his collection has survived except what is in the hands of his
customers' descendants. I have several questions and then will
follow with biographical information about Milice.
1. Is anyone out there researching the Milice family? If so,
I'd love to hear from you and trade information.
2. Does anyone have interesting photographs by Milice? I'm
also interested in the backstamps of the photos listing his
gallery locations.
3. I'd like to locate his earliest work--which would be cased
images (for those of you who aren't familiar with
the term "cased images," these are small, book-like cases that
contain daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, or tintypes behind a brass
mat and glass. The cases are made of paper or leather covered
wood or thermoplastic "Union" cases). It is doubtful that he
signed his early cased photos (either stamped on the mat, embossed
in the velvet pad, or sometimes written behind the image)--but
I would like to compare early Kosciusko County cased images to
Milice's known paper photographs (carte de visite format: small
photos mounted to 2 1/4" x 4 1/4" thin cardboard). By comparing
gallery furniture, rugs, or backdrops found in the photos, I might
be able to identify his earliest work.
Here is some of what I have found about Milice:
-Born ca. 1834, son of Mrs. & Mrs. John Milice
-Moved to Kosciusko Co. in 1847 from Mechanicsburg, Ohio
-Siblings include: Capt. A. S. Milice (in Riverside, CA in 1908)
L. S. (or S. L.) Milice (in Seattle in 1908)
E. O. Milice (in Warsaw in 1908)
Mrs. H. C. (Elizabeth) Hartman (in Kansas City in 1908)
-Had a niece, Mrs. J. H. Walters
-Active with Warsaw IOOF and K of P lodges
-Member of Methodist Church
-Possibly married several times (I can't find my notes on marriages),
once to Mary A. Homman, October 9, 1859.
-Died in his house on S. High St. on Christmas day, lived alone
-He is not the minister, H.C. Milice, who moved to Iowa in 1883
Galleries:
1856 Started photography in Warsaw (first Warsaw photographer?)
1858 Funk & Milice, rooms over Heller's Store; Milice purchased
ambrotype gallery from Baker & Bro.
1860 SE cor. Public Square
1862 H.C. Milice Premium Picture Gallery, 3rd story of Heller's
Brick [Nye, bk.3-53: N. D. Heller's Farmer's Store was a brick bldg.
built in 1854, SE cor Buffalo & Center]
Milice & Bro. move to 3rd story, Carpenter & Cosgrove's Brick
mid-1860s Milice & Bro., PO Box 80, Empire Gallery in Empire Hall, over
Ricker & Rizer's Fancy Store
1870s operated as H.C. Milice & Bro. for much of career
PO Box 90, Moon's new block, over N. D. Heller's Store
PO Box 90, Over Weber's Hardware Store
1877 3rd fl. over Weber's Hardware Store
1881 Milice & Kreig, upper story Cosgrove Block
1884, 1886 PO Box 246
1888 15 S. Buffalo St.
1889 over Lion Store
1897 PO Box 228
1902 115 S. Buffalo St.
1905 Over Graves & Bartol's. [According to the 1898 Warsaw city
directory, Graves & Bartol was located at 208 S. Buffalo St.]
I suspect that from June 1862 until late in his career he was located at
only one place: what is now 113 S. Buffalo St., currently housing Shively Real
Estate Appraisal.
I would particularly like to find his siblings' descendants because of what
he mentions in his will: (thanks to Mary Ettinger for sending copies!):
Kosciusko Co. Will Book 7, p. 59: leaves to sister Mrs. H. C. Hartman our
bible, also *all my pictures* for her to keep or devise at her discression;
to brother S. L. my scrapp book also the Milice family record which dates
back to the residence in Germany; to niece, Mrs. J. H. Walters, all my
wifes black Clothing and bed clothes.
I welcome any input or questions/suggestions. Thanks!
Joan E. Hostetler
Indiana Photographers Project
815 N. Highland Ave.
Indianpolis, IN 46202
(317) 639-2814
jehostet(a)iupui.edu