Viola Stow, ca. 1860

Carte-de-visite of Viola A. Stow (1841-1912). This image appears to have been taken before Viola's marriage to Frank Dufour in October, 1862. Note that an identical table serves as a prop in the studio photographs of her brother Baron [018PC4.04-.05]

Viola Stow was born in 1841 near East Enterprise, Switzerland County, Indiana, a rural farming community near the Ohio River. She was the third of four children and only daughter of Uzziel and Catharine Stow. Stow’s parents valued education, and as a young girl she studied at the community school in Stowtown. The school was maintained by local residents, but the community often had difficulty retaining teachers. This led to sporadic instruction during Stow’s youth.

Stow Family Collection, Filson Photograph Collection

018PC4.03