Description: This photograph showing a group of laborers with a man appearing to be their boss was taken by traveling photographer Albert J. Ewing, ca. 1896-1912. Like most of Ewing's work, it was likely taken in southeastern Ohio or central West Virginia. Born in 1870 in Washington County, Ohio, near Marietta, Ewing most likely began his photography career in the 1890s. The 1910 US Census and a 1912-1913 directory list him as a photographer. A negative signed "Ewing Brothers" and a picture with his younger brother, Frank, indicate that Frank may have joined the business. After 1916, directories list Albert as a salesman. He died in 1934. The Ewing Collection consists of 5,055 glass plate negatives, each individually housed and numbered. Additionally, the collection includes approximately 450 modern contact prints made from the glass plate negatives. Subjects include infants and young children, elderly people, families, school and religious groups, animals and rural scenes. In 1982, the Ohio Historical Society received the collection, still housed in the original dry plate negative boxes purchased by Albert J. Ewing. A selection of the original glass plate negatives were exhibited for the first time in 2013 at the Ohio Historical Center. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AV71_b05_f308
Subjects: Ewing, Albert J. (1870-1934); Portrait photography--United States--History; Laborers
Places: Ohio; West Virginia
 

Description: Two migrant farm workers on strike on a tomato farm in California, photographed by Joe Munroe, 1960. In the years after World War II, conditions and pay for farmhands did not rise with the growth of the American economy. It was only through unionization and political pressure that conditions improved. Joe Munroe's career began in 1939 at the Cranbrook Academy of Art. He served in the Air Force during World War II and then joined Cincinnati-based Farm Quarterly magazine. Though raised in Detroit, agriculture became an important subject of Joe's photographs. He moved to California in 1955 and free-lanced, taking magazine assignments and selling his own work. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: P400_B30_003
Subjects: Joe Munroe; Agricultural laborers; Migrant agricultural laborers; Farm life; Labor unions
Places: Salinas (California)
 

Description: Photograph showing a Mexican migrant worker picking tomatoes on a farm in California, taken by Joe Munroe, 1960. Even with the advancement of modern harvesting techniques and technologies, handpicking tomatoes is often required for table-ripe tomatoes whose skin is thinner. Joe Munroe's career began in 1939 at the Cranbrook Academy of Art. He served in the Air Force during World War II and then joined Cincinnati-based Farm Quarterly magazine. Though raised in Detroit, agriculture became an important subject of Joe's photographs. He moved to California in 1955 and free-lanced, taking magazine assignments and selling his own work. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: P400_B30_002
Subjects: Joe Munroe; Agricultural laborers; Migrant agricultural laborers; Farm life; Tomatoes--Harvesting
Places: Imperial Valley (California)
 

Description: A group photograph of men and boys. They all have digging implements, giving the impression they may be miners. This photograph was taken by traveling photographer Albert J. Ewing, ca. 1896-1912. Like most of Ewing's work, it was likely taken in southeastern Ohio or central West Virginia. Born in 1870 in Washington County, Ohio, near Marietta, Ewing most likely began his photography career in the 1890s. The 1910 US Census and a 1912-1913 directory list him as a photographer. A negative signed “Ewing Brothers” and a picture with his younger brother, Frank, indicate that Frank may have joined the business. After 1916, directories list Albert as a salesman. He died in 1934. The Ewing Collection consists of 5,055 glass plate negatives, each individually housed and numbered. Additionally, the collection includes approximately 450 modern contact prints made from the glass plate negatives. Subjects include infants and young children, elderly people, families, school and religious groups, animals and rural scenes. In 1982, the Ohio Historical Society received the collection, still housed in the original dry plate negative boxes purchased by Albert J. Ewing. A selection of the original glass plate negatives were exhibited for the first time in 2013 at the Ohio Historical Center. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AV71_b05_f299
Subjects: Ewing, Albert J. (1870-1934); Portrait photography--United States--History; Laborers; Coal mines and mining--Appalachian Region--History
Places: Ohio; West Virginia
 

Description: A small group of men sit along a hillside with various tools. They have shovels and pick axes and they appear to be running a pipeline of some sort. This photograph was taken by traveling photographer Albert J. Ewing, ca. 1896-1912. Like most of Ewing's work, it was likely taken in southeastern Ohio or central West Virginia. Born in 1870 in Washington County, Ohio, near Marietta, Ewing most likely began his photography career in the 1890s. The 1910 US Census and a 1912-1913 directory list him as a photographer. A negative signed “Ewing Brothers” and a picture with his younger brother, Frank, indicate that Frank may have joined the business. After 1916, directories list Albert as a salesman. He died in 1934. The Ewing Collection consists of 5,055 glass plate negatives, each individually housed and numbered. Additionally, the collection includes approximately 450 modern contact prints made from the glass plate negatives. Subjects include infants and young children, elderly people, families, school and religious groups, animals and rural scenes. In 1982, the Ohio Historical Society received the collection, still housed in the original dry plate negative boxes purchased by Albert J. Ewing. A selection of the original glass plate negatives were exhibited for the first time in 2013 at the Ohio Historical Center. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AV71_b05_f306
Subjects: Ewing, Albert J. (1870-1934); Portrait photography--United States--History; Laborers
Places: Ohio; West Virginia
 

Description: A group of men stand together for this photograph. They have various types of tools, which may mean that they are logging men. This photograph was taken by traveling photographer Albert J. Ewing, ca. 1896-1912. Like most of Ewing's work, it was likely taken in southeastern Ohio or central West Virginia. Born in 1870 in Washington County, Ohio, near Marietta, Ewing most likely began his photography career in the 1890s. The 1910 US Census and a 1912-1913 directory list him as a photographer. A negative signed “Ewing Brothers” and a picture with his younger brother, Frank, indicate that Frank may have joined the business. After 1916, directories list Albert as a salesman. He died in 1934. The Ewing Collection consists of 5,055 glass plate negatives, each individually housed and numbered. Additionally, the collection includes approximately 450 modern contact prints made from the glass plate negatives. Subjects include infants and young children, elderly people, families, school and religious groups, animals and rural scenes. In 1982, the Ohio Historical Society received the collection, still housed in the original dry plate negative boxes purchased by Albert J. Ewing. A selection of the original glass plate negatives were exhibited for the first time in 2013 at the Ohio Historical Center. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AV71_b05_f311
Subjects: Ewing, Albert J. (1870-1934); Portrait photography--United States--History; Laborers; Loggers
Places: Ohio; West Virginia
 

Description: This photograph of laborers at a worksite was taken by traveling photographer Albert J. Ewing, ca. 1896-1912. Several children can also be seen in the background. Like most of Ewing's work, it was likely taken in southeastern Ohio or central West Virginia. Born in 1870 in Washington County, Ohio, near Marietta, Ewing most likely began his photography career in the 1890s. The 1910 US Census and a 1912-1913 directory list him as a photographer. A negative signed "Ewing Brothers" and a picture with his younger brother, Frank, indicate that Frank may have joined the business. After 1916, directories list Albert as a salesman. He died in 1934. The Ewing Collection consists of 5,055 glass plate negatives, each individually housed and numbered. Additionally, the collection includes approximately 450 modern contact prints made from the glass plate negatives. Subjects include infants and young children, elderly people, families, school and religious groups, animals and rural scenes. In 1982, the Ohio Historical Society received the collection, still housed in the original dry plate negative boxes purchased by Albert J. Ewing. A selection of the original glass plate negatives were exhibited for the first time in 2013 at the Ohio Historical Center. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AV71_B10A_F587
Subjects: Ewing, Albert J. (1870-1934); Portrait photography--United States--History; Laborers;
Places: Ohio; West Virginia
 

Description: Group photograph of men posed with shovels and picks. Behind them a trench and pipe can be seen. This photograph was taken by traveling photographer Albert J. Ewing, ca. 1896-1912. Like most of Ewing's work, it was likely taken in southeastern Ohio or central West Virginia. Born in 1870 in Washington County, Ohio, near Marietta, Ewing most likely began his photography career in the 1890s. The 1910 US Census and a 1912-1913 directory list him as a photographer. A negative signed “Ewing Brothers” and a picture with his younger brother, Frank, indicate that Frank may have joined the business. After 1916, directories list Albert as a salesman. He died in 1934. The Ewing Collection consists of 5,055 glass plate negatives, each individually housed and numbered. Additionally, the collection includes approximately 450 modern contact prints made from the glass plate negatives. Subjects include infants and young children, elderly people, families, school and religious groups, animals and rural scenes. In 1982, the Ohio Historical Society received the collection, still housed in the original dry plate negative boxes purchased by Albert J. Ewing. A selection of the original glass plate negatives were exhibited for the first time in 2013 at the Ohio Historical Center. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AV71_b05_f313
Subjects: Ewing, Albert J. (1870-1934); Portrait photography--United States--History; Laborers
Places: Ohio; West Virginia
 

Description: A group of men pose together in this picture. The men appear to be oil workers because in the corner there is the framework of an oil derrick. This photograph was taken by traveling photographer Albert J. Ewing, ca. 1896-1912. Like most of Ewing's work, it was likely taken in southeastern Ohio or central West Virginia. Born in 1870 in Washington County, Ohio, near Marietta, Ewing most likely began his photography career in the 1890s. The 1910 US Census and a 1912-1913 directory list him as a photographer. A negative signed “Ewing Brothers” and a picture with his younger brother, Frank, indicate that Frank may have joined the business. After 1916, directories list Albert as a salesman. He died in 1934. The Ewing Collection consists of 5,055 glass plate negatives, each individually housed and numbered. Additionally, the collection includes approximately 450 modern contact prints made from the glass plate negatives. Subjects include infants and young children, elderly people, families, school and religious groups, animals and rural scenes. In 1982, the Ohio Historical Society received the collection, still housed in the original dry plate negative boxes purchased by Albert J. Ewing. A selection of the original glass plate negatives were exhibited for the first time in 2013 at the Ohio Historical Center. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AV71_b07_f421
Subjects: Ewing, Albert J. (1870-1934); Portrait photography--United States--History; Laborers;
Places: Ohio; West Virginia
 

Description: Photograph of a threshing scene showing workmen, a steam traction engine, a thresher, and a wagon drawn by oxen. The photograph is believed to have been taken in the vicinity of South Zanesville, Ohio, ca. 1890. Threshing (or thrashing, as it was once called) refers to the separating of grain from the chaff of harvested wheat. With the development of mechanical threshing machines, the process became steadily less labor-intensive, but still required laborers as seen here. A traction engine is a self-propelled and steam-powered piece of equipment used to transport loads and provide power for agricultural use. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: SC801_03
Subjects: Agriculture; Agricultural laborers; Farm equipment; Food production; Wheat;
Places: South Zanesville (Ohio); Muskingum County (Ohio)
 

Description: This photograph showing a group of laborers surrounded by lumber and stones was taken by traveling photographer Albert J. Ewing, ca. 1896-1912. Like most of Ewing's work, it was likely taken in southeastern Ohio or central West Virginia. Born in 1870 in Washington County, Ohio, near Marietta, Ewing most likely began his photography career in the 1890s. The 1910 US Census and a 1912-1913 directory list him as a photographer. A negative signed "Ewing Brothers" and a picture with his younger brother, Frank, indicate that Frank may have joined the business. After 1916, directories list Albert as a salesman. He died in 1934. The Ewing Collection consists of 5,055 glass plate negatives, each individually housed and numbered. Additionally, the collection includes approximately 450 modern contact prints made from the glass plate negatives. Subjects include infants and young children, elderly people, families, school and religious groups, animals and rural scenes. In 1982, the Ohio Historical Society received the collection, still housed in the original dry plate negative boxes purchased by Albert J. Ewing. A selection of the original glass plate negatives were exhibited for the first time in 2013 at the Ohio Historical Center. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AV71_b02_f164
Subjects: Ewing, Albert J. (1870-1934); Portrait photography--United States--History; Laborers
Places: Ohio; West Virginia
 

Description: Workers tending fields at author-conservationist Louis Bromfield's Malabar Farm, Richland County, Ohio, June, 1952. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL00639
Subjects: Agricultural conservation; Agricultural laborers; Ohio Economy -- Agriculture; Bromfield, Louis, 1896-1956
Places: Lucas (Ohio); Richland County (Ohio)