Southern Appalachian Digital Collections

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Rebecca Slack and Tom Hendrix

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  • Tom Hendrix is holding his cousin Rebecca Slack in front of an automobile. This photograph, taken around 1948 in Asheville, North Carolina, is from film that was brought to Sherrill’s Studio for developing, but the prints were never picked up. The name written on the unclaimed envelope is Mrs. Slack. Emery S. and Vivian Slack owned clothing stores in Asheville, Canton, and Waynesville. George Dexter Sherrill (1879–1931) opened the first photography studio in Haywood County in downtown Waynesville in 1902. In 1917, Beulah Eloise Ashe Ensley (1899-1991) married Ralph Ensley (1894-1975), Sherrill’s nephew, and began an apprenticeship with Sherrill. After Sherrill’s death, Beulah and Ralph kept the studio open under Sherrill’s name. Ralph died in 1975 and Beulah operated the studio until the early 80s.