Starks Family Photograph Collection, ca. 1870s-2000s
Held by The Filson Historical Society
Creator: Starks Family
Title: Photograph Collection, ca. 1870s-2000s
Rights: For information regarding literary and copyright interest for these photographs, contact the Collections Department.
Size of Collection: 2 med. boxes
Location Number: 025PC5
Biographical Note
Millicent Ouerbacker Starks (1871-1947) and Benjamin McClellan Starks, Sr. (1862-1923) were the parents of Benjamin McClellan Starks, Jr., Josephine (Josie) Starks (1911-1967), and Elizabeth Millicent Starks (1916-2001) whom all spent a significant part of their lives in Louisville, Kentucky.
Millicent Ouerbacker Starks (1871-1947), born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, was a descendant of Joseph Paul Ouerbacker (1843-1924) and Mary Ella McNaughton. Joseph Ouerbacker was the son of Frank Samuel Ouerbacker – a notable coffee merchant in Louisville, Kentucky, and was the namesake of the Ouerbacker neighborhood in Louisville.
Benjamin McClellan Starks, Sr. (1862-1923) was born in Gordonsville, Kentucky, on December 11th, 1862. He later moved to Louisville and married Millicent Ouerbacker Starks (1871-1947). They had three children. It was in Louisville that Starks worked as a clerk at Louisville & Nashville Railroad. He was promoted to the general manager in 1904 and served as CEO until his death in 1923.
Elizabeth (Libby) Millicent Starks (1916-2001) was born in Louisville, Kentucky, on January 31st, 1916. Libby as known in Louisville and around the U.S. for her dance performances, sometimes featuring her family, in particular her sister Josephine (Josie) Starks (1911-1967). Later in life, she opened the Libby Starks Dance Corp/Company in Louisville, where she furthered her career of teaching dance to young adults and children.
Other people of interest represented in the collection include:
Parker, Elton Council (Buddy), Jr. (1933-2021): the son of Josephine Starks (1911-1967) and Elton Cyrus Parker (1902-1987). Throughout this collection, there are mentions of him and his children.
Starks, Homer Ernest (1881): half-brother of Millicent Ouerbacker Starks.
Ouerbacker, Frank Samuel (1841-1922): brother of Millicent Ouerbacker Starks’s (1871-1947) father, and namesake of Ouerbacker Court and Ouerbacker House.
Ouerbacker, George Andrew (1855-1936): Uncle (father’s brother) of Millicent Ouerbacker Starks (1871-1947).
Scope and Content Note
This collection consists of two boxes of photographs, predominantly deconstructed albums pertaining to the Starks and Ouerbacker families, their close relatives, and their friends, in Mississippi, Florida, and Kentucky. Materials primarily relate to Millicent Ouerbacker Starks (1871-1947), Benjamin McClellan Starks, Sr. (1862-1923), Benjamin McClellan Starks, Jr. (1907-1959), Josephine (Jose) Starks (1910-1967), and Elizabeth (Libby) Millicent Starks (1913-2001), who was the owner of Libby Starks Ballet Company located in Louisville, Kentucky.
Related collections:
Starks Family Papers [Mss. A S795]
Starks Family Museum Collection [2025.6]
Folder List
Box 1
Folder 1: Starks family photograph album, ca. 1920s-1960s (removed from album)
Deconstructed album containing photographs of close family members and friends, as well as family trips. Includes photographs of Millicent Ouerbacker and Benjamin McClellan Starks, Jr. as babies, and trips to Mary Esther, Florida.
Folder 2: Starks family photograph album, ca. 1870s-1920s (removed from album)
Deconstructed album containing photographs of family trips and vacations taken by the Starks family, including boating, fishing, and train rides.
Folder 3: Libby and Benjamin Starks Sr., photograph album, ca. 1870s-1910s (removed from album)
Deconstructed album containing a collection of photographs compiled by Libby Starks, addressed to her sister Josephine Starks. Notable photographs include parties, boat trips, train rides, and portraits of Libby, friends, and family. Album pages and a letter from Libby addressed to “Jose” (Josephine) were removed from the album and rehoused.
Folder 4: Starks family, ca. 1870s-1980s
Miscellaneous photographs of the Starks family.
Folder 5: Starks family, ca. 1903-1991
Miscellaneous photographs of members of the Starks, Ouerbacker, and Robertson families. Includes various vacation photographs.
Folder 6: Starks family photograph album, ca. 1880s-1900s (removed from album)
Deconstructed album containing photographs of Starks family members and friends. Notable photographs include Libby’s parents when young, family vacations in Mary Ester, Florida, and accompanying memorandum.
Folder 7: Josie and Libby Starks photograph album, ca. 1950s-1960s (removed from album)
Deconstructed album containing photographs of Josephine and Elizabeth (Libby) Starks. Of note are photographs of Libby as a young dancer.
Folder 8: Millicent Ouerbacker Starks photograph album, ca. 1914-1934 (removed from album)
Deconstructed album containing photographs and memorandum regarding Millicent Ouerbacker Starks. Accompanying museum items were removed and placed with the Starks Museum Collection [2025.6].
Folder 9: Libby Starks photograph album, ca. early 1880s-1930s (removed from album)
Deconstructed album containing photographs and memorandums pertaining to the life and success of Libby Starks and her dance academy, The Libby Starks Ballet Company. Photographs also include relatives and acquaintances of the Starks family.
Folder 10: Starks family photograph album – part 1 (removed from album)
Deconstructed album containing miscellaneous studio portraits of the Starks family members, including Millicent Ouerbacker Starks and her siblings, Benjamin McClellan Starks, Sr. and his siblings, Benjamin McClellan Starks, Jr., Elizabeth (Libby) Starks, and Josephine Starks.
Folder 11: Starks family photograph album – part 2 (removed from album)
Deconstructed album containing miscellaneous photographs of members of the Starks family and the Starks family home.
Subject Headings
Ballet dancers.
Columbine Bed and Breakfast (Louisville, Ky.)
Funeral rites and ceremonies.
Libby Starks Ballet Corps. (Louisville, Ky.)
Louisville (Ky.)
McNaughton, Mary Ella, 1847-1880.
Ouerbacker family.
Ouerbacker, Frank Samuel, 1841-1922.
Ouerbacker, George Andrew, 1855-1936.
Parker, Elton Council (Buddy), Jr., 1933-2021.
Starks, Benjamin McClellan, Jr., 1907-1959.
Starks, Benjamin McClellan, Sr., 1862-1923.
Starks, Elizabeth Millicent, 1913-2001.
Starks, Homer Ernest, 1881.
Starks, Josephine, 1910-1967.
Starks, Millicent Ouerbacker, 1871-1947.