Civil War Roll Call
Last week I posted a call for Civil War images...so many folks answered that request that I have enough material for two columns. I also mentioned some tips on how readers could find images of their Civil War ancestors. In William C. Darrah's Cartes de visite in the Nineteenth...
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Wearing Family
This is a fantastic family photo owned by Sharon Pike. It's actually a photo within a photo. In this card portrait, a stunning portrait of a well-dressed middle aged woman, Jane Rivers Meriwether (1829-1897) gazes directly into the camera. Let's look at some of the details. HairIt appears she has...
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Home Sweet Homestead
I just love this picture! It's got a lot of family history layers. Terry Sargent sent in this photo asking if it was a Civil War-era picture. On the back is written, "Mrs. and Mrs. E.H. Sargent Strawberry." The "Strawberry" refers to Strawberry Point, Iowa, where...
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Summertime Farewell: Historic Photo Finds
Two beach photos from the early 20th century show what life might have been like for our ancestors during summer or early fall.
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Hand-Me-Down Family
Years ago, Truli Powell's mother received a box of photos from one of her husband's cousins. Now Truli is trying to date and identify the images. She's hoping that the cousin only gave them images from their specific line. In this "like mother, like daughter" tintype, the mother and the...
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Studio Backdrops
At last weekend's FGS conference in Knoxville, I did a little shopping. Picked up a couple of interesting books and this lovely trio of photos. I just love the backdrops. This photographer spared no expense. While in the 19th century most backdrops looked like the outdoors or living rooms, in...
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Favorite Photo Mysteries
I’m taking a short vacation, so instead of a new column I’m taking a look back at some of my favorite mysteries. Back in January I published a photo of the Hobo 8, a group of young people (above) smiling for the camera. It’s a great photo that captures the...
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Your Mourning Pictures
Two weeks ago I wrote about mourning traditions and clothing and asked for e pictures of women wearing mourning clothes. This week, I'm featuring the two I received as well as one from my work collection of images. Toni Mann sent in this very interesting photo. It's a...
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Prize Catch
No doubt about it, I've looked at a lot of family photos. Every so often there's an image that not only depicts an ancestor, but also documents a bit of local history. Take this photo, for instance:Pamela Fisher sent me this photo owned by her cousin Lorrie Glover. The women...
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Identifying Mourning Clothes in Victorian Photos
Queen Victoria set the standard for both wedding attire and for mourning. Here are three examples of mourning dress in Victorian-era photography.
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