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by Maureen A. Taylor
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 Monday, April 29, 2013
Further Clues in the Connecticut Photo Mystery
Posted by Maureen
Last week I introduced a photo mystery from the Derby (CT) Public Library with links to archaeological excavations. The big question is: "Who's in this photo?"
Let's look at some of the evidence in the picture.
- The shed is of unknown use. A higher-resolution image might reveal what's inside the door. There appears to be items piled up. I'll wait for a clearer image to share that with you.
- An elderly woman stands in the front yard. The front door is to her left.
- Nancy Freeman lived in the house from the time of her marriage until her death in 1895. She has a cane in her right hand and a hat in her left. She wears an apron over her dress.
- A ladder against the house suggests that she's having shingles replaced. The workman left his coat and hat draped over a pole.
- Do you see the shadow on the grass? This is the photographer. I'm working on verifying a caption on a copy of this picture. It contains the name of the photographer.
The Freeman house is built on a hill. Behind the house the land drops off. Archaeologists found some of the foundation for the shed, but not enough to be able to determine its function or size. They found poultry wire on the site, which confirms stories about Nancy raising turkeys to support herself. I'll keep digging for new data.
Solve your family photo mysteries with these books by Maureen A. Taylor:
Family Photo Detective: Learn How to Find Genealogy Clues in Old Photos and Solve Family Photo MysteriesFashionable Folks: Bonnets and Hats 1840-1900
Preserving Your Family Photographs
Fashionable Folks: Hairstyles 1840-1900
Finding the Civil War in Your Family Album
african american | props in photos | women
Monday, April 29, 2013 10:05:13 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00) 
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Monday, April 22, 2013
A Piece of Connecticut History
Posted by Maureen
 
Photo courtesy of Derby (CT) Public Library
Could this woman be Nancy Freeman, widow of Roswell Freeman, who was one of Connecticut's "Black Governors"? That's the big question, and this query has a lot of pieces.
Janet Woodruff, an archaeologist with the Archaeology Laboratory for African & African Diaspora Studies at Central Connecticut State University, sent me this photo for analysis. Dr. Warren Perry, Prof. Gerald Sawyer, Woodruff, and students and volunteers have been conducting archaeological excavations at this homesite since 2010.
Photographs lie at the intersection of history, genealogy, family history and even archaeology.
The tradition of the Black Governors dates back to Colonial Connecticut. These individuals were elected by members of their communities. The Connecticut State Library has an interesting online article and bibliography.
Roswell and his father Quash were both Black Governors. This property may have been willed to Roswell when his father died. Roswell married Nancy (possibly Thompson) in 1826 and they had 13 children, although records have been found for only nine.
The elderly woman pictured stands in her front yard (the front door is next to the ladder). Behind her is a shed. Archaeologists aren't sure of the purpose of that building.
I'm trying to answer several questions about this image. Next week, we'll look at a few of the details. There is more research to be done, so watch for updates to this story.
Solve your family photo mysteries with these books by Maureen A. Taylor:
Family Photo Detective: Learn How to Find Genealogy Clues in Old Photos and Solve Family Photo MysteriesFashionable Folks: Bonnets and Hats 1840-1900
Preserving Your Family Photographs
Fashionable Folks: Hairstyles 1840-1900
Finding the Civil War in Your Family Album
african american | house/building photos | unusual photos | women
Monday, April 22, 2013 9:40:24 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Monday, January 28, 2013
Confirming Identities in Old Family Photos
Posted by Maureen
I'm working on a photo mystery that is making my eyes hurt and my brain spin. With any luck I'll be able to present it here next week.
In the meantime, Milah Goler Pasto contacted me through Facebook to ask about a couple of her family photos. She was hoping for confirmation that the mother and the child in this picture were who she was told they were.
Their dress styles, the wicker chair and the painted backdrop all suggest a date of circa 1900. In that period, women's sleeves could have a slight fullness at the shoulder and bodices were pouched and full at the waist. Wicker chairs were a popular studio accessory in the 1890s and in the early 20th century. While painted backdrops were common throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, at the turn of the century they often featured household scenes.
So who's in this lovely picture? Irish immigrant Margaret (Mahoney) Sullivan (born 1873) and her daughter Margaret (born 1892).
John Nathan Sullivan (born 1848), a "free person of color" married Margaret Mahoney and they had two daughters. He was a coachman for Dr. Hubbard of Taunton, Mass., and according to Milah, his obituary said "he was well and favorably known throughout the vicinity."
Solve your family photo mysteries with these books by Maureen A. Taylor:
Fashionable Folks: Bonnets and Hats 1840-1900
Preserving Your Family Photographs
Fashionable Folks: Hairstyles 1840-1900
Finding the Civil War in Your Family Album
1900-1910 photos | african american | children | Immigrant Photos | women
Monday, January 28, 2013 4:50:29 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
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Monday, April 11, 2011 Monday, January 17, 2011
In Honor of Martin Luther King Day
Posted by Maureen
I realized today that I don't spend enough time on Flickr. If you're not familiar with it, try it today. It's a wonderful free resource. You can upload picture files, invite comments and share your pictorial heritage. If you want unlimited uploads and storage, user statistics and more then upload to a Pro account. It's only $24.95 a year.
So who's on Flickr? Lots of folks including the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian. Smaller public libraries and archives also use Flickr to showcase the images in their collection.
In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Day, I searched for image collections appropriate to the occasion.
Black History Album
A lovely group of images including one of Martin Luther King and his wife.
Black History Group
Members of this group share photos and videos and join in discussions
African American Baseball Team courtesy of the Library of Congress
Here's one of the images in the Library of Congress.
Medal of Honor Staff Sgt. Edward A. Carter, Jr. courtesy of the U.S. Army
Even the U.S. Army has a Flickr page!
Next week: Preservation Pointers.
Get ideas for taking, preserving, sharing and analyzing family photos from our Family Photo Essentials CD (now on sale at ShopFamilyTree.com).
1900-1910 photos | african american | men | Military photos | Photo-sharing sites
Monday, January 17, 2011 4:04:10 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
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