I need help identifying this couple in a tintype found in
an album belonging to my great-grandmother Mary Frances Jollett Davis. I wonder if maybe they were her in-laws,
Mitchell and Martha Willson Davis. Does
he look at least twelve years older than his bride?
One reason I think this is a Davis is that the man seems
so dapper, much like my great-grandfather Walter Davis as seen here.
 |
| Walter B. Davis 1933 |
Who is this handsome couple and why didn’t I inherit
those good looks?
©
2014, Wendy Mathias. All rights reserved.
Their hairlines look similar, but there's a lot of time between the two. The same doesn't appears so for the couple. He maybe a little older but not 12 or more.
ReplyDeleteUnless you are using somebody else's picture you look quite a Bobby Dazzler.
What a fun compliment, but I'm sorry your eyesight is failing.
DeleteI don't think he's 12 years older Wendy. If it helps any I believe this photo was probably taken mid 1870's. Their clothing seems to fit that era and that particular type photo sleeve was popular about that time.
ReplyDeleteOK, then within 3 hours of being online, this post is already out of date. LOL. Mitchell and Martha married in 1849. I've considered my other greats, but that mid-1870s date doesn't fit anyone in my direct line. Possibly they are one of my ancestor's much older or younger siblings. Or - perish the thought - someone bought it in an antique store.
DeleteIt could be their wedding picture, but one thing is for certain the moment I saw them, they'd make a lovely square dancing couple! They just seem to me ready to dance the night away!
ReplyDeleteI bet they did the Virginia Reel more times than we can count!
DeleteI love the look on her face!
ReplyDeleteShe should be thinking, "Aren't I lucky to nab a good-looking one!"
DeleteMaybe it's not a wedding photo? Could it be a graduation photo or some other event? Or maybe even siblings that had dressed up for an occasion and their parents had a photo taken?
ReplyDeleteApparently it could be anything but what I need it to be. LOL
DeleteWendy, I think part of the difficulty in discerning their ages is that the man seems to have a boyish look to his face, while the woman has a mature-looking face. With this combination, their ages could be reversed, but it would be quite hard to detect that due to the appearance.
ReplyDeleteNow I wonder if he looks older to me (boyish?? really??) because I had convinced myself it was Mitchell Davis. I don't know what to think.
DeleteI love they way the couple is sitting arm-in-arm! I don't think I've ever seen that in an old photo before. So cute!
ReplyDeleteI like that too.
DeleteI don't think he's 12 years older than her but I don't think he looks boyish, either. Like Jana, I think this is the first time I've seen a photo from this time period where the woman has her arm around the man's. Do you use Picasa and if so, have you tried their photo-identification utility? If Walter B. is named/tagged in Picasa, it may pick up others who look like him. Not that there's any real accuracy to Picasa's photo-identifications....
ReplyDelete