Wordless Wednesday is a daily
prompt at Geneabloggers that asks family historians to create a post in which
the main focus is a photograph or image.
This photo is dated 1918 in New York, so I suspect it is
from the Killeen side of my Dad’s maternal grandmother’s family.
Is this man a train conductor? Policeman? Fireman?
Does he look more like a father or a grandfather?
©
2014, Wendy Mathias. All rights reserved.
I'm thinking someone may know exactly by his cap, and the bars and star on his cuff. Even the U.S. Lighthouse service has one star on the cuff for 25 years service, and each bar represents 5 years (Gold service stars and bars)and they also have standing collars as well. I can't really make out what the other objects on his collar are, but surely someone out here in Blogland will know. It's surely a great photo, and it makes me wonder is that a child he perhaps saved or is it a relative? So many questions. Does the number 506 relate to anything in your family?
ReplyDeleteI have not seen that number on other doors. I wonder how long it would take to look for 506 on every street in New York City and Brooklyn???????????????
DeleteIf only the building were in a smaller community, it might be possible rather quickly. I know in our county when I look up a property address all I need is the street number and it pulls up all streets with that number. Easy peasy!
DeleteHe looks old enough to be "a" grandfather but could he be "the" grandfather? I was also thinking maybe he was a hero of some sort and saved the baby from a catastrophe.
ReplyDeleteOh goodness -- that would really be something. I hadn't considered a heroic action before.
DeleteI don't know if the picture is clear enough, but you could try cropping the photo just of the shield on the hat and the doodads around his collar and see if anything becomes clearer... It's a thought, anyway.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good thought. I'll give it a try, but at first glance, the insignia seems rather fuzzy all around.
DeleteWendy, I had a mystery photo of a man in uniform once, wrote a blog post about it, took the link to that post and added it to a query I posted on one of the genealogy forums (forgot which, but it might have been genforum) under their subcategory for uniforms. After about six months, someone did get back to me with the correct information. It was definitely worth the wait!
ReplyDeleteI have never looked for "topic" forums before. Great idea.
DeleteI was going with father...until I read the other comments!
ReplyDeleteI know -- people are sending me in all directions.
DeleteHe looks like a father to me because of his build.
ReplyDeleteBecause we're used to chunky grandfathers??
Delete