v1.2.2001

Unearthing Relevant News, Advice and Updates for the Living
©DeadFred.com

Share Dead Fred’s Relatively Speaking with a friend.

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Dead Fred’s Meditation Corner

If you have a quote or anecdote for our Meditation Corner, send it to us at meditation@deadfred.com.

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Words From The Reunited

“Would it be possible to get the name and address (e-mail?) of the person who submitted Photo #1402 of William Moses Barkley of Kingman, Kansas? He was the brother of my great-grandfather Robert McFarland Barkley. What a thrill when I found it! Thank you.”

“This e-mail is not about the identification of an unknown photo, but it is about the incomplete identification of Photo 1199. Martin Jacks is correctly identified. His wife, Narcissa Temperance Redding Jacks, is not correctly identified. At the bottom of her photo is ‘Tempie,’ her nickname.
Thanks.”

“Photo #311 of Howard Broughton. He is a dead ringer for my father, and I think he may be a relative from my dad’s mothers side. Your sight is great. Thank you!”

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Letters To The Archivists

Claire,
I just wanted to thank you for maintaining a newsletter that is such an enjoyment to read. I have not found any pictures of my ancestors yet, but the pictures, the stories and just the happy endings are enough to make anyone smile.

Keep up the good work,
Deneen
Chester County, PA

Hi Jeannette,
Just got a chance to read the article you wrote re: Ancestors and really enjoyed it. If it’s OK with you, I’ll link from my site (and thanks for mentioning that as well!). Appreciate the accurate quoting (was once misquoted as saying I endorsed the exportation of endangered species from Tanzania -- long story -- so am sensitive on that front!). Received a grant application from Dead Fred, but have not had time to digest it. A recent article about my little grants brought in over 200 requests, so I’m in catch up mode!

Thanks again!
Megan

Author of In Search of Our Ancestors:101 Stories of Serendipity and Connection in Rediscovering Our Family History
Companion book to PBS Ancestors series
Visit http://www.HonoringOurAncestors.com to learn more about both!

Claire,
Enjoyed your story very much. Great work; keep it up.

Major General, The Honorable Grand Muck Tee, His Excellency,
Joseph Michael Seybert II
North Carolina Chapter and part of West Virginia
The realm of Dead Fred, http://www.deadfred.com
“the Mort the Merrier”

Dear Claire,
I can really relate to your story about your father. It touched me deeply.

I was just talking about this very thing to my sons, about how important oral history is to every family. I just finished reading the amazing and beautiful book by Alex Haley, Roots. I’d already read the book about 20 years ago, but I was too young to appreciate it then. Re-reading it, I found it to be one of the most amazing, horrifying, beautiful, sorrowful books I have ever read.

Some day, God willing, I’ll tell my grandchildren those same stories. I will make sure my children promise, and my grandchildren if I am blessed, to pass the stories on to their children and grandchildren.

I’m sure you’ll do the same, and you’ll make sure your beautiful daughters will promise to tell their children about your father. The tradition that Kunta Kinte began with his children can begin with you. With each successive generation, the desire to know more will grow until your stories will be many and the roots deep and strong.

Blessings and light,
love and laughter,
Michele

Whether you have a bone to pick or a eulogy to offer, send your thoughts to letters@deadfred.com.

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Pick & Shovel Highlights

Subject: Weaver, Waters, Adam, Sheehan, Mahon
Author: Dee Weaver - DWeaver272@aol.com
Date: 6/23/2001 2:37 pm CST
I’d like to have photos of any of these! Especially Otto and Louise Adam and his father, Emil Adam, who was a Major in Spanish-American and Indian wars. Thank you!

Subject: Ancestor named Bob Fair
Author: Chris - Navchris@aol.com
Date: 6/26/2001 8:39 pm CST
Looking for relative from Detroit, circa 1940’s-50’s. He may be deceased.

Subject: McCubrey links......
Author: Cindy Lee Beals - CTBeals@aol.com
Date: 6/27/2001 6:53 am CST
Looking for info needed to link the information together that I have. Names include Alger, Ginnlatt, McCubrey, Feilds, Morrisey and Beals. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Subject: I have Fahey and Ormston from Old Forge, PA, Photos
Author: Mike Lizonitz - lizonitz@adelphia.net
Date: 7/1/2001 7:55 am CST

Contact me by e-mail at lizonitz@adelphia.net, and I can e-mail them to you or tell you where to find them on the net. If you have any Fahey or Ormston Photos, I would love to swap with you.

Thanks,
Mike Lizonitz

Author: Joe - joe@deadfred.com
Date: 7/1/2001 5:06 pm CST

Many of you have expressed a desire to be able to view and upload whole photo albums or yearbooks to the Archive. Presently there is no “Album Mechanism,” but we are working on a way to do this. In the meantime, here’s a suggestion - if you have a yearbook or album you want to upload to the Archive, scan the images in as you normally would, keeping them at 72 dpi. Where it says “Photographer,” type in a code (i.e. if your name is Susan Murphy, type in “SM1” for Susan Murphy’s Album #1) Type this into the “photographer” field. Also indicate the code description in the comments section; that way, if someone wants to see all the photos in the album, all they will need to do is type your designated code into the photographer’s section. To see how this works, go to the Mysteries search section and type A8 into the photographer’s search field. Here you will see all the unidentified photos from my album A8. I am also adding an album A3.

I suggest that you indicate your code number here at the Pick & Shovel Bulletin Board on a temporary basis to try and avoid duplication of code #s - at least until our “Code Poet” Amanda can do her magic and design a mechanism.

Good Luck !

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Dead Fred's Poll of the Month

If you pick "Other," tell us your era choice in an e-mail.

We'll let you know the poll results next month. Thanks for your participation.

What’s New In The Database?

Surnames Submitted (5/24-5/30)

http://www.deadfred.com/photos/11736.jpg
Eugenia Cantrell Jones
Baby - 1901-1920

http://www.deadfred.com/photos/11745.jpg
Anna Larrabee
Clermont, IA

http://www.deadfred.com/photos/11739.jpg
William Anth and his bride Elizabeth Fussner
St. Louis, MO

http://www.deadfred.com/photos/11720.jpg
Lorena Brotherton
Atlanta, GA

http://www.deadfred.com/photos/11742.jpg
Elizabeth Pretty & Ruth Wilma White
Ohio

http://www.deadfred.com/photos/11749.jpg
Myrtle Brown & ??
Brookville, PA

To view all identified photos added in the last 30 days (including today), go to http://www.deadfred.com/search/allsubmissions.php.

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Recognize These Faces?

http://www.deadfred.com/photos/11563.jpg
State = Mexico City
Country = Mexico
Comments = This photo is of a swim team affiliate with the YMCA of Mexico City, Mexico. The photo was taken about 1937. My father, Joel Sosa Mendoza, is indicated by arrowheads. He does not recall the names of the others in the photo.

http://www.deadfred.com/photos/11566.jpg
State = Mexico City
Country = Mexico
Comments = This image is actually a postcard photo with the inscription on front: Colegio Militar Una Pocilla Mexico. The swim team was affiliated with the YMCA of Mexico City, Mexico. The photo was taken about 1937. My father, Joel Sosa Mendoza, is indicated by arrowheads. He does not recall the names of the others in the photo.

http://www.deadfred.com/photos/11622.jpg
State = MI
Country = UNITED STATES
Comments = c1920s. To see all the unidentified photos from this album, type A8 in the photographer search field). This photo is from a family photo album 1910-1930s. Friends and family surnames represented in this album and found in the surname search are listed below. States and towns are as follows:Logansport, Indiana, Detroit, Rogers, Pine Lake, MI, Chicago, IL and Santa Paula,CA (Ref A8-2) ALPER, ANGERMIER, BERGMAN, BRENNAN, BUSH, CARROLL, CRANE, CROCKETT, DONNELLY. DOUGERTY, ELPERS, ETNIER, FLANIGAN, GEYER, GRESHAM, HARTMAN, HASSETT, HEARD, HELLA, HILLS, HOLMES, HUFF, JOHNSON, KENNEDY, KERRIGAN, KING LITZ, LOGAN, LEHMAN, MCKINSEY, MURPHY, NEFF, REUTER, ROCKENBACH STRANGE, TANGEY, TAYLOR, THOMAS, TUBERTY, VANCE, WEIMESS, WILLIAMS Histroy101@aol.com

http://www.deadfred.com/photos/11721.jpg
State = PA
Country = United States
Comments = On the back of the picture is written: this is the bike, loads of love, George

http://www.deadfred.com/photos/11726.jpg
State = OK
Country = UNITED STATES
Comments = B.B. JONES SWINGING FOOTBRIDGE. This photo album is dated mostly around 1914. Compiled by Marjorie Mullins of Norman and Oilton Oklahoma. Many scenes show the oil fields and derricks in Oilton as well as a swinging bridge. Names associated: MULLINS, BARLOW, CAREY, CAMPBELL, HEWITT, HOUCHPETTIGREW, ROBERTS, ALSWORTH. Type A3 in Photographer search field to see all the non-identified photos in this album. To see the identified photos, use the surname search engine.
Histroy101@aol.com

To view all mystery photos added in the last 30 days (including today), go to http://www.deadfred.com/search/mysteryfinder.php.

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DeadFred Creative Writing Contest

Deadfred.com is pleased to announce the first DeadFred.com Creative Writing Contest!

Who Can Participate?
The DeadFred.com Creative Writing Contest is open to anyone who would like to put their creative writing skills to work.

What is the Theme?
This Creative Writing Contest will be about a DeadFred.com Mysteries Photo:
http://www.deadfred.com/photos/10599.jpg

There will be two categories: Poetry and Fiction

When Does the Contest Run?
The contest will run from June 1, 2001 to July 31, 2001. The winner will be announced in a special August supplement.

What are the Prizes?
The winner of each category will win the following:

• Work featured in the DeadFred.com Newsletter
• $50.00
• A DeadFred.com Creative Writing Certificate

All participants will receive an honorable mention in the DeadFred.com newsletter and a DeadFred.com Creative Writing Certificate.

Entry Requirements

• Contestants may enter one submission only to each category.
• Each entry must be the original work of the contestant.
• Entries must be typed, one-sided and on 8 1/2” x 11” paper. Entry must include a cover sheet with contestant’s name, address, telephone number and e-mail address.
• There is a 1,000-word maximum for the fiction and a 300-word maximum for the poetry.
• Entries must be postmarked by July 31, 2001.
• Please send entries to:
  DeadFred Creative Writing Contest
  P.O. Box 6937
  Springdale, AR 72766-6937

All entries become the exclusive property of DeadFred.com. DeadFred.com reserves the right to use winning entries in future promotions. DeadFred.com is in no way responsible for lost, late or misdirected entries.

There is no entry fee required. However, a donation of any amount will be greatly appreciated. Donations may be made online at http://www.DeadFred.com using either PayPal or the Amazon Honor System.

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The Phone Call

It had been a quiet Thursday evening. I had been sifting through photographs while Joe was busy at the computer. I was organizing the photographs into two categories: those with identified subjects and mysteries. I came across a photograph of a beautiful baby. When I turned the photograph over, I was pleasantly surprised to find an abundant amount of information about this baby girl and her parents. Revealed was her name, date and time of birth, place of birth, her weight, her length, her parents’ names and their ages. I made some quick calculations and realized not only that this baby girl still could be alive but her parents could be alive too.

Later that night, I had the opportunity to do a people search on the Internet. I found six persons who had the same name. I decided that I would wait until Saturday to start making my calls. I was so excited. I could not wait to call “mom” and “dad” and let them know that I had a picture of their little girl. I knew they would be excited and thankful.

Saturday finally arrived. As I looked over the piece of paper with people’s names, addresses and phone numbers, I became very nervous. I tried to think about what I would say, but nothing sounded right. I mean, here I was, a stranger, telling these people that somehow their photo(s) had been sold and that a guy who has an archive by the name of DeadFred had acquired the photos and wanted to give it back to them, for free. It is just the oddest thing. I am not entirely sure how I would react if a stranger called me to ask if I would like to have something that was already mine. So what do I say to let these people know that this was not a scam?

I chose the first number/address that was closest to the location of the girl’s birth. The phone rang and rang and rang. I was about to hang up when I heard a woman’s voice. I responded with a “Hello,” and I continued to explain who I was. I was informed that I had not reached the parents of the girl but I was speaking to the girl’s aunt. I tried to explain who and what DeadFred was but she would interrupt me with questions. As I tried to answer one of her questions, she would ask another. She was speedily writing everything down. She had many doubts about the photograph, about DeadFred and about me. She asked why I didn’t have an accent since DeadFred is based out of Arkansas. She wanted to know how I got the photo. She asked how I got their phone number. She had so many questions for me! After talking with her for about 10 minutes, she informed me her husband just arrived home. She asked me if I would explain to her husband who I was and what I had. I responded that I would be more than happy to talk to him. I took a deep breath.

Within the next 15 seconds I would hear his voice and then a dial tone without warning. He informed me, before he terminated our call, that no one would be interested in the photograph.

I stood holding the phone in disbelief. They had hung up on me. There was no, “Goodbye;” there was no, “Thank You;” there was nothing but a dial tone. I couldn’t understand what I had done wrong. Why didn’t they believe me? Why didn’t they want a photograph of their niece? I was extremely disappointed. I wasn’t sure what to do next. As I held the baby’s photograph in one hand and the piece of paper with their information in the other, I decided that I would write a letter to them and apologize for any inconvenience I had caused.

The next day I mailed the letter and the photograph to the couple.

With everything you do there’s a lesson to be learned. My lesson? To not take things to personally. I know that one day there will be someone who will be delighted with the news I will bring them. I do not know what this couple will do with their niece’s baby photo. It is theirs to do what they want. I can only hope that they will keep it in their family.

Send your questions or comments about this story to claire@deadfred.com.

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Dead Fred’s Product Watch: The Memory Medallion

Glen Toothman III of Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, was visiting his grandfather’s grave in Bridgeport, West Virginia, when his father made a very poignant remark.

“He said, ‘You know, I looked at these gravestones, and all I saw was the date of birth and the date of death and that little dash in between, and I realized how life is all about that little dash,’” recalled Toothman.

After ruminating on his father’s observation, he decided to join forces with Rob and Kim Chandhok to invent the memory medallion, a coin-shaped device with a 13/8” diameter that can store enough data for one color picture and 5-10 pages of single-spaced text about a person and be attached to a grave marker. In addition, the medallion can be programmed with Internet links to audio or video messages from or about the deceased individual. Memory medallions allow people to share with future generations the stories, achievements, anecdotes and personal aspects of their loved ones’ lives that simply cannot be conveyed by the inscriptions of traditional tombstones.

From a cultural standpoint, cemeteries are invaluable; they are the sacred grounds that hold the remains of our ancestors. We go there to remember and honor those who were closest to us in life. However, the passage of time will inevitably ravage a gravestone, the only source of available identification for the deceased. The memory medallion is the necessary supplement for creating a more lasting and truly individualized memorial.

To view the medallions, one needs a laptop or hand-held computer and a $50.00 scanner. The information can then be reviewed on the spot or stored for future reference. If enough people begin using memory medallions, a cemetery will have the potential to become as helpful of a genealogy resource as the library.

Toothman’s company, Green Ventures, Inc., is selling the memory medallions for historical landmarks, grave sites and other monuments for $325.00 USD each. This price includes the formatting of the provided information, programming of the medallion and one mounting surround.

How do you feel about these new memory medallions? Do you condone their use, or do you prefer traditional grave markers with no technological frills? Do you think memory medallions will take away from the sacredness of our cemeteries, making the resting places of the dead more like browsing libraries? Do you think this is a worthwhile invention?

Send your questions or comments about this story to jeannette@deadfred.com.

Source: http://www.MemoryMedallion.com (I think that the site has been taken down temporarily. Last time I went, it was “Under Construction.” Keep checking it periodically.)

F.Y.I. - Currently, volunteers are organizing a widespread effort to record tombstone inscriptions in old cemeteries before they are no longer legible. Genealogy societies, genealogy clubs and individuals are gathering data and forwarding files for deposit in The USGenWeb Project Archives. If you are interested in learning more about The Tombstone Transcription Project, go to http://www.rootsweb.com/~cemetery/memor_2.html

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Things That Have Changed Our Lives

During my visit to Arkansas, I had the wonderful opportunity to open many of Joe’s boxes of photos. I was like a kid in a candy store. I would get so excited rummaging through the boxes to discover so many fascinating photographs. Many photos were, of course, of people, but I was surprised to discover quite a few photos were of people with their vehicles.

As I looked at these photographs I was reminded of stories my mother would tell me about her father and his love for cars. Although this article may not be about genealogy in particular, it is about a “thing” that has not only effected the lives of our ancestors but our lives, today in 2001, too. This “thing” is the vehicle.

Americans love their vehicles, especially trucks. Trucks are often the choices of millionaires. According to Thomas J. Stanley, Ph.D., and William D. Danko, Ph.D., who co-wrote The Millionaire Next Door, the most popular vehicle with the affluent is the Ford F-150 pickup truck. Americans will go to great lengths to own a truck. In Texas there is a contest called “Hands on a Hard Body Contest.” The person who keeps their hand(s) on a pickup truck for the longest wins the truck. People have kept their hand(s) on a truck for 80+ hours. Unbelievable.

Trucks have played an important role in the expansion and success of the car industry. They have proved not only to be popular as cars and SUVs but just as luxuriant. One element of our popular culture that has enticed our desire for luxury vehicles is the television. Automobile manufacturers use the television to outdo any existing competition. They bombard us with commercials advertising their amazing vehicles with all of their captivating, high-tech, opulent accessories that make their vehicles better than all the rest. Not only that but they inform you with no money down, 0% financing, etc., this vehicle can be yours. I must see at least 2-4 car commercials every time a show breaks for a 2-minute interval.

However, I think car companies have run out of ideas and they are now producing newer versions of their classics. For example, the Ford Mustang has been around for the last 35 years. They have changed the look and the power but they know that the Mustang is a seller. Chrysler has renovated the PT Cruiser. People love this “classic,” and so did Motor Trend when they named it the 2001 Car of the Year. The classic cars are forever loved. Every Tuesday night at the Checkers fast food restaurant parking lot in South Florida, people bring their vintage cars to display their beauty, style and nostalgia.

Towards the end of the 19th century, the car was skillfully made in Germany and France. This led the way for the Americans, and Ford made the Model A car in 1903; however, it was not until 1908 with the Model T car that Ford accomplished perfection. The Model T was intended for farmers and their need for transportation. By the 1920s, transportation in both rural and urban regions was in demand. It was not until 1927 that the Model T became affordable to millions of Americans. Such companies as Chrysler with its Chrysler Six (1924) and Chevrolet with its Classic Six (1912) began developing cars both affordable and popular. The car was no longer a dream for millions of Americans but a reality.

For those who own or are interested in vintage cars, there are some great web sites on the Internet. For information about vintage American, British, German and European cars, visit http://vintagecars.miningco.com.

For those who would like to see vehicles from every era could visit one of many automobile museums. These are just to name a few:
• The National Automobile Museum in Reno, Nevada
• The Studebaker National Museum in South Bend, Indiana
• The Peterson Auto Museum in Los Angeles, California
The Towe Auto Museum in Sacramento, California (http://www.toweautomuseum.org), offers many interesting attractions for their visitors—those who visit in person or for those who visit their web site. They offer an extensive library and historical department for those who want to see original brochures, magazines, manuals and so much more. They have educational classes for those interested in learning first-hand and hands-on about vintage cars like Milton’s Auto Shop 101 for those who are interested in reading articles on maintenance, repair and so much more. The Towe Auto Museum also announced their 7th Annual Education Tour, Indiana 2001. This will be from August 29th to September 5th. It is the “Greatest Classic Car Show in America.”

And for those who cannot afford to buy a vintage vehicle, there is the HotWheels site at http://www.hotwheels.com. They have an extensive new collection of vintage cars and race cars that can fit in the palm of your hand. Enjoy.

No matter how clean or dirty our cars, trucks, SUVs, minivans, and bicycles may be, we have loved them since the turn of the 20th century. They became a member of the family since they allowed our ancestors to travel to new places and to meet new people. For those who have inherited, through the generations, a vintage car, preserve and respect it. Vehicles can tell a lot about an individual: rich, poor, extravagant, practical, daring, boring, adventurous, homebody, etc. Although they don’t have a name (One could argue this since I know many who have named their cars.) and they don’t have a personality (One could argue this as well.), we can learn a lot about our ancestors and their endeavors from their vehicles. But, remember, why we cherish our vehicles today is also why our ancestors loved their own cars. Cars give their owners freedom and independence to travel whenever and to wherever they want.

Send your questions or comments about this story to claire@deadfred.com.

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Dating Old Photographs

By determining the type of photographic technique used to make your old family photos, it’s possible to date, with reasonable accuracy, the date the original was created.

Following are the most common photographic processes. With this information, see if you can narrow down the age of the photograph.

DAGUERREOTYPE (1839 - 1870, approx.)
The case resembled a double frame. Very decorative. The photo image is on a silver-clad copper sheet which is attached to a sheet of glass by a foil-like brass decorative frame. This sealed packet was then forced to fit into a special wood case and was often padded with velvet or silk. Many times, the silver image tarnishes with silver sulfide in the same way as silverware. The cost: $5.00 (more than a week’s pay for most people).

CALOTYPE (1845 - 1855, approx.)
The first photographs on paper. A two-step process. The first step was to make a negative image on light-sensitive paper. Step two was to make a contact [print] with a second sheet of sensitized paper to make a positive print. Calotypes were never widely popular, and most of those surviving are in museums. Apparently Talbot (the inventor) did not fully realize the importance of washing his prints long enough to remove all the residual chemicals, or perhaps his fixing was inadequate. Either fault leads to the same result: fading image, discoloration, etc. These defects are now noticeable in many calotypes, some of which are today little more than pale yellow ghosts.

AMBROTYPE (1854 to the end of the Civil War)
The ambrotype is a thin negative image on glass made to appear as a positive by showing it against a black background.

Similar to daguerreotype in assembly of parts: 1- Outer protective case. 2- Backing of black paper, cloth or metal. 3- The on-glass image, emulsion to the front and black varnish on the back. 4- Brass die cut frame. 5- Gilt border of thin brass to edge wrap the frame, glass and backing.

It was common for the ambrotype to be colored. Suggestions of rouge cheeks or lips suggested a person of substance. Buttons, watch chains, pendants and broaches were often tinted with color.

Disadvantages of ambrotypes: 1. A very slow (up to 20 sec.) exposure, compared to 2 sec. for a daguerreotype. 2. The glass was very fragile. It couldn’t withstand travel or being carried in a locket as a daguerreotype could.

Advantage of the Ambrotypes: Price. It could be sold profitably at a low price, approx. 25 cents. The cost of the ambrotype was less than half of the daguerreotype.

THE TINTYPE (1856 to W.W.II)
“The penny picture that elected a president.”
Price- sold for a penny or less, making photography universally available. The cost of an image at the time the process became obsolete was about 25 cents.

Advantages:

1. Lighter and less costly to manufacture.
2. Camera was lighter and easier to handle.
3. Wouldn’t shatter as a glass image photo would.
4. Could be colored or tinted.

As the public sought lower prices, the cases (which cost more than the finished photographs) were eliminated. In their place, paper folders of the size of the then popular card photographs were used for protection. Instead of a glass cover, the photographer covered the tintype with a quick varnish to protect any tints or colors added to cheeks, lips, jewelry or buttons.

Popularity: The tintype was very popular during the Civil War because every soldier wanted to send a picture of himself with his rifle and sword home. They could be mailed home safely without fear of shattering.

The tintype actually does not contain any tin but is made of thin, black iron. It is sometimes confused with ambrotypes and daguerreotypes, but it is easily distinguishable from them by the fact that a tintype attracts a small magnet.

DATING THE TINTYPES
Introduction 1856-1860. The earliest tintypes were on heavy metal (0.017 inches thick) that was never again used. They are stamped “Neff’s Melainotype Pat 19 Feb 56” along one edge. Many are found in gilt frames or in the leather or plastic (thermomolded) cases of the earliest ambrotypes. Size range from one-sixth plate to full plate.

Civil War Period 1861 - 1865. Tintypes of this time are primarily one-sixth and one-fourth plate and are often datable by the Potter’s Patent paper holders, adorned with patriotic stars and emblems, that were introduced during the period. After 1863 the paper holders were embossed rather than printed. Uncased tintypes have been found with canceled tax stamps adhered to the backs. The stamps date these photographs to the period of the Wartime Retail Tax Act, 1 Sept. 1864 to 1 Aug. 1866.

Brown Period 1870 - 1885. In 1870 the Phoenix Plate Co. began making plates with a chocolate-tinted surface. They created a sensation among the photographers throughout the country, and the pictures made on the chocolate-tinted surface soon became the rage. During this period, “rustic” photography also made its debut with its painted backgrounds, fake stones, wood fences and rural props. Neither the chocolate tint nor the rustic look are to be found in pre-1870 tintypes.

Gem Period 1863 - 1890. Tiny portraits, 7/8 by 1 inch, or about the size of a small postage stamp, became available with the invention of the Wing multiplying cameras. They were popularized under the trade name Gem, and the Gem Galleries offered the tiny likeness at what proved to be the lowest prices in studio history. Gem Galleries flourished until about 1890, at which time the invention of roll film and family cameras made possible larger images at modest cost. It was no longer necessary to visit a studio that specialized in the tiny likeness. Gem portraits were commonly stored in special albums with provision for a single portrait per page. Slightly larger versions also existed. Some Gems were cut to fit lockets, cufflinks, tie pins, rings and even garter clasps.

Carnival Period 1875 - 1930. Itinerant photographers frequently brought the tintype to such public gatherings as fairs and carnivals. They came equipped with painted backdrops of Niagara Falls, a beach, a boat and other novelty props for comic portraits.

Postmortems. In the nineteenth century, it was common to request a photographer to make a deathbed portrait of a loved one.

THE CABINET CARD (approx. 1866 - 1906)
A card stock product, nearly four times the size of previous photographs on card stock.

The larger size created new problems of photographic quality. Flaws that were not obvious in the smaller cards now became very visible. This gave rise to a new skill of photo retoucher.

Success in retouching led to innovations in the darkroom and at the camera. Diffusion of the image reduced the need for retouching. This led to verbal skirmishes between photographers who insisted in “truth in photography.” Opponents called retouching a degenerating, demoralizing and untruthful practice.

Cabinet cards can be further dated by color of stock, borders, corners and size.

QUICK DATING GUIDE TO CABINET CARDS
The earliest American-made cabinet cards have been dated only to the post-Civil War period, beginning in 1866. Design and colors of these cards followed those of the cards of that time. Cabinet cards are rarely found after 1906.

Card Colors:
1866 - 1880 White card stock of a light weight.
1880 - 1890 Different colors for face and back of mounts.
1882 - 1888 Face of buff, matte-finished, with a back of creamy yellow, glossy.

Borders:
1866 - 1880 Red or gold rules, single and double lines.
1884 - 1885 Wide, gold borders.
1885 - 1892 Gold, beveled edges.
1889 - 1896 Rounded corner rule of single line.
1890 - 1892 Metallic green or gold impressed border.
1896 Impressed outer border, without color.

Corners:
1866 - 1880 Square, lightweight mount.
1880 - 1890 Square, heavy board with scalloped sides.

Photographs mounted on card stock.

The most popular mount sizes were:
Carte-de-visite 4 1/4” x 2 1/2”
Cabinet card 6 1/2” x 4 1/2”
Victoria 5” x 3 1/4”
Promenade 7” x 4”
Boudoir 8 1/2” x 5 1/4”
Imperial 9 7/8” x 6 7/8”
Panel 8 1/4” x 4”
Stereograph 3” x 7”

REVENUE STAMPS ARE A TOOL FOR DATING PHOTOGRAPHS
As part of the effort by the Congress to fund the Civil War, among a number of taxes levied was an 1864 Act which provided that sellers of photographs affix stamps at the time of sale to “photographs, ambrotypes, daguerreotypes or any sun pictures” according to the following schedule, exempting photographs too small for the stamp to be affixed:

Less than 25 cents: 2 cents stamps (blue/orange).
25 to 50 cents: 3 cents stamps (green).
50 cents to $1: 5 cents stamps (red).
More than $1: 5 cents for each additional dollar or fraction thereof.

Stamps were applied from 1 Aug. 1864 to 1 Aug. 1866. Blue playing card stamps are known to have been used in the summer of 1866 as other stamps were unavailable as the levy came to an end. The stamp was to be canceled by requiring that the seller cancel the stamp by initializing and dating it in ink. The most rare of all of these stamps is the one-cent (red) “playing cards,” and the most common is the orange two-cent “playing cards”. Values for all of these stamps appear in the Scott’s Specialized Catalog of United States Stamps.

THE STEREOGRAPH (1849 - 1925)
The stereograph is an almost identical side-by-side set of images of a single scene, viewed simultaneously through an optical device held to the eyes like a pair of binoculars. Each eye looks at a slightly different image, and the fusion of the two images in the mind creates the illusion of depth. Price: a few pennies.

Sizes of stereo cards and slides: The typical mass manufactured stereo card of the period between the Civil War and WWI had a standard dimension: 3 1/2” x 7”. This is the size commonly found in boxed sets. The earliest of these cards were made on slightly curved mounts; later cards were made on slightly curved mounts that permitted greater clarity when they were seen in the stereopticon viewer. A number of photographers, working with larger field cameras, created slightly larger cards of 4” x 7”, 4 3/8” x 7” and 4 1/2” x 7”. Until about 1873 the smaller sizes were sold at twenty-five cents per card and the larger “artistic” size for fifty cents. Within a decade, sets of twenty or more were made on printing presses, not by a hand photographic process. The on-glass slides, a stereo form more popular in Europe than in America, were available in two standard sizes, 45 x 107 mm and 6 x 13 cm. Both were smaller than the standard card stereograph.

THE WET-PLATE PRINT (c.1853 - 1902)
"The photograph that opened the West." (A large contact print).
To identify the wet-plate negative, look for an uneven coating were the syrupy colloidal base of the glass plate did not flow to the very edges of the glass. Many of the plate edges reveal torn or rippled emulsion and even the fingerprints of the darkroom technician who handled it with wet fingers. Only occasionally is it possible to determine whether a print was made from a wet-plate negative, especially if the outer edge of the print has been trimmed away. It is the edge that would immediately reveal the irregularities of the coating prepared in the field.

Few Americans could afford the cost of a studio enlargement made with a solar enlarger. The technique of making such enlargements were so complicated that few photographers had the proper skill to make an enlargement from a standard studio negative. Much of the demand for larger photographs could be satisfied by making larger negatives and larger cameras to handle them. Wet plate negatives were often 11” x 14” up to 20” x 24” sheets of sensitized glass.

Wet-plate photographers helped to open the American West by taking their cameras out of the studio and on location assignment with the survey teams of the U.S. Government and the railroads in the Far West, and with the geological expeditions moving into the unmapped wilderness beyond the Rocky Mountains. The giant spaces they discovered demanded giant cameras. The camera that documented the famous meeting at Promontory Point, Utah, of the tracks of the Central Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads on 10 May 1869 was built to accommodate glass plates 10” x 13”. The camera boated down the Colorado River during the Powell Expedition into the Grand Canyon was 11” x 14”. The work of these photographers, shown in major exhibitions in Washington, D.C., is generally acknowledged to have been instrumental in convincing Congress to enact legislation establishing many of the major national parks, monuments and preserves. The maps of the surveys showed where everything was; the wet-plate photographers showed precisely what was there.

Source: PHOTOGRAPHY AS A TOOL IN GENEALOGY
Text by Ron and Maureen Willis, Willis Photo Lab, 2510 Old Middlefield Rd., Mountain View, CA 94043, (415) 969-3555

For more information, go to http://www.classyimage.com.

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