I have two tintypes in my photo collections. I actually didn’t realize I had tintypes until I sat down with them trying to date them. Tintypes are made of iron and are therefore magnetic and these proved to be so.
This photo is marked as Gard Witherell, my 2nd great-grandfather. If that is so, then this next picture I can assume is his mother, Lily, along with another woman.
These two pictures match enough that I believe they were taken at the same time. If that is so, then my great-grandmother’s notation that this is her husband’s mother, Fanny, is incorrect. Besides that, the fashion in this image goes more with the mid 1880’s, which would match the age of Gard above.
I do believe then that here I have a picture of my first (and most frustrating) brick wall: Lily (McLeod) Witherell.
Exciting 🙂
