The Art of Translation and Discovery

One of the artifacts that my family has had in their possession is a one page document hand written in German. It is a document written in the late 1800’s. The document appears to contain brief statements with dates and names. The hand written document has been a mystery through time and generations within the family. It was assumed to have been a document written by one of the members of the Sperber family. The document was kept with a number of other documents in an envelope by John Wolfgang Sperber. I assumed that it was written by John Sperber.

The Handwritten Sperber Document

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The one page document was kept with John Sperber’s marriage certificate and his naturalization papers. [1] As important as these two documents were to John Sperber, the one page hand written document was perhaps equally special but an enigma. Perhaps it was John Sperber’s handwriting.

John Wolfgang Sperber was the maternal grandfather of Harold William Griffis. John Sperber married Sophie Fliegel. They had six children: Rose, Anna, John Frederick, Kathryn, Louis, and Ida May. Ida, the youngest of the six children, was Harold’s mother.

The Family of John Wolfgang Sperber and Sophie Fliegel Sperber

Throughout the years that I had the document in my possession, I would periodically seek out someone who spoke or could read German and ask if they could translate the document. The typical response I got was, “It’s not modern German”, “I can’t decipher the handwriting”, or “The letters on some of the words are unintelligible”.

I had high hopes of success with giving a copy of the document to a dear friend who was Austrian. He basically came back with all three of the aforementioned typical responses.

The German Language and Writing German in the 1800’s

The German language has evolved over time and has many dialects. It is also a language that has been written in many styles. By the time the 16th century rolled around, there were numerous variants and standards in the German language. Slowly, they united. From the 16th to the 18th Century, the southern and central German dialects came together to form Neuhochdeutsch, otherwise known as New High German, the version of German that is spoken today with small modifications. 

German was the language of commerce and government in the Habsburg Empire, which encompassed a large area of Central and Eastern Europe. Until the mid-19th century it was essentially the language of townspeople throughout most of the Empire. [2]

German Language in 1850 [3]

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Until the early 20th century, German was printed in blackletter typefaces in Fraktur, and in Schwabacher; and was written in corresponding Kurrent and Sütterlin style handwriting. [3]

“Making sense of German historical documentation can be a challenge because the old German cursive alphabet kept changing. For those of you working on your family tree, reading the old German cursive alphabet is an exercise in frustration. Digging into genealogical records with aids to help you read them is almost impossible. Even if a person wrote Kurrent, individual writing styles, can make ledger entries frustrating to decipher.” [4]

Kurrent is an old form of German-language handwriting based on late medieval cursive writing, also known as Kurrentschrift (“cursive script”), deutsche Schrift (“German script”) and German cursive. Over the history of its use from the 15th into the first part of the 20th century, many individual letters acquired variant forms. The Kurrent alphabet is loaded with sharp angles and strange changes in direction. For example, there are three different “s’s”, depending on where the letter falls in the word. It is also confusing since the letters may look like completely different letters in modern writing. German writers used Kurrent cursive style as well as the  Latin cursive style. [5]

Seeking Assistance on Facebook

I found a Facebook group, Germanic Genealology, Heritage, Language & Culture. [6] The group is a global support community focused on Germanic genealogy, heritage, language and culture and accepts members by request. I thought I would take a stab at posting the document on the group’s discussion thread to see if anyone could aid in translating the document.

I quickly received a comment from one of the group members. The individual proffered the results of a Google translation service that was generated by a software platform named Transkribus. [7] Transkribus helps you to convert old letters, documents and chronicles from old German scripts such as Kurrent, Sütterlin, Fraktur or Antiqua into readable text. Transkribus software uses artificial intelligence capabilities to translate documents.

While artificial intelligence is making notable advancements, the results of using on-line translation software, even for software that proclaims to be sensitive to historic contexts, are not perfect. As the support person indicates after providing the results of the translation, “there is much manual work to be done”. Translation, regardless of whether it is a mere letter or a literary piece, is an art form and requires the human touch. [8]

For privacy, I have not revealed names of those who assisted me in the translation. The following was the initial thread of discussion involved with producing a translation of he document.

Facebook Threaded Discussion on the Sperber Document – Part 1

Source: Facebook Discussion Thread | Click for Larger View.

While I truly appreciated the assistance and the effort provided by the fellow discussion group member, I was hoping to receive additional ideas or personal attempts at a translation.

I perused the group’s discussion threads and came upon an individual who had translated a two page letter that was hand written in the 1800’s. I thought I would reach out to this individual to see if I could receive assistance.

Facebook Threaded Discussion on the Sperber Document – Part 2

Source: Facebook Threaded Discussion | Click for Larger View

The reply was quick, within hours, and the person was so polite and apologized for not immediately responding! The individual proceeded to transcribe the handwriting on the one page document and then provide a translation, all within one response!

Facebook Threaded Discussion on the Sperber Document – Part 3

Source: Facebook Threaded Discussion | Click for Larger View

The ability to not only transcribe the hand writing but then provide a translation was amazing!

Since I assumed it was a document written by John Sperber, the individual who provided the translation assumed the individual was male and indicated that the last sentence was a bit puzzling. Perhaps the writer of the document used the wrong term “stepfather” and also references the “mother” as Joann.

Reading the first part of the translation lead me to believe the document was actually written by John Sperber’s wife, Sophie Fliegel. It made more sense that it was written by Sophie. “Our mother Julie” was certainly not referring to John’s literal mother. While John might have affectionately referred to his mother-in-law as ‘our mother’, it makes more sense that this was a letter written by Sophie Fliegel. The document also refers to “father Kristof Fliegel”.

Facebook Threaded Discussion on the Sperber Document – Part 4

Hence, I believe the English translation of the ‘mystery document’ is as follows:

A Family Discovery Based on the Document

While the first two statements written by Sophie Fliegel Sperber, document the dates of death for her parents, the third statement found in this document raises a question of fact regarding the kinship structure of the Sperber family. The last sentence of this translated document raises a question regarding who is the father of Rose Sperber. The document indicates:

Rose was 1 year and fourth months old when I got married to Johann he is her stepfather. ”

Looking at the following word ‘Johann’ in the document suggests it is a hand written variant of Johann, not Joann as the translation originally suggested:

Based on a reference cited by FamilySearch.org [9] you can type in a word in a German on-line form and it will produce a Kurrent script version of the word.

Example of Producing Kurrent Script for the Name Johann

The “o” is not apparent in the written version of Johann in the document but the “J” and “h” are similar in Kurrent script. It appears as if Sophie may have simply produced a downward stroke from the “J’ and then wrote an “H”. As the Facebook group translator indicated, “There are many writing mistakes” in the document.

“When people write in a hurry, details and clarity are often sacrificed. Hence, one misses distinctive features… . There are other features when hurried script is involved, such as merging letters…” [10]

It is apparent that Sophie Fliegel Sperber is referring to her husband, ‘Johann’ or ‘John’ Sperber as the stepfather of Rose.

Another Piece of Evidence

An old paper pamphlet that was used to record family births, deaths and marriages were part of the artifacts of Harold Griffis. The pamphlet originally was used to document the births, marriages and deaths of Sperber family members. It appears that the pamphlet in time came into the possession of Rose’s youngest sister, Ida Sperber. The names of Harold and Evelyn and their first three children were then added to the bottom of the list of the Sperber family. On another page, the birth dates, marriages and deaths of maternal relatives of Evelyn Griffis, The Platts family, were also added to the pamphlet. It became a living written family testament of vital statistics for the Sperber, Platts, and Griffis families.

Births of Sperber Family Members

Source: Griffis family document | Click for Larger View

Rose Sperber is listed on the third line from the top of the page. A close examination of the brith years for Rose Sperber, her younger sister Anna and her brother J. Frederick indicate that their respective birth years have been altered on the paper. It appears that Rose’s brith year was changed to 1857. Anna’s birth year was initially changed to ‘1857’ and then to ‘1858’. Frederick’s birth year was changed to 1859. Based on how the revised numbers were written, it appears that the original author of the list made the changes. It is obvious an erasure was used to change the dates.

Close Up of the Birth Years

A closer look at the change of Rose’s birth year suggests that it was originally written as ‘1855’, which would have accurately reported her birth year as stated by Sophia Sperber on the one page document. The day of October 19th, fits the information found in the one sentence description of Rose’s birth and her relation to Johann Sperber.

It appears that whoever wrote the list of births did not want to correlate the birth dates with John and Sophia’s wedding date of February 2, 1857, which were found on another loose page of the same pamphlet. This would have suggested that Rose’s brith was before the date of the marriage between John and Sofia.

Dates of Marriage for Sperber Family Members

Source: Griffis Family Document | Click for Larger View

Rose Sperber: An Example of Premarital Sexual Practices in the 1800’s

One basic fact about the Sperber family that stands out is the birth date of the oldest child, Rose Sperber, and the date of marriage of John or Johann Sperber and Sophie Fliegel. I had assumed that Rose was born out of wedlock. It is important to use multiple records to learn if someone was born out of wedlock or ” illegitimate”.

“Using indirect and direct evidence will help conclude the legitimacy or illegitimacy of a person. Sometimes it is not plainly stated, but oftentimes analyzing each record and using them together will make one capable of making a conclusion.” [11]

Based on simple math, if Sophie and John were married Feb 2 1857 (see footnote [2]) and the one page document written by Sophie states that Rose was “one year and four months old” when Sophie and Johann were married, then Rose was born around October 1855 and was conceived around the beginning of 1855.

With the absence of birth records for Rose Sperber, based on various Federal and State Census tabulations, Rose Speber’s birth year has been identified as either 1855, 1856 or 1857. [12]

It appears that Rose Sperber was conceived around the time of Sophie’s arrival to the United States, at the beginning of 1855. [13] Sophie arrived in the United States from Germany with the family on January 26, 1855. There is no mention of an infant or a child under one year old on the ship manifest list. It is not evident that Sophie had a prior marriage. She still had her maiden name when she married John Sperber in 1857.

What was perhaps common knowledge in one generation is not necessarily passed down to the next generation or two.  This makes sense.  While out of wedlock births may have been commonplace and possibly accepted in various communities, it was and still can be a very sensitive topic and not one generally talked about openly.

In the Late Middle Ages, a third of the population was probably born extramaritally. From 1400 to 1600, the illegitimacy ratio dropped markedly, but from 1650 to 1850, it seems to have gradually risen from around five to nine percent in most European states. [14]

For the community, unmarried pregnancy was less a moral issue than a practical one of arranging support for the child. Most of the women in the colonial times and in the 1800’s married the father before the child was born, but for those who remained single, the process of establishing paternity was straightforward. The woman told the midwife the name of the father during delivery. If the situation lead to formal proceedings, the courts, on the assumption that a woman would not lie at such a time, then held the man responsible for the economic support of the child. [15]

Regardless of the sensitivity of out of wedlock births, Sophie and John lived within a time period where illegitimacy rates were high and in many communities out of wedlock children were accepted and treated equally. The reason for the increased illegitimacy rates in Europe and the United States are subject to academic debate but they nevertheless existed.

Source: Shorter, Edward. “Illegitimacy, Sexual Revolution, and Social Change in Modern Europe.”The Journal of Interdisciplinary History, vol. 2, no. 2, 1971, pp. 237–72. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/202844. | Click for Larger View.

“The illegitimate fertility rate soared between 1750 and 1850, from one end of Europe to another.. In all but a handful of villages and cities for which data are available, illegitimacy rose, departing from modest plateaus of one to three percent of all baptisms, to often ten or fifteen per cent. Also prebridal pregnancy, women who are already pregnant when they marry, climbed dramatically. The percentage of first children born less than eight months after marriage in parish register data also rose along with illegitimacy in most places.” [16]

I have not discovered any census records in 1860 that capture the young family of John and Sophie Sperber. It is not known who Rose’s biological father is. It is assumed that Sophie lived with her daughter in her father’s home. Within a year, she met and had a short courtship with John, they fell in love, they were married and started their family. Rose was accepted as John’s own daughter.

The One Page Document

Before Sophie passed away in 1897, she wrote this undated short note composed of three events that were important to her. John kept this note along with his marriage certificate and naturalization paper. It was an important document to him and perhaps was significant in many ways.

Sources

Feature image: Alphabet in Kurrent script from about 1865. The next-to-last line shows the umlauts ä, ö, ü, and the corresponding capital letters Ae, Oe, and Ue; and the last line shows the ligatures ch, ck, th, sch, sz (ß), and st. Kurrent (German: [kʊˈʁɛnt]) is an old form of German-language handwriting based on late medieval cursive writing, also known as Kurrentschrift (“cursive script”), deutsche Schrift (“German script”) and German cursive. Over the history of its use into the first part of the 20th century, many individual letters acquired variant forms.Source: Kurrent, Wikipedia,This page was last edited on 5 January 2023 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurrent

[1] The other two documents kept with the one page handwritten document were John Sperber’s marriage certificate and his naturalization paper:

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[2] Claire Dinh, Tracing the Evolution of the German Language and German Prepositions through an Interdisciplinary Approach, Senior Thesis Department of German Haverford College April 25, 2016 https://scholarship.tricolib.brynmawr.edu/bitstream/handle/10066/18702/2016DinhC.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

Sarah Waldmann, The History of the German Language, Babbel, 22 Oct 2020,  https://www.babbel.com/en/magazine/history-of-german-language

History of German, Wikipedia, This page was last edited on 29 June 2023,   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_German

German language, Wikipedia, This page was last edited on 30 June 2023, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_language

Salmons, Joseph A History of German: What the Past Reveals about Today’s Language. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012

[3] Costas Melas, History of the Germanic Languages, Frameshot of a Youtube Video, 6:19 minutes of part of a 6:53 video, https://youtu.be/yl4xwxNdKgE

[4] Karen Ann, The History of Old German Cursive Alphabet and Typefaces, German Girl in America Blog, 22 Jan 2021, https://germangirlinamerica.com/old-german-cursive-alphabet-and-typefaces/

On the History of Old German Script, the Walden Font Co., page accessed 6 Jan 2023, https://www.waldenfont.com/OntheHistoryofOldGermanScript.asp

Pommern Podcast, Learn to Read Old Script –  Introduction, Kurrentschrift, and Capitals, YouTube Video, https://youtu.be/oZ6a6goOTyQ

[5] German language, Wikipedia, This page was last edited on 30 June 2023, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_language

Kurrent, Wikipedia, This page was last edited on 5 January 2023, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurrent

Kenton Library, Deciphering Old German Documents–Tips and Tricks for Easier translation, YouTube Video, https://youtu.be/FgdSQ0Y8ed8

FamilySearch has a number of web links that potentially can be helpful in deciphering German handwriting:

Germany Languages, Family Search, This page was last edited on 5 December 2022, https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Germany_Languages

[6] Germanic Genealology, Heritage, Language & Culture, group managed by Stephen C Wendt, Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/groups/germangenealogy.heritage.language.culture

[7] Translate Old German Scripts with Transkribus, Read Co-Op, https://readcoop.eu/transkribus/old-german-scripts/#:~:text=Transkribus%20helps%20you%20to%20convert,the%20help%20of%20artificial%20intelligence.

See also: List of Names in Old German Script A comprehensive list of German given names, written in old script, with possible variations., Family Search

[8] Liraz Postan, Translation: Art or Science?, 8 Jan 2020, Blend, https://www.getblend.com/blog/translation-art-science/

[9] There is a reference to a German based website that produces a Kurrent script based version of a word or series of words that you type into a web form. Similar to an on-line translation service but instead of producing a translation, the form produces a script version of the typed German word.

The website in the following FamilySearch.org citation no longer exists but a version of of the website was found at:

http://www.kurrentschrift.net/index.php?s=schreiben

Barbel Bell, Deciphering German Script 13-24, FamilySearch.org, 18 Jan 2008, page 18, https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Deciphering_German_Script_13-24#/media/File:Script19.jpg

[10] Barbell Bell, Deciphering German Script (Kurrentschrift): A Guide for Genealogists with particular Reference to Documents written from the 1500’s to the early 1900’s, FamilySearch.org, 4 Jun 2008, page 11.   https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Deciphering_German_Script_13-24#/media/File:Script13.jpg

[11] Illegitimacy in the United States, FamilySearch, This page was last edited on 17 May 2022  https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Illegitimacy_in_the_United_States

[12] The following New York State and U.S. Federal Census tabulations list Rose Sperber Knopf as being born in 1855 or 1856:

Census Records for Rose Sperber Knopf

Records
Source
Reported
Age
Imputed
Birth Year
1865 N.Y. State Census91856
1870 U.S. Federal Census141856
1875 N.Y. State Census191856
1880 U.S. Federal Census251855
1892 N.Y. State Census361856
1905 N.Y. State Census491856
1910 U.S. Federal Census531857
1920 U.S. Federal Census601860
1930 U.S. Federal Census 731857
1940 U.S. Federal Census791861
New York, New York, U.S.,
Extracted Death Index, 1862-1948
801856

Year: 1870; Census Place: Johnstown, Fulton, New York; Roll: M593_938; Page: 183A, Line 35

Year: 1880; Census Place: Brooklyn, Kings, New York; Roll: 854; Page: 493D; Enumeration District: 217,  Line 45

Year: 1910; Census Place: Brooklyn Ward 28, Kings, New York; Roll: T624_981; Page: 5b; Enumeration District: 0892; FHL microfilm: 1374994 ,Line 81

Year: 1920; Census Place: Brooklyn Assembly District 20, Kings, New York; Roll: T625_1177; Page: 8A; Enumeration District: 1302, Line 46

Year: 1930; Census Place: Brooklyn, Kings, New York; Page: 6B; Enumeration District: 0402; FHL microfilm: 2341269, Line 73

Year: 1940; Census Place: New York, Kings, New York; Roll: m-t0627-02610; Page: 6A; Enumeration District: 24-2421, Line 6

Census of the state of New York, for 1865. Microfilm. New York State Archives, Albany, New York., Fulton County, Johnstown, Page 387, Line 35

Census of the state of New York, for 1875. Microfilm. New York State Archives, Albany, New York. Fulton County, Johnstown, E.D. 02, Page 428, Line 32

New York State Archives; Albany, New York; State Population Census Schedules, 1905; Election District: A.D. 20 E.D. 26; City: Brooklyn; County: Kings, Page 12, Line 22

1892 New York State Census. New York State Education Department, Office of Cultural Education. New York State Library, Albany, NY., Kings County, Brooklyn Ward 18, E.D. 50, Page 10

Index to New York City Deaths 1862-1948. Indices prepared by the Italian Genealogical Group and the German Genealogy Group, and used with permission of the New York City Department of Records/Municipal Archives.

[13] New York, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island, 1820-1957, The National Archives and Records Administration; Washington, D.C.; Ancestry.com. New York, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820-1957 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010; January 26, 1855 arrival, Ship: Zurich, Lines 3-7.

Click for larger view.

[14] Michael Obladen; Dishonoured: The Fate of Infants Born out of Wedlock. Neonatology 3 October 2022; 119 (5): 652–659. https://doi.org/10.1159/000525306

[15] Illegitimacy in the United States, FamilySearch, This page was last edited on 17 May 2022  https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Illegitimacy_in_the_United_States

See also:

Abigail Trafford, Unwed Motherhood Insights from the Colonial Era, 8 Jan 1991, The Washington Post, https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/wellness/1991/01/08/unwed-motherhood-insights-from-the-colonial-era/14ff7ff2-d03d-4552-86c5-73b8c15341b0/#

Lisa Lisson, How to Research You Illegitimate Ancestors, 16 Oct 2017, Are you my cousin? Genealology, https://lisalisson.com/how-to-research-your-illegitimate-ancestors/

How to find the father of an illegitimate child, 3 Jul 2023, Who Do You Think You are?, https://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/tutorials/illegitimate-ancestors/

Donna Przecha, “Illegitimate Children and Missing Fathers,” Genealogy.com, accessed July 03, 2018, https://www.genealogy.com/articles/research/52_donna.html

[16] Lee, W. R. “Bastardy and the Socioeconomic Structure of South Germany.” The Journal of Interdisciplinary History, vol. 7, no. 3, 1977, pp. 403–25. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/202573. Accessed 3 July 2023.

Shorter, Edward. “Illegitimacy, Sexual Revolution, and Social Change in Modern Europe.”The Journal of Interdisciplinary History, vol. 2, no. 2, 1971, pp. 237–72. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/202844. Accessed 4 July 2023.

Shorter, Edward. “Female Emancipation, Birth Control, and Fertility in European History.”The American Historical Review, vol. 78, no. 3, 1973, pp. 605–40. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/1847657. Accessed 4 July 2023.

Faces in Old Photographs: Two Young Men

One of challenging and more vexing aspects of viewing old family photographs is not knowing who is in a photo.  A photograph is found among a relative’s cherished belongings.  You know the photograph must have some significance to be saved for all these years.  However, there is no hand written identification on the back to document when the photograph was taken and who is in the photograph. Sometimes you find a group photo with a few recognizable faces interspersed with ‘strangers’.

Whose eyes are looking back at you?  They are the faces of strangers yet they may be related to you.  If you are lucky, there might be other photos saved along with this puzzling photograph of strangers.  You may attempt to look more closely at the faces to discern any similarities or a resemblance of someone in another photo that has documented names inscribed on the back of a photograph to tie them together. 

At a certain point, rubbing your eyes, you put the magnifying glass down and start researching various background characteristics of the photo to anchor the photograph to a time and place.  While this may not pinpoint who is in the photograph, it may reduce the range of possible relatives to consider when attempting to solve the mystery of who is in a photograph. [1]

The Photograph

The following photograph led me on a quest of discovering who were these two men looking at me with such serious looks on their faces..

The two gentlemen in the photo were young. Posing, looking regal, left arms angled in a similar fashion. Both were dressed in suits with bowler hats. Perhaps the suits, shoes and hats were props along with the backdrop and chairs.

“The Photograph”

Click here to view PDF version of photograph (allows ability to increase size and move in on specific areas of photograph)

When I received the metal, frameless photograph it was not stored with other photographs. I could not remember how I came into possession of the photograph. This exercise of trying to figure out who was in an ‘orphan’ photograph led me to a deeper appreciation of filing, managing and protecting old photographs. Although it is a constant, tedious process, cataloguing photos by source and date will ensure information about the photograph is not lost when they are ‘rediscovered’ in a box or folder. I learned my lesson.

Initially with nothing to guide me on discovering the identities of these young men, I relied on a number of sources to tease information out of the photograph and document the time period of the old photograph. The type of photographic technology used to make the photo will help place the photograph in a general time period. The clothes that the subjects are wearing and the type of background and furniture found in the photograph may also provide a clue of when the photograph was taken. [2]

Type of Photograph

The photograph of the two young men was on a piece of metal that appears to have been cut out of a frame or the frame was destroyed. It appears someone cut the edges of thee photograph at some point in time. Since it was made of metal, there is nothing on the back of the photograph. The piece of metal was three and a half inches long and about two and a quarter inches inches wide.

Camera, four-lens tintype, 1860s. Click for Larger View.
This four-lens, wooden bellows tintype camera was used for studio portrait photography in the 1860s during the Civil War era. Tintypes were popular inexpensive photographs This camera could make up to four identical images in one portrait sitting. [3]

The dimensions of the photograph and the nature of the metal suggest that. the photograph is a “Tintype” photo. The tintype method of photography was America’s first major popular contribution to the art of photography. It superceded the Ambrotype by the end of the Civil War and went on to become 19th-Century America’s favorite quick picture. Tintypes enjoyed their widest use during the 1860s and 1870s, but lesser use of the medium persisted into the early 20th century.

“The tintype photograph saw more uses and captured a wider variety of settings and subjects than any other photographic type. It’s like the elderly grandfather that saw everything. It was introduced while the daguerreotype was still popular, though its primary competition would have been the ambrotype.

“It began losing artistic and commercial ground to higher quality albumen prints on paper in the mid-1860s, yet survived for well over another 40 years, living mostly as a carnival novelty.” [4]

A tintype photograph is made by coating an iron plate (0.017 inches thick) with a light sensitive collodion silver mixture. It was made the same way as the Ambrotype, except that a thin piece of black enameled, or japanned iron was used in place of glass. Like the Ambrotype, the image is reversed.  Ferrotypes were made from thumbnail size to as large as 11″ x 14″.

You can test if it is a tintype photo by using a magnet. If the magnet attracts to the photo, then you have a Tintype. In my case a magnet quickly attached to the photograph. It’s a tintype photograph. [5]

The tintype image has a similar appearance to the Ambrotype, which puts the collodion image on glass instead of a metal plate. The backs of tintype were lacquered to protect the exposed metal from rust and oxidation.

The metal used to support the tintype image was actually iron, not tin. The tintype is more properly called a ferrotype. According to one story, they came to be popularly known as “tintypes” because of the tin shears used to separate the individual images. Although many tintype photographs exhibit the same whitish gray image as the ambrotype, it can be easily distinguished because the magnet trick.

The tintype photo is not whitish grey like earlier tintype photographs but a darker ‘chocolate tinted’ color. This type of tintype photographic process was popular in America between 1870 and 1885.

“Brown or chocolate tintype images had a brief period of popularity from 1870 to 1885. In 1870 the Phenix (sic.) Plate Co. began making plates with a chocolate-tinted surface. It was said in a period journal, “created a sensation among the photographers throughout the country, and the pictures made on the chocolate-tinted surface soon became the rage”. In the 1870s the “rustic” theme made its debut in studio photography offering 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.” [6]

Style of Clothing & Props in Photograph

Based on an analysis of the clothing and props found in the tintype, it is believed that the photograph was taken in the late 1870’s.

Both of the gentleman’s well tailored outfits highlight many of the fashions of the 1870’s and 1880’s. Note the high waist coat and vest, the extremely narrow lapel on the sack coats with the high six button front and the curved front of the jacket. Consistent with how the jackets were worn in this era, the first button is only done on the suit.

Trousers are also tailored to a more slim style. There are still no creases in the front of his trousers as the press had not yet been invented. Both gentlemen are holding short bowlers with curled brims. [7]

Enlarged view of Shoes in Photograph

Click for Larger View

Men’s shoes of the 1870s had higher heels and a narrow toe. The shoes in the photograph appear to be Congress Gaiters. The congress boot (or Congress Gaiter) was very popular in the 19th and early 20th century. These below ankle boots became available around 1840, and were thought to be a version of the Balmoral boot, reputedly designed by Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria. When elastic material became commercially viable for use, it was used in new boot designs. The boot was made from soft kid leather. The elasticated sides provided both easy access and neat fit ably assisted by a cloth tab at the back of the heel of the boot. [8]

Enlarged view of Neck Wear in Photograph

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One of the gentleman is wearing a narrow ribbon necktie. It is difficult to clearly see the necktie and the shirt collar on the gentleman on the right hand side in the photograph. It appears to be a style similar to one of many styles found in the 1870’s [9]

The chair that the individual in the right hand of the photograph is sitting on is a “fringe chair”. These were adjustable chairs made for photography studios. Introduced around 1864, they were popular through the 1870s. It became ‘old fashion’ in the late 1870s and is seldom seen after this time. [10]

Click for Larger View.

Comparing the Photograph with Other Photographs

Originally I thought the was a photograph of the two young men were of individuals on my mother’s paternal side of the Hart family. I poured over family photographs that I had of the Hart family and could not match the two faces despite how hard I tried to force their images into other likenesses.

I enlisted the help of a distant cousin on the Hart side of the family who also shares my interest in genealogy. She gave me excellent sources to check and also poured over other old photographs in the attempt to match faces. Alas, we both agreed that these two men were not from the Hart side of the family.

I started to consider the possibility that the photograph was from another branch of the family. I may have misfiled this old photograph with the Hart family photographs. I started looking over old photographs of Griffis and Dutcher family members. The Dutcher branch of the family was Evelyn Dutcher Griffis’ paternal side of her family.

I started to look at a number of old photographs in my possession and came upon one that immediately caught my eye (no pun intended). It was a photograph of a young man (below) and on the cardboard back of the photograph was handwritten “John Dutcher” in my paternal grandmother’s (Evelyn Dutcher) handwriting.

Cabinet Card Photograph of John Dutcher Front and Back

John E. Dutcher | Click for Larger View
Back of Photograph | Click for Larger View

Hamlin Photography was a photography business in Gloversville, New York. The owner of the business was Gary Hamlin. Gary B. Hamlin , lived at 18 Bleecker St, Gloversville, NY, and had his photography studio at 18 Bleecker Street. [11]

The photograph is an example of a Cabinet Card. Cabinet cards were popular between 1866 and the early 1900’s. They are easy to recognize because they are mounted on cardstock, often with an imprint of the photographer and location just below the photo. They are usually 4 inches by six and a half inches in size. (which is the size of the John Dutcher photograph). Details of a cabinet card, from the type of card stock to whether it had right-angled or rounded corners, can help determine the date of the photograph. Card stock that is square and of heavy weight card stock (like the photograph of John Dutcher) usually correlate with photographs in the 1880’s. [12]

Based on the card colors, borders on the photograph, the lettering below the photograph, and the characteristics of the back of the card photo, it would appear that this photograph was taken around 1885 – 1890. However, it has been noted the borders of cabinet cards with rounded corners and a rule of single line, such as that found on this photograph of John Dutcher, might suggest the photograph was taken between 1899 and 1896. [13]

Every face has numerous, distinguishable landmarks, the different peaks and valleys that make up facial features. Modern day facial recognition software defines these landmarks as nodal points. [14] Each human face has approximately 80 nodal points. Some of these measured by the facial recognition software are:

  • Distance between the eyes;
  • Width of the nose;
  • length of the bridge of the nose;
  • Depth of the eye sockets;
  • The shape of the cheekbones;
  • The length of the jaw line;
  • Shape of the ears

I immediately saw similarities of various facial features of John Dutcher in this photograph, taken by Hamlin Photography from Gloversville, NY, with the Tintype photograph.

Comparison of Facial Features in the Two Photographs

Tintype Photograph in Left and Paper cardboard backed photograph on the right | Click for Larger View

Comparing the tintype photograph with the two photographs reveals striking similarities. Tintypes are usually a camera original, so the image is usually a mirror image, reversed left to right from reality. Sometimes the camera was fitted with a mirror or right-angle prism so that the result would be right-reading. However, in the Tintype of the two individuals it appears to be a micro image. John’s part in his hair is on the right side in the Tintype while in the cabinet card photograph it is on the left hand side.

I also found a photograph of John’s brother, Squire Dutcher, and his wife, Mary Jane Platts (below).

Photograph of Squire Dutcher and MaryJane Platts

Photograph of Squire and Mary Janes Platts, about 1883-1884 | Click for Larger View

I enlarged a portion of the photograph to get a better look at Squire’s face and compared the enlargement with an enlargement from the Tintype photograph.

Comparison of Facial Features in the Two Photographs

While the face is a bit fuller in the photograph with Mary Jane Platts (perhaps a little bit older than in the tintype photograph), the eyes, nose, mouth and jaw line in each of the photographs are comparable. While difficult to get an accurate glimpse, the ears also look similar.

Conclusion: The ‘Who’ and ‘When’ of the Photograph

It would appear that the two individuals in the tintype photograph are Squire and John Dutcher.

Squire and Mary Jane were married in 1883 [15] when Squire was 20 years old. Assuming the photograph of Squire and Mary Jane was taken before or after they were married, the photograph was taken around 1883-1884.

Squire Washington Dutcher was born July 8th, 1863, during the Civil War. His younger brother John E. (Edward?) Dutcher was born in 1866. Since Squire and Mary Jane were married around 1883, the photograph was probably taken around the time of Squire’s marriage. The timing is consistent with the period in which this type of tintype photographic process was popular. If the original photograph in this story was taken around 1880, Squire would have been 17 years old and his brother John would have been 14 years old.

The Two Brothers: Squire and John Dutcher

Squire and John came from a family of six children. Squire was the second oldest of the siblings and the oldest of three sons: Squire, John and Alonson (Alonzo). John was born three years after his older brother Squire. Allison was born in 1869.

All three brothers lived his entire lives in the Gloversville, New York area. Squire passed away on July 29, 1932. His younger brother John E. (Edward?) Dutcher passed away fours years before Squire on October 27, 1928. Squire died on July 29, 1932, roughly five months after his first great grandchild, James Dutcher Griffis, was born.

Not much is known of the third brother Alonson Dutcher. Family folklore, principally from Evelyn Dutcher Griffis, indicate, in her words, that “Alonzo was the ‘black sheep’ of the family”.

The family chart below provides a general outline of Squire and Johns’ family. I have extended the family ties to Harold And Evelyn Griffis to place their family relationships in context to Harold Griffis, one of the family tree locators I have used in these stories. .

Family of Squire and John Dutcher

Another Twist in Tintype Photographs

The photograph of Squire Washington Dutcher and Mary Jane Platts was in a “1960’s gold colored metal modern frame” that was in the possession of James Dutcher Griffis, Squire’s first grandchild. James D. taped three tintype photographs in the rectangular gold rimmed frame with oval matting for each of the photographs.

When I removed the photographs from the frame, it is apparent that each of the photographs are brown or chocolate tintype images.

Three Photographs in Frame

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The photograph below is the photograph I used, but outside of the frame, to compare faces in the tintype of the two young men. As stated, this photograph could have been taken around 1883, around the time that Squire and Mary Jane were married. Given this type of tintype photograph, it places the photograph within the 1870-1885 time range of when the brown or chocolate tintype was prevalent and popular.

PHOTOGRAPH ONE: Squire Dutcher and MaryJane Platts Removed from the Frame

Click here to view PDF version of photograph (allows ability to increase size and move in on specific areas of photograph)

The second photograph (below) from the gold frame has three individuals in the photograph. It is apparent that two of the three individuals are Squire and Mary Jane.

PHOTOGRAPH TWO: Squire Dutcher, Jeannette Platts (?) and MaryJane Platts Removed from the Frame

Click here to view PDF version of photograph (allows ability to increase size and move in on specific areas of photograph)

Based on the clothes in the Photograph One and Photograph Two, Squire and Mary Jane are wearing the same clothing and the background wallpaper in the photographs are identical. The photographs were probably taken on the same day. This is apparent when viewing blown up portraits of Squire that are taken from each of these three tintype photographs. It appears that in the middle photograph, the image of Squire is a bit out of focus. However, Squire is clearly in each of the photographs.

Three Way Comparison of Profiles of Squire Dutcher in Three Tintype Photographs

The third person in the PHOTOGRAPH TWO is an enigma. I do not have a concrete clue as to who is this young lady. However, I believe I have an idea of who is the third person in the photograph through “a process of elimination“.

Blow Up of Third Person in Tintype PHOTOGRAPH TWO

I think the young lady is one of Mary Jane’s sisters: Jeannette Platts. A review of available Cabinet Card photographs of the three sisters in the Dutcher family led me to the conclusion that none of them look like the young lady in the photograph. Also the ages of the sisters at 1880-1883, an approximate year when the photograph may have been taken, did not appear to match the perceived age of the young lady in the photograph. Julia , Squire’s older sister, would have been much older in 1880-1883 than the young lady in the photograph. Rose Dutcher would have been around 8-11 years old and Myrtle Dutcher would have been around 5-8 years of age at the time of the photograph.

The Three Dutcher Sisters

I also examined available photographs of the sisters of Mary Jane Platts. Mary Jane had two younger sisters. Unfortunately I only have access to photographs for Lenora Dutcher. There are no available photographs of Jeannette Dutcher. Lenora would have been 10-13 years old and perhaps younger than the young lady in the photograph. Even though we do not have available photographs of Jeannette Platts to compare facial features, her age possibly fits the age (13-15 years old) of the young lady in the photograph.

Hence, through process of elimination, I am guessing that Jennette Platts is in the photograph with her sisters and her new brother-in-law Squire.

The Platts Sisters

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The PHOTOGRAPH THREE in the three picture frame is also a bit of a mystery. A close inspection of the photograph makes one wonder what the photographer was offering the gentleman in the photograph. Both photographer and those photographed considered it perfectly appropriate to arrange reality for the photographic occasion. 

The use of props and backdrops certainly were used to elevate the importance of the sitter in the photograph. Photographers posed their sitters to lean against chairs, furniture and other items.  The individuality of the sitter is often lost in these contrived poses. But this photo is indeed a curiosity. The individual is standing in front of a wallpaper set up that makes the individual appear to be in a room with an opening to an outside area with vines appearing at the outside archway. He is casually learning on a sawed off tree with another one on his right side. Each of these seed off trees are next toddy configured branches. I can not tell if they are rustic chairs or just an odd amalgam of branches.

This photograph certainly conforms to the “Brown Period” of tintype photography. During this period “rustic” photography 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.

With his right arm akimbo, the gentleman is gritting on a cigar with a top hat. Quite a pose and look! However, I find it difficult to state that this is Squire in this jaunty pose.

PHOTOGRAPH THREE: Alonzo Dutcher (?)

Click for Larger View.

Click here to view PDF version of photograph (allows ability to increase size and move in on specific areas of photograph)

An inspection of the three face shots of Squire Dutcher in the prior photographs with the image from PHOTOGRAPH THREE suggests that it is not Squire in the photograph with the top hat. Squires eyes were typically more deep set in photographs than those found in the “top hat” photograph. The face is more square than the oval face with a broad forehead of Squire. The nose is similar to Squire’s as is the chin and mouth. While we do not have any photographs of Alonzo Dutcher for comparative purposes, I suspect that this photograph is of Alonzao Dutcher. Alonzo would have been around 14 years old.

Comparison of Four Face Shots

Nothing is certain and perhaps new information will be found in time. For the present moment, I believe we have “new” photographs of Jeannette Platts and Alonson (Alonzo) Dutcher!

Sources

Feature Image: Blown up portions of photographs comparing the facial features of Squire Dutcher and John Dutcher.

[1] Joan L.Severa, Dressed for the Photographer: Ordinary Americans and Fashion, 1840 – 1900, Kent: Kent State University Press, 1995, The 1870’s and 1880’s, Page 292 – 453

Tracee Hamilton, How to Date your Old Photographs, ARP Website, https://www.aarp.org/relationships/genealogy/info-11-2011/dating-old-photos.html

Nancy Price, Genealology Research : Dating Vintage Photographs by Clothing and Hairstyles, April 7, 2010, https://www.sheknows.com/living/articles/814584/genealogy-research-dating-vintage-photographs-by-clothing-and-hairstyles-1/

Katherine Howells and Ioannis Vasallos, The National Archives, How to Date Family Photographs, 2 April 2020, Page accessed 13 Feb 2023, https://blog.nationalarchives.gov.uk/how-to-date-family-photographs/

Lisa Lisson, My Favorite 10 Resources for Dating Old Photographs , Are You My Cousin? Genealology, April 28, 2016, https://lisalisson.com/top-10-resources-for-dating-old-photographs/

Mary Harrell-Sesniak, How to Date Old Ancestor Photographs with Early Photo Types, Oct 14, 2013, Genealology Bank, how-to-date-old-ancestor-photographs-with-early-photo-types.html

Genealogy Sleuthing: How to Date Old Family Photos – Part I, Legacy Tree Genealogists, https://www.legacytree.com/blog/date-old-family-photos

Genealogy Sleuthing Part II: Using Women’s Fashion to Date Old Photos, Legacy Tree Genealogists, womens-fashion-date-old-photos https://www.legacytree.com/blog/womens-fashion-date-old-photos

Matt P, How Old Are My Photos?, April 29, 2021,  EverPresent, Learning Center, Blog, https://everpresent.com/how-old-are-my-photos/

[2] History of Photography Methods/Processes, Physical Properties, Photos Made Perfect: Restoring Family History One Photo at a Time, http://www.photosmadeperfect.com/Genealogy_%20Corner/Photo%20Dating%20Page%20Top%20pg/AAPhotoDatingIntro%20Top%20Pg.htm

Mary Harrell-Sesniak, How to Date Old Ancestor Photographs with Early Photo Types, Oct 14, 2013, Genealology Bank, how-to-date-old-ancestor-photographs-with-early-photo-types.html

Other Methods of Photo Dating, Photos Made Perfect, http://www.photosmadeperfect.com/Genealogy_%20Corner/Photo%20Dating%20Other%20Methods/ABOtherMethods%20of%20Photo%20Dating.htm

Katherine Howells and Ioannis Vasallos, The National Archives, How to Date Family Photographs, 2 April 2020, Page accessed 13 Feb 2023, https://blog.nationalarchives.gov.uk/how-to-date-family-photographs/

[3] Source of photograph: : Four-Lens Tintype Camera, National Museum of American History, https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_1145576

[4] Gary Clark, Tintype Photographs, Phototree.com, http://www.phototree.com/id_tin.htm

Gary Clark, Identifying Photograph Types, Phototree Blog, http://www.phototree.com/identify.htm

[5] Photo Dating 101, Photos Made Perfect, http://www.photosmadeperfect.com/Genealogy_%20Corner/Photo%20Dating%20Page%20Top%20pg/AAPhotoDatingIntro%20Top%20Pg.htm

Tintype, City Gallery, http://www.city-gallery.com/learning/types/tintype/

TinType, Wikipedia, This page was last edited on 17 January 2023, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tintype

Colin Hardy, How to Spot a Ferrotype, also Known as a TinType (1855 – 1940s), 25 May 2013, https://blog.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk/find-out-when-a-photo-was-taken-identify-ferrotype-tintype/

[6] Tintype, City Gallery, http://www.city-gallery.com/learning/types/tintype/

See also: Tintype Identifying Timeline Tables

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History of Photography Methods/Processes, Physical Properties, Photos Made Perfect: Restoring Family History One Photo at a Time, http://www.photosmadeperfect.com/Genealogy_%20Corner/Photo%20Dating%20Page%20Top%20pg/AAPhotoDatingIntro%20Top%20Pg.htm

[7] Men’s Hat’s By Decades, Photos Made Perfect, http://www.photosmadeperfect.com/Genealogy_%20Corner/Photo%20Dating%20Page%20Top%20pg/AAMens%20Fashions%20Page.htm

Men’s Portrait Gallery 1880, Historical Emporium, https://www.historicalemporium.com/1880-victorian-photo-gallery.php

Identifying Old Photos by Clothing: 1860s – 1870s, MyCanvas Blog, Oct 12, 2018, https://mycanvasblog.com/identifying-old-photos-clothing-1860s-1870s/

[8] 1880s in Western fashion, Wikipedia, This page was last edited on 15 March 2023, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1880s_in_Western_fashion

“In the Fall of 1878 in New York, Frank O’Neil was arrested for trying on a brand new pair of Congress Gaiters, then waltzing out of the store at 24 Hudson Street without making payment. The police caught him shortly thereafter, ensuring his place in history.”

Congress Gaiter – Black Faux Leather, Historical Emporium: Authentic Products and Old Fashioned Service, https://www.historicalemporium.com/store/008039.php

“It was known by several names and originated just after 1837 as part of the Balmoral fashion surge.”

19th Century (1800s) Men’s Boots and Shoes, Leavey Foundation for Historic Preservation, Inc, http://www.ushist.com/19th-century_mens_boots_shoes.shtml

Cameron Kippen, Foot Talk, Blog, November 22, 2021 http://foottalk.blogspot.com/2006/01/a-brief-history-of-congress-boots.html

[9] Necktie gallery, 1870s in Western fashion, https://www.wikiwand.com/en/1870s_in_Western_fashion

1870s in Western fashion, Wikipedia, This page was last edited on 22 February 2023, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1870s_in_Western_fashion

[10] Gary Clark, Week’s Photograph – November 26, 2012, PhotoTree Blog: Analysis of Old Photographs, http://www.phototree.com/case_112612.htm

Gary Clark, Case Study – September 9, 2013, PhotoTree Blog: Analysis of Old Photographs, http://www.phototree.com/case_090913.htm

[11] Gary B. Hamlin , photographer lived at 18 Bleecker St, Gloversville, NY, and had his photography studio a few doors down the street at 18 Bleecker Street. Page 115,  Image 59, Gloversville City Directory, NY, 1888, Ancestry.com. U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

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Click for Larger View

Hamlin Photography, Advertisement in the Gloversville NY Directory 1888, Page 45, Image 2, Gloversville City Director, 1888, Ancestry.com. U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Page 45 Image 20 – Hamlin Photographer

[12] Kimberly Powell, Cabinet Card, March 3, 2017, Thought Co., https://www.thoughtco.com/identifying-and-dating-cabinet-card-1422271

Jeremy Rowe, Dating Card Mounted Photographs, Jeremy Rowe Vintage Photography, DBA Arizona Views Vintage Photography, Inc, https://www.vintagephoto.com/reference/dating.html

Colin Harding, 5 Sep 2013, How to Spot a Cabinet Card (1866 – c.1900), Science + Media Museum, https://blog.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk/find-out-when-a-photo-was-taken-identify-a-cabinet-card/

[13] Kimberly Powell, Cabinet Card, March 3, 2017, Thought Co., https://www.thoughtco.com/identifying-and-dating-cabinet-card-1422271

David Cyclebac, Cabinet Card, Judging the Authenticity of Photographs, http://www.cycleback.com/photoguide/mounted.htm

[14] Kevin Bonsor & Ryan Johnson, How Facial Recognition Software Works, How Stuff Works, https://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/high-tech-gadgets/facial-recognition.htm

[15] Actual documentation on Squire Dutcher and Mary Jane Platts’ marriage are not available. However, in a 1900 U.S. Census, it was reported that the couple were married for 17 years. Original data: 1900 United States Federal Census, Gloversville Ward 3, Fulton County, New York, Roll T623 1036; Page 7A, enumeration District 10, Gloversville City  Sheet No 7 Line 26 and 27; Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.Image 13 or 38

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