Who Are These Beautiful People in the Photographs

Unknown
Courtesy of Monteral Harrell

My maternal first cousin Monteral Harrell and I was looking through the photograph collection of her deceased father Raymond Harrell, Sr., and saw so many beautiful pictures that tell a story. We have no idea who these well dress people could be. Some of them could be people we are related to and just don't know it. My cousin whom I call Moni and I just looked at the beautiful pictures. 

They took taking a picture seriously. On most of the photographs, you will see people looking very serious. Unlike today, digital technology has taken us to new levels in photography. Making silly faces, taking selfies, and taking multi photographs without worrying about the loss of films and the cost of developing the films is the new way of taking pictures in today's time.  So that takes the edge off taking pictures today.

According to an article in Time Magazine,  November 28, 2016, issue, the first photographs were taken in the late 1820s. Our family had to have some means of money because they took a lot of photographs. Some were taken in the studio and some were taken at different homes.  The bottom line is someone had access to a camera and money to have them develop unless they had their own darkroom for processing the images. I just wish I knew who it was. I found more pictures on my Harrell side of the family then the Richardson and Vining side of the family. I wish I could find more image in every branch of my family tree.

I can take my grandfathers' Jasper's sister Aunt Bertha Harrell for example, she appeared to be a lady that enjoyed fashions and taking photographs.  But the question is; who are these beautiful distinguished people in the photographs?

Unknown
Courtesy of Montreal Harrell

Every family has a keeper of the oral history, family photographs, and some are the keepers of the family heirlooms. Monteral like her father is the keeper of the family photographs. We are hoping that someone who may read this blog can identify someone in the images.  Many families had albums of unknown photographs and don't know what to do with them. Sometimes if you are lucky‒you can find an inscription on the back of the photograph and some may not have inscriptions or labels. 

We can interpret a lot from a photograph when we look at it closely.  The way they dress and the time period of the photograph. How they wore their hair and the location of the photograph! Looking at the images backgrounds. Did they take the photograph in a studio are did they take the photograph at home? Are there people that you recognize? 

One thing for sure, we should never throw away photographs. Especially pictures from the l800s and 20th century. Sometimes those pictures can be one of a kind and the only image there is that can connect us to a previous generation. Who wouldn't be happy to find a picture of an ancestor? I know I would be delighted and overly joyed.

I was browsing around on eBay and found an entire collection of African-American Photo Family Lot Talbot Ga Family Al 20s South Tintype selling for $99.00.  Vintage photographs can be pricey as well.  If you ever stop at a museum or antique shop, you can find that African-American images can be very expensive. 

Genealogist conferences, workshops, and family reunions are excellent places to start educating the family on the importance of keeping the old photo collection. Would you want your photo collection sitting outside in the trash? Have you thought about making plans for the collection? Do you know how to professionally archive your collection safely? 

I was happy to see that Monteral and her dad didn't laminate them. It best to use acid-free sleeves. And by all means please, avoid adhesives and please store your albums in a dry place free of all chemicals.  You do not want to use staples and paper clips that could stain and damages the photographs.  I strongly suggest wearing cloth gloves and avoiding latex gloves when looking at old photos. 

Please make sure you're in a clean area without in liquids or food when looking at the images. Some lights can be very harmful to the images, so do be careful when you are handling old and rare photos. I'm happy that Monteral and her father are two of the keepers of the Harrell family tree.

On the Vining side of the family, our cousin Ann Lee Vining Hurst inherit her mother Hilda" Zemora" Vining collection. Some of the photographs Ann was able to identify the people and others images she had no idea who the people were.

The Alexander Harrell Branches Linked Through A Photograph

Jo'elle and Baylee

We've all heard the someone say, " a picture is worth a thousand words" at one time or another.  My maternal first cousin Monteral Harrell inherit a family photograph collection after her father passed away. She understands the true value of the family photographs collections. It's the Harrell family treasure that holds images of our beautiful family. The collection consist of original black and white photographs and some metal printed photographs.  The tintype dates back to the period during the 1860s and 1870 and persisted into the early 20th century. 

"My daddy made sure I sit down and listen to him talk about the people he recognized in the image. Daddy would be so happy when  he shared the family oral  history through the photographs." He was proud of his family photograph collection," said his daughter.  I had to put them up to keep people from taking them becuase some are missing she said. 

Every genealogist wants to find family photographs while conducting their family research. The images tell stories and give clues. Just recently Monteral was going through her mother's photo albums when she came across a picture of my mother. She posted the images on Facebook and some people started commenting on the images.

Isabel Harrell
Courtesy: Monteral Harrell

A woman named Beverly Stewart Lewis saw the post and recognized my mother. She stated that she and my mother are cousins. I know the majority of my mother's paternal and maternal first cousins, and I didn't recognize Beverly.  I had to ask her to make the family connection for me. She then stated that my grandfather Jasper and Uncle Palmer Harrell use to visit her grandmother Rowena. Well, it turned out that Rowena was their sister. 

Mom often talks about the Stewart family in Arcola, Louisiana.  She recalled during an incident at the funeral of her father Jasper;  there were two ladies sitting on one of the front roll pews that were destinated for the immediate family and the usher asked them to please reserve the seats for the family. "One of the ladies said we are his sisters, that how close we are!"

At this point, the story is getting better. My granddaughter asked me could she have a sleepover with her friend Baylee who is her classmate. Baylee mom called me to confirm that it was alright. In the meantime, Beverly and I are communicating on Facebook and Baylee mother who is also a Stewart are talking by phone. I'm asking both of them questions at the same time. I found out that Beverly is Baylee great aunt and Baylee's grandfather is Beverly's brothers. I was so amazed that I couldn't sleep and I call another cousin and genealogist Karran Royal Harper with the news. Karran was excited to find a new Harrell branch.

My head is spinning with so many questions because I have been trying to make the connection between a woman named Corrine Harrell who is buried at Big Zion Cemetery in the same section of my branch of Harrell. It turned out to be that Corrine Harrell and Rowena were sisters.  I knew that my maternal great-grandfather Alexander had other children. No one ever said how many children he had or if it was males of females.

Beverly Stewart Lewis

I called my mom to asked her some questions about the Stewarts.  She remembers going to school with a young man by the name of Sheldon Stewart who was related to the Stewarts. Later she found out they were related. 

Corinne was born in 1890 in Tangipahoa and her sister Rowena was born in 1892 to Elsie Williams.   Corinne and Rowena were the daughters of Alexander Harrell. Rowena married Lance Brown and they became the parents of; Excel, Miller, Clarice, Ora Lee, Lancine, Marlan, Maceen and, Clara Brown. 

Baylee is the great-granddaughter of Clarice and the 4th great-granddaughter of Alexander. My granddaughter Jo'elle is the 5th great-granddaughter of Alexander. The little girls who thought that they were just good friends found out during the sleepover that they are actually cousins who share 4th and 5th great-grandfather. That connection that brought them together as friends have now brought them together as cousins. They kept looking at each other smiling and giggling like girls do.  The girls are calling each other cousins. They started face timing their other friends to tell them.  Baylee called other family members her age and introduce Jo'elle to them as their cousin. 

Because Monteral posted a photograph of my mother, we have now found a branch of our Harrell family tree. Yes, pictures can tell a story and often times give us a clue. In this case, a picture introduced me to new family members. We all can find ways to share family photographs with others in the family. It's one sure way to make sure the photograph will never be lost.