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IDENTIFIED PHOTOGRAPHS

(MORE OR LESS)

 

WACASTER LINE

 

As I've mentioned on other pages, identification of individuals (family members or not) is as much or more an art than it is a science.  All too often, it can come down to nothing more or less than your best guess.  If your best guess results from as much objective analysis of the photo in question as possible, the odds are that your final guess will correctly identify the person in the photo. 

The photos seen on this and subsequent identified photo pages will range from 100% positive i.d. to probable identification based on reasoning that will be described in the captions.  In all cases, clicking on the image will open a new window that will display a full-screen version of the image and an extended caption.   Simply close the window to return to the previous page.

Since so many of the photos are group shots...or only one or two persons in the photo are pertinent to this website...I've decided to display the photos by time period instead of the individual.

 

BEFORE 1921

Image008TN.JPG (16533 bytes)
IMAGE 008

 

This photo (not a tintype) is especially fascinating because it appears to be a Wacaster family portrait showing a husband, wife and daughter.   Though we've changed our mind serveral times on this one, we now believe that John Thomas Wacaster (b. Feb 5, 1848) sits on the left.  The woman standing in the background is most likely his oldest daughter, Martha B. Wacaster (b. abt 1869).  The seated woman can be none other than wife and mother, Caroline Millaway (b. abt 1845).  Date of the photo would have to be late 1889 or early 1890 because Caroline died in childbirth in April 1890

 

 Image009TN.JPG (17289 bytes)
IMAGE 009


It is believed that this photo shows Alfred Andrew Wacaster (b.June 6, 1867) at about age 17 or 18.  That would date this photo, which is a badly damaged tintype, to about  1884 or 1885.

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IMAGE 003

.This photo (which is another tintype that's seen better days) of Alfred Andrew Wacaster, on the left, appears to have been taken two or three years after Image 009.  If so, that would date this tintype to around 1887 or 1888.  The man sitting on Alfred's left (your right) is obviously related.  It's believed that he's one of Alfred's brothers, most probably Luther P. Wacaster (b.July 1878) which would have made him around 10 years old and Alfred 21.


IMAGE 105


This photo was identified by Ruby Wacaster as being one of Alfred Andrew Wacaster's sisters, though she didn't know which one.   Tony and I believe it to be Saphronia Wacaster (b. May 10, 1877).  The style of dress implies a date of around 1900-1901 and the tip of the chair back matches the ladderback chair seen in photos of that time period taken at J.D. Huffman Art Gallery in Tupelo, Mississippi

 
IMAGE 007


Another tintype, the subject has been determined to most likely be Luther P. Wacaster (see Image 003) about 10 or 12 years later.  This would  date the photo to about 1900.  Luther would have been 22 at that time.

Several things are worth noting.  The shirt collar is buttoned and he appears to be wearing a bow tie.  Also, only the top button of the jacket is buttoned

No vest is visible, the pants are striped (or pinstriped) and the hat appears to be straw.  More than likely, he's a farmer.

Finally, a tattered card/paper frame comntaining the tintype has a stamp on the back identifying the source as J.D. Huffman Art Gallery, Tupelo, Mississippi.
IMAGE 010

This tintype is obviously another shot of Luther P. Wacaster (see 003 and 007).  He's quite a bit older and heavier.   Presumably a little better off financially as well, based on the somewhat better clothing that he's wearing.

We estimate his age in this shot to be about 37, which would date the photo to around 1915.   According to a stamp found on the back, it was also taken at the J.D. Huffman Art Gallery, Tupelo, Mississippi.

Image006TN.JPG (14680 bytes)
IMAGE 006

Working on the assumption that the subjects in this photo are part of the Wacaster family, then the two boys are most likely Leroy Wacaster and Charlie Mitchell Waycaster (note how spelling of the last name would change within a single family group).  Charlie (seated) would be about 13 and Leroy 12.

The woman is most likely Cassie or Ada Wacaster, which would put her age at 30 or 31.  This dates the photo to approximately 1902.

Another tintype mounted in a card frame and carrying a stamp identifying it as being taken at J.D. Huffman & Son Art Gallery, Tupelo, Mississippi.
IMAGE 004

This photo shows Alfred Andrew Wacaster sometime around 1919-1921.  He would have been 52-54 years old.

Original photo was a tintype mounted into a decorative card frame, typical of early 20th Century studio shots.

Look closely and you'll see that Alfred is wearing striped pants and is holding a folded newspaper on his left leg.

Because of the decorative frame and estimated time period, it's very likely that the photo was taken at J.D. Huffman Art Gallery, Tupelo, Mississippi.


IMAGE 004a

Here you see a cropped and enlarged section of Image 004.

Even if we had not already identified this photo as Alfred Andrew Wacaster, this enlargement would leave little doubt.  Note the left ear configuration that is prevalent among Alfred's siblings.  Also, his general build matches known physical descriptions
of Alfred...about 5'8" or 5'9", 190 lbs., stocky but not fat and a mustache to disguise a long upper lip.

 

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