Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Photographs within Family Photograph


About two years ago genealogist and relative, Chuck Munn of Arizona, sent me a jpg of this photograph.  Who are these people?  Must be family!  But more importantly, there were large family photographs on the walls of the room where it was taken.  I tried zooming in with photo software in an attempt to recognize even one person in the photographs.  Nothing seemed to work!  Surely the people in the photograph belong somewhere in the family.  

Sometimes there is a way around unidentified photographs.  Chuck has been persistent in sharing this with family members and asking the pertinent questions.  Finally it paid off when he received information from a family member in California.  She was able to identify all of the people in the photograph, PLUS the people in the photographs on the wall.  It isn't often that we get two for one in old photographs, but we certainly did this time.

Chuck estimates that the photograph was taken around 1910-1912.  It was taken in what appears to be the parlor of the home of Ellen Josephine Beard and her husband, Perry Marvin Dady, in Nebraska.  The women from the far left are Ellen Josephine Beard Dady (1859-1936); Monna Ruth Dady Fisher (1893-1926) standing on the far left; Lorene Josephine Dady Nelson (1902-1980), the little girl between the men.  Next to what appears to be a piano is Jennie Florilla Dady Runyan (1886-1965) and seated at the piano is Myrtle Grace Dady Brand (1897-1997).  The men at the table are, left to right, Harry Leslie Dady (1895-1990); Guy Dady (1892-1971); Otis Marvin Dady (1888-1994) and Perl Spencer Dady (1885-1940).  Perry Marvin Dady (1859-1942) is seated in the chair on the far right.  

The framed photograph over the piano is of Spencer Dady II (1835-1890) and Adelaide Wible Dady (1840-1904).  They were Perry's parents.  The framed photograph on the left is of William Ennis Beard (1818-1864) and Almyra Parish Amsberry (1829-1888).  They were Ellen's parents.  We cannot identify the photograph directly over Perry Dady.  

Not only is this a family photograph, but it contains another generation of ancestors through the photographs on the wall.  If only walls could talk!  Or old photographs could talk!  

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great subject. You mentioned it was a jpeg that you tried to zoom in on. It may be that you were limited by the resolution setting of the scanner that created the jpeg. Old photographs - often printed from large negatives - are often extremely rich in information which, if the scanner is set at high resolution, you can zoom in on. In my work I am often surprised at what I find in the shadows after a high res. scan. Just an idea!

Curtis said...

This is a great find to help fill in our family history. I am a descendant of either Spencer or Perry. My Dad, (Edmond T. Dady, son of Roy Curtis Dady), was a cousin of Harry Guy Dady. I don't think they were first cousins, but I met the Harry Dady family in the 50's as a young boy in California. I am glad to find this and be able to share it with my kids and siblings.
Thank you so much for your article.

Curtis W. Dady
Mill Creek WA
curtis.dady@gmail.com

Nancy said...

My grandma's grandparents were Perry Marvin Dady and Ellen Josephine Beard Dady. I greatly enjoyed the photograph of all the relatives.

A few years ago I was working on my genealogy and now just getting back into it. This was awesome!
Thanks.

Nancy Curry
CurryFarms@ccr.net

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