Tintype, Unknown Boy with Gilded Jewelry

This tintype was found with a lot of things related to Shumate/Irvine/Ferguson relatives.  The tintype has two gilded pieces of jewelry, a pinky ring and a small pin in the center of his shirt collar.  In my mind the book he's holding is a clue but the meaning has been lost with time.  There's a clasp on the left side of the book and is ornately decorated on the front. It's interesting how he's holding the book, from the top so that the front is prominently displayed.  If it was ever in a case it was removed long ago.

Tintype, Unidentified Man

We have a trunk of old photographs and I found this small tintype at the bottom of the trunk this morning. It's 1.75" h x 1.00" w.  Date and subject unknown.

Original scan (R) and auto-corrected (L) scan:                                                                                

Tintype Unidentified Group of 6 Women

Most of the tintypes we have were found loose without a case.  This one is caseless and has sustained some damage over time.  The image on the left is the original scan.  The one on the left I've tinkered with to remove some of the scratches and discolorations. 

I'm wondering if the seated girl may be blind since she has, what appears to me, to be a walking stick.

Civil War Era Group of Young Ladies

From the Moran Family Collection

This is another picture from the Moran family collection.  It was found among the papers of Virginia Shumate Moran.

We think the center girl dressed in black with black gloves is a widow.

Mary Elizabeth Cummins Adams, 1843-1881

Mary Elizabeth Cummins Adams
Original Tintype

Mary Elizabeth Cummins Adams
Reproduction from tintype

We were chatting with a relative and said hey, do you know anything about this tintype and he promptly says yes, I have a copy of it.  This is Mary Elizabeth Cummins, daughter of Amanda Carson and Stephen Cummins of Kentucky.  She married Cyrannus W. Adams in 1860 in Rockcastle County Kentucky.  She was born July 1843 and died August 6, 1881.  She is my husbands great great grandmother.

Mary Elizabeth
Cummins as
a young girl.

Cyrannus W. Adams
Her husband.

Her obituary appeared in the Interior Journal August 12, 1881.  "The inhabitants of our little village were greatly startled and then filled with the most profound sorrow last Saturday evening by the announcement that Mrs. C.W. Adams, wife of one of our most prominent merchants had been found dead in her bed.  She had been in ill health for a long time, but was feeling better than usual when she retired the night before.  She was a victim of heart disease.  Mrs. Adams was a most estimable lady, greatly esteemed by all that knew her.  She leaves two children, Gaines and Maggie, who, together with the bereaved husband and father, have the sympathy of the community in their affliction."

Stephen G. Cummins

Amanda Carson, Stephen's first wife
and mother of his children.

These are her parents, Amanda Carson and Stephen G. Cummins.  His death notice appeared in the Interior Journal, Nov. 5, 1880.  "Died at his residence, in this county, October 28th, 1880, Stephen G. Cummins, aged nearly 65 years.  Mr. Cummins was one of the very best citizens this county has ever had.  He was born here and his entire life was passed in this county.  More than 35 years ago he became a member of the Presbyterian Church, and he remained a devoted Christian until his death.  His notable traits were uprightness in business affairs, pure morals and a generous disposition.  Two children, Mr. W.C. Cummins and Mrs. C.W. Adams, and his widow (Jane Bodle, his second wife) survive him.  He was a father in Israel, and his loss will be deeply felt.  The entire community sympathize with the bereaved relatives."

Images from Times Past

Amongst all of the boxes of paperwork there are so many images of people that we are unable to identify or that have a name but to us, they still are unknown.  These people meant something to the Moran's because they kept the pictures.  And who knows, some of these unknown people may be unidentified relatives. No matter who they are, I intend to memorialize them in this blog. 

This first image is almost lost to us simply due to age and exposure to light.  There's nothing to indicate who he was but the photo was taken by R.C. Council in Wingo, KY.

This tintype was found just as you see it.  No frame or protective covering.   Just two interesting  ladies of the day.  I particularly like the bow at the back of the neck of the girl on the left.  Given their austere looking clothing that bow says "Look at me, I have a playful side!" 

And this little girl is Miss Aggie Doherty.  Doing a search on Ancestry.com didn't reveal any "Aggie" Doherty's but there were several Agnes Doherty's born in the late 1800's in Tennessee.  Could one of them be her?