All photos from the
Bradford/Randall family collection. |
A ‘Living’
Link to the
Civil War...
by Dennis Randall
My family tree was
infested by shutterbugs and pack rats. My ancestors took pictures by
the score and saved them by the trunk-full in dusty attics. One
rainy day I was rummaging through a collection of tin-types and
glass plate negatives when I came across the photo pictured below.
 The
man posing for the studio picture is newly enlisted solder (there is
no sign of rank on his uniform). He is clearly no spring chicken and
if I had to guess I would say he was in his late thirties or early
forties.
No name was on the
back of the photo and the individual’s identity and history
appeared to be lost in time. I set the photo aside and forgot about
it until a few days later I cam across a picture of an old man
standing in a field (above right).
Something about him
looked familiar. When I compared the photo of the old man in the
field to the solder I realized they were the same person.
It is rare to find
a single set of photos showing a civil war solder as a
"young" recruit and later the same person as an old man
with clear evidence of his veteran status.
Turning the photo
over I found a very faded and smudged name written in pencil. The
first name was a smear and the last name started with an ‘H’ and
ended with a ‘d’ – the letters in between were almost
impossible to make out. None of the letters extended below the line
and the middle letter had a tall extension.
A close-up view of his medals shows...
...the distinctive shape of the GAR (Grand Army of the
Republic) medal awarded to Union Vets. |
A visit to the Town
Clerk’s office provided the missing clue. Of all the Kingston men
who enlisted during the Civil War only one matched the clues in the
photos. Jarvis Howland.
According to town
records, Mr. Howland enlisted on December 9th 1862 for a term of
three years. He was mustered into Co. A, 3rd Rgt., Lt. Arty. on May
16, 1863. Jarvis was an "old man" of 44 years at the time
of his enlistment. He attained the rank of Corporal before being
discharged with an unnamed disability on May 13, 1864.
I believe the
gentleman pictured in the field was one of Kingston’s last
surviving Civil War veterans.
The photo was most likely taken
sometime between 1920 - 1930.
Faces change and wrinkle over time but
the eyes, ears, and nose all retain their basic shape. Clearly the
‘young’ and ‘old’ faces shown above and to the left in a
side-by-side comparison belong to the same individual.
Photo
History Tip: To preserve family history, every family
photo should be identified as to date, location and the names of the
people pictured in the snapshot. Sure, you know that photo is Uncle
Fred in the funny hat. But someday you won’t be around to answer
questions and how will your children’s children know who’s in
the picture? Store old photos in sealed plastic container in a dry
dark place -- excessive moisture or light will destroy the
photographic emulsion and dyes which hold the image. Never store
photos in a cardboard box. Cardboard absorbs moisture. |
