Old Strong Mystery Photos

My Line of Southern Strongs

Old Strong Mystery Photos

Who are these Strongs?

Hiram? Eli? James?

The adjacent image is from a Daguerreotype, an image burned onto silver plated copper. Introduced to the world in 1839 by a Frenchman, Louis Jacques Mande Daguerre, it had become an affordable mass market product by the mid-1840s. By the late 1850s, alternative modes of photography began to gain acceptance and by the Civil War negatives and paper prints became dominant.

This timeline indicates this Daguerreotype was probably created 1845-1860. The subject appears to be a young man dressed and coiffed in the style of the day, although facial hair had become common by 1860. Short hair did not come into vogue until after the Civil War.

Whose image is this? See the continuation link at bottom of this page for a full discussion of the possibilities.

Eli and James or James and Unknown?

This photograph identifies the photographer as Russell of Nevada, Vernon Co., Missouri. The location indicates the photo was probably taken about 1870, at which time Eli would have been about 37 and James would been about 29. On the back of the photo is written "J. R. Strong Richards Mo.," probably by Bertha Strong Young. (Note that Polly Strong and family did not move from Stotesbury to Richards until after J. R.'s death at the end of 1890 and the loss of the farm through foreclosure at the end of 1891, i.e., J. R. never lived in Richards.). Below this identification is a line, the beginning of which is obliterated and which ends with a series of individual letters and numbers ( "C B B 14 X 17"). Below is another line, which begins with "18" or "98," then is obliterated and ends with "man X." Note that a penciled X appears on the photo next to the man on the left.

I believe this is a photo of Eli (left) and J. R. (right), but see the continuation link at the bottom of this page for more discussion.

Eli and Elizabeth K. (Barry) Strong or James R. and Polly Roberson (Legg) Strong?

The photographer of this photograph was U. E. McDaniel of Nevada, Missouri. Thus, it was probably taken in the early 1870's. On the back of the photo, my Aunt Geraldine has identified the couple as Eli and Elizabeth and given the date of their marriage. Aunt Geraldine recalls that she was just trying to clarify what was lightly written in pencil on the back, but no such writing appears. She assumes she was influenced by something Aunt Bertha had written elsewhere. Note Eli and Elizabeth were married in 1860 and so this could not be a wedding photo.

I believe this to be Eli and Elizabeth, but it is not without doubt. See the continuation link at the bottom of this page for more discussion.

Who is the man on the locket from the photo above?

I believe this is Eli's image, but see the continuation link at the bottom of this page for more discussion.

Who are these cousins?

This image is an enlarged cutout from a photograph of a family picnic. The back of the photograph contains the following note: "Harry, a cousin, Ida & Mother on one end. Vernie & Bertha on the other end. Taken at the Park in Nevada, Mo. when we were home on vacation. Taken, developed & mounted by Harry, 1908" Omitted from the cutout are Harry, Ida and Polly on the left and Bertha and Vernie on the right, leaving the cousin and his family. I suspect the note was written by Bertha, who was probably then living in St. Louis.

I believe the cousin is Henry G. Strong and his family, but see the continuation link at the bottom of this page for more information.

Old Strong Mystery Photos (continued)