McDonald County Missouri HISTORY LIVE! event

Say Cheese! The Art of Photography

“SAY CHEESE” – THE ART OF PHOTOGRAPHY

By

Karen Utter Jennings

The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of family photographs is how lucky I am to own wonderful and varied collection. I am thankful for what I have found over the years that I’ve been searching. Many families are not quite as fortunate. Sometimes photographs are lost in a house fire or other disasters. Occasionally people are not interested in old photograph collections they inherited, so they are tossed out with the trash!

I’m surprised to learn that sometimes people keep the pictures thrown in a box and stored in the garage or attic. Year after year, the old photos are susceptible to extreme heat, cold, bugs, rot and dirt. The elements will eventually destroy those photos that are records of history!

Photographs are one of the most valuable genealogical tools we can find. Family pictures contain a vast amount of history and detail of social significance. They offer many clues about ancestors’ lives, which add to the information we obtain through paper records, stories, and certificates.

A family photograph collection is a direct link to family history. The photos and images will provide insight into your ancestors and the life they led.

This photo shows Gladys Opal Utter with her doll. Gladys was born in 1906; this photo was taken when she was 8 years old.  

Did you know that photography has been around for 172 years? It began about 1839 to 1840 when William Henry Fox Talbert announced to the Royal Society of London, England, that he had perfected a paper photographic process.

Did you know that working on old photographs in your collection means that you must play the part of detective? You need to research every clue in the picture and follow the lead to uncover information that is usually hidden in the elements of the picture. You must learn how to search for clues to the answers you want to get from your old photographs.

Do you know what orphaned photographs and heirlooms are? They are photographs and items that got lost from the family of origin. They are belongings that were once very dear to someone. We find orphaned photos and heirlooms in antique stores, flea markets, garage sales, or left in a box in the closet, garage or attic of a home when someone dies or moves. They are in those boxes of “junk” we buy at an auction. Or, in my case, they are precious items that were sold at auction after a particularly nasty grandfather stole my inheritance from me the day of my great-grandmother’s funeral.

The photo above was taken before 1914; it is the log cabin of my great, great--grandparents and my great-grandfather, located in McDonald County, Missouri.

Some of the topics I’m going to write about for future posts are a brief history of photography, the different types of photographs and picture postcards, separating and organizing your photograph collection, dating and identifying clues in photos, and caring for those old photographs. Did you know you can make a photograph timeline with the photos you have and then you can write your family history using the information from those photographs?

Even if you don’t have an interest in genealogy and you don’t own old photographs of kinfolk, you probably do have modern photographs of your family, your children, and your pets. These, photographs need to be cared for just as much as the old ones. And, there are some fun ways to use your modern photos and help take care of them at the same time…through scrapbooking. I’ll be talking more about scrapping and the above topics in future posts.

To document my resources for this photograph series, I will use these some of my genealogy books: UNCOVERING YOUR ANCESTRY THROUGH FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHS by Maureen A. Taylor, TRACING YOUR FAMILY HISTORY by Lise Hull, and THE EVERYTHING GUIDE TO ONLINE GENEALOGY by Kimberly Powell.

I will also use internet resources and my personal copies of FAMILY TREE MAGAZINE. Finally, I will use my own family photograph collection to talk about where I got the photos, how I got them, and what I have learned through researching my collection.

           

My next post will focus on the boom of photography going in to the history of photographs and how the Kodak Company made their own history. I’m glad they did! Through their equipment, I’m collecting a great family history through photographs.

A fun fact: In 400 B.C., the Chinese philosopher Mo-Ti recorded the creation of an inverted image formed by light rays passing through a pinhole into a dark room.

Karen 

Cemetery Family History Research

Writing in the Ozarks.....FAMILY RESEARCH IN CEMETERIES by Karen Utter Jennings

            A favorite thing for family researchers to do is visit cemeteries where their family members are buried. In my early childhood, I grew up visiting cemeteries with my parents and grandparents. But not long after I began my genealogy journey, I discovered a few new cemeteries where many more family members are buried.

Before you go to cemeteries to do research there are some items you should gather. Include a flashlight, paper and pen, a measuring tape, old brushes, rags, a jug of clean water, children’s sidewalk chalk, and a spray bottle with a mixture of ammonia and water. Don’t forget your camera and wear appropriate clothing. Sturdy walking shoes are a must and if it is hot weather, a sunhat might come in handy. I usually throw in my hoe, just in case I meet up with a snake!

When you drive to a cemetery, write down the directions so you can tell others how to get there. Also write down the direction and distance of the graves you find so you can easily find them again. You may want to take note of any large and unique gravestones nearby. Record all the information found on the stones and take note of any symbols that might be used.

If the gravestones are very old, you may not be able to read the inscription easily. Use the sidewalk chalk to rub over the lettering. This will make the letters pop out and can be read better. If lichens are playing havoc on the stones, spray the ammonia on them and wait a few minutes. Usually, after a little bit of time they can be removed by using the brushes to brush them off.

Be sure to take measurements of the gravestones and take lots of pictures. Take note of the sun and make sure the glare does not block any portion of the headstones. You may want to sketch the layout of the graves you find.

            There is an Utter family plot down at the Owsley Union Cemetery, south of Longview and north of Powell on 76 Highway in McDonald County.  That is where my paternal great, great-grandparents, David Jefferson and Christina Utter are buried. I found it easily. It is old, but the caretakers do a great job keeping it neat and clean. I had no idea where the Utter plot was located, so I started on the far left front and walked the rows.  Along the way, I was enthralled with the old and new tombstones.  Ancient and modern are mixed together. 

            While walking the rows, I saw the graves of many people from the Rocky Comfort area.  I took pictures of their stones to put with my collection of Rocky Comfort information.  Eventually, I found the Utter family plot.  There are about 30 graves located there.  David and Christina Utter are located in the middle of the family plot.  Their double stone is about four feet high and on a base.  

            There are many field stones marking graves in one of the rows. I need to speak with Retha Mitchell, the Pineville Librarian, and ask to see the Owsley Union plot index to the cemetery so maybe I can figure out who are buried there.

            Another aspect of cemetery research is learning what the symbols on the gravestones.

We will learn more about symbols in another future column.

            A word of caution: when you go sleuthing in cemeteries, please do not go alone.  It is really best to go with a buddy. Always make sure you have enough gas in your vehicle, carry your cell phone with you, and always tell someone where you are going and when you expect to come back.

Be prepared; weather plays a huge part in cemetery research. Sudden thunderstorms can be dangerous. Be alert to your surroundings and always watch for snakes in the summertime. Keep track of your time and stay with your time constraints. Happy hunting!