The picture was placed in an old leather-covered album of photos which was found at Pioneer Antiques in Jamestown, Kentucky (Russell County). (Pioneer Antiques, S Highway 127, Jamestown, KY 42629, 270-343-6250). Counties surrounding Russell are Casey, Pulaski, Wayne, Clinton, Cumberland and Adair. However, the album may have migrated some distance from its origin.
Other pictures are tin, and scans of some of the others follow. I am guessing they may have been taken from the 1890's to 1910.
The only notation on any of the photos is "Grandmother Tharp" on the reverse of the first photo, as shown. There are no other notations of persons' names, dates, or places anywhere in the album.
Some of the pictures state on the front that they were taken by "Smith & Wybrant" at "405 Main St." This location was in Louisville, Kentucky (Jefferson County) and the "Wybrant" was Frank W. Wybrant who was a prolific photographer in Louisville. He was in that business from 1859/1860 when he worked as an ambrotypist for dauguerrian Theodore H. Harris on Main Street between Fourth and Fifth Streets in Louisville to at least 1897. He is known to have travelled around to different counties in the region. So one can presume that the pictures may have been taken in any of the the surrounding counties, not necessarily just in Louisville. Surrounding Kentucky counties include: Meade, Hardin, Bullitt, Nelson, Marion, Spencer, Shelby, Oldham, Henry, Trimble and Carroll. Also, the actual pictures may have been taken by a travelling employee of the company, not necessarily Frank Wybrant himself. I do not know the extent of their business, so their area of travelling coverage may have been farther than the above counties. Further information about him follows the pictures.
One other picture has the name "Webster & Bros. Photographic Gallery. Louisville" on the back.
I do not have possession of the album so I cannot answer any questions directly, but will forward queries. Also, I am NOT a Tharp descendant; they are an allied line connection from the 1785 marriage in Kentucky of Perry Tharp (1757-1845) and Margaret Shuck (1768-1852) so my information is limited to some descendants of that line.
If you recognize any of the photos, please contact Neal
There is also what appears to be a banner page for a J. Landy, a photographer, at 208 Fourth St. Cor. Plum, Cincinnati. Click here to see a scan of this page. This file is large and will take some time to download.
According to Craig's Daguerreian Registry:
Active as a daguerreian in New Albany, Ind., in January and February, 1855, before leaving for (or returning to?) Louisville, Ken. In New Albany he was listed on Main Street, between Bank and Pearl Streets. In early Februaky, he reported he sold the gallery to J.M. Horrell. Harris was listed in Louisville variously from 1855 to 1860. In 1855-1856 he was listed as Harris & Co., at 477 Main Street, between Fourth and Fifth Streets. His ad offered improved ambrotypes--"unlimbered, unfettered, untrammeled, unclogged, unrivaled, unalterable as the laws of Medes and Persians...". His ad noted his gallery included Harris and Hall (N.). In 1859-1860 he was listed as a daguerreian on Main Street between Fourth and Fifth Streets, and he lived on the south side of Madison. He employed F.W. Wybrandt as an ambrotypist. This is probably the T.H. Harris noted in Humphrey's Journal as being active in New Albany (state unnoted) in 1854, and reported selling his gallery in September, 1854. In light of current research, this information is inaccurate. Information corrected to November, 1997; © 1996, 1997 John S. Craig
Another Possible Reference to Frank Wybrant:
According to the The Filson Historical Society (aka Filson Club)
Orphans' Brigade Photo, taken by Frank Wybrant 1897
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