Posted By: Dorothy Campbell
Date Posted: May 8, 2009
Description:
I just found the old original photo (JPEG) of this person that has been debateable. This is the one that had Delilah written on the fron of the photo. I don't know any details just what I see here. I only have a JPEG not the actual photo, so can't see the ink on it.
I don't remember where or who it came from either, but do remember it being stated that her name was on the photo.
So just wanted to share the info for what it might be worth.
I was just wondering if possible some one may have written Delilah on it, just thinking it was her.
Date Taken:
Place Taken:
Owner:
Dorothy Campbell - May 9, 2009
Mary.
I just saw in your book, on page 59 that you have this exact same photo that says Delilah on front of it and also one of Emely that has I believe Emily with and i instead of an e like on her headstone, where it is spelled Emely.
Looks like the same person may have written both names. Do you happen to know who might of written the names on the photos?
I see you also refer to her as Dolly, never heard her called that before.
Mary Hubbell - May 11, 2009
Those pictures were sent to me by Mary Johnson - my mother. She might remember where she found them. It does look like the same person wrote those names - but we have no idea who might have done that. None of the copies I have in my computer of the photo has the name written on it. The "Delilah" photo does not appear in the earlier book by Kelley Lewellen. I assume it might have been discovered on an earlier Lewellen myfamily site. If others can share where they found their copy - we might be able to solve that part of the question. I looked at both photos that are on ancestry.com (one I put on) - the other photo appears to be the same one. I couldn't enlarge it but it appears to have the same blemishes in the same location as mine. So I assume those photos have the same origin.
It might help to have someone who 'knows' photography to 'read' the photos. They'd know by the clothing she is wearing and the type of photo - if they were available by the time Delilah died. I looked at it today and my gut feeling is that we are right to question it. Delilah died in 1865 at @age 50. This woman looks younger than that - more like her 30's. That would have made it the 1830s. I doubt this type of photography was available then, but I might be incorrect.
I can't remember who it has been suggested the photo actually is - but the background is similar to the background on the photo of Texas Lewellen's children's portrait.
Later, I'll check the cd with photos on it to see if I have the one with the name on it saved there. I've seen it colorized - but I don't think it was done professionally.
As far as the nickname of Dolly. I've been looking for that source, too. I remember when I came across it, thinking that was interesting. Unfortunately, I couldn't find it. Since it doesn't pop up on a census or Bible record, I suspect I found it in someone's gedcom that was sent to me or downloaded. Since this isn't one of my main lines of research, I mostly gather research materials and then put them together - such as in this book - for others to use to do research.
So, remember that this book is a roadmap for futher research. I combined all of the notes and tidbits that have come to me over the years and I wanted to share them with others so they wouldn't be lost. My goal is to make up a similar book for each of my grandparents' lines. Being adopted, that doubles my research. Not everyone has the opportunity to get to a genealogy library so I include items I've copied over the years. I add some local history so I can get a better feel for the person and so that when I have more time to do research on the line, I know more about where I'm researching.
The reason the book is going back into private sell and selling for cost is because I haven't documented everything nor asked for permission to use some of the photos and/or documents since it is for research only.
Much to my surprise - while looking for answers to the questions about Delilah, I found a few more pages from county histories about the various families that I forgot to add.
I suggest that we put a acid-free post-it on that page with our doubting that the photo is Delilah and other info about it that we've been discussing.
Mary Ann
Melba Boyd - Jun 23, 2009
I am the person that wrote Delilah on this photo, but I was wrong. I have since found info that this picture is Elizabeth Lewellen McDonald, daughter of John and Delilah Lewellen, wife of Elihue McDonald, half siser to Texas & Tennessee.
Dorothy Campbell - Jun 23, 2009
Melba, thanks! I believe that might just solve the mystery.