Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

EYESORE 9001

(29,479 posts)
Sun Oct 26, 2025, 09:27 AM Oct 2025

A recovered photo of my great grandmother


I recovered this photo of my great grandmother from the collection of a deceased relative. I’m always looking for pieces of the puzzle.
21 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
A recovered photo of my great grandmother (Original Post) EYESORE 9001 Oct 2025 OP
I love her dress! ❤️ littlemissmartypants Oct 2025 #1
She does appear to be a 'free spirit' for the time (1940s) EYESORE 9001 Oct 2025 #4
nice smile. AllaN01Bear Oct 2025 #12
So beautiful! Hope22 Oct 2025 #2
reddit has a sub that you can present a damaged image Shellback Squid Oct 2025 #3
I haven't tried it yet EYESORE 9001 Oct 2025 #6
Beautiful. I love historic old photos. Walleye Oct 2025 #5
That's awesome! I love going through old photos. woodsprite Oct 2025 #7
Hint from my sister. Delmette2.0 Oct 2025 #17
I also love old photos. Diamond_Dog Oct 2025 #8
Date is uncertain EYESORE 9001 Oct 2025 #9
Got it! Was this in Ohio or somewhere else, do you know? Just curious. Diamond_Dog Oct 2025 #10
I'm thinking Ohio EYESORE 9001 Oct 2025 #11
Both of my parents and grandparents were from Ohio. llmart Oct 2025 #13
My dad grew up in Cleveland too. He played semi pro baseball, he was a pitcher. Diamond_Dog Oct 2025 #14
I have tintypes, the wedding photos taken of my great grandmother and her first husband in Ireland Warpy Oct 2025 #15
As far as I can tell, all of my forebears immigrated before photography became mainstream EYESORE 9001 Oct 2025 #19
Tintype photography didn't come into widespread enough use Warpy Oct 2025 #20
It isn't tintype EYESORE 9001 Oct 2025 #21
I'd guess late 30's. 3Hotdogs Oct 2025 #16
Lots of 30s autos were still around in the early 40s EYESORE 9001 Oct 2025 #18

EYESORE 9001

(29,479 posts)
4. She does appear to be a 'free spirit' for the time (1940s)
Sun Oct 26, 2025, 09:35 AM
Oct 2025

She operated a mercantile business earlier, where she often wore men’s pants (gasp!) and smoked a corncob pipe (shriek!)

Shellback Squid

(9,896 posts)
3. reddit has a sub that you can present a damaged image
Sun Oct 26, 2025, 09:34 AM
Oct 2025

and they will restore it, I've seen some amazing work

woodsprite

(12,555 posts)
7. That's awesome! I love going through old photos.
Sun Oct 26, 2025, 09:36 AM
Oct 2025

Unfortunately, since my brother passed sway in July, I’m the only one who knows who a lot of those relatives are. I’m trying to document them, and my daughter has taken an interest in identifying people and locations.

Diamond_Dog

(39,952 posts)
8. I also love old photos.
Sun Oct 26, 2025, 09:50 AM
Oct 2025

Your great grandmother has a look of happy confidence about her. Do you know the year it was taken?

EYESORE 9001

(29,479 posts)
9. Date is uncertain
Sun Oct 26, 2025, 09:53 AM
Oct 2025

I’m guesstimating early 1940s - not long after US involvement in World War II began. Note the wheel well of the car on the street.

llmart

(17,377 posts)
13. Both of my parents and grandparents were from Ohio.
Sun Oct 26, 2025, 11:44 AM
Oct 2025

Cleveland to be exact. I have many pictures of them.

Warpy

(114,449 posts)
15. I have tintypes, the wedding photos taken of my great grandmother and her first husband in Ireland
Sun Oct 26, 2025, 01:55 PM
Oct 2025

He was able to hold a smile (most people couldn't) and is sitting in what must have been the height of fashion in the 1860s but which would put our eyes out today, looking like he just won Powerballl. My great grandmother was posed very demurely, she was tiny (born during the Famine and well under 5 feet tall) but you could tell the grinning Mr. Cionnor had caught a tigress and didn't know it yet.

EYESORE 9001

(29,479 posts)
19. As far as I can tell, all of my forebears immigrated before photography became mainstream
Mon Oct 27, 2025, 07:57 AM
Oct 2025

The most recent immigrant (that I know of) came from Germany in the 1820s. If photos of him exist, I am unaware of them.

Warpy

(114,449 posts)
20. Tintype photography didn't come into widespread enough use
Mon Oct 27, 2025, 02:12 PM
Oct 2025

until the 1850s or so, and then it was mostly the middle and upper middle classes who could afford it. Most immigrants paid for the cheapest passage they could find, saving any money and valuables they had to help them start a new life here. They wouldn't have wasted it on photography even if it had been in wider use.

EYESORE 9001

(29,479 posts)
21. It isn't tintype
Mon Oct 27, 2025, 05:18 PM
Oct 2025

It’s sepia tone, which now leads me to believe it’s from the 30s instead of early 40s.

3Hotdogs

(15,108 posts)
16. I'd guess late 30's.
Sun Oct 26, 2025, 06:47 PM
Oct 2025

A car like that would be less likely to be around in the 40's.

In the 40's, when I grew up, I recall cars from the 30's. Never saw an from the 20's.

EYESORE 9001

(29,479 posts)
18. Lots of 30s autos were still around in the early 40s
Mon Oct 27, 2025, 07:52 AM
Oct 2025

As it isn’t California, which they left before the onset of US involvement in WWII.

Latest Discussions»Culture Forums»Ancestry/Genealogy»A recovered photo of my g...