A Family History Frustration

The little darling in this picture appears not to be too thrilled with having to pose for the camera! Unfortunately, there are no names or dates indicated on the front or back of this photo. I understand that frustration all too well, even when researching my own family history. However, when there are no names to trace, I still love to take in all the small details of old photos: the artifact-rich backdrops and lavish clothing to the name of the photographer and their studio, and, if I’m lucky, the location of the studio. Sometimes the back advertisement for the studio is just as impressive as the photo itself. This one does not disappoint! It is quite intricate and detailed.

Where in the World is L.I.?

Because this portrait did not divulge the name of the child, I scoured the photograph for a different type of mystery. The city name of Greenport did not seem too out of the ordinary; however, I was especially interested in the “state” initials, L.I., indicating the location of the photography studio. Although nothing immediately came to mind for the initials, I did a little investigative work to see what I could dig up. I was a bit surprised to find Long Island was likely what the abbreviation meant. That was not what I was expecting, but it made sense. I tried several Google searches in an attempt to find G.W. Howard or his studio, but to no avail. This photo is a real puzzle all the way around.

Share Your Knowledge

As always, my goal is to help someone find a lost ancestor on the tangled roots of their family tree. This blonde, curly-headed sweetheart desperately needs to find his people and be part of their photographic family history. Also, it would be great to find out additional information about G.W. Howard and his photographic art studio in Long Island. The copyright date on the photo indicates 1889. If you have any insight or know someone that does, send them my way. I would love to know any little nugget of information. In addition, to anyone unfamiliar with the website https://deadfred.com/, you need to check it out. It is a genealogy photo archive with thousands of “lost” photos, a treasure trove of family history goodness!