Photograph from Monroe County, Alabama

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Monroe, Alabama, United States
Surnames/tags: Free_person of_color former_slave_owners mid_1800s_house

(This is page 2 of "A Moment in Time in Monroe County, Alabama." How to connect them? https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:A_Moment_in_Time_in_Monroe_County%2C_Alabama)

(Could we move image Jacob Franklin Betts house with people to center top and larger ?)

Found this picture on the web, posted by my cousin, Becky Reppert about a mutual cousin, Jacob Franklin Betts. The photos were recorded in a self-published book of Mary E Brantley, our family member. It appears to be a gathering in the yard of the owner. My first task has to be dating the picture. The house was built in 1856. Fortunately the photo came with captions. Photographer unknown. ^[1]

Who is in the photograph? (Each profile may need to be edited as new info is added or changed, Some are done more than others)

Annie B Betts, niece Information about Annie B Betts, niece has not been found that fit the parameters needed.. As a niece, she would be the child of one of Jacob Franklin Betts’s brothers. (Maybe somebody could help here.) One possibility might be Martha Ann Betts the child of Jacob's brother James Marion Betts, who had been a slave owner. It would be natural for sisters to be present in the picture (add references)

David Lee A descendant of David Lee remembers him David George Lee and said that he was a Baptist minister (4 February1805-14 June 1887. I found him on the web but the one in the photo is young. A likely conclusion is that the one in the photo is the son of David George Lee's David Jackson Lee (find ref to Jackson)1846-1888, had been a slave owner. (The older David Lee 1860 census)

Whitson B Green (profile started) Whitson B Green 1796-1884

Florence Betts 1847-1927 Emma Florence Betts the child of brother James Marion Betts James Marion Betts sister of Martha Ann Betts who is possibly the Annie B Betts, the first name in the caption.

Jacob Frankiin Betts Jacob Frankiin Betts Owner of the home with friends, family and black persons, date of image may mean they are free. He had been a slave owner.

Aunt Fanny Betts Aunt Fanny Betts Free person of color or emancipated unknown.

Uncle Ed Betts Uncle Ed Betts Free person of color or emancipated unknown.

Servant Free person of color or emancipated unknown.

(Do I need a new page?)

Dating the image Possibly 1870s We know from published data that the house was built in 1856.

Because of the caption we may know the birth-death date of the occupants, youngest being David Lee, b 1846 shown as an adult and Whitson Green, the oldest as d 1884.

The clothing is post-Civil War lacking hoops and the younger persons appear too young to have been adults during the war. The long, white dresses covering the women could represent the afternoon dress to protect the skin from the sun. Costumes later in the day may have been more elaborate. Shadows are not apparent.

The sleeves ballooning about the elbow and tight to the wrist is a confusing clue. Most of the women's fashions for 1870 that I found had fitted sleeves. The skirts gathered to the back and the hint of a bustle would indicate 1870s. No evidence that the skirts had trains. The hair style being parted in the middle but soft around the face is unknown.

The styles worn by the men are also significant. The length of Jacob's coat, 6th from the left, who was a very prosperous man could be the latest style. The other older man, #4 from the left may have a waist coat covered by a coat. Both men have slim trousers

The younger man in image appears to have a double breasted jacket, with narrow lapels and maybe an ascot with a stickpin on a high collar, or what appears to be a collar may be the ascot. At his waist could be buttons or a belt buckle, His hair is short with an off-center part and his mustache is neatly groomed. There may be a short beard.

Aunt Fanny is neatly dressed, in a long dark colored dress, gathered skirt and fitted sleeves. She wore a large white apron and head scarf and could be appropriately dressed as an inside servant. . (A work in progress) .

The foliage is mature, An assumption could be made that the site would have been lacking foliage close to the house during construction. The foliage shown could have taken several years to have acquired the height and density shown.

(A description of the house, research notes and sources to be added)

Sources

1. ↑ Brantley, Mary E. The Green Book, Self-published before 1982. Thank you, Becky Reppert for providing pictures and text on-line from your copy of your cousin's book.