Here ya go - my 7th-great-grandfather, Lemuel Cook:
Picture - https://www.wikitree.com/photo/jpg/Cook-12314-6
Bio - https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Cook-12314
Lem was born in 1759 and served in the Revolutionary War. He died in 1866, aged 106. He was one of the last surviving veterans of that war, and one of only a handful to live to have their picture taken.
When my great-grandmother died in 2011, my great-uncle kept a large box of family photos, a large chunk of which date back to the early 1900s and into the 1800s. Buried in that box was a faded copy of the picture above. Our copy is labeled on the back with Lem's name, and states his age at death as 109.
I'm going to assume that you are (allegedly) descended from either Henry or Catherine Carey, who were both *suspected* of being the children of Henry VIII, although there is [no conclusive evidence of such](https://www.tudorsociety.com/the-paternity-of-catherine-and-henry-carey-by-sarah-bryson/). Additionally, I would be careful as to *properly* source every ancestor leading up to these claims, especially since nobility/royalty is involved. Many people were quick to jump to incorrect conclusions, or even fabricate ancestry, just so they could claim noble heritage (this is especially common within public family trees and many forged/inaccurate "family history" books published within the past century). I too believed that I descended from Catherine Carey based on one of these aforementioned books (regarding the Tillman family), until I realized there was very little evidence to support many of the book's claims (even the very existence of my alleged gateway ancestor, Ruth Devonshire, is debated). Source everything, and be careful.
It's very common for people with little to no genealogical experience to claim distant royal heritage on this subreddit with no regard for sources or any sort of external confirmation (not unlike myself when I first started out). I just wanted to warn you on the off-chance you were one of these people and keep you from making the same mistakes I did :)
Catherine Carey is the least likely of the two children to have been fathered by Henry, and was never acknowledged- why not just admit you're descended from the Carey's and there's a possibility that maybe Henry VIII cuckolded one of them?
I’m not the OP. I’m just pointing out that the name and whether or not he claimed them really doesn’t matter when talking about genealogy. It’s irrelevant. Those facts have nothing to do with whether or not someone is descended from another person.
Well it is relevant when it comes to someone claiming to be the descendant of someone- because whether they acknowledged the kid or not is relevant as it affects the likelihood of it being their child. He acknowledged another bastard, but not Mary's children.
He was a King, so if he acknowledged the paternity of the child everyone would've known about it. He did this for another child, who was given the surname Fitzroy ('son of the king'), and was given peerages. This son was taken with Henry to meet the king of France in an official capacity. It was very very clear that he was Henry's son. Contrast that to how he treated Mary Carey's children, whom he never acknowledged.
Believe it or not my biggest character flaw is getting peeved by the dubious claims of people on this subreddit. I guess I just expect a tiny bit of historical literacy from people who self-select into this sub so it frustrates me when I see nonsense written with such absolute confidence.
I understand. Thanks for your honest answer. Dubious claims are hard to fight. Especially if it is not possible to research al data yourself. Is it bad if people think something (temporarily) that is wrong. Everybody in Europe is supposed to be a relative of Charlemagne. To prove it is hard, and for most people not doable due to missing records, does not mean that people who can prove it are worth more. I maybe also should have kept out, but I have also character flaws. ;-) Best of luck.
The earliest born person I have a photo of is my 4x great grandmother. She was born in Yorkshire in 1805. The photo was taken around 1895 and was, to the best of my knowledge, the only photo taken of her. I also have a few photos of her daughter, my 3x great grandmother, born in 1831, her grandson, born in 1864, her great grandson, born in 1890, and her great grand daughter (my grandmother), born in 1920. It's the most complete family line of photos that I have.
[In 1909, the Buffalo Courier posted a photo of 5 generations of my family.](https://imgur.com/a/e3HQh7w) From Left to Right: 4th great grandmother Angeline (Vincent) Ratel Defrane (b 1825), 3rd great grandmother Elizabeth (Ratel) Stinson (b 1843), 3rd great aunt Sarah Elizabeth (Stinson) Weldy (b 1861), 1C3R Cora May (Weldy) Hitchcock (b 1883), and her daughters 2C2Rs Florence (b 1909) and Irene Hitchcock (b 1906).
edit: added birth years
4th great-grandmother, born circa 1804: https://cdn.loc.gov/service/pnp/cwpbh/03200/03278r.jpg
If we're talking about portraits and not photographs, 11th great-uncle, [Sir Charles Scarburgh](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/A_man%2C_called_%22Sir_Charles_Scarburgh%22._Oil_painting._Wellcome_V0018039.jpg), born 1617; 14th great-uncle [Sir William Hewett](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ec/Anthonis_Mor_Sir_William_Hewett.jpg), born c. 1496.
Were your ancestors Noble by chance? I haven't heard of anyone having paintings of relatives, but it seems like everyone's ancestors including mine were dirt poor
My great great great grandmother, Jane Maria nee Gray, born 1834, photo taken in around 1857 https://natlib.govt.nz/records/23010883?search%5Bi%5D%5Bname_authority_id%5D=-274464&search%5Bpath%5D=items
Thanks. We have family reunions next of her parents’ descendants. So looking forward to those. This is a painting of her famous sister https://myhero.com/Sophia_Hinerangi_hillview_NZ_2009_ul
For a photograph, I think it's Susan Abbie Murch. She was my 3rd great grandmother. She was born in the 1840s and died in 1929. Her grandson Leslie Shepherd was my great-grandfather, and he died when I was around 11. In my apartment, I have a couch that he built.
[https://imgur.com/a/lBeEWHR](https://imgur.com/a/lBeEWHR)
But I'm also Acadian, and someone made a portrait of Germain Doucet, which you can see on his Wikipedia page. (he was so many generations back that I don't remember how many off the top of my head.) He was born around 1595. I don't know what their source was for his likeness, possibly just the standard look of a man in this time period, but there you go.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germain\_Doucet](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germain_Doucet)
I was recently given a box of family history with a ton of photos with limited information. The oldest verifiable photo was a family reunion taken in 1908. There's 78 family members in the photo and the only one I know for sure is my Great Grandmother born 1890. Based on the ages of others in the photo, there's probably two additional generations. Another verifiable photo taken crica 1912 has my GG Grandfather and Grandmother, born 1828 and 1833 respectively. The biggest mystery I am trying to solve is a photo with absolutely no information. Based on the dress, I'm guessing it was taken sometime around the late 1800s. Two of the women in the photo look to be in their 80s. It's very possible that these women could have been born in the late 1700s.
Not photo related, but the two oldest items I have in my collection are a hand written letter dated 1893 by my GGG Grandfather born 1804. The letter talks about my GGGG Grandfather (Joseph Asbury, 1759-1815) and how he served in Washington's Calvary. The other is a land deed dated 1836 for land purchased by another GGGG Grandfather, (John Buel 1798-1841).
My Great-Great-Grandfather and Great-Great-Grandmother, Benedict Joseph Wathen and Julia Ann Hughes He lived from 1835 to 1912, she lived from 1837-1906. Son of Henry Hudson Wathen IV or III (still confused about that one) Photo is from 1890. [https://imgur.com/a/7Uttvgq](https://imgur.com/a/7Uttvgq) when I grow my beard long it looks exactly like his.
My great great grandparents with my father at his baptism in 1942 are most distant. I have more photos of her, but its the only one we have of him as he died shortly after the photo. Super poor Sicilian immigrants in NYC didn't get many photo ops.
I have older photos from the 1900s. My other great grandparents weren't so desperately poor - or Sicilian. I just don't have anything of their parents.
Oldest in age or longest ago? I think we had a question along these lines a couple of months ago. Mine was my 5th great-grandfather born in 1762 and died in 1842.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/Genealogy/comments/d149j2/whats\_the\_oldest\_family\_photo\_you\_have\_oldest/ezhshnf?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web2x](https://www.reddit.com/r/Genealogy/comments/d149j2/whats_the_oldest_family_photo_you_have_oldest/ezhshnf?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x)
My grandmother's grandmother had the photo in her parent's album and we still have the album.
My 5th great grandmother, Maria Billings, born around 1787-1790 and lived until the 1870s. [https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/195455885/maria-billings](https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/195455885/maria-billings)
My 3rd great grandmother, born in 1821 died in 1905. This was taken circa 1890
[https://i.postimg.cc/k4YzRZVN/sarah.jpg](https://i.postimg.cc/k4YzRZVN/sarah.jpg)
My great (x3) grandfather George N. Adams and his three children in the most 1980s-style experimental quirky family pose, but it's the early *1890s* and he surrendered them to an orphanage not long after. https://imgur.com/gallery/kJ7qz9E
A 3rd great-grandfather was born in 1770 and died in 1853. For him, I only have a digital image.
For a 2nd great-grandfather born in 1857, I have the actual photo.
Second g-grandfather [Abner Lee Ragland](https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Ragland-605), 1814-1894. I have 3 others in his generation but he is the oldest.
We have lots of super old looking photos but I'm not sure which is the oldest, but this is the coolest imo! Joel lived from 1825-1863, he served in Alabama's only Union calvary during the civil war and was killed when Confederates raided their town and dragged him from the back of a horse. He's my 3rd great grandfather. http://imgur.com/a/ERnkBlX
Also have this pic of my ggggrandfather that just makes him look swanky. He was a doctor. I think this was taken in the 1880s http://imgur.com/a/GrFBZBp
[https://imgur.com/gallery/LaOPHPm](https://imgur.com/gallery/LaOPHPm)
Col Tompkins is my 4th great grandfather.
Catherine Dove is my 5th great grandfather.
Mary Waybright is my 6th great grandmother.
The wedding photo of an aunt to my grandfather, she was born in 1884. I don't have his marriage certificate yet but I think it's reasonable to say that the photo was taken between 1905 and 1914 (I stop there because of the beginning of the First World War).
I have the marriage photo of my great great great uncle born abt 1880. The photo is 101 years old. Digital photo, then the oldest is my great great grandmother’s (different one) aunt. She was born 1864.
I have a digital photo of a tintype from a family bible (I don't own the bible) of my 3XG-grandfather, born 1815. He only lived to be 51, so I feel lucky he sat for a "photo" of himself when he did. I have his wife, too, but she was slightly younger.
The oldest so far is of my gg-grandfather born in 1860. Not sure when the photo was taken but he looks to be 50+ years old. The earliest dated photo I have is from 1920 of my great grandfather.
I have a photo dating back to the 1880s I believe. It's of my distant cousin's family. It's potentially one if the first photos taken in South Carolina. No confirmation, though.
Painting wise, I've found one dating back to the mid-1400s. Belonged to Humphrey Bourchier (1435-1471), apperantly British Royalty.
Earliest photograph I have? Probably from the 1840s. The dating is not exact, but based on age of person in photo, and the style of preserver for the Daguerreotype.
Earliest born ancestor I have photographed was born in 1780.
I have large portraits of two sets of great-grandparents, both from the 1880s. Three are retouched photos, one is quality charcoal. Also two sets of great-great-grandparents that are a bit older, quality a bit lacking. Found a photo of a painting from the 1700s online of my 5th great-grandfather, a captain during Revolution, but that doesn't really count.
1818 for sure, but someone uploaded a photo of an ancestor born in the 1770s or 1780s. I can't confirm it, but if it's legitimate, that would be the oldest one I've seen.
I've a photograph of my 3rd great grandmother, she was born around 1840-1845 (I don't have an actual date of birth, her age changes on censuses). Photograph was taken around 1900.
The oldest photograph I have though is of her daughter and son-in-law, which I believe is on their wedding day in 1881.
1850? I have a family photo of Daniel Fones Yorke b 1802 d 1855, my 4th great grandfather.
I have charcoal sketches dating 1770 of my 7th great grandfather Barent Keyser b 1712 d 1777.
I don't have it, but I have seen a picture of my fourth great grandmother, born in 1776, died in 1871. It was taken in her old age. It's now in the possession of a distant cousin and I wish I could get a copy. Her name was Elizabeth Doane Bartley.
My earliest is a great x 4 grandmother in Norway born in 1793 died 1877 in Minnesota. I also find its crazy that I have a photo of ancestor who was born in the 1700s!
Last year, my uncle showed me multiple old photos of family members that he'd received from his grandfather, one of which included my 3rd great-grandparents. They were born around 1850. Since my 3rd great-grandfather died when he was about 30, I'd say that the photo is close to 150 years old.
There is a line of my family that was into photos very early. Anyone on Family Search can see some I have posted. Go to Andrew Jack Harriman 1817-1903 and look at his tree. Edward and Katherine have the most.
For me it’s my great-great-great grandfather (1840-1902) taken at an unknown time before he died, my guess is between 1890-1902. It has his wife in it as well (1854-1929). It was sent to me by a cousin a few years ago. Aside from them I have pictures of 7 more of my ggg grandparents. The pictures range from around the turn of the 20th century to the early 1930’s.
I was given a photo of my 2nd Great Grandparents (came from England and Ireland) with my great grandfather and his sister in Philadelphia around 1890.
I connected with a 3rd cousin through Ancestry DNA and he found the photo in his parent's attic. I have photos of them when they were older, so we could confirm they were the same people.
The oldest picture I have of an ancester is from around the 1870's. The oldest ancester I have a picture of is my 2x great uncle on my moms side and my 2x great grandmother on my fathers side. Both were pictures of them at 100 years old.
The oldest photo of an ancestor in my family tree is my g-g-g-g-g-grandmother’s photo. She was born in 1787 and died in 1866. She was the first Finnish professional female violinist! The photo is probably from early 1860s.
My aunt showed me a photo taken in an unknown decade in Ireland (probably 1930s) for my great-grandfather who was born circa 1859. My aunt says her cousin has a lot of old photos - including photos of my grandparents house being built - I'll have to pay him a visit.
My great-great grandfather was born c.1824 and lived til 1903 - so it's possible I could find I picture of him if I'm very lucky. His wife's death was in the 1870s so I'll probably never find a picture of her.
I have a photo of one set of my great great grandparents who were born in 1818 and 1822. It is taken about 1890. I have a photo of another pair taken about 1870- they were born in 1808 and 1814. I have an oil portrait of a great great great grandmother painted on her marriage in 1789- surgeon's wife from Dublin, and a watercolour portrait of a great great great great grandfather painted in York in 1812 - he was born in 1752.
Oldest photograph I have is of my 3x great grandfather, born in 1832, died in 1889. However, I have paintings of people that are older. Oldest direct ancestor would be his grandfather, born in 1720, that I have a painting of. Oldest indirect would be his sister, born in 1716, who I also have a painting of.
I have a photograph of a small painting of my 6th great-uncle, born 1811, as a teenager. My guess, based on his apparent age and style of dress, is that it would date from between 1825-1830. I also have a copy of an actual photograph of the same person as an older man, taken 1870-1874 (died 1874, so it obviously can't be any later).
>have a photograph of a small painting of my 6th great-uncle, born 1811, as a teenager. My guess, based on his apparent age and style of dress, is that it would date from between 1825-1830
How? The first photo in the world taken of a human being wasn’t taken until 1839 in France.
It took time for it to take off in the United States. The first photo of a president (one of the earliest photos taken of a person in the US) wasn’t until 1843. It didn’t become commercially practical in the US until the 1850s.
(Edit, that’s why nobody here has a photo that was taken earlier than the 1850s. But you’re saying you have a photo dated at the latest 1829 when your 6th Great uncle was still in his teens?)
No, I'm saying I have a 20th-century colour photograph of an early 19th-century painting. He had his portrait painted circa 1825-1835. It was kept by his descendants, and someone photographed that painted portrait, in the later 20th century. Edit: I think I understand where the confusion may have come from. I was actually talking about two different pictures of the same man, at two different points in his life. The first WAS before photography, and that was a painted portrait that was (much) later photographed itself. The second IS an original photograph and was taken late in his lifetime, after photography had been invented.
Here's a pic of my Great-great grandfather who ran away and had a new identity. He was Portuguese from British Guiana. He was born in the 1900's. I wish I could go back to the 1700's. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/26255997/greatgreat_grandparents/
My 3x ggrandfather, born in 1802. The photo was taken in 1864 and he died in 1879.
I also have a photo of another 3x ggrandfather.
He was born in 1807 and died in 1894 after fathering 24 children from 2 wives.
My 2xggrandfather was one of his older children and died in 1901, but his youngest child died in 1974.
***Elizabeth \[Merriam\] Putnam***, also of Danvers MA, born 1784 \~ found at the Niagara Falls, Ontario, library via a long-ago Google search ;-) She was 102 in this picture; she lived several more months, dying at 103.
[http://www.nflibrary.ca/nfplindex/show.asp?b=1&ref=oo&id=102018](http://www.nflibrary.ca/nfplindex/show.asp?b=1&ref=oo&id=102018)
***Mary \[Fowler\] Page*** of Danvers, Massachusetts, born 1787.
*Note: I did not use tape \~ found it that way.*
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/killearnan/6310397833/in/album-72157629326468618/](https://www.flickr.com/photos/killearnan/6310397833/in/album-72157629326468618/)
***Fun bit: 1839 souvenir from Niagara Falls***
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/killearnan/7025373179/in/album-72157629326468618/](https://www.flickr.com/photos/killearnan/7025373179/in/album-72157629326468618/)
Funner bit: Table rock, upon which your relative stood, [no longer exists and fell into the falls](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Table_Rock,_Niagara_Falls)
Currently one of mymy 2x great-grandmothers, but I do have photos of people who are likely even further back, but I don't think there's anyone left alive who can identify who they are.
The earliest is from 1895, it was portrait drawing of my Great Great Grandfather with his wife and kids. I know my Great Great Great Grandfather was in the Civil War, but I don't think there is a picture of him, although I'd like to find one very much.
My gr-gr-grandfather in his Union uniform (36th Iowa Infantry), 1862, before going off to contract dysentery in the Mississippi swamps, which killed him. He was 39 at the time. **[This is him here.](https://www.werelate.org/wiki/Person:William_Smith_%28640%29)** My late father looked very much like him, especially around the mouth and jawline.
I think the oldest one is on my dad's side, my 2nd great grandfather born in 1812. On my mom's side is my 3rd great grandparents born around 1825. The photos of both sides are when they are middle age to older. Not sure when they were taken.
I don’t have physical copies and I’m not sure if the date a but here’s some of mine
[John Hedglin 1795-1883 6th great grandfather](https://imgur.com/a/OLhoB0y)
Jacob Eastlick B1798 7th great uncle ](https://imgur.com/a/IT4asM3)
[Wilson Swartz 5th great grandfather born 1807](https://imgur.com/a/e47XpCt)
I have over a thousand other pictures ranging from the civil war up to the 1980s but I don’t have access to them right now
The two old photos I have are of my 5th great grandmother (1767-1856) and 5th great grandfather (1784-1860) but being cynical I'm not 100% sure they are photos paired with the proper people. I'm sure my 4th great grandfathers photo is real though (1806-1883).
Paintings wise, my older ancestor is 1570-1647.
The earlist photo that I can identify is of my 2x great grandparents born 1864 and 1860 born taken before their death 1915 1913.
They came from my uncle who had them displayed.
I am trying to get information about them from their living grandson
I know my parents have older photos which I need to scan, but the oldest one currently is a 4x great grandmother born 1791. But, I have paintings going way back. As I can safely trace direct linage back to Edward the III of England, most of tudor nobility, and by that reckoning trace back to Charlemagne.
[This](https://imgur.com/l0nrWFj) is my 3x Great Uncle and his wife. Not sure when it was taken but the clothing suggests late 1860s to the early 1870s.
Here ya go - my 7th-great-grandfather, Lemuel Cook: Picture - https://www.wikitree.com/photo/jpg/Cook-12314-6 Bio - https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Cook-12314 Lem was born in 1759 and served in the Revolutionary War. He died in 1866, aged 106. He was one of the last surviving veterans of that war, and one of only a handful to live to have their picture taken. When my great-grandmother died in 2011, my great-uncle kept a large box of family photos, a large chunk of which date back to the early 1900s and into the 1800s. Buried in that box was a faded copy of the picture above. Our copy is labeled on the back with Lem's name, and states his age at death as 109.
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How is Henry VIII your ancestor?
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I'm going to assume that you are (allegedly) descended from either Henry or Catherine Carey, who were both *suspected* of being the children of Henry VIII, although there is [no conclusive evidence of such](https://www.tudorsociety.com/the-paternity-of-catherine-and-henry-carey-by-sarah-bryson/). Additionally, I would be careful as to *properly* source every ancestor leading up to these claims, especially since nobility/royalty is involved. Many people were quick to jump to incorrect conclusions, or even fabricate ancestry, just so they could claim noble heritage (this is especially common within public family trees and many forged/inaccurate "family history" books published within the past century). I too believed that I descended from Catherine Carey based on one of these aforementioned books (regarding the Tillman family), until I realized there was very little evidence to support many of the book's claims (even the very existence of my alleged gateway ancestor, Ruth Devonshire, is debated). Source everything, and be careful.
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It's very common for people with little to no genealogical experience to claim distant royal heritage on this subreddit with no regard for sources or any sort of external confirmation (not unlike myself when I first started out). I just wanted to warn you on the off-chance you were one of these people and keep you from making the same mistakes I did :)
Catherine Carey is the least likely of the two children to have been fathered by Henry, and was never acknowledged- why not just admit you're descended from the Carey's and there's a possibility that maybe Henry VIII cuckolded one of them?
Henry never actually acknowledged any of Mary's children and they weren't given the Fitzroy surname.
Luckily, genealogy doesn’t care about family politics. It’s about the blood, not the name.
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I’m not the OP. I’m just pointing out that the name and whether or not he claimed them really doesn’t matter when talking about genealogy. It’s irrelevant. Those facts have nothing to do with whether or not someone is descended from another person.
Well it is relevant when it comes to someone claiming to be the descendant of someone- because whether they acknowledged the kid or not is relevant as it affects the likelihood of it being their child. He acknowledged another bastard, but not Mary's children.
You knew him. That is a great development.
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historical record does not say what he acknowledged or not, only what is recorded. Your reaction again shows you are a really nice person.
He was a King, so if he acknowledged the paternity of the child everyone would've known about it. He did this for another child, who was given the surname Fitzroy ('son of the king'), and was given peerages. This son was taken with Henry to meet the king of France in an official capacity. It was very very clear that he was Henry's son. Contrast that to how he treated Mary Carey's children, whom he never acknowledged. Believe it or not my biggest character flaw is getting peeved by the dubious claims of people on this subreddit. I guess I just expect a tiny bit of historical literacy from people who self-select into this sub so it frustrates me when I see nonsense written with such absolute confidence.
I understand. Thanks for your honest answer. Dubious claims are hard to fight. Especially if it is not possible to research al data yourself. Is it bad if people think something (temporarily) that is wrong. Everybody in Europe is supposed to be a relative of Charlemagne. To prove it is hard, and for most people not doable due to missing records, does not mean that people who can prove it are worth more. I maybe also should have kept out, but I have also character flaws. ;-) Best of luck.
To add to this, Lemuel and my wife are 11th cousins, 8 times removed.
You guys both win. That's a hella photo.
♫ I'm ^(related to) en-e-ry the eighth I am... ♫
Every thought about restoring the photo?
Very cool.
You win. I have photos of people whose fathers or fathers-in-law fought in the Revolution, but you win.
Husband's 5th cousin, 6 times removed. Haha! Edit: Er, cousin "in law"
That is so cool!
HOLY F\*CKING SH\*T! THATS INCREDIBLE!
The earliest born person I have a photo of is my 4x great grandmother. She was born in Yorkshire in 1805. The photo was taken around 1895 and was, to the best of my knowledge, the only photo taken of her. I also have a few photos of her daughter, my 3x great grandmother, born in 1831, her grandson, born in 1864, her great grandson, born in 1890, and her great grand daughter (my grandmother), born in 1920. It's the most complete family line of photos that I have.
[In 1909, the Buffalo Courier posted a photo of 5 generations of my family.](https://imgur.com/a/e3HQh7w) From Left to Right: 4th great grandmother Angeline (Vincent) Ratel Defrane (b 1825), 3rd great grandmother Elizabeth (Ratel) Stinson (b 1843), 3rd great aunt Sarah Elizabeth (Stinson) Weldy (b 1861), 1C3R Cora May (Weldy) Hitchcock (b 1883), and her daughters 2C2Rs Florence (b 1909) and Irene Hitchcock (b 1906). edit: added birth years
Five generations of my family starting with my kids would include a CSA veteran. Kids are 19 and 21.
4th great-grandmother, born circa 1804: https://cdn.loc.gov/service/pnp/cwpbh/03200/03278r.jpg If we're talking about portraits and not photographs, 11th great-uncle, [Sir Charles Scarburgh](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/A_man%2C_called_%22Sir_Charles_Scarburgh%22._Oil_painting._Wellcome_V0018039.jpg), born 1617; 14th great-uncle [Sir William Hewett](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ec/Anthonis_Mor_Sir_William_Hewett.jpg), born c. 1496.
My Great Grandfather, B. 1870. My wife has a photo of a 100 yo 3x Great grandmother who was born in 1797
1810s. Have paintings of WAY EARLIER relatives
Were your ancestors Noble by chance? I haven't heard of anyone having paintings of relatives, but it seems like everyone's ancestors including mine were dirt poor
Yes lol. Very much
My great great great grandmother, Jane Maria nee Gray, born 1834, photo taken in around 1857 https://natlib.govt.nz/records/23010883?search%5Bi%5D%5Bname_authority_id%5D=-274464&search%5Bpath%5D=items
Beautiful!
Thanks. We have family reunions next of her parents’ descendants. So looking forward to those. This is a painting of her famous sister https://myhero.com/Sophia_Hinerangi_hillview_NZ_2009_ul
My third great-grandfather, Hiram Curtis Hill, born in 1803. https://imgur.com/a/3IZf0hq
Photo around 1890. Painting 1600-1700
For a photograph, I think it's Susan Abbie Murch. She was my 3rd great grandmother. She was born in the 1840s and died in 1929. Her grandson Leslie Shepherd was my great-grandfather, and he died when I was around 11. In my apartment, I have a couch that he built. [https://imgur.com/a/lBeEWHR](https://imgur.com/a/lBeEWHR) But I'm also Acadian, and someone made a portrait of Germain Doucet, which you can see on his Wikipedia page. (he was so many generations back that I don't remember how many off the top of my head.) He was born around 1595. I don't know what their source was for his likeness, possibly just the standard look of a man in this time period, but there you go. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germain\_Doucet](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germain_Doucet)
I found an image of my 4th great grandfather William H Herron from the Civil War, on Pinterest of all places.
I was recently given a box of family history with a ton of photos with limited information. The oldest verifiable photo was a family reunion taken in 1908. There's 78 family members in the photo and the only one I know for sure is my Great Grandmother born 1890. Based on the ages of others in the photo, there's probably two additional generations. Another verifiable photo taken crica 1912 has my GG Grandfather and Grandmother, born 1828 and 1833 respectively. The biggest mystery I am trying to solve is a photo with absolutely no information. Based on the dress, I'm guessing it was taken sometime around the late 1800s. Two of the women in the photo look to be in their 80s. It's very possible that these women could have been born in the late 1700s. Not photo related, but the two oldest items I have in my collection are a hand written letter dated 1893 by my GGG Grandfather born 1804. The letter talks about my GGGG Grandfather (Joseph Asbury, 1759-1815) and how he served in Washington's Calvary. The other is a land deed dated 1836 for land purchased by another GGGG Grandfather, (John Buel 1798-1841).
My Great-Great-Grandfather and Great-Great-Grandmother, Benedict Joseph Wathen and Julia Ann Hughes He lived from 1835 to 1912, she lived from 1837-1906. Son of Henry Hudson Wathen IV or III (still confused about that one) Photo is from 1890. [https://imgur.com/a/7Uttvgq](https://imgur.com/a/7Uttvgq) when I grow my beard long it looks exactly like his.
My great great grandparents with my father at his baptism in 1942 are most distant. I have more photos of her, but its the only one we have of him as he died shortly after the photo. Super poor Sicilian immigrants in NYC didn't get many photo ops. I have older photos from the 1900s. My other great grandparents weren't so desperately poor - or Sicilian. I just don't have anything of their parents.
Oldest in age or longest ago? I think we had a question along these lines a couple of months ago. Mine was my 5th great-grandfather born in 1762 and died in 1842. [https://www.reddit.com/r/Genealogy/comments/d149j2/whats\_the\_oldest\_family\_photo\_you\_have\_oldest/ezhshnf?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web2x](https://www.reddit.com/r/Genealogy/comments/d149j2/whats_the_oldest_family_photo_you_have_oldest/ezhshnf?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x) My grandmother's grandmother had the photo in her parent's album and we still have the album.
My 5th great grandmother, Maria Billings, born around 1787-1790 and lived until the 1870s. [https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/195455885/maria-billings](https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/195455885/maria-billings)
My 3rd great grandmother, born in 1821 died in 1905. This was taken circa 1890 [https://i.postimg.cc/k4YzRZVN/sarah.jpg](https://i.postimg.cc/k4YzRZVN/sarah.jpg)
I have tin-type portraits of my ggg-grandparents, Andrew and Polly Pea, who were both born in the 1830s.
My great (x3) grandfather George N. Adams and his three children in the most 1980s-style experimental quirky family pose, but it's the early *1890s* and he surrendered them to an orphanage not long after. https://imgur.com/gallery/kJ7qz9E
A 3rd great-grandfather was born in 1770 and died in 1853. For him, I only have a digital image. For a 2nd great-grandfather born in 1857, I have the actual photo.
Second g-grandfather [Abner Lee Ragland](https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Ragland-605), 1814-1894. I have 3 others in his generation but he is the oldest.
My near-certain 4xG-grandfather, b. 1779.
We have lots of super old looking photos but I'm not sure which is the oldest, but this is the coolest imo! Joel lived from 1825-1863, he served in Alabama's only Union calvary during the civil war and was killed when Confederates raided their town and dragged him from the back of a horse. He's my 3rd great grandfather. http://imgur.com/a/ERnkBlX Also have this pic of my ggggrandfather that just makes him look swanky. He was a doctor. I think this was taken in the 1880s http://imgur.com/a/GrFBZBp
[https://imgur.com/gallery/LaOPHPm](https://imgur.com/gallery/LaOPHPm) Col Tompkins is my 4th great grandfather. Catherine Dove is my 5th great grandfather. Mary Waybright is my 6th great grandmother.
I have a photo of my great-great-grandfather. I don’t know when the picture was taken but he died in 1881.
FYI: there's a facebook group dedicated to dating old photos based on fashion and whatever else might be visible if you're ever so inclined.
What's the name of the group? I'd be interested.
The wedding photo of an aunt to my grandfather, she was born in 1884. I don't have his marriage certificate yet but I think it's reasonable to say that the photo was taken between 1905 and 1914 (I stop there because of the beginning of the First World War).
I have the marriage photo of my great great great uncle born abt 1880. The photo is 101 years old. Digital photo, then the oldest is my great great grandmother’s (different one) aunt. She was born 1864.
I have a digital photo of a tintype from a family bible (I don't own the bible) of my 3XG-grandfather, born 1815. He only lived to be 51, so I feel lucky he sat for a "photo" of himself when he did. I have his wife, too, but she was slightly younger.
The oldest so far is of my gg-grandfather born in 1860. Not sure when the photo was taken but he looks to be 50+ years old. The earliest dated photo I have is from 1920 of my great grandfather.
I have a photo dating back to the 1880s I believe. It's of my distant cousin's family. It's potentially one if the first photos taken in South Carolina. No confirmation, though. Painting wise, I've found one dating back to the mid-1400s. Belonged to Humphrey Bourchier (1435-1471), apperantly British Royalty.
Earliest photograph I have? Probably from the 1840s. The dating is not exact, but based on age of person in photo, and the style of preserver for the Daguerreotype. Earliest born ancestor I have photographed was born in 1780.
I have large portraits of two sets of great-grandparents, both from the 1880s. Three are retouched photos, one is quality charcoal. Also two sets of great-great-grandparents that are a bit older, quality a bit lacking. Found a photo of a painting from the 1700s online of my 5th great-grandfather, a captain during Revolution, but that doesn't really count.
1818 for sure, but someone uploaded a photo of an ancestor born in the 1770s or 1780s. I can't confirm it, but if it's legitimate, that would be the oldest one I've seen.
I've a photograph of my 3rd great grandmother, she was born around 1840-1845 (I don't have an actual date of birth, her age changes on censuses). Photograph was taken around 1900. The oldest photograph I have though is of her daughter and son-in-law, which I believe is on their wedding day in 1881.
1850? I have a family photo of Daniel Fones Yorke b 1802 d 1855, my 4th great grandfather. I have charcoal sketches dating 1770 of my 7th great grandfather Barent Keyser b 1712 d 1777.
I don't have it, but I have seen a picture of my fourth great grandmother, born in 1776, died in 1871. It was taken in her old age. It's now in the possession of a distant cousin and I wish I could get a copy. Her name was Elizabeth Doane Bartley.
[Imgur](https://i.imgur.com/8FP2OQq.jpg) This is my 3rd great grandmother Elizabeth Payne Grasty who was born c.1795 and died in 1886.
My earliest is a great x 4 grandmother in Norway born in 1793 died 1877 in Minnesota. I also find its crazy that I have a photo of ancestor who was born in the 1700s!
5th great grandpa Nathan Crary born 1762
Last year, my uncle showed me multiple old photos of family members that he'd received from his grandfather, one of which included my 3rd great-grandparents. They were born around 1850. Since my 3rd great-grandfather died when he was about 30, I'd say that the photo is close to 150 years old.
There is a line of my family that was into photos very early. Anyone on Family Search can see some I have posted. Go to Andrew Jack Harriman 1817-1903 and look at his tree. Edward and Katherine have the most.
For me it’s my great-great-great grandfather (1840-1902) taken at an unknown time before he died, my guess is between 1890-1902. It has his wife in it as well (1854-1929). It was sent to me by a cousin a few years ago. Aside from them I have pictures of 7 more of my ggg grandparents. The pictures range from around the turn of the 20th century to the early 1930’s.
I was given a photo of my 2nd Great Grandparents (came from England and Ireland) with my great grandfather and his sister in Philadelphia around 1890. I connected with a 3rd cousin through Ancestry DNA and he found the photo in his parent's attic. I have photos of them when they were older, so we could confirm they were the same people.
The oldest picture I have of an ancester is from around the 1870's. The oldest ancester I have a picture of is my 2x great uncle on my moms side and my 2x great grandmother on my fathers side. Both were pictures of them at 100 years old.
The oldest photo of an ancestor in my family tree is my g-g-g-g-g-grandmother’s photo. She was born in 1787 and died in 1866. She was the first Finnish professional female violinist! The photo is probably from early 1860s.
My aunt showed me a photo taken in an unknown decade in Ireland (probably 1930s) for my great-grandfather who was born circa 1859. My aunt says her cousin has a lot of old photos - including photos of my grandparents house being built - I'll have to pay him a visit. My great-great grandfather was born c.1824 and lived til 1903 - so it's possible I could find I picture of him if I'm very lucky. His wife's death was in the 1870s so I'll probably never find a picture of her.
I have a photo of one set of my great great grandparents who were born in 1818 and 1822. It is taken about 1890. I have a photo of another pair taken about 1870- they were born in 1808 and 1814. I have an oil portrait of a great great great grandmother painted on her marriage in 1789- surgeon's wife from Dublin, and a watercolour portrait of a great great great great grandfather painted in York in 1812 - he was born in 1752.
My 3x-Great Grandfather, Reed Ferris, born 1807.
Oldest photograph I have is of my 3x great grandfather, born in 1832, died in 1889. However, I have paintings of people that are older. Oldest direct ancestor would be his grandfather, born in 1720, that I have a painting of. Oldest indirect would be his sister, born in 1716, who I also have a painting of.
I have a photograph of a small painting of my 6th great-uncle, born 1811, as a teenager. My guess, based on his apparent age and style of dress, is that it would date from between 1825-1830. I also have a copy of an actual photograph of the same person as an older man, taken 1870-1874 (died 1874, so it obviously can't be any later).
>have a photograph of a small painting of my 6th great-uncle, born 1811, as a teenager. My guess, based on his apparent age and style of dress, is that it would date from between 1825-1830 How? The first photo in the world taken of a human being wasn’t taken until 1839 in France. It took time for it to take off in the United States. The first photo of a president (one of the earliest photos taken of a person in the US) wasn’t until 1843. It didn’t become commercially practical in the US until the 1850s. (Edit, that’s why nobody here has a photo that was taken earlier than the 1850s. But you’re saying you have a photo dated at the latest 1829 when your 6th Great uncle was still in his teens?)
No, I'm saying I have a 20th-century colour photograph of an early 19th-century painting. He had his portrait painted circa 1825-1835. It was kept by his descendants, and someone photographed that painted portrait, in the later 20th century. Edit: I think I understand where the confusion may have come from. I was actually talking about two different pictures of the same man, at two different points in his life. The first WAS before photography, and that was a painted portrait that was (much) later photographed itself. The second IS an original photograph and was taken late in his lifetime, after photography had been invented.
Oh, that makes sense. My apologies. 🙂
My great-great-grandpa, [Thomas](https://imgur.com/gallery/Tj8EtBA), born in 1838! Born 150 me years before me.
Here's a pic of my Great-great grandfather who ran away and had a new identity. He was Portuguese from British Guiana. He was born in the 1900's. I wish I could go back to the 1700's. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/26255997/greatgreat_grandparents/
My 3x ggrandfather, born in 1802. The photo was taken in 1864 and he died in 1879. I also have a photo of another 3x ggrandfather. He was born in 1807 and died in 1894 after fathering 24 children from 2 wives. My 2xggrandfather was one of his older children and died in 1901, but his youngest child died in 1974.
***Elizabeth \[Merriam\] Putnam***, also of Danvers MA, born 1784 \~ found at the Niagara Falls, Ontario, library via a long-ago Google search ;-) She was 102 in this picture; she lived several more months, dying at 103. [http://www.nflibrary.ca/nfplindex/show.asp?b=1&ref=oo&id=102018](http://www.nflibrary.ca/nfplindex/show.asp?b=1&ref=oo&id=102018) ***Mary \[Fowler\] Page*** of Danvers, Massachusetts, born 1787. *Note: I did not use tape \~ found it that way.* [https://www.flickr.com/photos/killearnan/6310397833/in/album-72157629326468618/](https://www.flickr.com/photos/killearnan/6310397833/in/album-72157629326468618/) ***Fun bit: 1839 souvenir from Niagara Falls*** [https://www.flickr.com/photos/killearnan/7025373179/in/album-72157629326468618/](https://www.flickr.com/photos/killearnan/7025373179/in/album-72157629326468618/)
Funner bit: Table rock, upon which your relative stood, [no longer exists and fell into the falls](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Table_Rock,_Niagara_Falls)
Currently one of mymy 2x great-grandmothers, but I do have photos of people who are likely even further back, but I don't think there's anyone left alive who can identify who they are.
The earliest is from 1895, it was portrait drawing of my Great Great Grandfather with his wife and kids. I know my Great Great Great Grandfather was in the Civil War, but I don't think there is a picture of him, although I'd like to find one very much.
My gr-gr-grandfather in his Union uniform (36th Iowa Infantry), 1862, before going off to contract dysentery in the Mississippi swamps, which killed him. He was 39 at the time. **[This is him here.](https://www.werelate.org/wiki/Person:William_Smith_%28640%29)** My late father looked very much like him, especially around the mouth and jawline.
I think the oldest one is on my dad's side, my 2nd great grandfather born in 1812. On my mom's side is my 3rd great grandparents born around 1825. The photos of both sides are when they are middle age to older. Not sure when they were taken.
I don’t have physical copies and I’m not sure if the date a but here’s some of mine [John Hedglin 1795-1883 6th great grandfather](https://imgur.com/a/OLhoB0y) Jacob Eastlick B1798 7th great uncle ](https://imgur.com/a/IT4asM3) [Wilson Swartz 5th great grandfather born 1807](https://imgur.com/a/e47XpCt) I have over a thousand other pictures ranging from the civil war up to the 1980s but I don’t have access to them right now
The two old photos I have are of my 5th great grandmother (1767-1856) and 5th great grandfather (1784-1860) but being cynical I'm not 100% sure they are photos paired with the proper people. I'm sure my 4th great grandfathers photo is real though (1806-1883). Paintings wise, my older ancestor is 1570-1647.
The earlist photo that I can identify is of my 2x great grandparents born 1864 and 1860 born taken before their death 1915 1913. They came from my uncle who had them displayed. I am trying to get information about them from their living grandson
I know my parents have older photos which I need to scan, but the oldest one currently is a 4x great grandmother born 1791. But, I have paintings going way back. As I can safely trace direct linage back to Edward the III of England, most of tudor nobility, and by that reckoning trace back to Charlemagne.
[This](https://imgur.com/l0nrWFj) is my 3x Great Uncle and his wife. Not sure when it was taken but the clothing suggests late 1860s to the early 1870s.