Need help reading Old Handwriting to identify tintype photos
My husband's grandfather Clarence Alexander Eastman (1899-1971) LTZW-H2D https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LTZW-H2D acquired some old tintype family photos from his side of the family. They are possibly ancestors of his from the Eastman side (in IL and OH) or his Gillibrand side (from Preston, Lancashire, England). The attached photo shows the front and back of a set of photos in question. The old cardboard backing has writing in pencil on the back that I'm hoping will help identify the elderly man and woman pictured.
Is anyone good with deciphering faded old handwriting, or know how to Photoshop or edit the photo of the writing on back to help make the words more clear? Links to PHOTOS in my Dropbox link here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/w73p734msfrszf72qcvlf/h?dl=0&rlkey=rwfa8ykne3xnltdoiy9ru2tna
He did inherit some old tintypes from his aunt Catherine "Kate" Gillibrand. I think I see the words "Kate's Mother and father John and ..." But, maybe I'm just imagining it?
It would be so wonderful to identify this older couple! Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you! ~Leann Clark Carroll
Answers
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Hi, I did what I could and added it in this post. I am only an amateur with PS. I also have asked others to see what can be read.
let me know if this helps, I will also report back if I find out more. thanks for the chance to help you
Michael Long
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Thank you so much. Your efforts do enhance the writing. I'm afraid the original writing is so faded, it may not be possible to decipher all of the writing.
Here is what I think I am seeing. I am open to your suggestions: My Dear old ant [sic] and Uncle [illegible] Kate's Mother and father John and Marinark [illegible] was Blind [the rest is illegible]
I know it doesn't make sense. I'm not sure about the name that starts with the letter M.
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I have a couple of people that will look at it tomorrow. Also, there is one thing that may help you If we can't figure it out. You can remove the cardboard backing carefully and scan it just a little darker than usual. that may pick up a bit more detail that may work better in Photoshop. And with any luck you may find writing on the back of the photos as well. I will let you know what others say when I find out.
Michael Long
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Okay, I've scanned the back on my printer/scanner. There were no other notes or markings. But, they are definitely tintypes. You can find it in the same link to my Dropbox as the other photos.
Thank you, again!
~Leann Clark Carroll
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I have some of it the bold is 98-100% accurate. the rest is my best guess
MY brave old Ant and uncle Katis Mother and Father John and Marinark She was Blind Whin Thy ( the rest I don't have a clue). we will see what the others think.
Michael
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Thank you!
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I took the liberty of working on the photos at MyHeritage. I used it in conjunction with PS for the writing. It is free and can help with older photos. You may want to check it out. Have not heard back from the others yet on the writing.
Michael Long
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Thank you! I really wish I could figure out who they were.
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We are still working on it. is there any one in your line with the names given so far?
Michael
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I'm sorry for the late response. We've been traveling out of the country for the past week, but just arrived back home last night.
We have a lot of tintypes, possibly all from the Gillibrand family. Two of them were labeled as Catherine "Kate" Gillibrand (1874-1970) https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/memories/KLFH-Q5H and were taken in the 1870s. I researched the history of tintypes online and believe that the framed tintypes of the older man and woman could have been taken anywhere from 1855ish through the 1870s. If so, that would put their possible dates of birth back in the 1770s up to 1800.
Kate's paternal grandfather was John Gillibrand (1776-1862) of Preston, England https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/2TGR-BQW . However, his wife was Jennet/Jane and she died in 1846 at the age of 70. Descendant Clarence Eastman (my husband's deceased grandfather) inherited all of the tintypes. He also used the following photo on pedigree charts and labeled it as John Gillibrand. I don't know where the photo came from, or how accurate he was in it's attribution. But, it could possibly look a bit like the older man in the tintype.
Other than that, I don't see any John's married to a Mari[?] who would have been born in the late 1700s.
~Leann
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Sorry for being late in getting back to you. my system has been giving me issues. I well look at what you have sent. and get back to you.
Michael
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It is possible that someone was married more than once or that a child is missing. Sorry, but I could not find any condition. It is also possible that it is a great aunt and uncle. I have known so that did not specify that exact connection. For example, all my brothers and sisters are 1/2 but we never use it. I did see a Kate with a Gillibrand with a wife with a different name than is in your tree but found no connection to your tree. A random search for the surname Marinark only came up with 2 one male and one female. Others have had no luck reading it.
Michael
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Thank you so much for your efforts! I guess some things may just remain a mystery.
~Leann
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