New Blogger - Really?

OK - So I leave for a few weeks to finish a final school paper and when I come back to post - a whole new format. WOW! It's not to hard to navigate so far, but I am not too happy about the limited view to new posts. What can you expect for FREE ? Anyway I decided to post on the oldest ancestor's portrait I have come by and have some good news for followers - it is a tie! You get to read the following two Ancestors' photo analyses:

First off is my birthday 2010 find of Samuel Cephus Pool.  His age in the photo puts it at abt 1840 -1860.

    

Finding the above image of Samuel even promted me to visit his gravesite in VanZandt County, TX in 2011!

Holly Springs Cemetery - Photo by Eric R Jelle.

Samuel (1808/SC - 1887/TX) is a fascinating ancestor to examine since he had more than one marriage, many children, and served as not only a Southern Civil War Veteran, but also as a POW. 

Q: How did I find a portrait of him?

A: A simple Google image search for his son Francis M Poole yielded a site for Samuel and his wife Nancy Pickens (sadly no portrait for her yet).  Yes - it was just that easy!

Next oldest photo: 

Hon. Dr. William "Ira" Roger Hall (1800/NC - 1864/AL) :

Yes Ira was both a NC Senator and Physician in AL.  This image clearly comes from his statesman days in the Wilminton area where he represented New Brunswick County residents to the best of his ability.  He and wife Anna C Laspeyre made a sizable family before moving to Monroe County, AL where he is listed as one of two physician's with the name William R Hall in that county (the reason I reckon he went by "Ira" as only family lore mentions him in this nick name regard.)

Q:  How did I find this portrait?

A:  I wrote a letter to a cousin who left evidence he had researched that branch of the tree.  Among my grandmother's worldly things, she had a copy of his shared family history paper.  I was beyond delighted to hear back from him and have this new nugget of family history in my own collection - a sketch passed down for generations wihtin a large locket.  Yes - it was that easy and fun!

   Now go have  some fun finding your next ancestor portrait!