Sharon, one of my readers and a fellow genealogy blogger, asked in response to my last post whether I thought the woman in this photograph of Lawrence Baer and his son John Degen Baer could be John’s grandmother. Certainly the way his hand rests on her shoulder suggests that she was someone he knew well and felt comfortable with:
John’s paternal grandmother was Amalia Hamberg, the woman in the photo I’d posted in an earlier post. People thought that photo was taken in the 1880s or about 40 years before the one above:
Could the woman in the top photo also be Amalia? In 1924, Amalia would have been 73 years old. Her face is obviously much thinner in the later photograph, but are the mouth, nose, and eyes similar? Do you think this is the same woman in both photographs?
And if any of Amalia’s descendants can help, please let me know.
(I tried to use the pictriev tool that Cathy Meder-Dempsey blogged about, but the photo of Amalia and Jacob was too small for pictriev to detect the faces.)
I don’t think so. The face in the 1924 photo does not show the toll that 40 years would have taken on the 33 year old face … IMHO ~
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Thanks. And she did have a huge number of children, and we know how they age us! Probably one of the aunts, not the grandmother.
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Hi Amy,
I think there would be a greater amount of change around the jawbone in 40 years so I don’t think it’s the same person.
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That makes sense. I am now thinking that it might have been one of John’s five aunts. They would have been between 40 and 50 in 1924. Thanks, Wendy!
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I do not think so. She looks too young.
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Thanks, Ellen. I am starting to think it is more likely that she was one of John’s five aunts. Hoping the family can help!
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I’m inclined to agree with everyone else. When I first looked, I thought the man and woman were parents of the child. The woman looks too young to be the grandmother and mother of Lawrence. She looks more of an age to be his older sister.
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I assume you meant John’s aunt or Lawrence’s older sister? (John is the little boy.) Thanks, Linda. I am pretty much persuaded that that is probably who she is also. Just not sure which aunt!
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Almost a century ago, women of (my) age looked quite different, so I agree with the other comments. Makes you think about all the changes that came about!
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For sure—women today use make-up, hair stylists and color, exercise more, eat better, and wear more stylish clothes!
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The lady in the 1924 photo looks like a no-nonsense lady. She looks youthful. I don’t think it can be the same person.
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That seems to be the consensus! I am now thinking she is John’s aunt, one of Lawrence’s five sisters. Thanks, Shirley!
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My vote is no. The nose and chin seem too dissimilar.
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Thanks, Leslie. I am now convinced it is not the same woman, but perhaps one of her daughters, one of John’s aunts.
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It’s hard to compare with the angle being different and I have to agree with everyone else. If you crop the photo of the couple pictriev should be able to detect her face for comparison. Thanks for the mention.
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You’re welcome. I love that tool, though like Facebook, it’s a real time-eater. I’ve compared two photos of the same people, and it says they’re not the same, so I wouldn’t rely on it conclusively, but it’s still fun to use!
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I wouldn’t trust it exclusively either. 🙂
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Since everyone else has made all the arguments I thought of, I’m going to help make it a unanimous decision — different person!
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I am on board that it is one of John’s Aunts, a sister to Lawrence. I definitely believe there is a real similarity in the two woman. I sure hope someone in the family can id the woman with John and Lawrence….I’ll be anxious to find out 🙂
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Me too!!
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Well I don’t know who it is but John Degen’s Mother was 25 when she had him in 1921 (she Donna Degen was born in 1896 and Lawrence in 1891. Donna Degen’s mother was Jessie Wing Degen and considering Donna was only 25 or 29 (dad looks about 4 there) is just might be her.
Victoria Degen Baer, 49
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Thanks, Victoria. Perhaps one of Donna’s daughters would know.
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It sounds like you already have your answer but I’m in the same camp – not the same person.
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Thanks, Debi!
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I’m going to disagree with most of the commenters and say I think it COULD be the same woman 😀
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LOL! So you’re saying I am not completely nuts for asking! 🙂
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