~ Fascinating Photo ~

     I'm late once again with the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks writing challenge.  I had started writing my story for week 2 but I guess I was still caught up in the first week's story that all I could think of was my main goal for this year.  I was ready to post this but my son was home sick and I left my writing at work.
     The theme for Week 2 was "Favorite Photo" and I was all set to write about any of the photos I have of my favorite grandmother when I came across this mystery man.                                                        

                                                    

     I loved looking at the old black/white photos with my grandmother and listening to her stories about each photo.  There was no story to accompany this man's photo.  This photo is a copy of a tintype.  Who was this man?  I had been told that he was her grandfather (don't remember if she told me how many 'greats') and that he was an American Indian.  My mother and I took DNA tests with Ancestry.com and there is no trace of Native American in us.  My grandmother who I called MaMa didn't talk about her ancestors and I never asked.  MaMa's maternal line came from Ireland and Austria.  Her paternal line I was not able to trace back to the 'old country' for anyone.
     This photo looks like it was taken during the Civil War era and if so then he would be her great-grandfather.  MaMa's paternal great-grandfather's were William Davis, born1832 in Milton,NY and Samuel Braught, born approx. 1820 somewhere in Ulster County, NY.  I have William's photo but not Samuel's.  Is this mystery man my 3rd great-grandfather, Samuel?  I don't know much about Samuel other than an approx. year of birth and his death.  He died during the Civil War.  I would love to get military records but it is not in my budget at the moment.  MaMa's maternal great-grandfathers were Stephen Duper who was in Austria during the 1860's and Patrick Devine who emigrated from Ireland to the United States in approx. 1853.  I don't know if Stephen came to the United States with his son in 1888 or arrived later.  Is this a photo that Stephen's son brought with him?  Maybe this is Patrick, my 3rd great-grandfather from Ireland.
     Who is this mystery man?  I wish I had a clear photo with better details and I wish there was someone who could assist me but they are all gone.  Those who have answers are looking down from Heaven and smiling in amusement as I try to piece together the puzzles of the past.    

I edited the photo hoping for an improvement..
             





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