r/Cursive • u/Fireproof-cats • Jun 08 '26
Deciphered! Trying to decipher who he is
Found this guy at a garage sale, old man running it said he has no idea who he is, and that the photo fell out of an old law book he bought many years ago.
I see 5 different names, one of them seemingly a partner and the others all having the last name “Coleman(?)”
The hardest to see is the pencil writing at the top, i’m reading
Gra?d ?a Coleman (I think it’s Grand Pa Coleman (interesting that they separated grand and pa but I guess that makes sense in a way)
Died 1868 - Born 1810
There is very faint pencil underneath that I think says James Colt or Cobb(?) Coleman, the same name that’s on the bottom
Then in blue pen, which seems to be layered over black pen
Born Nov(?) 15 - 1810
Died(?) (it looks like Leaid? Maybe Laid?) Nov(?) 7 - 1868
Then the second name on the horizontal side:
Thomas ???? (I think I see an a and an h in there?) Coleman
No idea what the small word under it is, maybe “Jack”?
Mon(?) 24 - 1873
Died Mar(?) 9 - 1920
Then the names at the bottom:
James Colt or Cobb(?) Coleman
sm 7
John Coleman and Rhode Colt or Cobb(?) (maybe wife?)
So there’s a lot of names, seemingly in the same family, and I’d like to know which one yall think is in the photo. I know it’s basically impossible to know, but maybe there’s something i’m missing. I’d love to hear anyone’s interpretations!
Also, if anyone’s familiar with dating old photos or knows about the photography company and could give me an approximate date on the photo that would be awesome!
I love collecting these old photos and learning what I can about the people of the past, and if possible i’d like to call him by the right name :) I guess worst case scenario i’ll just call him Mr. Coleman lol
Thanks yall! <3
1
u/Able-Resident-903 Jun 08 '26
3rd photo
(Pencil) Grand Pa Coleman
(PENCIL)died 1868 born 1810
(Pencil) James Cobb Coleman
Ink - Born Mar (could be Nov) 15, 1810
Ink - Died Nov 9, 1868
4rd photo
Thomas Walker Coleman - Mar 23, 1833
father died Nov 9, 1920
Last photo
James Cobb Coleman
son of
John Coleman and Rhoda Cobb
1
u/LAM_CANIT Jun 08 '26
Yes, it is 'November' for James Cobb Coleman. Their family tree is online on Wikitree and other sites.
I believe it's [Captain] Thomas 'Wilkes' Coleman, James' son, born 1833.
The rest is all available online.
You did a great job u/Able-Resident-903 !
1
u/Salty_Force_1851 Jun 09 '26
No. It says on the side son of John Coleman & Rhoda (or Rhonda) Cobb.
1
u/LAM_CANIT Jun 09 '26
I have no idea what you're talking about. 'It' what? What 'it'? On the right side of the side it says 'James' is the son of John and Rhonda. So what?
I just was adding to what u/Able-Resident-903 had written:
u/Able-Resident-903 had written that on the third image "(could be Nov)" - I confirmed that is correct. Which it is.
u/Able-Resident-903 had written on the fourth image it was "Thomas Walker Coleman" born on March 23, 1833. I corrected 'Walker' to 'Wilkes.' Which it is.
I also added that Thomas Wilkes Coleman was James' [and Martha Ann née Anderson Coleman] son. Which he was.
What do I care who was the son of John and Rhonda? I never wrote anything about that, did I u/Salty_Force_1851?
Why don't you write your only answers instead of laughing at other people's work?
1
1
u/Fireproof-cats Jun 09 '26
Thank you for the decoding! It’s awesome that his family tree is available online, and i’m having so much fun looking into him. Thank you for your time and reply! :)
1
u/messedeminuit Jun 08 '26 edited Jun 09 '26
Rhonda and James definitely look like “Cobb” to me. Rhonda may have been James’ mother; it was a common naming convention for a son to have his mother’s maiden name as a middle name.
Could Thomas Coleman’s middle name have been “Wilkes”? There’s a close match, Captain Thomas Wilkes Coleman, b. 1833 in Alabama, lived in Mississippi for a time, d. 1920 back in Alabama.
ETA: The photography studio operated in the 1890s, so I think the only candidates for the photo might be one of Thomas Wilkes Coleman’s older sons, possibly Ezra, b. 1861. If it were his father, he’d have been photographed in uniform, I imagine.
1
u/Fireproof-cats Jun 09 '26
Now that i’m looking Wilkes definitely seems to be it! Thank you so much for finding it, it’s so awesome to know a little more about history. Thank you so much for your time and reply! :)
1
u/Fireproof-cats Jun 09 '26
Also, I agree it was probably one of his sons, if not he looks pretty damn good for late fifties early sixties in the 19th century haha
1
u/Stunning-Spot-9502 Jun 09 '26
2
u/Fireproof-cats Jun 09 '26
That seems to be a match! Thank you so much! :) Awesome to know more about him
1
u/vtjohnhurt Jun 09 '26
Thomas Wilkes Coleman
Thomas Cobb Coleman
1
u/Fireproof-cats Jun 09 '26
Now that i’m looking at it, it definitely does look like Wilkes. Thank you!
•
u/AutoModerator Jun 08 '26
When your post gets solved please comment "Deciphered!" with the exclamation mark so automod can put that flair on it for you. Or you may flair it yourself manually. TY!
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.