Some Photographic Mysteries…

Who are these folks?

Unidentified family group — An unidentified group, the original nearly invisible, faded to a yellow background. Photoshop resurrection.
The young man second from right bears a striking resemblance to a photo of Walter Trustin Hall, shown below in closeup.

Margaret Walker Smith, Kent Historical Society:

Closeup of Walter Trustin Hall (b. 17 Jan. 1875) and Maud Judd, before 1903 — Closeup of Walter Trustin Hall (b. 17 Jan. 1875)
and Maud Judd, before 1903, at the home of
his grandmother, Mabel Roots Hall

I’m looking through the Kent 1860 census records for evidence of colliers and furnace men. I’m in the South Kent/East Kent area at the moment, and came across a listing for a George Hall, aged 50, with his wife Sarah, aged 46, kids Charles, Sarah and Frederick, and also a“black” named Charles Brewster, aged 1 year. There was a large family of African-Americans in Kent at that time by the name of Brewster, and there are very young (like 4 or 5 years old) Brewster children who show up in this 1860 census, living here and there in the houses of white people. No clue as to why.

Food for thought as to the identity of the young man in the back of this picture…

And these?

The young woman at left looks like Marian Tanner Sleighter, and the slightly older woman at right resembles photos of Clara Laura Jennings,
who was about five years older than Marian. Pure conjecture.

Schoolchildren? There is a definite Seger look to a few of them.

At home. Whose home?

And these folks?

All adult men, in an orchard, spring or autumn, eating, drinking, coffee. A company outing? A Sunday morning mens’ club? A G.A.R. event?