They all look about par for being well groomed. No less tidy than the father. The mom's got a nice dress with patterns and multiple fabrics, and has her hair done. Eldest son has a button down shirt and pants just like his dad. The two young ones have simpler clothes, but that just makes sense for their age.
Church is an option, but photography was probably a big deal for their class, so maybe just dressed up literally for the camera.
The two young ones have simpler clothes, but that just makes sense for their age.
I have old family picture from rural farming times and the young kids clothes were much more rough than in the picture above. Near potato bag with holes.
That picture's clothes looks good enough for nice occasions like church.
This is the late 30's not that late 1880's. A camera photo was a novelty, but not a rarity. They are groomed enough, but the children are clearly dirty and lower class. I assume they were probably playing outside before the picture was taken. They are effectively well kempt for their condition.
Almost no shot anyone that poor had a camera and very rarely would even any of their friends have a camera even in the 1930s. That's why I specified "in their class", this might be one of only 2-3 photos of them in their entire lives.
While more people would have had access to photography, this mas was a West Virginia coal miner, just outside of Morgantown, WV, near the PA border. Which means yeah, this was probably one of the only photographs of him that exist. They are extremely poor by comparison.
They all look about par for being well groomed. No less tidy than the father. The mom's got a nice dress with patterns and multiple fabrics, and has her hair done. Eldest son has a button down shirt and pants just like his dad. The two young ones have simpler clothes, but that just makes sense for their age.
Church is an option, but photography was probably a big deal for their class, so maybe just dressed up literally for the camera.
I have old family picture from rural farming times and the young kids clothes were much more rough than in the picture above. Near potato bag with holes.
That picture's clothes looks good enough for nice occasions like church.
The little fella even has his best pipe out.
This is the late 30's not that late 1880's. A camera photo was a novelty, but not a rarity. They are groomed enough, but the children are clearly dirty and lower class. I assume they were probably playing outside before the picture was taken. They are effectively well kempt for their condition.
Almost no shot anyone that poor had a camera and very rarely would even any of their friends have a camera even in the 1930s. That's why I specified "in their class", this might be one of only 2-3 photos of them in their entire lives.
I found a source
While more people would have had access to photography, this mas was a West Virginia coal miner, just outside of Morgantown, WV, near the PA border. Which means yeah, this was probably one of the only photographs of him that exist. They are extremely poor by comparison.