The search began for information about the photographer of this late carte de visite (cdv) of an unidentified child in a christening gown, shoes and stockings. This authentic, antique CDV image is on a thick cream colored cardboard mount with a pale pink back and rounded corners which overall measures about 2 1/4" x 4". The artist's mark is on back: "E. E. Ray, Photographer, Old Pictures Copies and Enlarged, Middleton, Tenn." Click on images to enlarge them. (Image Number 1016A)
Although it could be a copy of an earlier photo from the 1870’s as Mr. Ray advertises on the back, the thickness of the card, the round corners, pink reverse and flourish of the back mark all indicate 1880 and after.
A side benefit of the search is that other photographers were found working in about this same time period in somewhat the same area.
Using census records, city directories and some Rootsweb, GenWeb and state archive sites, the results were six individuals:
1. E. E. Ray, Middleton, Tennessee of the CDV. Middleton is in Hardeman County, TN.
2. E. E. Ray photograph, taken of the Rossville Baseball Team in Rossville, Fayette Co.,Tennessee about 1900. The image is in the collection of the Tennessee Archives. Fayette County is to the west of Hardeman County, TN.
3. Edwin E. Ray, photographer, single, aged 46, born June 1853 in South Carolina of SC born parents, found in Hamilton County, Tennessee on the 1900 Federal Census. [No image example.]
4. Edward Ray, photographer, single, aged 26, born about 1844 in South Carolina of SC born parents, working in Clay County, Mississippi on the 1880 Federal Census, just to the west of Tippah County, MS. [No image example.]
5. Edwin Ray, single, aged 18, born about 1852 in South Carolina enumerated with his family in Ripley P.O., Tippah County, Mississippi on the 1870 Federal Census.
6. E. E. Ray aged about 7, born about 1853 in South Carolina of SC born parents, in Jonesboro P.O., Tippah County, MS on the 1860 Federal Census, enumerated in the household of Jesse Ray and Sarah his wife.
A researcher indicates that No. 5 Edwin Ray and No. 6 E. E. Ray, both in Tippah County, MS Census is: Elisha Edwin Ray, born 9 Jun 1853 in Union County, South Carolina and died 12 Oct 1909 [no place given.] Although it sounds like a headstone has been recorded, there are no other details at this time and no mention of his having been a photographer. The parents listed for him are: Jesse Ray (1823-1864) and Sarah Hill (1824-1904) both of Union County, South Carolina.
In addition to the men above, another photographer named Ray was found: L. M. Ray, aged 31, born about 1849 in South Carolina of SC born parents. He too was single and boarding with N. O. Pettus and family in Scott County, Beat No. 3, Mississippi on the 1880 Federal Census.[No image example.]
So at the end of the sojourn, I still have a mysterious, fine CDV of the 1880’s by a person named E. E. Ray in Middleton, Tennessee. E. E. Ray could very well be a woman photographer!
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