What's Your Name

What I know: This dapper gent came from the Mel Ferrer collection, which includes photographs found at the home of Agnes Grace Ferrer. That narrows the surname list to Grace, Ferrer, and McKees. There is no inscription, so we’re left to study the photograph itself for clues. What I want to be true:    When Mel first shared this photograph last year, I immediately dubbed our ancestor, “RPatz.” Look at the similarities! It’s not really so far-fetched … Robert Pattinson is British and so were the McKees! Clearly we’re cousins! Stay tuned, dear readers! I’ll let you know as soon as Rob calls to both identify this ancestor and insist on a face-to-face meeting with Dixie Roots! What I know about the photographer: This was not a typical day of Victorian photographer research. William Notman was an internationally-known, famous photographer! Born in Scotland, he immigrated to Canada in the 1850s and soon opened his own studio. Well-known throughout Canada and the United States for his portraiture, Notman was sought-out by the noble and the famous; he photographed Wadsworth Longfellow, Harriet Elizabeth Beecher Stowe, Sitting Bull, and Buffalo Bill, among others!  As his success grew, he opened more studios in cities like Montreal, Ottowa, and eventually, Toronto. Opened in partnership with one of his artist employees, John Arthur Fraser, the studio was located on the super-fashionable King Street.  King Street was a place to see and be-seen; and in the middle of it was Notman’s studio – the much sought-after stamp everyone wanted on the back of their portrait to send home. Notman & Fraser at 120 King Street (photo courtesy "The World of William Notman" see Sources) The Notman-Fraser studio opened on King in 1868. Fraser left Toronto in 1883 for Boston. So we’ll set our date range for the photograph at 1868-1883. The sitter looks between 20 and 30; we’re looking for a male relation of Agnes Grace born between 1838 and 1863. Based on current information, the likely candidates are: Thomas M. McKee (b. 1845) Dennis McKee (b. 1844) Alfred Smith (b. 1857) James Smith (b. 1859) Do you know who this is? Sources: The World of William Notman: The Nineteenth Century Through a Master Lens by Roger Hall and William Notman. Copyright 1993 McCord Museum (King Street Photograph) Dictionary of Canadian Biography

Front Back. "1810" marking is likely an administrative note (Notman was born in 1826)