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Print made in Northern Ireland. |
Most likely identity: Martha (Delap) McFarland, Catherine's mother (more likely)
Clothing dated by Leslie Bellais at 1880 (based on collar)
Her first child (Jane) was likely born about 1811 (from death record)
Thus, Martha was likely born in the early 1790s, and is in her late 80s here
she is wearing an indoor cap
Less likely but possible identity:
Mother of John Wright : see additional comment below |
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Comments on identification: If the album was created by Catherine (McFarland) Wright, the early position of this image in the album
implies a close relationship to Catherine. This is one of 3 images of older people, and is dated 1880 by clothing. The woman appears to be
over age 70, and was thus born before 1810, too early to be Catherine herself. Catherine had an older sister Martha, born 1819, but this Martha
never married, and the above woman is wearing a wedding ring (which may have been saved). Catherine also had an older sister Jane
(born about 1811, died 1879), a possibility here. Catherine's other sisters are all younger.
John Wright was born 1812, so his mother was born 1792 or earlier. If this photo was of John's mother, the woman above was over
age 88, possible but unlikely. Catherine's mother was Martha (Delap) McFarland. We do not yet know Martha's birth year, but her
husband (Andrew McFarland) was born 1790, and his wife's first child (also a "Martha") was born 24 February 1819, so it would not
seem unreasonable that the elder Martha was born 1800, which is a better match for the above woman, who would then be age 80.
Catherine's nephew Robert McFarland, in an 1899 insurance form, claimed that his father's mother
(who is also Catherine's mother) died at age 89. If this were true, then this woman would be near the end of her life when this photo was taken.
