John Brown and Polly Caldwell, ca. 1861

When I found this tintype it looked awful. With the magic of Adobe Photoshop, I was able to enhance the details, brighten it, and blow it up so you can actually see their faces. We think it's of John and Polly based on oral tradition and on a later tintype of Polly that closely resembles this one. It was found in a box with the tintype of their son, Robert, wearing his Confederate uniform. I believe they were probably taken at about the same time.

John Brown married Mary Magdalene (Polly) Caldwell 10 December 1835. They were both born in York County, SC and moved to the border of Cleveland and Gaston Counties, NC around 1853. There's a painting and more information about them at the Brown family page.