Weekend at the Museum: American Independence Museum

This week I'm featuring the American Independence Museum in Exeter, New Hampshire. Visitors can tour their Ladd-Gilman House and the Folsom Tavern, but if you visit today you can hear me lecture on The Last Muster: Images of the Revolutionary War Generation. I'll be there at 1 pm. Sign up in advance if you're interested in a photo consultation. Anyone in attendance receives a pre-publication offer from Kent State University Press. You can pre-order the book for a special price. Hope to see you there!

Lost Pictures: New York Gathering of Last Men of the Revolution

Searching GenealogyBank's database of newspaper, I came across a notice for a reunion of Revolutionary War veterans in the New-Hampshire Patriot and State Gazette for August 28, 1845. In that month, George Washington Park Custis, adopted son (and grandson) of President George Washington visited New York City. There was a reception at the house of Alderman Peters attended by "the friends and companions in arms of the great Washington." At that time, photography was still a relatively novel invention, but it's quite possible that some of the attendees sat for a daguerreotype portrait before their death. The following individuals were at the reunion. Their ages at the time (if known) are in parentheses. Not all were veterans. Some were well-known in New York while others were children of veterans. Major Popham (93) John Battin (93) of New York City Major General Van Buren of Staten Island Judge Miller Judge Lynch Thomas Lyell, Rector of Christ Church William Mandeville George B. Thorp Elisha Whittlesey of Ohio James M. Crane of Virginia Samuel L. Waldo Dr. John W. Francis Isaac T. Hopper Homer Curtis of Mount Vernon, Ohio Jacob Hays Dr. James E. Maney Thomas Morris (born in 1771) Teunis Quick (born in 1767) A.S. Norwood (born 1770) Philip Schuyler Gilbert Smith (born 1772) Sylvanus Miller James Black of Newark, New Jersey W. Vermilye Joseph Weeks Cornelius Bogert R. Cheseborough John W. Mulligan Daniel B. Tallmadge J.M. Matthews A.L. Underhill J.D. Beers Judge Ogden Edwards Geroge F. Hopkins George Coggill These are the only individuals named in the article, but according to the report about two hundred men who had served in the American Revolution came to pay respects to Custis. I've already checked online databases and historical societies collections. If you know of any images of these men, please contact me at photodetective@gmail.com. Thank you for your help!