Beschreibung:

Lot of 3 photographic portraits, including ninth plate and sixth plate tintypes, plus albumen CDV, each identified as James A. Custer, son of Dr. William Webster Custer and second cousin to George Armstrong Custer. Born on November 26, 1847 in Scio, OH, James A. Custer enlisted as a Private in October, 1863, at the age of 15, and was mustered into Co. H, Ohio 12th Cavalry the following month. After being organized at Camp Cleveland to serve for a term of three years, the 12th Ohio moved to Louisville, then Lexington, then Mt. Sterling. It was heavily involved in operations against Morgan's invasion of Kentucky between May 31-June 20, 1864, and while engaged in fighting at Mt. Sterling, Custer was killed in action on June 9, 1864, at the age of 16. He is buried in Ridge Cemetery, Harrison County, OH. While the ninth plate tintype included in the lot shows a young boy that is identified in an accompanying, modern inked note as James Custer, the sixth plate tintype and carte-de-visite feature a teen-aged Custer dressed in full uniform. The sixth plate tintype, housed in a frame with modern inked identification on frame backing, shows the young private wearing a standard frock coat, holding his cap in hand, the top marked with cavalry insignia of crossed sabers, plus H and 12 in reverse, representing his service with the 12th Ohio Cavalry. The CDV portrait shows Custer standing in uniform, posed with his sword, and includes a 2 cent tax stamp on verso as well as inked identification, James A. Custer/ in War of 1862 (incorrect date). Lot 20, plus the following lots (338-339; 341-345), descended in the family of Mary Elizabeth Snyder Keller (1911-2007), great granddaughter of Dr. William Webster Custer (1816-1892), first cousin once removed to George A. Custer. Born in Lorain, OH, to Custer and Beatrice (Heath) Snyder, Mary Elizabeth was a 1934 graduate of Kent State University who worked as a teacher and hospital recreation worker for the Red Cross in Memphis, TN and Spartanburg, SC, before returning to Lorain and marrying Louis Keller (1913-1990) in 1950. After purchasing a home in Lorain in 1966, the consignor became a neighbor and good friend to the Kellers, and as a result of this close relationship, the material offered today was given to the consignor by Mary Elizabeth toward the end of her life. Each lot is accompanied by Xerox copies of affidavits signed by the consignor, indicating how he acquired the Custer family material, as well as a Xerox “True Copy” of Mary Elizabeth’s Certificate of Birth. Probable Line of Descent: Dr. William Webster Custer (1816-1892), brother of Emanuel Custer (1806-1892) who was father to George A. Custer (1839-1876) Mary E. Custer Snyder (1842-1930) J.A. Custer Snyder (1872-1960) Mary Elizabeth Snyder Keller (1911-2007) Gifted to Current Owner After 2007 Provenance: Acquired from a Descendant of George A. Custer's Family Condition: Light wear to both tintypes, with few light creases in the sixth plate tintype; ninth plate tintype housed in full case, separated at hinge; some light soiling to cdv and mount.