This photograph of Julius Bisbee, while having a musty smell, crumbling edges and an appearance of being discarded, is significant to my family because it provides a direct visual connection to our ancestry. An interesting fact about this ancestry line is it connects me to the Mayflower. He is my great-great-great-grandfather whose great-great-great grandfather married Bealah H who’s the great-great-great granddaughter of John H who came to the continent on the Mayflower. Julius lived from 1839 to 1915 meaning this photo is over 100 years old. Even though it's old, I see traits in Julius that are present in my family today; but what really draws me to this photo is his expression. Even as the photo fades, Julius’ intense gaze is a pair of searchlights cutting through the fog of age. It makes me wonder what he was looking at, thinking, and what might’ve been said as he sat for the picture. This photo is like having a small window to my past. It’s as if my great-great-great-grandfather is trying to speak to me through his expressiveness. I can hear his whispers but can’t quite make them out. I reached out to my grandfather to ask about it to see if he remembered any stories his grandmother told. He said “ I don’t remember any specific stories about it, but I definitely remember the photo because my mother had it framed on the wall, and it scared me.”

– Max S.

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