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I found these 2 photographs in a cache of old family photos. I suspect they are of my 2nd great grandfather. I know from other sources that he was from Hannover and is the only family member that is from there. The photos are mounted on cards with the photographer's studio ads on the back.

RFR: 12/5/2016 Added a 3rd photo that I believe is the same person taken much later in life. This picture was taken in CT and I'm reasonably certain it is my 2nd great grandfather (the older, seated gentleman). I have 2 other photos that have notes on the back positively identifying him but they are pretty poor quality. The one feature that seems to be apparent even in those poor pictures is the corner of the mouth (his left hand side) and that seems to stand out in the 3 photos here.

My questions are:

  • Are these photos of the same person?
  • Approximate age of person in each photo? Approximate date of the photos?
  • What kind of uniform is he wearing in the Hannover photo?
  • Any other info you can provide about the photographers, possible military units etc?

My 2nd great grandfather was born in 1851 in Hannover (or that area), married and had at least 2 children in Germany, immigrated to Rockville, CT in 1882 or 1883.

With regards to the H Richer's photo...Following AndyW's suggestion led to a link showing a reverse of another Richer's photo. That photo had a penciled 1913/04 that is identified as a 'Signatur' and seems to match the date cited for the photo (1913). Do the penciled '57' and stamped 'A-6811' on my Richer's photo have some significance that can be used to date it?

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  • Welcome to G&FH SE! Those are great photos, and I am no expert but I think they are the same person with the one in uniform taken a year or two after the other one. For more context can you tell us whether there is anything printed/written on the reverse of either photo? Also, to test your theory that one/both photos may be of your 2nd great grandfather perhaps you can give a timeline of what you know of his early life.
    – PolyGeo ♦
    Dec 3, 2016 at 4:58
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    This related question may be worth a look as it includes a little information about the H. Richers photographic studio in Hannover.
    – AndyW
    Dec 3, 2016 at 13:08
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    Thanks @AndyW. I had seen that question previously. That is what drew me to the site initially. :) That got such a detailed response it was impressive.
    – Bob Richfield
    Dec 3, 2016 at 13:12
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    Ah, glad you'd seen it. Sorry I can't be much more help. But on the reverse of the upper image, near the bottom it says "Preisgekront Hannover 1878". ("Preisgekront" means "prizewinning".) That means 1878 is the earliest date for that photograph, and if it's your ancestor who emigrated in 1882, that only leaves a ~4 year window during which it can have been taken. If he was born in 1851, he'd be 27-31 in that photo, and I have to say I think he looks younger than that, so it could be someone else.
    – AndyW
    Dec 5, 2016 at 15:17
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    Also, I edited your post, just to put front and back of each photo together.
    – AndyW
    Dec 5, 2016 at 15:20

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I have an answer for the type of uniform being worn. It is the uniform of a particular type of cavalryman, an Uhlan (or Ulan in German). Ulans were lancers. A jacket of this type is called a Ulanka. Hannover raised 2 regiments of Ulans. The 1st Hannoverian Ulan regiment's uniforms had white piping and collars and silver epaulettes. The 2nd's had red piping and collars and gold epaulettes. The color of the piping and collars here would seem to be white, suggesting that this man was in the 1st Hannoverian Ulan regiment #13 (1. Hannoversches Ulanen-Regiment Nr. 13).

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