To read more about Dock Allen and his escape from slavery, click Dock Allen’s Story.
This weeks theme is hair, specifically facial hair. I only have one photo of an ancestor with a beard. Dock Allen is sporting a pretty nice one. My husband and sons are doing their part to bring more bearded photos into my albums.
Another nice post…connecting the past with the future. You have a very nice collection of photos. Thanks for sharing.
I love these photos and how you tied the past with the recent. Wonderful! I started thinking about my relatives with beards!
Dock Allen looks a bit like Lenin …
Joanne, thanks!
Yvette, post some!
Rob, Maybe, a little…
I’m glad you linked back to Dock Allen’s story. Very interesting. Have you made any headway in learning who his father was?
I haven’t. I haven’t even found out what plantation he came off of. There is no father listed on his death certificate.
People had the most incredible beards years ago. Somehow Dock’s beard reminds me of the beards that many of the US presidents had in the late 1800s.
I enjoyed reading the story of Dock. What an amazing person!
Dock Allen was both smart and lucky.
Wonderful, as always.
Reminds me of a classic family story about beards. Have to get it written down so it’s not lost.
Now that’s a teaser! I’ll be looking forward to reading your beard story.
Oops. Didn’t mean to tease. It’s too recent (as in everyone involved is still alive and some would not be pleased to see it in print).
awww, sorry about that. That’s the eternal problem of authors and family historians, telling the stories without alienating the living.
What a clever thing for dock to do – the onions. And then to be freed because of his cleverness. Wow! What an amazing story.
And what a handsome family.
Nancy
I thought Dock was like Lenin as well. A bearded family – now there’s a surprise.
Interesting photos – thanks for sharing!
Hi Kristin, Dock Allen’s story is absolutely amazing! What a clever man. Look at all the handsome men in your family.
and those are only the ones with beards 😉
You have some handsome men in your family, Kristin! Dock Allen’s beard is what the younger guys are sporting in our neighborhood these days. I look forward to reading his story.
Thank you,
Kathy M.
That must be something to see, Kathy. Are they Amish?
Thanks you for linking back to Dock’s story – what a wily individual; he did indeed deserve his freedom.
He did. But who didn’t?
Charming group of beards in your family. It’s always amazing when the men who lose the hair on top grow such long beards, (there are a couple in my family way way back) it makes me wonder if they had kept all their hair would they grow such a long beard? Back long ago it probably did serve well to protect the face and keep it warm. Nice bearded presentation. Have fun in Savannah when you go, it’s one of my most favorite cities.
Nice photo – he does kind of remind me of the facial hair some of the young men of today are wearing. He has a kind of goatee thing going on there and then the beard. I guess its true fashions come and go.
Dock’s beard is way more impressive than anything I could find in my stash of measly moustaches 🙂 Jo
What a nice set of pictures. I really like the frame for Dock’s photo. Thanks for sharing – I look forward to reading Dock’s story.
A special post to connect your past and present gentlemen. Recently I took a photo of my dad and my son to document our three generations of whisker styles. Dock’s story is worthy of a dramatization. His coat looks very prosperous with the fur collar, but a little heavy for Alabama.
Mike, it gets cold in Alabama in the winter. Not as cold as Michigan, but still cold for several months.
The photograph is fascinating, and I suspect this might be the original frame?
Splendid!!
🙂
HUGZ
It is the original. The photo is a tintype and the frame and all are one piece as far as I can see.
Love the name Dock Allen. I like the trimmer beards of the younger generation. Handsome family, great history.
The Dock Allen shot and frame are so wonderful. A real gem. And such a fascinating story.
Thinking about what Karen S. said about losing the hair on top and growing a beard. It’s true, you know. I started to lose my hair very young (age 17 or 18) and grew my beard starting right about then. Still have it at age 78.
Of course, there’s also the belief that it’s the same hair — it just got bad directions and grew south rather than north.
Peace …
Ron, I have heard that but as far as I can see my sons aren’t losing any hair and yet their beards continue to get fuller and longer. My husband has had a beard ever since I met him when he was 21 but I have to admit it’s fuller now than it was then…