This picture was found among my grandfather's (Clyde Lee Webb 1898-1985) collection of family photo's. This picture appears, to me, to date from the early 1900's to the mid 19-teens. My grandfathers family lived in and around Russellville Arkansas during this period, but nothing else ties the picture to that area.
Some questions this picture raises:
I have no idea who she might be, but her eyes and chin do resemble the Webb's. Could she be one of my grandfathers sisters?
Why was the man cut out of the picture? It looks like he is wearing a wedding ring while she appears not to be.
She looks quite young, so could the man be her father? If that is the case, then cutting him out makes it even more mysterious.
Finally, why is his hand just hanging there? Most pictures, I believe, the hand would be on her waist or arm. The way the hand is makes me think this could be a post mortem photo and someone later removed the "disturbing" image.
Clyde's, and possibly her, father Charles J. Webb (1874-1937) died in Pope County, Arkansas in 1937. Charles's father, Zephaniah T. Webb (1826-1906) died in Pope County, Arkansas in 1906. Both are buried in Old Baptist Cemetery in Center Valley, Pope County, Arkansas. If one of these men was the other person in the picture, I do hope the missing piece or another copy of the picture eventually turns up. As far as I know, no picture of these men exists.
