Description
Extremely nice sixth plate ambrotype of a Confederate from the Peyton and Grimes families. The image has the earmarks of an unsigned Rees. It is painted on the back in the relievo style, as Rees did many times. The glass is roughly cut and displays the remains of paper seals, both common to Rees. The soldier’s elbow rests on a book on a table with a typical Rees tablecloth. His face is nicely tinted and his unadorned frock coat has a green cast to it with green piping on the collar and cuffs. The buttons are gilded. The image came out of Norfolk, VA and is accompanied by nine civilian images. None are identified, but behind one 9th plate image of a young man is the following inscription:
“Presented to Jennie Peyton by her brother J. W. Peyton March 26th 1861 Rapid Ann Sta Va”
John William Peyton lived in Rapidan, VA and served as postmaster for many years. His sister, Genevieve (Jennie) Peyton Grimes, to whom he gave his image, lived in Norfolk. One of the family images depicts the soldier with his wife and child. There is definitely a family connection to all the images, but I have been unable to identify the soldier with certainty. Several of the Peytons served in the Confederate army, but none fit the image. Jennie died in 1928 and is buried in Rapidan, VA. Her husband, whose name was John Lee Grimes, is buried in the same cemetery under the name Lee Grimes. Although I have not been able to find a record of service for John Lee Grimes, I believe that he is the soldier in the image based on the Norfolk provenance to the images. All the family images are included as a grouping with the image of the soldier.
