Alexander Lynn of Casey County, KY - from the webmaster's collection

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        This cabinet card depicts Alexander Lynn and his sons Clay Henry and William Harrison Lynn.  Alex served in Co. A, 1st Kentucky Cavalry US during the Civil War.  He died in Paris, Texas in 1923 at the age of 82.  This image was taken about 1880.

        The most interesting thing about this image is how I came to own it.  As a teenager, I was always fascinated with old houses, especially old abandoned ones.  One summer about 1990, I was staying with a cousin in a corner of Casey Co., near Gravel Switch.  Way up the "holler" was the standing ruins of an old clapboarded house.  Judging from letters found in the house, it had last been occupied in the 1950s.  Now it was swallowed by nature as the trees and weeds took over.  A WWII veteran had lived there and we found many letters and photographs from his service.  There were many miscellaneous items found in the attic under several inches of straw.  While digging, I uncovered this photograph.  Having a deep love for all things old, I immediately saw that this piece was worth keeping.  Unfortunately, it was unmarked - I had no idea who was in the picture. 

        A few years later, I became more interested in my genealogy and started compiling my family history.  While searching through the stacks at the Kentucky Genealogical Society in Frankfort, I came across a book on one of my paternal lines, the Lynns.  As I flipped through, I was suddenly struck with a childish glee.  On  the page, staring back at me, was this very image!  There was at least one more copy.  I then learned the names of these guys and that Alex was a first cousin to my ggg-grandfather William Lynn.  All along, I had been saving a picture of a long lost family member!   Today, it is identified on the back so that future generations will know their names.

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