Antique Store Find

[UnionistMarylander]

Picked up this CDV from a local antique store today, unidentifed except for the name "Durrell" on the back. He appears to be wearing a New York State Jacket.

 

[Nathan Stuart]

The inscribed stand-alone last name clearly reads as, 'Durrell' and he appears to be a private (with no stripes).

If he is a member of a NY infantry unit, then narrowed his identity down to the three found possibles below:-

Pvte. William Durrell Co. C, 5th. NY State Militia
Pvte. Enoch W. Durrell Co. F, 16th. NY Infantry
Pvye. George O. Durrell Co. G, 120th. NY Infantry

Could he be 'Pvte. William Durrell' of Co. C, 5th. NY State Militia?

 

[Seduzal]

Thank for sharing the photos. Enjoyed it.

 

[UnionistMarylander]

The inscribed stand-alone last name clearly reads as, 'Durrell' and he appears to be a private (with no stripes).

If he is a member of a NY infantry unit, then narrowed his identity down to the three found possibles below:-

Pvte. William Durrell Co. C, 5th. NY State Militia
Pvte. Enoch W. Durrell Co. F, 16th. NY Infantry
Pvye. George O. Durrell Co. G, 120th. NY Infantry

Could he be 'Pvte. William Durrell' of Co. C, 5th. NY State Militia?

Correct. I did a search on the Soldiers and Sailor's Database and came up with the same results.

The main issue I have right now is that I have yet to find any photos of those three, nor any enlistment papers giving physical identifiers.

 

[CWdiaryPA]

This could prove an interesting research rabbit hole if you had the time & interest. I immediately recognized the name as belonging to a Black family in my PA. town I grew up with, & spelled exact same way. I've never met a Caucasian with this surname, though I'm sure there's many. Nice find.

 

[Allyn]

I've never met a Caucasian with this surname, though I'm sure there's many. Nice find.

Did you ever watch the PBS series entitled "The Durrells of Corfu," based on the memoires of British author Gerald Durrell? (Just a little free association . . .)

 

[CWdiaryPA]

Did you ever watch the PBS series entitled "The Durrells of Corfu," based on the memoires of British author Gerald Durrell? (Just a little free association . . .)

No, thanks, sounds interesting!

 

[Reconstructed Rebel]

Could be my vivid imagination, but the eyes look very similar to me in your photo and the one on this FindAGrave link

George Osborne Durrell (1830-1922) - Find a Grave...

Find a Grave memorial for George Osborne Durrell born 4 Apr 1830 and died 2 Nov 1922. Buried at Forest Hill Cemetery, Fredonia, Chautauqua County, New York, United States of America, North America

www.findagrave.com

Edited to add- I note that per FindAGrave one of George's daughters was the grandmother of Lucille Ball.

 

[east_beast]

Could be my vivid imagination, but the eyes look very similar to me in your photo and the one on this FindAGrave link

George Osborne Durrell (1830-1922) - Find a Grave...

Find a Grave memorial for George Osborne Durrell born 4 Apr 1830 and died 2 Nov 1922. Buried at Forest Hill Cemetery, Fredonia, Chautauqua County, New York, United States of America, North America

www.findagrave.com

Edited to add- I note that per FindAGrave one of George's daughters was the grandmother of Lucille Ball.

I thought so too but AI photo comparison says definitely no.

 

[chubachus]

Picked up this CDV from a local antique store today, unidentifed except for the name "Durrell" on the back. He appears to be wearing a New York State Jacket.

View attachment 546093

View attachment 546094

View attachment 546095

Looks like it could be a CDV copy of a hard image like a tintype or ambrotype.

 

[R. Porter]

Could be my vivid imagination, but the eyes look very similar to me in your photo and the one on this FindAGrave link

George Osborne Durrell (1830-1922) - Find a Grave...

Find a Grave memorial for George Osborne Durrell born 4 Apr 1830 and died 2 Nov 1922. Buried at Forest Hill Cemetery, Fredonia, Chautauqua County, New York, United States of America, North America

www.findagrave.com

Edited to add- I note that per FindAGrave one of George's daughters was the grandmother of Lucille Ball.

The ears don't seem right.

 

[east_beast]

I thought so too but AI photo comparison says definitely no.

View attachment 546162

Well, my confidence in this comp is low. I put two pictures of myself from about a decade apart into it and it said it was a 79% match and not the same person. LOL

 

[sunday silence]

the ears seem different but also the guy on Find a Grave his eyes appear to be downcast (downward at the outer edge) and the other guy seems to have the normal default shape of eyes.

 

[R. Porter]

So… one down and two to go?

 

[RaggedAssSecond]

He appears to be wearing a New York State issue jacket.

New York State Jackets | Relic Hunting & Collecting

Were these issued to NY soldiers (in lieu of the 4-button sack coat) throughout the war? Or were they a late-war issue? Di all or most NY regiments receive them?

civilwartalk.com

 

[UnionistMarylander]

He appears to be wearing a New York State issue jacket.

New York State Jackets | Relic Hunting & Collecting

Were these issued to NY soldiers (in lieu of the 4-button sack coat) throughout the war? Or were they a late-war issue? Di all or most NY regiments receive them?

civilwartalk.com

Right, I noticed that and put in New York Infantry as a filter in the Soldiers and Sailors Databse, which helped me narrow down his identity