John Ross Kellam

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This carte de viste photograph of my great-great grandfather John Ross Kellam likely dates from the 1860s.

Cards with two borders of different widths were popular from 1864-1869. [1]  The standing pose was more popular in the early 1860s than in later years. [2]

The photographer, W.J. Tait had his studio at the corner of Cortlandt & Greenwich Streets in New York. The I.R.S. Tax Assessment Lists for 1863 include a W.J. Tait, a photographer located at 51 Cortlandt Street in New York City. [3] The 1862 Commercial Directory confirms this address. [4] So far, these are the only references I've found to identify when William J. Tait had a studio on Cortlandt Street. If the studio didn't exist for very long, then the photo likely dates from about 1863-1864. 

John Ross Kellam is identified as the father of Mary, Frank & Clara on the back. They were his three children that survived to adulthood. Since the photo came down through my part of the family, I assume someone in the family provided the identification. 




John Ross Kellam, son of John Kellam (1787-1874) and Jane Ross (1801-1856), was born 25 April 1830 in Manchester, Wayne County, Pennsylvania. He married Frances Maria Shafer (1846-1924), daughter of Philip Shafer (1795-1873) and Sarah Melvina Benedict (1805-1880), on 27 May 1872 at Long Eddy, Sullivan County, New York. John died on 13 September 1830 at Hankins, Sullivan County, New York. 

John Ross Kellam and Frances Maria Shafer had four children: John Ross (1873-1875), Mary Jane (1874-1944), Frank Marion (1877-1952) and Clara Belle (1883-1966). 



[1] Gary W. Clark, 19th Century Card Photos KwikGuide; A Step-by-Step Guide to Identifying and Dating Cartes de Viste and Cabinet Cards, (PhotoTree.com, 2019), page 18. 

[2] Gary W. Clark, 19th Century Card Photos KwikGuide; A Step-by-Step Guide to Identifying and Dating Cartes de Viste and Cabinet Cards, (PhotoTree.com, 2019), page 22. 

[3] IRS Tax Assessment Lists, New York, Collection District 4, Division 4, page 6, line 39, W.J. Tait; image,  Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1264/records/1383008 : accessed 23 February 2026). 

[4]  Wilson's New York Commercial Register,  page 846, William J. Tait ; image, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHV-V3DB-KS98-P : accessed 23 February 2026). 


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