Every week The Psychogenealogist shares a "Pic of the Week." The intent is to encourage thought and imagination about the spaces where psychology, genealogy, and history converge.

This distinguished looking gentleman caught my eye at the local antique store. His angular mop of hair, the swoop of his mustache, and the gentle way he holds his hat all suggest a story that I would like to know.

This was a photograph postcard with some writing on the back. The “Place Stamp Here” section in the upper right gives us some indication as to this photo’s age.

As we saw in “Uncle Ed Costlow and Family. My Mother’s Brother”, this stamp suggests this photo was taken between 1904 and 1918. There is some writing on the back, some of it more legible than other.

I believe the lighter writing at the tops says:

Uncle John Martin brother of Mina Marea
Martin Duke.

What do you think of my transcription? Do you have other ideas? The writing on the bottom says:

Did you know you had
a Brother in the world that
Looked like the other side

What is the world could this possibly mean? My first guess is that this is a World War I reference.

Here are some questions to think about as you consider this photo. If you have any thoughts please feel free to leave them in the comments below.

Who is writing to whom, and what side of the War are they on? Is this man from the U.S.? Europe? Who are the people referenced at the top of the back? What can we learn about this man from the clothes he is wearing? It is obviously winter, but where was the photo taken? Did it ever reach the intended recipient? Are there any living relatives of the people involved who might be interested in this photo? Who is this man and what is his story?

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