I called this guy “Mr Pomade” because of the obvious glossy appearance to his hair. This could be accomplished through the use of pomade and hair oil, both of which were very popular with men and women in the 19th century. Pomade is similar to hair wax as we know it today and once applied could be molded into the desired appearance.
The photograph is relatively unremarkable beyond the fellow’s hair styling. He has a placid expression looking off to the side, round & soft face, and somewhat boring clothing. That being said, he was hopefully more interesting in person and just didn’t photograph well. The image was made by J. N. Choate in Carlisle, PA.
Who Were They? 