This picture has been purported to be of Michael Taylor (1789 NC - 1838 IL). However, it can not be of him; he died while photography was still in its infancy and there were no photogoraphers in his region of rural Illinois. Based on the original being a tintype in the possession of my family, it was probably made in the 1850-1870 erea.
I find it rude that a person has "grabbed" it off the Internet, to retain the provenance, posted it without understanding what they had, failed and not sought permission to re-publish.
Paintings of our ancestors - we didn't have photographs yet!
Paintings of people who lived in the 18th century. So much happened in their lives - the steam engine was invented, the first steps of the Industrial Revolution were taken, the American revolution, th...