Philapena Edmonia Angus Cash
Date & Place:
in Amherst County, Virginia USA
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Philapena Edmonia Angus Cash
Updated Jun 26, 2025
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Barbara Millner
102 favorites
10/04/2016
Comments
AncientFaces
382k+ followers 411 favorites
05/06/2021
Philapena Edmonia Angus Cash of Amherst VA. We all know that smiling was verboten in old photos for numerous reasons - and yet, so much can be read into that resting face.
Ali Mir
via Facebook
Could this possibly be one of those photos taken after the person was dead?
Lori Viereckl
via Facebook
I think she is dead ! Yes she looks propped up ! Her hands would not be like that if she was just sitting .
via Facebook
You might be right. The bench she is sitting on seems a little strange to me.
Jean White
168 favorites
10/05/2016
She probably wished she were! Who knows what she’d endured? Take her to a beauty shop, give her a nice outfit, actually she has good bones, slim
via Facebook
I agree. The bench has an added back to it where she is sitting.. used to keep her propped up?
via Facebook
No they closed the eyes on the dead so they looked like they were sleeping peacefully and they have old rattan bench chairs high on one side. Didn't know I knew that much. Was close to my great grandmother and now I am one!
via Facebook
Timi Charles -- Not all postmortem shots were taken with the subjects' eyes closed. There were many, many ways to "pose" bodies using stands, furniture and such and making them appear quite awake and alive depending on the photographer's skills.
via Facebook
An FB page called the Thanatos Archives has many Victorian PM photos where it is very difficult to distinguish between alive or dead because of their pose and open eyes, sadly a lot of them were children.
via Facebook
I agree, if u enlarge the picture, her hands are in a ackward position
via Facebook
Fascinating photo. It looks as though she's in mourning.
via Facebook
I don't know the significance of the one glove. She's definitely in mourning judging by the veil and the fabric of her dress. It's bugging me too!
via Facebook
Someone said it was her "greeting " hand ...interesting
via Facebook
Gloves were part of funeral as was wearing crepe and a veil. Glad it's changed.
via Facebook
So one would not accept a proliferated hand of condolences with a gloved hand? I have never heard of that tradition. Sounds right tho.
Jean White
168 favorites
10/05/2016
Arguably, in defense of this lady Angus, why be so cruel? Perhaps some great tragedy occured to her. Think giving birth in those days, all necessities were hard to come by, even for tne wealthy, depending on where you lived! Those dark clothes were worn by women in that era! Laundering was most likely done , down by the creek.! I tried pulling up more info , but it failed. My great grand mothers told me about their hardships for survival . How many reading this could survive, even todays life, without your lifestyle of ease?
via Facebook
Jean LaRue White You're right - and no disrespect was meant by the family, I'm sure. I think the comment was light hearted - and I'm sure that her life wasn't!
via Facebook
Well said! We all want to criticize our forefathers' era, yet imagine what they'd think of they saw us today.
via Facebook
I clicked the link, but no story of why the 2nd great-granddaughter "said so."
via Facebook
In mourning dress. Possibly taken shortly after or before a funeral hence the glove missing from the right hand, the greeting hand.
via Facebook
Thanks for letting us know this , I would have never knew that ..
via Facebook
Gloves were sent out to people who were to attend funeral at one time. They had so many rituals esp. for women. Think they had to wear crepe for a year then could move to silk. Could not attend large events. After certain amount of time they could send out cards saying they were ready to recieve guests. They took pictures of their loved ones while they were dead. Mourning could be as long as a year depending on who they lost.
via Facebook
The greeting hand - I had no idea. I learn so much on this page!
Thomas Collens
via Facebook
What is that contraption that is supporting her back??? It does not match the wicket bench seat she is sitting on! Perhaps she is deceased?
Sharon Hofer
via Facebook
The bench is really a chair with an armrest only on the right arm with a side seat for spouse or child. It's an eccentric chair.
via Facebook
I'm thinking this was a mourning picture. Maybe she had lost her husband. Notice how she has a glove on her left hand--where her wedding band would be. I think maybe it was done back then as a form of mourning. I have no idea but that's my take.
via Facebook
This appears to be a death portrait. If you notice her hat has something holding her head up, and she seems to be propped up. Her eyes as well appear off.
via Facebook
If you zoom in you can see the instrument holding her head upright.
via Facebook
In those days especially Victorian times it was common to take photo of a deceased person . Even a photo with with family members.
via Facebook
No.... Stop with the pm idea... Definitely not. People always assume that.
via Facebook
yeah I disagree - she's alive. The head prop is just to keep her head still for the exposure as she looks frail or overcome.
Estelle Van Vuuren
67 favorites
10/05/2016
Where is her other glove? Love the photo!
Joanne Smith
5 favorites
10/06/2016
I think that the old girl fell asleep waiting for the photographer to take her photo. My own great grandmother said that smiling for photos was undignified, we have ONE of her half smiling, she had a beautiful smile :)
Michelle Broussard
via Facebook
I don't think she's alive here folks.i appears someone is standing behind her to hold her up. The black shroud behind her is covering her up.
via Facebook
The black shroud is covering the person holding her up.
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