(Top)
Martha Ann “Patty” Atavis
ca. 1840-1850
Unidentified photographer
3 3/4 x 3 1/4 inch daguerreotype
Cased Photographs Collection
Maryland Historical Society
CSPH 545
(Bottom)
Martha Ann “Patty” Atavis with Alice Lee Whitridge
ca. 1856
Unidentified photographer
4 1/4 x 3 1 /2 inch tintype
Cased Photographs Collection
CSPH 546
mdhsphotographs: MdHS has recently acquired the photographs above of Martha Ann “Patty” Atavis, a slave described as a nurse, owned by Dr. John Whitridge of Baltimore. The tintype shows Patty holding Alice Lee Whitridge, daughter of Dr. Whitridge.
Photographs of identified slaves are extremely rare. MdHS is pleased to hold these two items in the collection and looking forward to further research in to the life of Patty Atavis. Patty was buried in Greenmount Cemetery, Baltimore, in the Whitridge Family plot.
Both items along with Patty’s Bill of Sale (from Ruth McCubbin to the John Whitridge) are now on display in the MdHS library exhibition cases.
