Friday's Photo: An Unknown Man With John Regan Hammett, his wife, Alice Amanda Bryan

My father's cousin shared this photo with me. In her album, the man in the middle was identified as John Regan Hammett, and his wife, Alice Amanda Bryan, was named on the right. The unknown man on the left was identified as Buster. It was assumed that Buster was my father's brother, but this man was much too old. Dad's brother, Hairston Albritton "Buster" Bryan, was born in 1906. 

John R. Hammett died in 1935, so the photo had to have been taken prior to that time, and Buster would have been no older than 29 years old. I don't know the location. Below is a comparison of the unknown man and a photo of Buster, taken about the time Buster married in 1935. 

Could this unknown man be my grandfather, the father of Buster and Dad? Alice Amanda was my grandfather's sister. Below are two photos of my grandfather next to the unknown man. The first photo of my grandfather, Redic Eli Bryan, was taken in 1900, and the the one on the right was taken about 1910. 

My grandfather died in 1929, and I don't have any photos taken closer to that time. However, I was told that my grandfather was very tall. My father was 6'2", and he said his Dad was taller. The unknown man looks much shorter than John Hammett, whose sons were taller than 6'2." The photo of the man holding the paper in the photo on the left is my grandfather. He appears to be a tall person. What do you think? 

John Regan Hammett and Alice Amanda Bryan

John Regan Hammett, born in Louisana, was the son of Robert E. Hammett and Dorothy Elizabeth Bryan.  Dorothy was the sister to my great-grandfather, Terrell Bryan. Alice Amanda Bryan was the daughter of Terrell Bryan and Harriet L. Albritton. 

The location of this photo is unknown. John and Alice Amanda lived in Texas - Erath County, Red Springs in Baylor County, and Post in Garza County. When he died, John was living in Portales in Clovis County, New Mexico. 

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Diana

© 2023 

Redic and Buster Bryan, photographs, n.d.; scanned images, original photographs from the privately-held collection of Diana Bryan Quinn, Virginia Beach, VA, 2022. 

An Unknown Man With John Regan Hammett, his wife, Alice Amanda Bryan, photograph, n.d., scanned image, from the privately held photo collection of the J. McAlister, TX, 2001.