Late 1800s early 1900s group photo - men and a boy

I found this in my cousin's house after she passed. I know nothing about her father's side of the family and there were a lot of photos attributed to various members of his mother's side. I don't know what is going on in this photo. I posted it a few years ago, but here it is again in case someone new has a clue. If it was just the men, I'd think it was the Town Fathers, Selectmen or maybe a group of Masons or Odd Fellows, but the boy in the front is a mystery. The guy on the far right must be the Grand Poobah.

 

Could be some type of gathering for the boys father who passed away.

 

I think he ate a grand Pooh Bear!

 

Bev aka Thelma's stuff, I have no suggestion(s) about the purpose of the gathering but I am curious about one thing . . . can you tell what the white(?) oblong box-shaped "thing" is hanging over the top of the door???

As an aside, I love the interesting multipane window to the right of the door as you view the photo.

 

I think that's the porch light.

 

Could be Masons. The top hat is associated with Freemasonry.

Debora

 

Well,they certainly are a prosperous looking bunch! That bunch arent missing too many meals ,are they?

 

Yep, well fed.

Debora

 

Hubby just got his 50 year Masonic pin and he doesn't think it's anything to do with Masons. None of them are wearing any 'jewels' or other regalia. Maybe he fell down a well and was saved and the town dignitaries came out to honor him. Or maybe Lassie fell down the well and he rescued her. The people on the porch behind them seem pleased.

Photographer is J. Haseltine, Artist Photographer, Lancaster NH. The little girl on the right is holding a rose (?) up to her nose. Even with a magnifying glass, the white thing over the door is obscure.

 

The child's "cap" looks a bit kepi-ish. Maybe he won a prize - there's some kind of "ribbon" attached to his shirt.

 

Maybe the kid saved Lassie from the well.

 

so hard to loose weight the older one gets.....

 

My DH thought it could have something to do with a Gas lamp.....But I have no clue.....and what's that strange black thing and spidery looking thing below and around the white square thing????

 

That's damage on the face of the photo.

 

According to this page, Haseltine was listed in Lancaster business directories in the late 1870s and early 1880s. He was also there later as he was one of the founders of the local water company:
https://cabinetcardgallery.wordpress.com/tag/haseltine/

From the little bit I can tell from the style of card and the clothing I'm thinking this is possibly from the mid to late 1880s. Could be wrong, though. It appears to be the size of a cabinet card photo.

About the boy in the middle: Is the stripe look down the front of his shirt part of his clothing, or is it damage to the photo? I wonder whether it has anything to do with why he is in front with the men instead of back on the porch with the other people?

 

Civil War reunion photo maybe? The kid looks like he's wearing a kepi.

 

The marks on his shirt are part of the damage. The hat either looks like a kepi or a typical Irish golf-type cap with the top snapped down to the brim.

 

Oh, well... Right now I have no other ideas, then.

 

Like Baker and Evelyb.. said about the boy's hat, I also think it looks like a kepi. Quite a variety of hats the men are wearing form top hats, bowlers to straw/skimmers/boaters. It doesn't look like a family reunion for don't see much family resemblance among them. I agree not a Masonic or a fraternal group for no fraternal trappings are being worn. I'm leaning towards a local GAR (Grand Army of the Republic) get-together with the boy wearing a kepi of that era. With such a group, the men were the center of attention leaving the women and girls secondary objects stuck up on the porch. But..... then those GAR groups did have pins and ribbons similar to fraternal orders. Soooo no help from this corner of the world for you, Bev.

--- Susan

 

I love mysteries - if they can be solved! Alas, many of these old photos just leave you scratching your head.