This is the best image I have ever seen of my great-great grandfather Richard DeKorn, Kalamazoo mason and building contractor.
Notice that this portrait is signed. It seems to say L. C. Robinson ’27.
So who was L. C. Robinson? From a directory of early Michigan photographers:
Robinson, Leo Carey
Dowagiac student …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….1900
Grand Rapids student ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….1910
Grand Rapids manufacturer of studio furniture for photographers ………………………………………………………… 1910-1911
Grand Rapids photographer for Carey B. Robinson ……………………………………………………………………………………..1912
Grand Rapids PHOTOGRAPHER at 115 ½ Monroe av ……………………………………………………………………… 1913-1921
Kalamazoo PHOTOGRAPHER at 414 Main st west ………………………………………………………………………….. 1923-1925
Kalamazoo PHOTOGRAPHER at 426 Main st west ………………………………………………………………………….. 1926-1927
Kalamazoo PHOTOGRAPHER at 426 Michigan av west …………………………………………………………………… 1929-1931
Kalamazoo PHOTOGRAPHER at 346 Burdick st south …………………………………………………………………….. 1939-1942
Leo was the elder son of photographer Carey B. Robinson and Lettie Alena (Lewis) Robinson, was born on February
25, 1893, at Delton, Michigan, and became a tall man with light brown eyes and brown hair. Her father came from
Indiana and Alta was born at Plainwell, Michigan, in June of 1893, sixth of the nine children of Charles C. and Frances
Ardella (Nichols) West. She grew up on an Allegan County farm, and she married Leo in 1914. Their children were
born in Michigan: Chester in 1915, Doris in 1916, Rueben (later Richard) in July of 1919, Jack about 1924, Avis in
May of 1926, and Eileen in February of 1928. The furniture manufactured by C. B. Robinson & Sons was sold across
the nation and in several other countries. Though Leo, along with his brother Ralph and his father, was a principal of
this company through 1911, Leo and his mother operated the photograph studio while his father supervised the
furniture factory. Leo became the nominal proprietor of the Grand Rapids studio about 1913, though his mother and
father still were involved with its operation and finances. He called it Robinson’s Art Loft in 1917. Late in 1923 he
purchased the Spaeth Studio, located in its own building on West Main Street, and within a couple of years had
developed one of the largest portrait trades in Kalamazoo. Leo died at Kalamazoo in 1942.
This photograph has a strange sheen to it and a pattern that overlays it all–visible in certain formats on my computer screen. This must be a certain type of photography, but I don’t know what it is.
I do know that I am grateful for this photograph dated three years before Richard’s death.
Dated. But taken? Richard was born in 1851 in Kapelle, Zeeland, Netherlands. In 1927, he would have been 76 years old.
Did he dye his hair? Could those moderate “living lines” be from 76 years of living? I find this photo a little confusing if it’s meant to be from 1927.
What do YOU think?
The Family Kalamazoo 
Wonderful photograph. He does look pretty good for 76. Were men wearing wide lapels in 1927? I think you need one of those fashion experts to opine. I am useless!
Me too. Plus I am always suspicious of clothing analysis, knowing how long some people keep their clothing, especially in those days when they were well-made. I asked my husband how old he thought he was in the pic, giving him NO information at all. He thought 67 at first. Then he said he could be even younger.
It is so hard to say. Did he spend much time outside as a contractor? If so, I’d expect to see many more lines on his face by 70. But if he spent little time in the sun, he might not have aged as much.
I think he spent a great deal of time outside. If he’s 75 or 76 in this photo, I am sure glad I have some of his genes haha.
Mysterious!
Tell me about it!
There’s a grimness to him that suggests you have the right age. Could he be wearing makeup? They used it on corpses which might explain his discomfort
Makeup! That’s an idea. I wonder if photographers did have people use it in certain cases (older people for instance) in the 20s. After all, in 1927 many women were wearing makeup so it would have been more commonplace. What do you think about his hair color? Eyebrow color?
Some ppl had young looking hair so that’s not such a problem or maybe hair oil cf be coloured
I never saw anybody in my family get to be 76 with brown hair, but it could be something on the hair, I suppose. gosh, I wish these old photos came with notes ;)!
His eyes with the bushy eyebrows were the first feature I noticed. The color of the brows seem to make him look older than his hair color would. My husband guessed late 60s. We can’t really go by what he would look like today at 76. I don’t think he dyed his hair. Maybe he was one of those men who didn’t age like farmers or miners of the times.
Thanks, Cathy! So do you think Richard’s brows are gray and his hair looks brown?
It looks like it to me but it could also be the lighting which is making the brows look lighter. Usually, we see gray haired men with darker brows. Maybe this is why I was drawn to the eyes.
You’re right about that! This is all a little mysterious!
Nice treasure for your family tree, Luanne; I can’t find where I put your email address and I have a couple of pictures and a couple of other things to send you can you email your email address. Thanks Paula
I’ll send you an email, Paula!
I am not very good at guessing ages. However could the photographer doctored or air brushed the picture to make him look younger. I can recall when we had our pictures taken in our senior year in high school they would remove facial blemishes and such. In fact I never liked my wife’s high school picture because they took out all of her freckles. They were one of the first things I noticed about her when we first met.
Oh, that is such a shame. What made her unique was taken away! I wonder if they did that kind of thing in those days? We always have new questions about what things were like back in the day, don’t we?
Hi Luanne. I first want to thank you for visiting my blog and for the follow. I am very grateful. Secondly, I would say that your great great grandfather may have been lucky enough to have retained colour in his hair. My grandfather who died at the age of 79 had almost a full head of hair and it was still dark brown. He had had a hard life and a lot of ill health but that didn’t have any effect on his hair!
Very good questions. I don’t know! But I love the photo. I will say that the overall “decay” of his facial structure seem to indicate he is much older than his skin and hair look. I can’t decide if he has any teeth or not, but his jaw-line seems much older than his skin.
I have a cardboard folder which is the home to a photo of my dad’s father during WWI. The front is embossed “Robinson’s Art Loft”. Great condition for being 100 or so years old.
Oh, what a treasure to have!