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I have waited on this several months, long enough for some confirmation of what I believe. I believe this to be a picture of Emma and John Stepp, though I can find no one to definitly say so.
I found it in the photographs of my parents several years after they had died. It is definitly not from one of the other sides of my family, it can only be from the Steppe side. I think when Emma died that those around at the time took souvenirs. Uncle Daniel had the only know photo to Cleveland Steppe. Joy Steppe now has a couple of vases that belonged to Emma. So maybe my father took this photo.
On the left is the full old tintype, the emulsion has dried and cracked with age and turned brownish, the corners are missing. Tintypes were current around 1875. On the right is an enlargement of the faces. The mans face has long pointed ears like those of Cleveland Steppe. And there are other similarities to other children of John D, like the thin short nose, about 1/4 the length of the face. The womans face has a wide, long, crooked nose about 1/3 the length of the face, like that of Frank Steppe and other children and grandchildren. Her hair is put up like that of known Emma photos years later. Thus the "Steppe Nose" came from Emma Layne and not John Stepp.
Until someone can show that this is not John and Emma, or until we find a photo known to be of John D, I am believing this photo to be of John Dabney Stepp and Emma.
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