Ryan Tanaka

Born in 1748, she lived long enough to be photographed in 1852. (Pictured Mary Monroe Sanderson from Massachusetts)... Mary Monroe Sanderson is notable not because she was famous, but because of when she lived. She was born during the colonial era, nearly three decades before the American Revolution, and lived long enough to be photographed in the early days of photography—making her one of the earliest-born Americans ever captured on camera. In short, she is remembered as a living bridge between colonial America and the modern age. She likely grew up as a British subject, witnessed the creation of the United States, and lived through events such as the American Revolution, the signing of the Constitution, the War of 1812 and, the early Industrial Revolution. When she was born, photography did not exist. By the time of her photo, the daguerreotype had only recently been invented (1839), meaning her image represents a rare overlap between the 18th century and modern visual history. When Mary Monroe Sanderson was born in 1748, George Washington was just 16 years old, and no U.S. state existed yet. © Reddit #archaeohistories