Marriage certificate with tintypes of Augustus L. Johnson and Malinda Murphy

Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

This marriage certificate includes tintype portraits of the betrothed, Augustus Johnson and Malinda Murphy. The couple were married on July 9, 1874. The certificate, printed by Louis Prang, has an ornamental design that includes decorative lettering and framing. An illustrated man and a woman sit on the proper right and left sides of the certificate, respectively, and each of them holds a wreath and torch.The proper right side of the certificate contains the tintype of Augustus Johnson and the proper left side contains that of Malinda Murphy. Johnson’s portrait shows him looking off to the side in 2/3 profile view. He has a beard, and he is dressed in a white shirt and dark coat. Murphy’s portrait shows her facing the camera but looking off to the proper left. She wears a dark dress with a white, ruffled collar and a white bow.

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