Found photographs, photographs, photoshop, video, pixels, 1888 - 2009
Last week, Seth L's mother Laurie was researching his family genealogy and found a photograph of Seth's great-great-great-grandfather on the internet. J. Ludwig Riedesel was a farmer who emigrated from Prussia in the mid-1800s.
It's a fantastic find, but to be completely honest, I'm a competitive guy and my initial reaction was to worry that Seth's great-great-great-grandfather might have a nicer beard than my great-great-great-grandfather, the sea captain William Tichenor.
This is March Madness, and it seems the only way to settle this is to have an old fashioned great-grandfather beard contest. If I can get some more photographs of great, great-great, or great-great-great-grandfathers, I can put together a bracket that we can all bet on. I'm biased, but I think my surly-looking ancestor's monster goatee is going to be tough to beat. If you think your great-grandfather can run with these two dudes, you better get in on this.
You may be wondering if Seth and I rigged the contest by stealing some random photos off the internet. It's offensive that you would even think that, but I'm cautious, and to prove that we are related, I digitally morphed our faces with our ancient kin. The pictures and videos are indisputable evidence of a genetic relationship.
Seth clearly has the Riedesel eyes and cheeks:
And I've got the Tichenor nose and heavy brow:
As an incentive for entering your great-grandfather (or greater) into the March Madness for Beards, I will morph you into your distant relative's photo. How sad would it be if this contest was just my grandfather crushing Seth's grandfather? If this is going to work, we need some competitors, so everybody get cracking!
Contest Rules:
- Participants must be a great-grandfather or greater-grandfather (greatest?)
- Multiple entries are acceptable.
- All participants must have some form of facial hair (you can enter a grandfather with a pencil mustache but he probably won't make it out of the first round. This is mainly a beard contest.)
- One photograph is required per participant (paintings or sketches may substitute photographs if the image was created during your grandfather's lifetime. ex. If Ulysses S. Grant is your great-grandfather, you're in with a $50 bill)
- The judging process will be determined in the coming weeks
Entries must be submitted no later than Friday, March 27th. Competitors will be added to the blog as soon as I receive a photograph. Once the bracket is set, we'll start betting real money ($$$). Tell your friends. You might need to ask your parents to help you with this.
Send entries to aquietmoment@gmail.com
Good luck!
My great-great-grandfather and namesake, Carl W. W-----, actually had a pencil mustache. Should I bother?
Posted by: Carl W | March 17, 2009 at 10:11 PM
Dear Carl W,
You should enter if you have a photo. My hunch is the judging will be based on a myriad of variables -- trash talking, back story, overall coolness of photo, etc.
I won't be the judge.
Take a chance.
John U
Posted by: John U | March 17, 2009 at 11:52 PM
This shit is crazy. I need to call my parents and get some great grandfather photos fast!
Posted by: Ryan | March 18, 2009 at 08:50 AM
dude you totally look like old cappie tich! never noticed that.
Posted by: Anna Urquhart | March 18, 2009 at 02:40 PM
This blog entry is just so ignorant. You are ruining the internet with your "contest."
Posted by: Ben H | March 20, 2009 at 12:46 PM
Somebody seems jealous about my great-great-great grandfather being way cooler than his great-great-great grandfather.
Posted by: John U | March 20, 2009 at 02:40 PM