The Triplet Children of J. M. and Emma C. Tracey

Although this photo was in poor shape when I bought it and required significant touch-up to make the image somewhat more visible for posting, I thought that the appeal for assistance printed on the back of the card made it worthwhile. I did some searching for further information about the triplets, but didn't uncover a definitive account of their story.

The Find A Grave Web site contains some information regarding the girls' parents, Jarred Washington Tracey (1857-1906) and Emma Barton Tracey (1858-1949) (I'm not sure why the parents' middle names don't match their middle intials on the card). Emma Tracey's entry includes a different photo of the mother with her three daughters.

Find A Grave also contains entries for the children, Mabel V. Tracey McKelvey (1886-1967), Edith Grace Tracey Thompson (1886-1967), and Bessie Barton Tracey Willard (1886-1966).

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Printed on the back of the card:

The Triplet Children of J. M. and Emma C. Tracey, Fountaindale, Pa.

Mable Viola, Born April 4, 1886, noon, weighed 6 lbs.
Edith Grace, Born April 5, 1886, noon, weighed 6 lbs.
Bessie Barton, Born April 6, 1886, 4 p.m., weighed 7 lbs.

Mrs. Tracey, the mother of these babes, was born with but one arm. Photographs taken Aug. 26, 1886. Cabinet photographs of these children will be mailed to any address for 25 cents. Address J. M. Tracey, Fountain Dale, Adams co., Pa.

The profit from the sale of photographs will be devoted to rearing and educating the triplets.

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Printed on the front of the card below the photo (too faint to be visible here): "Tipton Photo, Gettysburg, Pa."