What an incredible photograph. Click on it to examine it in detail, especially the man on the right. This is one of those haunting photos where you almost feel like the subject is looking back at you.

The home in the picture is Thomas Taylor’s home, built in 1876 at 238 Massachusetts Ave. NE. Taylor was a prominent scientist and resident of Washington for almost half a century. He passed away in January 1910 and the Washington Post published this article upon his dead.

At the age of 90 years, Dr. Thomas Taylor, a resident of Washington since he civil war, died at this home, 238 Massachusetts avenue northeast, yesterday morning. ….

Dr. Thomas Taylor was born April 22, 1820 in Perth, Scotland. He studied chemistry at Anderson University, Glasgow. He came to America in 1851, and soon after his arrival became identified with investigation in the ordnance department of the United States army, making a specialty of improving rifle shells, and merited the recognition given to his work by President Lincoln.

-ad 197-

In 1871, Mr. Taylor entered the service in the Department of Agriculture. He was among the first to make investigations of adulterated food and edible and poisonous mushrooms. Late in life, Mr. Taylor took up the study of medicine at the Georgetown Medical School and was graduated in 1882. Dr. Taylor was elected an honorary member of the microscopical section of the Royal Institution of London, the French Chemical Society, the International Medical of Society of Hygiene, Belgium; the American Society of Microscopists, the Textile Fiber Association, as well as a member of the American Pomological Association.

Here’s a great portrait of Taylor.