This 1895 Family Picture Seems Normal — Until You See What’s Hanging on the Wall | HO!!

On a rainy October afternoon in 2023, Dr. Amanda Foster—an esteemed American history professor at Boston University—stumbled upon a photograph that would unravel one of the most disturbing cold cases in Massachusetts history. What began as a routine visit to an antique shop on Beacon Street quickly transformed into a journey through layers of Victorian respectability, hidden violence, and forensic revelation.

Dr. Foster had frequented Samuel Wittman’s antique shop for years, often finding rare teaching materials for her courses. Wittman, the elderly proprietor, had a knack for saving intriguing items for her. “This came from an estate in Salem,” he told her, as he carefully unwrapped an ornate wooden frame. “The family was cleaning out their grandmother’s attic. She never spoke of her childhood—said it was too painful to remember.”

Inside the frame was a formal family portrait, dated 1895, depicting a prosperous American family in their well-appointed parlor. The father stood behind his seated wife, both dressed in the formal attire of the Victorian middle class. Three children, ranging in age from about eight to sixteen, were arranged around their parents. At first glance, everything about the photograph seemed textbook: the clothing, furniture, and photographic techniques matched the era’s standards. Their solemn expressions reflected the long exposure times required for such portraits—smiles were rare.

Dr. Foster bought the photograph for $65, intending to use it as a teaching tool. She could never have anticipated that this seemingly ordinary image would soon expose evidence of crimes buried for over 128 years.

A Chilling Discovery in the Details

That evening, Dr. Foster began cataloging the photograph in her home office. With professional lighting and a high-resolution camera, she captured every detail for her archive. Victorian family photographs were her specialty, and she was adept at reading subtle clues about social class and family dynamics.

The image measured 12 by 16 inches, set in a lavishly carved frame—a sign of the family’s wealth. The parlor backdrop boasted ornate wallpaper, heavy drapery, and substantial furniture. But as Dr. Foster examined the image under magnification, her attention was drawn to the wall behind the father’s left shoulder.

Victorian homes were known for elaborate wall decorations, but what she saw was anything but conventional. Among the usual framed prints and decorative plates hung a display that made her breath catch—a collection of what appeared to be human scalps, mounted and framed like hunting trophies.

The scalps were arranged in a neat row, each carefully preserved. Hair textures and colors varied, indicating different individuals. The professional mounting suggested that someone had taken considerable care in their preservation and display. Dr. Foster’s hands trembled as she repositioned her magnifying glass. There was no mistaking the evidence: this family had posed for their formal portrait in a room decorated with human remains.

The implications were staggering. Dr. Foster realized she might be holding photographic evidence of multiple murders, documented in a family portrait over a century ago.

Forensic Confirmation and Historical Context

Dr. Foster immediately contacted Dr. Robert Chen, a forensic anthropologist at Harvard Medical School. His expertise in historical evidence analysis would be crucial. The following morning, Dr. Chen examined the photograph under professional magnification and confirmed her worst fears. “These are definitely human scalps,” he stated. “The hair patterns, preservation, and display arrangement all point to methodical collection and presentation.”

Further analysis revealed even more disturbing details. The scalps showed varied hair textures and colors—blonde, black, straight, curly—suggesting victims of different ages and ethnicities. Dr. Chen noted the preservation techniques indicated a knowledge of taxidermy, meaning the collector was skilled and systematic.

Research into 1890s photography practices revealed that families often showcased their most prized possessions in formal portraits, demonstrating prosperity and social status. The inclusion of the scalp collection suggested the family felt no shame or fear, possibly indicating the crimes had gone undetected by local authorities.

Uncovering the Blackwood Family Secret

Dr. Foster traced the photograph’s provenance to the estate of Margaret Blackwood, who died at age 94 in Salem, Massachusetts. Estate records confirmed Margaret was the youngest child in the 1895 photograph—the eight-year-old girl beside her mother. The realization that one of the children had lived until 2023, keeping the family’s secret for nearly a century, added another layer of horror.

Margaret Blackwood’s personal papers and diaries provided chilling insights. Written in her twenties, her diary entries revealed all three Blackwood children were aware of their father’s murders from early ages. Rather than recoiling in horror, the children had been gradually indoctrinated to view the killings as normal family activity.

“Father brought another one home today,” read one entry. “Thomas helped him with the preparation, and mother made sure Mary and I stayed upstairs until it was finished. The new one will look nice with the others in the parlor.”

Margaret described how visitors commented on her father’s “hunting trophies,” and the family would claim they were animal pelts. Her diary also revealed the children were taught to see the victims as “wanderers and criminals who won’t be missed.” Thomas, the eldest son, was trained as his father’s accomplice, learning to assist with the murders and scalp preparation.

Most chilling was the revelation that the family intended to continue the killing tradition into the next generation. Margaret’s diary referenced discussions about which child would inherit “father’s responsibilities.”

The Investigation Unfolds

Prompted by Dr. Foster’s discovery, the Massachusetts State Police opened a formal investigation, designating it the Salem Scalp Collection Case. Detective Maria Rodriguez, an expert in historical cold cases, examined missing persons records from Essex County during the 1890s. She uncovered at least 12 unexplained disappearances in the Salem area between 1890 and 1900—travelers, local residents, and transients whose cases had never been properly investigated.

Many disappearances occurred within a five-mile radius of the Blackwood family’s property—a substantial farm offering isolation and convenient disposal methods. Jonathan Blackwood, the patriarch, was a livestock dealer who traveled throughout New England, regularly encountering strangers who might not be missed.

Financial records showed unexplained increases in the family’s wealth during the 1890s, suggesting robbery as a motive. The Blackwoods had profited from their crimes while maintaining a facade of respectability.

How the Killing Stopped—and the Secret Survived

The murder spree ended abruptly after Jonathan Blackwood’s mysterious death in 1897, just two years after the portrait was taken. Contemporary news reports claimed he was killed by livestock in an accident, but modern analysis suggested a struggle and possible revenge by an escaped victim. Margaret’s diary referenced “the one who got away” and her father’s paranoia before his death.

After Jonathan’s death, Martha Blackwood sold the property and moved the children to Boston, assuming new identities. The scalp collection was packed and moved with them. Thomas died in World War I, Mary in the 1918 flu pandemic, and only Margaret survived to old age, carrying the burden of her family’s secrets.

Modern Forensics and Community Impact

The Massachusetts State Police Crime Lab applied cutting-edge forensic techniques to the photograph. Digital enhancement revealed at least eight distinct scalps, each representing a murder. One scalp displayed braiding patterns consistent with Native American styling of the 1890s, prompting collaboration with tribal historians and the FBI.

Genealogist Sarah McKenzie traced three victims to specific families: Patrick O’Sullivan, an Irish immigrant; Maria Rosetti, an Italian woman; and an unidentified Native American. Families finally received answers, holding memorial services for their ancestors more than a century after their disappearance.

The investigation also exposed systematic failures of 1890s law enforcement, which often dismissed missing persons from immigrant and indigenous communities. The Blackwoods’ respectability provided perfect camouflage for their crimes.

A New Standard for Historical Justice

The Blackwood case fundamentally changed how historians, genealogists, and law enforcement approach historical evidence. Dr. Foster’s discovery demonstrated that family artifacts could contain crucial information about long-hidden crimes.

The digital enhancement techniques set new standards for forensic photography, and Dr. Foster’s new course on forensic applications of historical research became one of Boston University’s most popular.

The Massachusetts Historical Society created a permanent exhibit on the Blackwood case, and Detective Rodriguez established a national network for historical cold case investigators. Annual memorial services in Salem now honor both the Blackwood victims and all victims of violence against minorities.

The Photograph That Changed Everything

Today, the 1895 Blackwood family portrait stands as a powerful reminder that appearances can deceive, and that justice—though delayed—can be achieved through persistence, technology, and the courage to confront uncomfortable truths.

Dr. Foster’s final words resonate: “Every historical artifact has the potential to reveal stories that challenge our understanding of the past. Our responsibility is to approach these discoveries with scientific rigor and human compassion, ensuring that the voices of forgotten victims are finally heard.”