Transcribed from photograph: "Seattle Portraits. Anderson, Joseph W., 1868 [i.e. 1861]-1942. Principal of South School 1885-1886."

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It's unclear why Seattle Public Library presumes this picture dates from Anderson's period as principal of South School. Uniform appears to be that of a U.S. Army Major General at roughly the time of the Spanish-American War. However, Heitman ((1903) Historical register and dictionary of the United States Army : from its organization, September 29, 1789, to March 2, 1903, 1 (1^st ed.), p. 1 Retrieved on 12 September 2014. "This is the unofficial work of a private compiler, purchased and published by direction of Congress") gives no indication of a general staff officer of that name in the relevant era. There are two Joseph Andersons listed on page 164, but neither looks like even a possible match.