4 Mears Family Photographic Images, incl. Civil War CSA

Four (4) photographic images of Confederate soldier George Augustus Mears (1838-1913), 16th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry, and original owner of the George A. Mears historic house located at Asheville, Buncombe County, North Carolina, including uniform tintype, and his son Samuel Parley Mears (1866-1939). 1st item: Fourth plate tintype depicting George Augustus Mears standing in his infantry uniform with a long rifle and bayonet, housed in a floral gutta percha case. 4 1/4" H x 3 1/4" W. 2nd item: Sixth plate tintype depicting a seated Mears as a young man in a suit, tinting to his cheeks, housed in a floral gutta percha case. Includes accompanying note reading "G A Mears/born Dec 20 1838/Taken Photo 18 years old 1854". 3 1/4" H x 2 3/4" W. 3rd item: Cabinet card depicting Samuel Parley Mears and a woman, likely his wife, dressed in late 19th century attire and situated in a studio setting. Studio marks for J. M. McCanless, Photographer, Asheville, NC, across bottom. 9 7/8" H x 6 7/8" W. 4th item: Gelatin silver print bust portrait of Samuel Parley Mears, depicted as a middle aged man in a suit. Studio marks for N. Brock, Asheville, TN across bottom, handwritten pencil inscription reading "Samuel Parley Mears 1930" below. Housed in a card stock portfolio. Print - 10" H x 7 1/8" W. Portfolio - 10 1/4" H x 7 1/4" W. Mid 19th/early 20th century. Biography: George Augustus Mears was born in 1838 to James Barnes Mears and Margaret Elvira Mears (born Penland) in North Carolina. He had 8 siblings: Myra E Wells (born Mears), Lieut Samuel Marion Mears, and 6 other siblings. George married Nancy M. Mears (born Roberts) (1844-1916) and had 9 children: Samuel Parley Mears, Ella Webster (born Mears), and 7 other children. In 1885 he constructed the George A. Mears House located at 137 Biltmore Avenue, a two and a half story brick Queen Anne style building, listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 26, 1979. After serving in the Confederate 16th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry during the Civil War, Mears was an Asheville merchant who was in business between 1870 and 1910 on South Main Street, principally with his Mears Daylight Store, which burned in the 1920s (the building was so named because of its large expanses of glass). George passed away on month day 1913, at age 74 and was buried at the Riverside Cemetery, in Asheville, North Carolina. Samuel Parley Mears is also buried at the Riverside Cemetery. (adapted from Ancestry.com and the Preservation Society of Asheville and Buncombe Co.).
Condition Report: 1st-2nd items: Overall good, visible condition. Wear to cases, spines are separated. 3rd item: Horizontal crease across lower center of cabinet card. 4th items: Overall good condition with toning.