Joseph Chaplin took this photo of his grandson, Charles Joseph Chaplin (1912-1987) playing with his cat in South Portland, and styled in a World War I-era uniform. Joseph Chaplin worked as an engineer for his family’s ice company and was a prolific amateur photographer. He used a large format view camera that he built himself.

In the 1930s, Joseph, his son Merle, and grandson Charles incorporated a research and development firm named Chaplin Corporation in South Portland. Maine’s paper industry benefitted from many of their inventions.