This Mental Photographs Journal was compiled between 1874 and 1878 by Josephine Thayer of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Each "mental photograph" consists of questions and answers that offer rich personal details about the respondent. There are 24 entries in addition to the first entry which has the following page pasted to it (previous owners attempted to separate pages).

Josephine Thayer Tutt was born on February 12, 1858 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  As the daughter of Martin Russell Thayer (1819 – 1906) and Martin’s second wife Sophia Dalla Watmough Thayer (1831 – 1881), Josephine came from a powerful Pennsylvanian family. Her father, Martin, was a Republican congressman who went on to become a judge for the district court of Philadelphia.

Josephine was the fifth of seven children. She had two half siblings from her father’s first marriage, Wallace Thayer (1843 – 1847) and Lissie Thayer (1845 – 1847). Josephine had two other sisters, Martha Russell Thayer (1857-1884) and Sophia Thayer Williamson (1869 – 1927). Josephine was also the sister of General Russel W. Thayer, an inventor, Brigadier General of the National Guard, and Chief Engineer of the Pennsylvania Railroad.

On December 29, 1885, Josephine married Charles Leaming Tutt. Charles became a prominent figure as well. Charles was the president of the Colorado-Philadelphia Reduction Company as well as the president of several gold mining companies that included: Cripple Creek Sampling and Ore Company, Townsite Gold Mining Company, the Pennsylvania Gold Developing Company and the Annie Gold Mining Company. Charles was also the vice president and director of the C.O.D. Gold Minging Company.

Josephine and Charles had four children; Sophia Watwough Tutt (1887 – 1903), Charles Leaming Tutt ll (1889 – 1961), Russell Thayer Tutt (1890 – 1891), and William Thayer Tutt (1893 – 1917).

Josephine died on March 6, 1912 at the age of 54. She is buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Colorado Springs, Colorado.