Cynthia Laurimore

Portrait of Elizabeth Hobbs Keckley - the dressmaker to Mrs. Abraham Lincoln. Born into slavery in 1818, in November 1855 she purchased her and her son's freedom in St. Louis Missouri.

She later moved to Washington D.C. where she began a dressmaking business employing 20 seamstresses who provided fashion to the wives of elite politicians including Varina Davis (wife of Jefferson Davis), Mary Anna Custis Lee (wife of Robert E. Lee) and of course the First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln.

This is a school photo I bought from Ebay in the US. What lovely faces! All of the children's names are on the back in clear adult hand, and I've listed them below (click on arrow), front row first, l-r, then 2nd row, etc. Also 9 names are written sideways in a child's hand and spelling, and all those names are repeated in the larger list except "Irene Branden". 21 of the children have pencil or pen Xs on them; not all Xs are visible in the scan. One detail I think is striking is the one non-Caucasian or mixed-race student (Mary Rhinehart). I'm Canadian and not an expert on American racial history so I don't know if this is that unusual for this era of history, or perhaps a clue to the country or area.

These children are not relatives of mine and I am not researching any of these names. Another member commented below to say that s/he may have found some of the children in the 1910 census. The Ebay seller had no further information on where it was from. I would be thrilled to hear if you have information to share with me or if you have or might have found a family member here, but I don't know what school this is or where the photo was taken, or even exactly when (though I guess from 1900-1920, because of the big bows and very few short bobs, etc), so I can't give any more information on that. Check the comments below the names to see other members' thoughts.

It's a beautiful photo and I hope it helps with your research.

I don't know what school this is or where the photo was taken, or even exactly when, though I guess from 1900-1920, because of the big bows and very few short bobs, etc. I'm not a dating expert, though!
People in photo include: Joe Steen, George Mays, Calvin Hall, Walter Fleck, Oscar Owen, Earl Barnicle, Sidney Braden, Myra Campbell, Irene Burgard, Gertrude Kelsey, Marion Bolger, Helen Viele, Mary McDougall, Lola Barnicle, Ned Kelsey, Louis Titsler, Irene Sayers, Katherine Hunter, Ruth McClintock, Alice Harkless, Margaret McAninch, Nellie Fry, Constance Hunter, Rowena Marsh, Helena Phillips, Mary Rhinehart, Clarence Brown, Lester Eakin, Howard Eakin, Mary Eakin, Beulah Witherup, Margaret Eagles, Clara Pierce, -- Thomas, Jane McQuiston, Jean Harrah, Edith Marsh, and Ruth Eagles

Mrs. Norstog was my teacher 5th grade