Lizzie's Dress

Elizabeth SCHOFIELD Mann
Originally uploaded by midgefrazel

10th ed. Smile for the Camera "Costume"

Lizzie Schofield (Elizabeth Lyon Schofield) was my 2nd great grand aunt. Her brother Joseph was one of my 2nd great grandfathers. This photo of her in this dress comes to me from the kindness of Joe Bott at DeadFred.com with the photo of her brother Joseph and probably was taken at the Schofield Photography Studio in Westerly, RI. which was owned by family members. [Blog Post of Digital Story]

Elizabeth's ancestors came from England and opened the first woolen textile mill in America. [Blog Post: Wild and Wooley] I expect she was fond of dresses.

I pulled out Maureen Taylor's book, More Dating Old Photographs 1840-1929, to see if I could inexpertly (that's guess) figure out if this dress was of Civil War era or a bit later. She is wearing hoops and a cameo pin. The sleeves are quite different and the trim seems like velvet so it looks about this period. Lizzie is not smiling. She displays the same dark circles under her eyes as her brother and her brother's daughter my great-grandmother Nellie.

Lizzie was the wife of Charles L. Mann and her gravestone is on my list to locate next spring. She is buried with her husband and her son. When I find these gravestones, I plan to blog more about them as I found out quite a lot in just a few hours.

For now, Elizabeth is just a lovely example of family photos and as there are no descendants to remember her, she's mine to keep. I am glad I don't have to wear hoops, aren't you?