Monday, January 20, 2014

He Extended the Hand of Friendship and I Accepted It

Meeting Colin Kelly in Arkansas in 2010
 
A man extended a hand of friendship to me, and I accepted it. 

In 2009, I received an email message from a man who lives near Tulsa Oklahoma. The message was short, and to the point. It said:

"I recently learned about you in an article in the Chronicles of Oklahoma about Jackson Crow. Nail Perry also mentioned in the article is my ancestor. I would appreciate any correspondence with you regarding the Perry family and would gladly share what I know of them." -Colin Kelley

I think after reading the message I simply said, "Wow--Nail Perry?" The name was familiar to me, because Nail Perry had testified on behalf of my gr.grandparents,Samuel and Sallie Walton when they appeared in front of the Dawes Commission. And Nail Perry was part of the Choctaw Family that had been the family where my ancestors were enslaved. Right away I replied to him, and he was gracious and kind and sharing. 

Well, In February 2010 I met this man. Was I nervous? Well yes a bit. But when I was on a trip to Arkansas, he and a cousin Dick Perry, both came to meet me. This was the first time I had been able to have such a conversation with a descendant of a slaveholder. They were both citizens of the Choctaw Nation. 

When he arrived at the home of a friend Tonia Holleman of Van Buren Arkansas, where I was staying there was a light rain. I had worried that the rain might cause him to change his mind about coming, but it did not. He drove from his home near Tulsa Oklahoma, and with him he brought some photos of his own ancestors and documents that might be of interest to me. 

We talked, we laughed and we shared. I taped part of that meeting, and I am still grateful that we had the chance to meet, and that this man truly came to the table with an outstretched hand of friendship with me. I accepted it, and truly appreciate the spirit of sharing and giving that I received. 

So,  on this day in which we remember the words and actions of Dr. King, I thought I would share my experience here in the video above. 


 ..........one day the sons of former slaves and 
the sons of former slave holders 
will be able to site down at the table of brotherhood."      

-Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 1963-

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

"Till Justice Rolls Down Like Water..........."


Although today is not the holiday, today is his birthday.

I never met him or saw him, or heard him in person, but I was still impressed by him. And when I was a child, I was at a loss of words, I only knew he was a leader among leaders, and though I did not have the words to articulate what I saw and felt, but I was glad he was there.

I learned that he was a man of faith, word, courage, and action. He was also a son, a husband, a father, a brother, and to so many he was a leader. And as I grew, I continued to hear about him, and learned that he was making changes in the world. A movement had begun. I didn't fully understand it, and I never had the words to articulate what I was seeing, but I knew it was going on, he was part of it, and he was making a difference.

I had heard what he did in Montgomery, and I remember watching the March in 1963, on our black and white television, and I knew that changes were quickly coming. I heard my parents compare the changes that they had witnessed in their lifetime, and I also saw the transformation of a society to something different.

I was never sure how to articulate the changes that I saw--but they were there. The signs of "white" and "colored" began to disappear in my hometown, and little did I know that even in my tiny world as a child, the old order was fading.

Then the man of courage and wisdom was taken by an assassin's bullet, but yet, the movement could not be stopped. The movement was bigger than the man himself. I marveled for some time at how even his death could not stop the progress that had begun. I never had to words to articulate what had happened.

The world continued to change and still evolves. I am still baffled by many of those changes, but I finally found the right words. The words came from the same man. He was part of a movement that was destined to bring about change, because he was willing to fight "till justice Rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream"

Happy Birthday, Dr. King!

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Good Bye to Seventies Soulchild - Laura T. Lanier


Laura T. Lanier "Seventies Soulchild"

Some of us knew her only by her screen name--Seventies Soulchild.
Some of us did know her real name---and others only recognized her by her initials. But whatever she was called, we knew that she was one of the genealogy family. But today, we learned that without warning, she was gone. 

For years she graced the daily chats, on AfriGeneas, sharing information on the latest that she found on her Mississippi ancestors, or data on a new line, and all the while she was also reaching out to help others.

She was not out to build an empire or become a leader requiring followers--she merely reached out to share. She demanded no attention, demanded no support for her efforts--she gave freely, which made her friends in so many places. As she found new and useful data, she quickly shared it on her blog and would answer questions to all who inquired.

Many of us met her several years ago on AfriGeneas when she would post to the Forum and would join the daily lunch time chats. Her sense of humor and willingness to share, was always evident. She was not one, however, to accept mistreatment of herself nor of others. And if she experienced a negative, she removed herself from that environment, exited from it with dignity, even laughed about it with friends, and then, continued to give to those who asked. It would be difficult to find anyone who had a negative experience with her. It must be said that her passing has left a hole in many hearts. Her spirit was a good one, and she touched many leaving behind many friends who will truly miss her in the genealogy community.

Rest in peace Soulchild. As you now walk with the ancestors, know that those whom you touched have appreciated you, will miss you, and shall never discount what you gave to others. 

Good speed, dear soul.

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

An Ancestral Dinner The Book of Me Prompt #14

Collage representing ancestors


The Guests:

Lily Martin 

You died much too young when Tuberculosis swept the country in 1920. I look at your beautiful face and wonder what made you smile? What songs melted your heart? And what was your goal in life? I also want to know about you and your siblings, Uncle Leonard, Uncle Lem, and Aunt Viola.  Did Grandma Harriet tell you stories when you were a child and did you ever get to meet Amanda or Aunt Alice?

Council Martin
Ah, you are the silent mystery of that Martin line. You were the quiet neighbor who went courting the young lady Harriet next door whom you eventually married. What stories of the Martins did you pass to the family? Did Uncle Leonard's love of music come from you? And were you possibly a member one of the Mosaic Templars?

Sephus Bass
We almost did not find you. We heard you ran away to Texas, but thank goodness on a whim I decided to see if you were a soldier. You left so much in that pension file! You are my hero in so many ways--and your story of your escape from Nathan Bedford Forrest has amazed so many of us. And Uncle Sephus---would you believe it---I have found some of your descendants! Yes, your daughter Mary, had a daughter Josephine, and though they moved to Chicago---I later found the family living not too far away from me, in Washington DC. You would be so proud of them. One is an actor, and another one used to work for the President. Your legacy is far and wide, and we all embrace you for your courage, your sense of family, and your determination! It has defined us!

Braxton Bass
You are not forgotten. During the Civil War they saw something in you that promoted you to Sergeant. And you, like Uncle Sephus, escaped from N.B. Forrest. I am so sorry that you did not live very long, but I know that you had amazing skills as a blacksmith. And I know that your widow Fanny kept much of your own story alive as well. Because of you and Uncle Sephus and your nephews Henry and Emmanuel, a rich legacy remains.

Kitty Perry
Ah my matriarch from the Choctaw Perrys! I know you had a hard life, when they brought you from Mississippi, arriving with the Perry clan from Mississippi in 1831.  Did you ever speak about the time that the journey began? History says that the journey was made during the winter and I can imagine your heartbreak as you left those you loved and who loved you.

Did you stay with the Perrys after freedom? I guess there was not any place to go, as the old ones were long gone back in Mississippi, so Skullyville remained your home. And I suspect that you were one of those three ladies in the cabin when they came for your son, Jackson Crow. And I know that by that time, in your latter years, "Old Kit" as they sometimes called you, the heartbreak of watching the loss of your son, you eventually left this world shortly thereafter. I have looked for you in the census of 1885, and I found your daughter, but I did not see you, and know you were gone. I hope you and Jackson and Indiana, and Amanda and now Sallie and Davis are all together again, and watching over the rest of us.

Sallie Walton
Ahh the only one at this dinner whom I have actually met. I knew you and loved you, and though you left when I was a little girl, you were my heart and you are my heart still and even today I miss you. I only ask that you direct me to find some of the answers that lie buried in Skullyville, and other parts of LeFlore county Oklahoma. Just know that your imprint on my heart is still there.

Berry Young
Oh Berry---where did you go?

Amanda searched for you for so many years, and I have been looking among the soldiers for you as well. Is that your name on the Civil War monument? I know you had to leave Tippah County quickly, and could not return. I know you left right after the Yankees made their raid from Corinth. Did you join the army with the other men?

Or did you become a contraband like the others? I understand a measles outbreak took place in Corinth that year. Were you affected? I am glad that you had the courage to leave when the time came. Did father John make it back to you with warm clothes? And did son John find his way and his place? Your sacrifice did bring freedom and Amanda did manage to hold the family together after all. I wish I knew more and shall continue to search. And I know that some stories will possibly be told when I find your brother Henry Suggs. Your life made a difference and for that I am grateful.

Pleasant Barr
Ah dear sir--in spite of your own heartache, never seeing your son Bill Reed anymore, you found some solace in the last years of your life.

I can imagine how you felt looking back at your son Bill when that wagon pulled you away from Abbeyville, never to return. And being of mature age, you could not go back after freedom, but your eventual marriage to my Amanda soon after freedom helped to bring some stability to a family whose fabric had been ripped apart by war. You stepped in, and your sense of faith and your role in helping to establish St. Paul's Methodist Church in Ripley made a difference. And the church still stands today! You and Amanda and others became leaders in that small community of former slaves. And through faith you marched to a new life. Your son Elijah's story is the part still missing and but you can be glad sir, as your gr. gr. gr. grandson Melvin Collier and I both still search for Elijah's children, and are determined to find them.


St. Paul's United Methodist Church, Ripley Mississippi


Amanda Young Barr
What can be said, about the oldest ancestor I had continually heard of from childhood? My mother said many times how her grandma Harriet always spoke about "Mandy Young" of Ripley, Mississippi.

You know one day, my mom and I were at the library and she almost fainted when she picked up a book about Tippah County and saw the old slave master's name in it. She called me over, and was almost out of breath!! She heard her grandmother always talk about Tandy Young---and there his name was in a book, about Ripley Mississippi, mentioning his name! I most appreciate it that you never let the story of what happened to you, ever die. You told the story to your children and grandchildren, and they listened.

I found out that  you were the only one in all of Tippah county whose claim with the Southern Claims Commission, was approved! And you continued to work find out what happened to Berry. Because of your never ending search, I learned so much. And of course because you always told the stories, be glad that your granddaughter Frances is the one who told me about your memories of the "Night the Stars Fell". I see you now, not the slave in Mississippi, but the little girl in Tennessee awe stricken as the stars fell around her. I see your parents John and Martha, probably thinking about their own loved ones they were forced to leave behind in Virginia, when slave holders took them away. I know they were wondering if their own loved ones saw those stars falling too.

Thank you Amanda, for your steadfastness has taken me back the farthest in family history. There is still so much to learn, and know that the footprints you left behind are leading the way.


These are the guests at my ancestral dinner.



The Collage

The image at the top is a representation of the ancestors described in this piece. Some are true portraits and others are placed there symbolically. 

In the upper left corner Lily Martin appears above in an actual portrait of her made a year before she died. She is a maternal grandmother born in Mississippi who died in Arkansas. To her right is an image representing Council Martin. Born a slave in Tippah County, he died in Arkansas in the early 1900s. The next sketch represents Sephus Bass who was a Civil War soldier, and who later defended the family when attacked by night riders in Giles County Tennessee. He fled to Texas where he lived the remainder of his life. The next sketch of the Civil War soldier represents Braxton Bass, brother to Sephus. He was with the group that was captured by N.B. Forrest and who later escaped. The face of the elder lady, though unknown, represents a 4th gr. grandmother, Kitty Perry, enslaved by Choctaws, and taken to Indian Territory in 1831. Her granddaughter, was Sallie Walton,, whose actual portrait appears in the next image. Sallie, was also born a slave in the Choctaw nation, but was freed when a small child. Her life was spent mostly between Skullyville and western Arkansas where she is now buried. Berry Young was my gr. gr. grandfather. He was enlsaved by W. Tandy Young in Ripley Mississippi, and he left Ripley, when dozens of other slaves did . He left to join the Union army, but never returned, and his fate remains a mystery, but the image of the man leaving on the road with other self-emancipated slaves represents him. Pleasant Barr, was a man taken from his loved ones in South Carolina, who ended up in Mississippi. After the war, he found a new life, married my gr. gr. grandmother Amanda, and established a church that still stands today in Ripley Mississippi. The photo is an actual image of that historic church. The photo to the right of all of the others is a photo of a gr. gr. Aunt Frances Young Nelson. Her photo is there as she was a daughter to Amanda Young Barr, and some said she closely resembled her mother Amanda. So it is her face that was chosen to represent, Amanda. My Amanda was first married to Berry Kirk  Young, then to Pleasant Barr. Her search for her husband left a thick paper trail and through Amanda's telling the story of her life before and after freedom, I learned so much about this part of the family narrative. For Amanda, I am grateful that she told her story, and am honored that I have been so fortunate to have listened.



Tuesday, January 7, 2014

A Gem of Zora Neale Hurston - Rare Film Footage of Cudjoe Lewis

The beginning of this film, Cudjoe Lewis the elderly man appears. He is the last known survivor of the slave ship Clotilde, and this is the only moving image of a former survivor of the middle passage, to have been captured on film.

Thanks to Zora Neale Hurston, we can see the images of Cudjoe Lewis.

Now Zora Neale Hurston is one of my favorite writers. But writing was only a fraction of what this amazing woman produced. She saw the value of talking to people, and so she set out throughout the south talking to black people in small country towns and settlements. She filmed their faces, she taped their voices and what remains is a treasure trove of glimpses into the folkways of people of the south, long forgotten by most, but saved for all to remember. She was a sociologist, anthropologist,  storyteller and more. And she traveled to meet the people of the south and to hear their stories.

One such person was Cudjoe Lewis was one of the last known formerly enslaved people known to have been born on the African continent and brought to America. Mr. Lewis was a survivor of the slave ship, Clotilde, and thanks to the brilliance an insight of the great Zora Neale Hurston, he was actually captured on film before he died in the 1930s. The Clotilde captured people from Dahomey (now known as the Benin Republic) and brought them into Mobile Bay. 

Zora Neale like many others knew of Lewis and she knew the value of allowing this man's story to be shared with the world. She captured him on fillm and the footage above represents the only moving image of an African who survived the middle passage from Africa to America. Cudjoe Lewis died in 1935 in Mobile Alabama in the community known as Africa Town. Though Lewis and other survivors longed to return to their native Dahomey, they were never afforded the chance to see African soil again. But his life and  legacy continue due to the wisdom of Ms. Hurston.

So special thanks to Zora Neale Hurston, we know so much more about our people, their customs, and their lives. It is fitting therefore of this birthday of Zora Neale Hurston, to share a tiny portion of what she shared with the world.

Happy Birthday Zora!!

Saturday, January 4, 2014

Who is This Lady From Kentucky?

Portrait Found on Ebay

There are many genealogy groups on Facebook, and in one group "Our Black Ancestry" a member shared a  very nice portrait that he saw while browsing on Ebay. The photo was a striking image is that of a young African American woman in a high collared victorian era dress wearing an ornate hat. 

There was only one clue to where she may have lived and that was the embossed imprint of the studio that took her photo.

The photographer A. J. Earp, appears to have been from Winchester KY

Since there was no name identifying the lady in the portrait, only the photo itself is the clue to the identity of this striking woman. 

So, what can be learned?

The embossed imprint of the photographer was a bit difficult to read easily, so I went to Ancestry to look at the enumerations for Clark County KY, and used the wild card search method by typing in a surname using an asterisk (*) for part of the name, and right away a listing for A. J. Earp appeared. I clicked on the name, and sure enough this person was listed and with the occupation of photographer.

1900 Federal Index on Ancestry, revealed the name A. J. Earp


1900 Census reflects A. J. Earp living in Winchester KY and working as photographer.


I was excited to find the photographer in the 1900 census, but this did not tell me a lot, and there were other questions to be asked:

Was this made in A. J. Earp's studio? 
Or did A. J. Earp travel around as some photographers did during those years?
And what about this mysterious lady herself? Are there clues about her to be found?

The clues to this woman's identity are possibly found in the image itself. One can tell that she is a young woman possibly not much older than 30.

The lady in the photo had recently lost a loved one. Why? Because she is wearing mourning clothes. Her dress is all black as is her hat, and clearly this is a portrait made of a one who has lost someone close to her. Could it have been a husband? A parent? A child? If it was a parent, would not other siblings have been in the portrait with her? She she had lost a child, would her husband have not been with her? My guess is that she had recently lost a husband, thus no man in the photo. So she was a young lady in mourning. So, what else could be learned?

I concluded that she was a Christian woman evidenced by the cross on her collar.



I also concluded that she may have been a woman who was a literate person. She was wearing spectacles, and although she may have simply been near sighted, my guess is that this was a literate woman who needed eyeglasses for reading, writing and other tasks. The glasses appear to be the kind that simply clip and rest on the nose, for the part of eyeglasses known as the temple that touch the side of the face and wrap behind the ears, are not evident in the photo.  This is clip-on is a style of eyeglasses worn in the early 1900s.

The glasses bear no temple stems on the side.


This young woman was possibly a woman of status in her community, She was not wearing an ordinary dress. Her dress was an elegant one with fine stitching and decorative piping. This was the work of an elegant tailor or seamstress and not an ordinary work dress.  


Elegant piping detail is noted in the fabric of her dress.

The lady also compliments her ensemble with a feather decorated black hat, and black teardrop earrings.

Black earrings, that appear to be ear screws complete the lady's attire.

So, this elegant women in the high-collared Victorian style dress made an impressive photo. She possibly lived in or near Winchester Kentucky, which is in Clark County. I decided to see if there were any young women, possibly widowed who might fit her profile. The person was possibly an educated woman, I decided to see if I could pull up the African American females born about 30 years or less in Clark County.

I decided to use the Old Search on Ancestry, because the interface is cleaner, and less cluttered.

Old Search Feature on Ancestry

So I selected USA, then Kentucky and then Clark County. In addition, I decided to pull up all females, who were enumerated as "Black." I know that there are often many designations that people can have when researching African Americans. But as this lady did not appear to be bi-racial, chances are high that she may have been enumerated as "Black".  Because of her dress, I am estimating that this photo was taken in the early 1900s, so I selected the 1900 census year.


Data put into Search box on Ancestry


So I had to create a profile from which I could search for this unknown woman. Although I had no name, I entered Kentucky as the state, and I selected Clark County,and the township of Winchester. I entered, color as "Black", and gender as "female". I also made an estimate of her age. I felt that she was a young woman, and not much older than 30, estimating her year of birth to be about 1870. But I know that all guesses are not accurate, so of course I gave myself an age range, with her birth year being plus or minus 10 years. 

And the real guess that I took, I decided to only look at "widowed" women. I did this for a reason. This is a single portrait of a woman in mourning, and she was not a teenager, as her hair was off the neck as was common for married women. This was clearly an image of a grown woman alone. Had she not been in all black I might have been less confident about her marital status. but the fact that this was a woman who intentionally had a portrait made in mourning attire suggested to me that her husband was deceased.

After entering all of the categories, I came up with 26 possible people who fit the profile.

26 possible matches were provided on Ancestry

Before looking at the 26 names, I had to decide what would be the most important feature that would make me either keep their name on the list or eliminate them. Only one category would make them a candidate for this lady, and that was whether or not she was a literate woman. The 1900 Federal census recorded whether one was able to read and write so since these ladies met other categories, and I felt that she was a literate woman, I decided that I would eliminate those who could not read or write.

My 26 candidates were:

Rachel Anderson: Can Read and Write -  School Teacher
Mary Bean: Can Read and Write - Washer woman
Hannah Boone: Can read and write - Cook
Kate Clark: Can read and write  - Washerwoman
Sarah Clark:  Can read and write- Cook
Eliza Davis: Unable to read or write - Cook
Anne Eaton: Unable to read or wrote Cook
Georgia Ellis:  Unable to read or write Cook
Sallie Fields - Unable to read or write Cook
Amanda Hazzard: Unable to read or write  Cook
Sallie Hickman: Can read and write -Servant
Leila Hodgkin: Can read and write - Cook
Emma Jackson: Can read and write - No occupation
Ether Lacy: Can read and write - Cook
Phoebe Martin: Cannot read or write Cook
Mary Mason: Unable to read or write Cook
Eliza Massey: Unable to read or write - Cook
Mariah Meyond: Can read and write - No occupation
Fannie Parks: Can read and write - Cook
Susan Reed: Unable to read or write Cook
Ella Robinson: Unable to read or write - Cook
Rosa Sommers: Can read and write-  Cook
Lizzie Thompson: Unable to read or write - Cook
Hulda Vivion: Can read and write - Washerwoman
Bettie Wells: Unable to read or write - Cook
Annie E. White: Can read and write - Cook

Through process of elimination I removed those who could not read or right and I ended up with a slightly shorter list:

Rachel Anderson: Can Read and Write -  School Teacher
Mary Bean: Can Read and Write - Washer woman
Hannah Boone: Can read and write - Cook
Kate Clark: Can read and write  - Washerwoman
Sarah Clark:  Can read and write- Cook
Sallie Hickman: Can read and write -Servant
Leila Hodgkin: Can read and write - Cook
Emma Jackson: Can read and write - No occupation
Ether Lacy: Can read and write - Cook
Mariah Meyond: Can read and write - No occupation
Fannie Parks: Can read and write - Cook
Rosa Sommers: Can read and write-  Cook
Hulda Vivion: Can read and write - Washerwoman
Annie E. White: Can read and write - Cook

When I created the profile for our lady in the photo, I made another guess that is the underlying factor about her. 

Based on her attire, including dress, hat, and her jewelry, I surmised that she might have been a woman of status in her community. That would therefore eliminate those whose occupations were "washerwomen". That made my list only slightly smaller.

Rachel Anderson: Can Read and Write -  School Teacher
Hannah Boone: Can read and write - Cook
Sarah Clark:  Can read and write- Cook
Sallie Hickman: Can read and write -Servant
Leila Hodgkin: Can read and write - Cook
Emma Jackson: Can read and write - No occupation
Ether Lacy: Can read and write - Cook
Mariah Meyond: Can read and write - No occupation
Fannie Parks: Can read and write - Cook
Rosa Sommers: Can read and write-  Cook
Annie E. White: Can read and write - Cook

I was admittedly surprised at how many women I found who were listed as "Cooks" by occupation. The work as a cook or house servant might have provided a living income for these women but the occupation would have been constant and demanding. The youthful and tender features of our lady in the photo, do not suggest that she was one of a demanding occupation--but I admit this is purely conjecture on my part, and there is no evidence that she could not have been a cook. But based on her clothing style which suggests a degree of status, I decided to eliminate the all of those with "cook" as an occupation, from the list.

Rachel Anderson: Can Read and Write -  School Teacher
Sallie Hickman: Can read and write -Servant 
Emma Jackson: Can read and write - No occupation provided 
Mariah Meyond: Can read and write - No occupation provided

This smaller list of 4 now left me with a handful of names: Rachel Anderson a school teacher, Salle Hickman who was a servant, and two ladies for whom there is no occupation listed, Emma Jackson and Mariah Meyond. I decided to eliminate the servant based on her occupation.

The three that remain are:
Rachel Anderson, School Teacher
Emma Jackson, No occupation
Mariah Meyond, No occupatoin

Rachel Anderson is 32 and a widow who has had 3 children, though only 1 was living at the time. She made her living as a School Teacher and lived in a household with her mother brother and others. Her mother had no occupation listed and was said to be about 78 years old. Her brother Thomas made a living as a cook. Three other adults lived in the same household, in addition to two children and one infant.

1900 Census of Winchester KY reflecting household where Rachel Anderson lived.


Emma Jackson is 33 and head of a household, though no occupation is given. She is a literate woman and has a small child living with her. No one else is in the household with her.

1900 Census of Winchester KY reflecting household where Emma Jackson lived.


Mariah Meyond 34 lived in a household with one other adult who was a 58 year old male. Both were listed as widowed. The adult male was a Day Laborer and no occupation was given for Mariah.

1900 Census of Winchester KY reflecting household where Mariah Meyond lived.


It is quite possible that the two women, Mariah and Emma were simply "Keeping House" as many adult women who did not live outside the home were listed as such. (I had also noticed that no women who remained at home were listed with the typical "Keeps House" as occupation by that census enumerator.) Mariah clearly had a working male in the household, which might explain why she did not work outside of the home. 

However, after eliminating other women of color who were young and widowed, and looking at their occupations and social class, I am ready to make a deductive guess. 

In my opinion, the school teacher Rachel Anderson stands out the most. Being a school teacher reflected her literacy. The cross-shaped broach suggested that the lady was most likely, very actively engaged in a Christian church community. Also the one factor that was obvious was that Rachel lived in a household where there were several wage owners who were quite possibly also contributors to the household by paying rent.  Her mother Amanda worked as a cook, and was listed as the owner of the property. So, in addition to Rachel's salary which was probably small, there were 4 other working adults bringing money into the household. With 5 adults in the household, there may indeed have been sufficient funds to have afforded the kind of dress and mourning attire, that we see in the photo.

Therefore, I am guessing that the mystery lady in the photo might be Rachel Anderson, a school teacher who lived in Winchester Kentucky. 

I am fully admitting that all of this is merely a guess, but one based on deductive reasoning. 

We probably may never really know who the lady is, unless of course descendants of this beautiful lady come forth to identify her. 

In the meantime, I shall call this lovely lady, Mrs. Rachel. Anderson.