Giving Maggie a Face & Place

The word prompt for the 21st Edition of Smile For The Camera is "Give Their Face A Place." March is Women's History month and you are asked to picture women back into history. The unknown, known and unsung women who are often the foundation of our family history. Give their face a place. The interpretation is yours.



I've chosen this beautiful woman in her gorgeous clothes. This CDV (Carte de Visite) was taken circa 1864-1865 in Ohio.

The writing on the verso (reverse) of the photo reads "The Compliments of W T C to Mrs. M R R" I know that WTC is William T. Cunningham.

The inscription in the album which contained this beautiful photo reads "Mrs. Maggie R Remley’s Album. Presented Sept 17th. 1864 by Captn. J R R"

And so I suspect that the Mrs MRR of this photo is Mrs. Maggie R. Remley. I believe her husband was Capt. Joseph R Remley who served in the Civil War.

I know nothing else of Maggie. What did she think about when this photo was taken? What was her daily life like? She wore such beautiful clothing and her hair is done so nicely with a lovely bonnet on top that I suspect she and her husband had a bit of money behind them!

But who was Maggie and what were her dreams and hopes? I hope she lived a long and happy life but I suspect it was, like most women in that time period, fraught with hardship and hard work.