JUEL ID/KEY: P48836

"Elna Good," two photographs by Rufus W. Holsinger taken on July 26, 1913, one of which shows an African American man.

The identity of the African American man is unknown; he is likely an employee caring for horses. The two photos show the horses, a car, and grounds, and are a typical "genre" showing the prosperity of the owners. The African American man is posed carefully, as can be seen in the photo below. 

Note that the location of these portraits appears to be the same as in the 1917 photograph labelled, "Randolf Ortman" (see the distinct trim on the stable roof). The African-American man also appears to be the same person in both photographs (with the same outfit); the photographs may be from the same date but were possibly mislabelled in the original ledgers or in the transcription to the University of the Virginia library catalogue.

Additional information about Elna Good will be added as it is researched.

NOTE that the name with which the portrait is labelled (or, labelled "untitled") is not necessarily the name of the sitter(s) in the portrait, but rather the name of the person who paid for the portrait when it was taken (the date and name associated with each photograph is from the business ledgers of R. W. Holsinger).

Below: X01552EB

Sources

- "Elna Good," 1913-07-26 photograph in UVA Catalogue (X01552EB) 

SEE ALSO:

Holsinger Image Gallery of African Americans

J. F. Bell Funeral Home Records

Charlottesville City Directory, 1914-15 [Hathi Trust] 

1870 & 1910 U. S. Census - Charlottesville & Esmont Communities

First published: September 16, 2020

Return to the Holsinger Main Page or African-American Portraiture List of Names