Did Mary Lincoln Suffer from Pernicious Anemia?

[Houmes]

(07-11-2016 05:05 AM)RJNorton Wrote:  Reignette, I believe that is a close-up of Mary in a photo that was taken when Native American chiefs visited the White House in March of 1863. I think this photo was taken in the White House conservatory, and Mary is in the rear at the far right. John Nicolay is in the rear-center.

Lloyd Ostendorf writes, "Mrs. Lincoln appears older than she does in some other pictures taken that year, possibly because of the harsh side lighting on her face." The photo has a "Brady 1862" imprint, but the Native Americans visited in 1863. Offhand I have no explanation for that discrepancy.

This image is one three taken in the early spring of 1863, and published together for the first time in White House History, Spring 2009, p 64-69. https://www.whitehousehistory.org/photog...mmer-house

Author Cliff Krainik notes: "The bonneted woman at far right has occasionally been identified as Mary Todd Lincoln, but positive identification remains unsolved...No contemporary identification, however, supports the claim, and even George Nicolay (one of the president's secretaries) who named all the other non-Indian guests in the picture, failed to provide her identity."