Who is this person?

[Eva Elisabeth]

I believe Betty is right!!! Thanks Betty!!! I would have twisted my brain all night long as I was so sure I had seen this before. Now I remember I came across it when I researched Barnum for a trivia question some time ago.

[BettyO]

I was doing some research on Barnum on Saturday....

[STS Lincolnite]

I will toss in my guess as General Tom Thumb (I believe his real name was Charles Stratton). I know that shortly after his wedding he and his bride met President and Mrs. Lincoln. What an interesting photo that would have been...Lincoln standing next to General Tom Thumb!!

[Eva Elisabeth]

(01-12-2015 05:51 PM)STS Lincolnite Wrote:  I will toss in my guess as General Tom Thumb (I believe his real name was Charles Stratton). I know that shortly after his wedding he and his bride met President and Mrs. Lincoln. What an interesting photo that would have been...Lincoln standing next to General Tom Thumb!!

Yes, that was the reception Robert refused to attend because of his different notions of duty:
http://m.mentalfloss.com/article.php?id=28504

[RJNorton]

Brilliant Betty, Eva, and Scott! This is yet another question where I thought I would have to give hints.

The Wikipedia article has the photo I used.

There is a nice article here.

[LincolnToddFan]

I've read about the WH party President and Mrs. Lincoln hosted for Tom and Lavinia Thumb many times. It's such a sad, sweet, funny, bizarre story. I can't even imagine what it must have looked like when the giant A.L. bent to shake their little hands.

And Barnum charged SEVENTY-FIVE DOLLARS APIECE for 5,000 people to attend their NYC reception??That was a FORTUNE in the 1860's!!

And how awful that one of Queen Victoria's poodles attacked them when they went to visit her!!

[Eva Elisabeth]

Regarding Lavina was entitled "Queen of Beauty" by the NYT, Tad's “Mother, if you were a little woman like Mrs. Stratton, you would look just like her!” was a nice compliment.

Did you check out the NYT article of the reception? It's a nice read, too: http://www.nytimes.com/1863/02/11/news/l...gewanted=1

[LincolnToddFan]

Incredibly detailed info....thanks Eva!

[RJNorton]

What is this man's name?

[Eva Elisabeth]

I don't think I've ever seen this photo nor does this man resesemble anyone from any photo I've seen. But I'll take a wild guess. He 100% looks like a doctor to me, and again I think it's a post-1865, but still 19th century photo. I can't remember having seen a photo of Dr. Patterson, but this is what I would imagine him to look like?!

(The gentleman looks a bit like Sigmund Freud to me, maybe that's what makes me think of a psychology doc:
    )

[Craig Hipkins]

It looks like Luther or Lafayette Baker, but that might be because of that ubiquitous 19th century beard!

[RJNorton]

Craig, that is an excellent guess, but Eva is correct! Kudos, Eva! That is Dr. Robert T. Patterson who operated Bellevue Place in Batavia, Illinois. This is where Mary Lincoln was confined for several months after her insanity trial in 1875. Bellevue Place was a private sanitarium for women.

Eva, this is another one for which I cannot think of an appropriate prize. So I will continue to send best wishes that the polar vortex misses Germany this winter.

Bellevue Place

[RJNorton]

Who is this?

[Eva Elisabeth]

Can't resist this silly comment - Napoleon Bonaparte...(The tie looks 20th century, so I have no instant guess and need to think some more.)

[RJNorton]

Good guess, Eva! Possibly this man is indeed imitating Napoleon. I do not know the actual origin of the "hand-in-jacket" pose. Maybe Napoleon?