The recipient of this postcard photograph was Muriel Woodbury, born Muriel Knowles on March 20, 1886 in Montreal. Muriel’s mother was Isabella Catherine Black born November 30, 1853 to Thomas and Margaret Black. One of Isabella’s sisters was Elizabeth Black who was born April 26, 1864 or 1866 in Montreal; she went by Lizzie. In 1891 Elizabeth Black married Richard Shannon married Richard Shannon in Chicago. Thus the sender of this postcard photograph is likely Elizabeth (Lizzie) Shannon and some if not all of the girls in the photo are presumed to be her daughters. Muriel would be Lizzie’s niece and both lived in Chicago and Lizzie was likely involved in her upbringing after Isabella died in 1892 when Muriel was only six.

According to Charlotte Leonhardt, Richard (Dick) Shannon "was very influential in the Wilson & Co. - Meat Packers - in Chicago. Other members of the family who worked for Wilson & Co. were: Bill Leonhardt, Granville Leonhardt, Dolores Woodbury, and Edward A. Jordan. In Chicago, you picked a company and the whole family worked for them." Muriel stayed in touch with Lizzie, who was her Aunt, for many years.

Information from the Postcard: the Postmark, the recipient's name and address and Lizzie's note on the Postcard:

  1. Month: June or January [The "J" is clear, but the next letter is not on my Xerox copy.] However, given the clothes in the photo it must be June.
  2. Year: The year cannot be made out from the postmark on my Xerox copy.
  3. Sent From: Saint J....
  4. The street address script was difficult to read but appeared to be Sandramon. However that is not a Chicago street name. Most likely the address is: 5118 South Damen Ave.

Mrs. M. Woodbury
5118 Sandramon Ave [probably South Damen Ave]
Chicago, Ill

Dear Muriel,
I thought that I would write you a few lines to let you know we are all well again. We went to the wedding and had a fine time. I sent in a paper all about it. It is in [can't read word] Wis married. Write me a long letter and tell me all news.
Lizzie

Muriel Knowles married Robert Woodbury in September 1905. And since the background in the photo appears to be in June, along with a typical time for weddings, the earliest date would be June 1906. Muriel later divorced Robert Woodbury and then married William Leonhardt about 1915 which sets the range. Thus the range of this photo would be from June 1906 until about 1914.

It is not known whose wedding Lizzie is referring. The only town in Wisconsin I could find that begins with Saint J. is Saint Joseph, which is near LaCrosse. The wedding had to be someone both knew. Lizzie was in her young 40s around the time of the photo. Two of her girls were Bernice born 1892 and Nadine born 1905 but there could have been others. If the woman on the left is Lizzie, the young girl in front of her could be Nadine who appears to be about 4, suggesting the year is about 1909. In 1909, Bernice would be about age 17 and is perhaps the young woman on the right. Unless I have Lizzie and Bernice reversed. I estimated the date as about the first Saturday in June of 1909, June 5, 1909 as the older women had long sleeves and generally it was cooler earlier in the month.

The Leonhardt family lent the original of this Studio Portrait to Dave Jordan in 1990 who photographed it. The Leonhardt connection to the Jordans is that Margaret Jane Jordan Graham and Muriel Leonhardt were Knowles sisters.

If you would like to add information about this picture, please contact Dave Jordan, a 2x g-grandson of William and Isabella Knowles. The Picture Reference Numbers are DJK12; Digitized Negative: 173-24.