Smithsonian Institution

• 30/Mar/2009 14:23:33

This photo is part of an ongoing digitization and research project at the Smithsonian Institution Archives. Please help us research this photo. View a related blog post here - blog.photography.si.edu/2009/03/30/who-are-you/

vintagepix

• 31/Mar/2009 14:28:23

This may be a longshot, but I found references via Google to a British scientist "E.S. Goodwin" associated with the Woodstock Agricultural Research Centre, Shell Research Ltd., Sittingbourne, publishing and presenting in the early 1960s about insecticide and pesticide residue detected by gas liquid chromatography. chromatographyonline.findanalytichem.com/lcgc/data/articl... www.rsc.org/delivery/_ArticleLinking/DisplayArticleForFre... Can anyone else determine that E.S. Goodwin's full name and gender? :o) I'm guessing this photo is 1920s or early 1930s?

special hat

• 02/Apr/2009 07:18:55

i am drawn to this photo,not knowing why

Linus Gelber

• 06/Apr/2009 16:06:27

There is a "Liz Sabin" in the UK who has made a couple of technical biology science posts on a few archived listservs for scientists; there's a return email address for her, if anyone wants to take the search up a notch and see if she is, or is related to, the woman in the picture.

pennylrichardsca (now at ipernity)

• 16/Apr/2009 01:38:55

Right there with you, gostrong50. I keep checking back to see if she's been positively identified. (I'm also charmed by the sideseam of her dress--looks like it's coming apart, or it's been hastily mended?)

rockcreek

• 09/Jul/2009 17:19:43

I think she may have been an artist, rather than a scientist - from the 7/27/1924 Washington Post: http://polaris.umuc.edu/~rshepard/elizabeth_sabin_goodwin.jpg" /> A 6/1/24 article ("Art and Artists of the Capital", p. A3) indicates she was a student at the Corcoran. I haven't been able to find an obituary yet, or a photo for comparison.

pennylrichardsca (now at ipernity)

• 09/Jul/2009 17:31:50

Oh finally! Thank you, rockcreek. Well done.

rockcreek

• 09/Jul/2009 19:05:34

Here she is in the 1920 Central High School yearbook - I think we have a match! http://polaris.umuc.edu/~rshepard/elizabeth_sabin_goodwin2.jpg" />

pennylrichardsca (now at ipernity)

• 09/Jul/2009 19:11:07

Oh, sure thing, that's her. Great to see confirmation on this one.

pennylrichardsca (now at ipernity)

• 09/Jul/2009 19:17:09

J. Henning Nelms, the pastor at her wedding, also officiated at the funeral of General Pickett's son George Jr., in 1911: www.military-heroes.com/george_edward_pickett.htm

Pixel Wrangler

• 10/Jul/2009 05:32:32

@ rockcreek: that's an exciting find!   Kudos to you!

Brenda Anderson

• 11/Jul/2009 03:11:31

Her father-in-law (father of husband Francis Le Baron Goodwin) was John Marston Goodwin, who owned the Goodwin Car Company, which made railroad coal dump cars. He had several patents re: these railcars known as "Goodwin cars". Perhaps that's the science connection? ref: Descendants of Francis Le Baron of Plymouth Mass, published 1904, page 406. found online here showing her husband's family tree. ref: Bianculli, Anthony J. Trains and Technology: The American Railroad in the Nineteenth Century. Newark, DE: University of Delaware Press, 2001 found online here Alternatively, perhaps the "science" filing is in reference to her paternal grandfather, Oliver Corbin Sabin: [Obit, NY Times, 15 Jan 1914, p 9, col 5]

COL. O. C. SABIN DEAD. He was "Bishop" of an Offshoot of the Christian Science Church. Washington, 14 Jan.--Col. Oliver C Sabin, a retired railroad lawyer, former politician and veteran of the Civil War, who founded in Washington about ten years ago an offshoot of the Christian Science Church and created himself the "Bishop" of the new denomination, died here yesterday morning of cancer of the stomach. Annoucement of his death was not made until this afternoon. After coming to Washington about two decades ago Col. Sabin joined the Christian Science Church and started a newspaper, The Washington News Letter, in which he championed its tenets of "science and health." "Bishop" Sabin called his sect the "Evangelical Christian Science Church." He had a number of followers and "disciples" in Washington. Col. Sabin was born at Bladensburg, OH in 1840. He studied law and practiced for several years at Bloomington, IL, coming to Washington in 1890.

vintagepix

• 12/Jul/2009 12:48:46

Yay, rockcreek! Wonder if she perhaps did scientific illustration??

vintagepix

• 12/Jul/2009 13:02:22

@rockcreek - were you using the WaPo historical index to find that article? Searching Elizabeth Sabin Goodwin there also got two hits for "Obituary-1 No Title" dated Oct 22 & 23, 1954. Not enough info to determine whether it was for her, her husband or a random death notice/obit that happened to have those three names in it.. EDIT - never mind - found it over at Ancestry.com - it was death notice for her mother Bettie Sabin, listing her as a survivor.

vintagepix

• 12/Jul/2009 14:40:47

Found death notices for both her parents and her husband but not her. She was still alive when her father Oliver died in 1958 but deceased when her husband died in 1990. Both parents and husband are buried at Fort Lincoln Cemetery in Brentwood MD, so she's probably there too. Birth year is about 1903 per census records. Social Security Death Index lists an Elizabeth Goodwin born 11 July 1902 with a DC SSN, died August 1980, last residence Rockville, Montgomery Co. MD. Might possibly be her? http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2534/3712444243_83e77cdd87_o.jpg" />

rockcreek

• 12/Jul/2009 15:11:09

vintagepix: I did use the WaPo archive to find the article RE: her wedding (the yearbook photo came from the Historical Society of Washington, D.C.'s library.) RE: her moving to Rockville - I found a few articles mentioning an Elizabeth Goodwin participating in gallery shows in Montgomery County in the 40s and 50s, so this seems possible. If I have time the next time I'm near Ft. Lincoln, I'll see if I can find her grave.

Lú_

• 12/Jul/2009 18:21:21

rockcreek, I'd be interested in knowing where you turned up the 1920 school yearbook!

rockcreek

• 12/Jul/2009 23:32:30

Lu: see my comment above :)

Lú_

• 03/Aug/2009 19:54:24

This photograph is featured in the Indicommons.org post E.S. Goodwin: Mystery no longer.

rockcreek

• 04/Aug/2009 01:42:54

Lu: Thanks for the link - I'm going to try and stop by Fort Lincoln next weekend and see if I can find her stone.

titaree

• 24/Sep/2009 10:13:06

Beautiful shot!!

golgos2009

• 12/Oct/2009 11:23:19

elizabethe ton image là est vraiment super, le dessin a été parfaitement conçu tu est génial woah

.ian

• 21/Oct/2009 03:18:23

Great smile... there's something very cool about her.

spiinn7676

• 11/Dec/2009 05:23:12

Does anyone know what kind of artist she was? I ask this because I own a painting which is signed E. S. Goodwin and I have been trying to find out who this artist is. I purchased the painting at an auction in Pennsylvania, about 1 hour north of Wilmington, DE. about 3 years ago and can not find any info on the artist,,

Smithsonian Institution

• 02/Feb/2010 20:29:37

We think she was a science illustrator, however, we are doing some more research before we can be sure. What is the painting like that you own?

williecat98

• 29/Mar/2010 10:06:48

The information at the beginning of this article seems to be accurate to a point. I have recently met her son, William, and he is the spitting image of her! I have acquired several unsigned artworks (from Elizabeth S. Goodwin) from him. I will try to speak to him again. As I recall from our conversation, her work life revolved around libraries and cataloging, and maybe even illustrating, however her heart was with painting and she did have works publicly displayed in galleries throughout the Northeast. I'll try to get back to this in a week or two.

Smithsonian Institution

• 29/Mar/2010 16:35:51

Thanks for the information, williecat98. We, as I'm sure many others here, would love to hear what you find out! Effie

linstadt

• 17/Apr/2010 14:01:37

Hello, this is my grandmother, Ida Elizabeth Sabin. Brenda Anderson's post is about my family and Rockcreek is correct about her being an art student. She was an illustrator for a science magazine. please let me know what information, if any that you would like about the Sabin, Goodwin family. Linda Goodwin Eisenstadt

Smithsonian Institution

• 23/Apr/2010 19:49:10

We appreciate you saying hello, Linda. Thank you for your interest in sharing your grandmother's story with the Commons community. One of the major mysteries surrounding this photograph is why it's in the Science Service records. Do you happen to know which science magazine she worked for? Could she have worked for Science Service? Look forward to hearing back from you!

linstadt

• 27/Jun/2010 03:28:14

I sent an email to smithsonian a few weeks ago, along with attachments of illustrations for the science service. She illustrated for the natures corner of science news, as well as illustrations for many other govt agencies for the science service. She worked for them, from the dates of the columns, 1928-1933. She was a true artist, using pastels, oils, charcoal, did sculptures, wrote poems, created needlework, etc. She loved to create in her garden and herb garden. She was an avid reader and usually wrote about her intrepretation of what she read in notebooks, especially loved stonehenge, reading about supernatural, believed in a higher being. She had one child, Frances LeBaron Goodwin, Jr and I am her only grandchild. She was a fascinating woman.

linstadt

• 27/Jun/2010 03:31:54

Also, Elizabeth attended Corcoran School of Art, won several prizes for her art work, one of her nudes was featured in a book published in 1933?, 100 Best Nudes. It was a compulation of 100 best nudes by students in art school across the country. Her art was also featured in the school catalog for 1926-27 and 1927-28.

pennylrichardsca (now at ipernity)

• 27/Jun/2010 04:01:10

Thank you, linstadt, these details are absolutely lovely to know, and they answer a lot of questions.

Smithsonian Institution

• 29/Jun/2010 13:06:20

Thank you for posting, Linda! The Smithsonian Institution Archives was thrilled to receive your email of attachments and information... a glimpse into the life of a woman, who's image captivated us all. Sincerely, Susannah Smithsonian Institution Archives

permissible transport

• 07/Jul/2010 13:34:06

This photo is featured in new blog post highlighting the information that Linda shared with us about her grandmother. Come check it out!

linstadt

• 12/Jul/2010 01:09:04

Thank you Smithsonian! I just got an email from another long lost cousin of mine (the 2nd one from the Sabin side of the family). My mother gave him a trunk that has sculptures that my grandmother made. She also gave him a tool chest that belonged to a ship builder, now I need to find out who in the Sabin/Bent/Withers family was a ship builder? Thank you for getting me in touch with 2 cousins and for everyone's interest in Mom Mom!.

Brenda Anderson

• 12/Jul/2010 04:48:58

This is still one of my favourite "stories" on Flickr.

funkeyteacher

• 15/Aug/2010 19:42:48

http://www.flickr.com/photos/11418107@N02 This may not be completely accurate, but I think she's wearing a smock to protect her dress. That's a lot of ink on that table. Anyway, that would explain your side seam observation.

linstadt

• 03/Dec/2010 20:58:56

Thanks to the Smithsonian Archive Dept. for the 3 blogs about Elizabeth, my grandmother. The latest blog is at: blog.photography.si.edu/2010/12/01/the-life-behind-the-sm...

AmandaLouiseSpayd

• 04/Mar/2011 04:17:46

Wow, these comments form such an amazing story, coming together one bit of information at a time!

Smithsonian Institution

• 15/Mar/2011 19:59:49

Title and description have been updated. Thanks for your interest and collaboration of such wonderful information, everyone! Susannah Smithsonian Institution Archives

Smithsonian Institution

• 17/Mar/2011 15:55:21

The New York Times has written up the incredible work that you all have done to identify Elizabeth Sabin Goodwin! Read more here: www.nytimes.com/2011/03/17/arts/design/smithsonian-expand... Best, Catherine Shteynberg Smithsonian Institution Archives