Emma D. Sudrow, MGS Photo Vault,
used with permission from the Maryland Genealogical Society.
Like most genealogists, I’m fascinated by old photographs. When they are unlabeled, you wish someone had taken a moment to record the names. (And you vow to do better yourself.)
The Maryland Genealogical Society holds a collection of photographs—mostly portraits—at its MGS Photo Vault webpage. Fortunately, many are labeled with names and dates but the personal stories behind the faces are largely unknown. I selected one portrait—Emma D. Sudrow—for closer study and was richly rewarded. Emma and her dear friend, Mary, took me on a fascinating research journey through Baltimore history, dotted by familiar names, places, and events.
Smalltimore: Emma D. Sudrow and Mary C. Monk of Baltimore City was published in the Maryland Genealogical Society Journal in 2022 and is reposted below. For me, studying individuals brings history alive. I hope you enjoy getting to know Emma and Mary, and through the lens of their personal stories, learn something new about Baltimore.
Full Citation: Maryland Genealogical Society Journal 63 (2022): 273–305.
Family Epic 