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Born
Elizabeth was born a mixed race slave in Virginia. -
Sold
At the age of 14 Elizabeth was sold to be a slave at another home where she was severly beaten and attacked. As a result she give birth to a mixed race baby. -
Sewing
Elizabeth and her son, still slaves, moved to St. Louis with thier new master. Elizabeth takes up sewing for extra money. -
Freedom
Elizabeth buys her and Georges' freedome with the help of white patrons she meets through sewing. -
Move to DC
Elizabeth moves to Washington DC and started a dress making business. -
First Lady
Elizabeth made her first dress for the First Lady, Mary Lincoln Todd. She becomes the sole designer of all the First Lady's dresses. -
Son's Death
Elizabeth's son died severing as a solider with the Union Forces. Since he was 3/4 white he was able to pass as white to join the army. -
Writing a Book
After Lincoln is assignated Elizabeth wrote a booke titled Behind the Scenes telling about her time in the White House. She was 50 when she wrote the book. People thought it was rude to write a "tell all" book and refused to buy her dresses. -
Teaching Job
Elizabeth gets a job teaching sewing skills at Wilberforce University. -
Death
Elizabeth dies at the age of 89 poor and destitute despite having once been a dress maker to the White House.
