Caroline Ellis Campbel
Old penciled inscription on the back identifying the subject: Caroline Ellis Campbell - wife of Wm. Campbell - mother of Cris Campbell and W. J. Campbell.
Found with many other photos from Marion County, Ohio, where this woman lived, though this photo was taken in NYC (see below)
Easily found US Census records for this woman, all in Marion Co., Ohio for 1860, 1870, 1880, and 1900. Her age varies a bit in these records, but the records support the information in the penciled inscription on the back of this photo. She was apparently born about 1830 in NY of Irish immigrant parents (and the NY connection may explain why this portrait was taken there). She married quite young to a man William Campbell about 10 years her senior, and the 1860 Census shows two sons in the household, John Campbell and William Campbell. By 1870 she is shown in her 40s with just one child, a 6-year-old son Christopher in the household (he was considerably younger than his brothers). By 1880 she is shown to be age 50, widowed and living with son Christopher, then age 15. By 1900 she is shown as living alone at age 72 - said to have been born in 1827 - and this record indicates that she was actually born in Ireland and immigrated to the USA in 1828 as an infant.