Eliza Rallings (Mme.)
Brief Item Record
Title: Eliza Rallings (Mme.)
Full Item Record
Dublin Core
Title
Eliza Rallings (Mme.)
Relation
VC2001168
Person/Business Item Type Metadata
Birth Date
1837-07
Birthplace
England
Occupation
Milliner
Importer (dresses)
Dressmaker
Biographical Text
Born in England in July 1837.
Immigrated to U.S in 1855.
In Trow's New York city directory of 1859, there is a listing for "Rallings William, milliner, 318 Canal," presumably Mme. Rallings' husband (p. 656).
In NY tax assessments from 1864-66, listed as a "manufacturer" or for "bonnets," at 318 Canal Street.
p. 1160
In Gouldings New York city directory of 1877, there is a listing for "Rallings Eliza millinery, h 1153 B'way" and for "Rallings Frederick W. notary, h 1153 B'way" (perhaps her son).
In 1878, arrested and fined for not declaring imported dresses, etc.
On September 12,1881, listed as passenger arriving on the Germanic, traveling from Liverpool, England and Queenstown, Ireland to the US.
Listed in Trow's New York City Directory of 1882-3 as Ralling, Eliza, costumes at 252 Fifth Ave.
On March 6,1886, listed as passenger arriving on the Britannic, traveling from Liverpool, England and Queenstown, Ireland to the US.
On September 20,1889, listed as passenger arriving on the Germanic, traveling from Liverpool, England and Queenstown, Ireland to the US.
On August 29,1891, listed as passenger arriving on the Werra, traveling from Bremen, Germany and Southampton, England to the US.
From 1888-1892, listed as Mrs. E Rallings in Saratoga Springs, NY directories, for millinery, at 3 Grand Union Block.
Listed in the 1900 census as living alone at 11 E. 33rd Street, as white, head of household, widow, mother of 4 children (2 living), renting a house, and as an "Importer (dresses)."
Immigrated to U.S in 1855.
In Trow's New York city directory of 1859, there is a listing for "Rallings William, milliner, 318 Canal," presumably Mme. Rallings' husband (p. 656).
In NY tax assessments from 1864-66, listed as a "manufacturer" or for "bonnets," at 318 Canal Street.
p. 1160
In Gouldings New York city directory of 1877, there is a listing for "Rallings Eliza millinery, h 1153 B'way" and for "Rallings Frederick W. notary, h 1153 B'way" (perhaps her son).
In 1878, arrested and fined for not declaring imported dresses, etc.
On September 12,1881, listed as passenger arriving on the Germanic, traveling from Liverpool, England and Queenstown, Ireland to the US.
Listed in Trow's New York City Directory of 1882-3 as Ralling, Eliza, costumes at 252 Fifth Ave.
On March 6,1886, listed as passenger arriving on the Britannic, traveling from Liverpool, England and Queenstown, Ireland to the US.
On September 20,1889, listed as passenger arriving on the Germanic, traveling from Liverpool, England and Queenstown, Ireland to the US.
On August 29,1891, listed as passenger arriving on the Werra, traveling from Bremen, Germany and Southampton, England to the US.
From 1888-1892, listed as Mrs. E Rallings in Saratoga Springs, NY directories, for millinery, at 3 Grand Union Block.
Listed in the 1900 census as living alone at 11 E. 33rd Street, as white, head of household, widow, mother of 4 children (2 living), renting a house, and as an "Importer (dresses)."
Bibliography
Caroline Rennolds Milbank, New York fashion: the evolution of American style (New York: Abrams, 1989), 25, 29, 34.
Caroline Rennolds Milbank, “‘Ahead of the World': New York City Fashion,†in Art and the Empire City, ed. Catherine Hoover Voorsanger and John K. Howat, 1st ed. (Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000), 247.
“ONLY TWO TRUNKS OF GOODS,†New York Times, March 13, 1878.
“MME. RALLINGS SPRING STYLES,†New York Times, March 17, 1878.
“LAW REPORTS,†New York Times, March 21, 1878.
Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.
Ancestry.com. New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.
Ancestry.com. U.S. IRS Tax Assessment Lists, 1862-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008.
Ancestry.com. Saratoga Springs, New York Directories, 1888-92 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000.
Trow's New York city directory (J. F. Trow., 1859), http://books.google.com/books?pg=PA661&id=8oUtAAAAYAAJ#v=onepage&q&f=false, 656.
Trow's New York city directory. Vol. 96. J. F. Trow., 1882. http://catalog.nypl.org/record=b15325061*eng.
Gouldings New York city directory (Lawrence G. Goulding., 1877), http://books.google.com/books?id=j9oCAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q=Rallings&f=false, 1160.
Caroline Rennolds Milbank, “‘Ahead of the World': New York City Fashion,†in Art and the Empire City, ed. Catherine Hoover Voorsanger and John K. Howat, 1st ed. (Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000), 247.
“ONLY TWO TRUNKS OF GOODS,†New York Times, March 13, 1878.
“MME. RALLINGS SPRING STYLES,†New York Times, March 17, 1878.
“LAW REPORTS,†New York Times, March 21, 1878.
Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.
Ancestry.com. New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.
Ancestry.com. U.S. IRS Tax Assessment Lists, 1862-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008.
Ancestry.com. Saratoga Springs, New York Directories, 1888-92 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000.
Trow's New York city directory (J. F. Trow., 1859), http://books.google.com/books?pg=PA661&id=8oUtAAAAYAAJ#v=onepage&q&f=false, 656.
Trow's New York city directory. Vol. 96. J. F. Trow., 1882. http://catalog.nypl.org/record=b15325061*eng.
Gouldings New York city directory (Lawrence G. Goulding., 1877), http://books.google.com/books?id=j9oCAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q=Rallings&f=false, 1160.
Citation
“Eliza Rallings (Mme.),” Vassar College Costume Collection, accessed September 5, 2026, https://vccc.vassarspaces.net/items/show/1449.
Related Items:
