Nearly a century before the term “supermodel” was coined, Amanda Straw was living the life of one. Of course, by then, most people knew her by her professional name, Madeline Stokes. Straw was born in 1875 on a farm in Fishing Creek Valley in northern York County. Unlike the tall, long-legged models of today, Straw stood only 5 feet 4 inches tall. She had hazel eyes, light brown hair, and a figure that epitomized feminine beauty in the 19th century. After receiving an education in one-room schools in the county, she left for Philadelphia to attend the Pierce Business College. However, she left the school to try her hand on the stage and as an artist’s model. “One special performance included working on a New York roof-top garden, Jardin De Paris.  She was clad head-to-toe in nothing but enamel (Straw Read more…