Dorothy Cordley (Mrs. Richard) Lennihan was from New Jersey, but her family also had a house on Martha's Vineyard, and at some point, moved to Alexandria, Virginia. She took classes in tole painting from an unknown instructor on Cape Cod, possibly William L. Crowell. The instructor had collected old toleware, the designs on which his students were allowed to copy. He sold plain trays and boxes to his students to decorate. Mrs. Lennihan turned one of the rooms of their house on Martha's Vineyard into her studio, and there she painted a number of trays and boxes, many of which she gave as gifts to family and friends. She also won ribbons for her handiwork shown at local fairs. She died around 1977.
From the description of Toleware designs, 1954-1956. (Winterthur Library). WorldCat record id: 261235295
