Helen Legrand was the wife of prominent furniture dealer William Legrand of Baltimore. The two had married in 1823 and remained together through life's ups and downs for twenty-eight years. Bill had always had difficulties with his teeth and while Helen sympathized, she could do little to help. In 1851, Bill once again visited a dentist to have a tooth drawn and when he returned Helen flew into his arms in sympathy. However, this time he was in little pain due to the effects of chloroform. While glad of this, she corrected Bill when he said he was to be envied rather than pitied; anyone who lost a tooth was not to be envied. Bill took this correction in good humor since it was a self evident truth.