From what they knew of her, they say she was a Jewish Refugee from wartime France who came to the U.S. in the early 1950's (some of her earlier work shows New York where she must have resided for some time). They say she was a very "keep your distance from me" type of person but was also outspoken. She loved foreign films and didn't care much for American films.
Some of her photos have pictures of children and often times it was near a beach. I later found out she was a nanny for a family on the North Side whose children these most likely were. Her obituary says she lived in Oak Park, a close Chicago suburb.
Vivian Maier (1926-2009) was a street photographer living in Chicago where she lived for 50 years. Her work was recently discovered at an auction, and the work includes over 40,000 negatives.
John Maloof, aquired the negatives while at a furniture and antique auction, and has created a blog to feature her work bit by bit.
To me the story of the unknown photographer and the founder of the negative is hugely fascinating. The fact that Maier's work about daily life in Chicago reaches a 20 year span, starting from the 50's and stretching to the 70's is very intriguing, as it's a work of a European refugee living through the birth of the youth culture and all. I also find the graphic look of the photos very pleasing to the eye.