Hunch-backed African American with Skimmer Hat and Striped Shirt

Here's another folk art carved figure from Urban Ore. He's an African American man - older - with red pants, suspenders and a red-striped, yellow long-sleeve shirt buttoned all the way up, and a black boater or skimmer hat. This is a 3/4 image - from about the knees up. He's 8.5 inches high and he's hunch-backed. i'd love to know more about these figures if anyone can tell me how old they might be or what they may have been used for.