Cogdell, Mary Ann Elizabeth Stevens: Watercolor with poem by Cordelia Sanders on back
Item
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Title
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Cogdell, Mary Ann Elizabeth Stevens: Watercolor with poem by Cordelia Sanders on back
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Description
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The front page features a hand-painted watercolor bird on a tree, signed by Mary Ann Elizabeth Cogdell. The reverse side features a poem written in cursive about truth signed by Cordelia Sanders circa 1840.
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The poem page is clearly signed June 9, however the year is blurry. It appears to be either 1840 or 1849. Considering Cordelia Sanders was not born until after 1843, the year 1849 is more likely. The year 1849 is more clearly written at the top of the page beside the poem’s title “Truth.” The watercolor is of a bird on a small fruit tree, consuming either a berry or seed. It is clearly dated June 9th, but does not indicate a year. It is likely that this card reflects art that was created by grandmother Mary and granddaughter Cordelia. The Library Company of Philadelphia website presents higher quality images of the watercolor and poem that can be viewed using the link below (The Library Company of Philadelphia 2019).
Mary Ann Elizabeth “Tolsey” Stevens Cogdell (1760-July 4, 1827) was the daughter of John Stevens, an immigrant from England who settled in Georgia (Atkinson and Dobrzynski Grippe 2011; Find a Grave 2009). John Stevens was a plantation owner “until a slave rebellion ended his plantation career” forcing him to resettle in Charleston, South Carolina (Atkinson and Dobrzynski Grippe 2011). According to Ancestry.com (2005) records, Mary married George Cogdell on May 11, 1777. The two had three known children together: John Stephano Cogdell, Richard Walpole Cogdell, and Clement Stevens Cogdell (Atkinson and Dobrzynski Grippe 2011). Mary had one brother named John “Jack” Stevens (Atkinson and Dobrzynski Grippe 2011).
Cordelia (née Sanders) Chew (circa 1843-1879 or 1844-1880) was the daughter of Richard Walpole Cogdell (1787-1866) and Sarah Martha Sanders who was enslaved (Atkinson and Dobrzynski Grippe 2011; Ancestry.com 2010). Cordelia and her nine known siblings were supported by her father, despite him being married to another woman and having another family with her (Atkinson and Dobrzynski Grippe 2011). Richard apparently had “financial misfortunes,” however Cordelia and her siblings “and their children’s offspring went on to join Philadelphia’s middle class black citizenry” (Atkinson and Dobrzynski Grippe 2011). They were active in “the Philadelphia African American political, social, educational, and cultural community from the 1850s to the 20th century” (The Library Company of Philadelphia 2022).
This item is part of the Stevens-Cogdell-Sanders-Venning family papers at The Library Company of Philadelphia that document the development of a white family and a prominent middle-class African American family in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, beginning with the 1760s emigration of John Stevens from England to South Carolina. The materials date from 1734 to 1982 and consist of scrapbooks, ephemera, newspaper clippings, Common Prayer books, invitations, holiday cards, correspondence, business papers, and a variety of personal papers. The materials document the Stevens-Cogdell-Sanders-Venning families’ professional, family, and personal lives as well as the development of a prominent middle-class African American family.
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View images on The Library Company of Philadelphia’s website
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Rights
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Copyright restrictions may apply. Please contact the Library Company of Philadelphia with requests for copying and for authorization to publish, quote or reproduce the material.
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Creator
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Cogdell, Mary Ann Elizabeth Stevens
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Contributor
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The Library Company of Philadelphia
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Identifier
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Stevens-Cogdell-Sanders-Venning collection, Box 1, Folder 4
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Date Created
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1840/06/09
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Subject
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Watercolors
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Philadelphia (Pa.)
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African American families
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Poetry
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transcription
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Truth 1849. Written at [unknown] years of age
Friend, Truth is best of all, it is the best There Virtue e'er must spring, till blast of doom There every bright and hidding thought is bred There Hope doth gain its strength, and Love its bloom
In white as Chastity is single truth. Like Wisdom calm, like Humour without end- and Love doth lean on it, in age and youth, And Courage is twice arm I with Truth its friend.
Oh! who would face, the blame of just mens 'eyes, And bear the fame of falsehood all his days, And wear out scorned life, with useless lies. Which still the shifting, quivering look betrays.
What is Hope, if Truth be not its stay? And what ever Love, if Truth forsook it quite? And what were all the Sky- if falsehood gray, find it like a Dream of Darkness lay, lady to quench its stars in endless, endless night.
Cordelia Sanders. June 9 [1849?]
