RETRACE CIVIL WAR FOOTPRINTS

Posted by: CWelling VanDeusen E-Archives

Commemorating the Civil War Sesquicentennial and legacy of Cogswell ancestors

2013 Cogswell Family Association, Inc. reunion/annual meeting in Cleveland, Ohio included the special presentation by Caroline Welling Van Deusen:

Retrace Footprints of Cogswell Sisters to the
Deathbed of President Lincoln

Our visual guide were images of items from their private collection of Civil War relics allowing the audience to retrace the footprints of President Lincoln, Mary Lincoln and the Cogswell sisters – from the Lincoln’s first days in Washington until their last.

Up until now, history has known little of the two women… other than their presence in paintings depicting those present at deathbed of President Lincoln. a

From their private collection - personal items received from Mary Lincoln, telegram from Lincoln, an invitation to dine with the Lincolns and inauguration balls, a lock of Lincoln\'s hair, letters written to family that recounted the events of the night Lincoln died and days following. Also, shared for the first time was a reading and images of the only known account by Mary Lincoln written posthumously of Lincoln\'s death in which she describes the events of the night Lincoln died. The journey offers a glimpse into the lives of the Lincolns from a new vantage point.

Presented by Caroline Van Welling Deusen, a Cogswell descendant and great-great granddaughter of one Cogswell sister - Elizabeth L. C. Dixon. She is also employed as project archivist at E-Archives and contributed the White House History article, Diary of Elizabeth Dixon, Issue 33 published by White House Historical Association.