Three-quarter length portrait of the African American Methodist evangelist preacher, missionary, and temperance advocate who was born to enslaved parents in Maryland. Shows Smith, standing, slightly turned to her right, and attired in medium-colored, Quaker-like garb including a shawl, shirtwaist with an upright lace collar adorned with a pendant, skirt, and scoop bonnet. She holds a book, possibly a Bible, in her right hand, top edge down, and with her fingers interspersed between a few pages. A chair is partially visible in the right of the image and dark-colored drapery serves as the backdrop. Smith, her freedom bought by her father when a child, entered preaching in 1869. Known as a compelling speaker and singer, she preached at Methodist Episcopal churches throughout the East and Midwest, including Philadelphia. In 1878 she felt called to travel to Keswick, England for a Methodist convention and remained in the country to minister and then worked as a missionary in India (1879-1881) and West Africa (1882-1890). In 1890 she returned to the United States and settled in Chicago where she was also a prominent member of the Women's Christian Temperance Union (Smith joined in the 1870s). In 1893 her "Autobiography" was published, from which she began to raise funds for an orphanage for African American children. 1n 1899 the Amanda Smith Orphan's Home, later the Amanda Smith Industrial Home opened in Harvey, Il. The home was razed by fire in 1918., Title from manuscript note on verso., Photographer's imprint printed on mount., Publisher's imprint printed on verso. Also includes a vignette depicting the British coat of arms., Mount designer's imprint printed on verso., Lib. Company. Annual Report, 2018, p. 59 - 60., RVCDC, Description reviewed 2022., Access points revised 2022.
Creator
Pettitt, Alfred, -1880
Date
[1878]
Location
Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department cdv portraits - sitter - Smith [P.2018.13]
In Ten years in Oregon (Ithaca, 1848), frontispiece., Born in Tioga County, New York, Sarepta (or Serepta) White accompanied her husband Elijah White to Oregon in 1836, after the Board of Missions of the New England Conference of the Methodist Church appointed him the physician to the Willamette Valley, Oregon. During their time in Oregon, both their son and their adopted son drowned. Later in life she practiced medicine in San Francisco., Waist-length of the wife of physician-missionary, next to her husband.
In Wiley, I.W. The mission cemetery and the fallen missionaries of Fuh Chau, China (New York, 1858), p. 200., Mrs. Wentworth was the daughter of J.J. Lewis, Esq., and the wife of Rev. Dr. Wentworth. She and her husband were both members of the Methodist Episcopal Mission. They arrived in China in May 1855., Waist-length portrait of the missionary.
In American missionary memorial (New York, 1853), p. 230., Mrs. Scudder and her husband were sent to Ceylon by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions., Waist-length portrait of the missionary.
In Woods, L. Sermon, preached at Haverhill, Mass. 4th ed., enl. (Boston, 1814), frontispiece., Waist-length portrait of the woman missionary, with a ruffled collar., Artists' signatures illegible; identification based on the copy of the 1st ed. (1814) owned by the American Antiquarian Society and copy of the 2nd ed. (1814) owned by Bowdoin College. Library Company's copy of the 8th ed. (1818) has portrait frontispiece engraved by Ralph Rawdon., Another portrait appears in: American missionary memorial (New York, 1853), p. 74.
In Hale, S.J. Woman's record (New York, 1853), p. 868. "Illustrated by two hundred and thirty portraits, engraved on wood by Lossing and Barritt.", Bust-length portrait of Mrs. Hill, with a lace collar.
In Dwight, H.G.O. Memoir of Mrs. Elizabeth B. Dwight (New York, 1840), frontispiece., Facsimile signature: Your very affectionately E.B. Dwight., Bust-length portrait of Mrs. Dwight.
In Church, P. Notices of the life of Theodosia Ann Barker Dean (Boston, 1851), frontispiece., Facsimile signature: Theodosia A. Dean., Waist-length portrait of Mrs. Dean, with a palm trees and a pagoda-like tower.
In Winslow, M. Memoir of Mrs. Harriet L. Winslow (New York, 1840), frontispiece., Facsimile signature: Very affec. Your Harriet., Waist-length portrait of the woman missionary, with arabesque decoration on sleeve of garment., Another portrait appears in: American missionary memorial (New York, 1853), p. 184.
In Medbery, R.B. Memoir of Mrs. Sarah Emily York (Boston, 1853), frontispiece., Facsimile signature: Yours ever Emmy W. York., Three-quarter length portrait of the woman missionary, seated, with a shawl draped over her shoulders.
In Lowrie, L.A. Memoirs of Mrs. Louisa A. Lowrie (Pittsburgh, 1836), frontispiece., Waist-length portrait of the woman missionary, wearing a scarf around her neck.
In Lord, Lucy T. Memoir of Mrs. Lucy T. Lord (Philadelphia, 1854), frontispiece., Facsimile signature: Lucy T. Lord., Three-quarter length portrait of the woman missionary, holding an open book.
In Hartley, C.B. The three Mrs. Judsons (Philadelphia, 1860), frontispiece., Waist-length portrait of Mrs. Judson., Another portrait appears in: American missionary memorial (New York, 1853), p. 102.
In Hartley, C.B. Three Mrs. Judsons (Philadelphia, 1860), frontispiece. Portrait also stamped in gold on spine., Waist-length portrait of the writer, who accompanied her husband, the missionary Adoniram Judson, to Burma following their marriage., Another portrait appears in Hunt, L. The American biographical sketch book (New York, 1848), plate opposite p. 202.
In Mann, Rev. C.M. Memoir of Mrs. Myra W. Allen (Boston, 1832), frontispiece., Facsimile signature: Myra W. Allen., Myra Allen served as a missionary in Bombay, India, with her husband, David O. Allen., Bust-length portrait of Mrs. Allen.
In The Ladies' Repository (November, 1859), plate preceding p. 641. "Engraved expressly for the Ladies Repository.", Waist-length portrait of Mrs. Wilkins seated in front of a window with a Liberian village visible in the background.
In Wiley, I.W. The mission cemetery and the fallen missionaries of Fuh Chau, China (New York, 1858), p. 54., Mrs. White and her husband were both members of the Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church. They arrived in Fuh Chau, China, in September 1847., Another portrait appears in: American missionary memorial (New York, 1853), p. 416., Waist-length portrait of the missionary.
In Wiley, I.W. The mission cemetery and the fallen missionaries of Fuh Chau, China (New York, 1858), p. 166., Mrs. Wiley and her husband were both members of the Methodist Episcopal Mission. They traveled to China in 1851., Waist-length portrait of the missionary.
In Hawes, L.F. Memoir of Mrs. Mary E. Van Lennep (Hartford, 1848), frontispiece., Facsimile signature: Mary E. Van Lennep., Above signature: "Jesus, I give my all to Thee.", "See Page 128.", Waist-length portrait of the woman missionary, with a shawl draped over her shoulders.
In Bennett, S.R.I. Walks of usefulness (New York, 1868), frontispiece. Text first published in 1843., Bust-length portrait of Mrs. Prior, wearing eyeglasses and a bonnet.
In Wiley, I.W. The mission cemetery and the fallen missionaries of Fuh Chau, China (New York, 1858), p.336., Mrs. Colder was the daughter of Rev. John Winebrenner, and the wife of Rev. James Colder. Mrs. Colder and her husband were both members of the Methodist Episcopal Mission, and arrived in China in July 1851., Waist-length portrait of the missionary.
In American missionary memorial (New York, 1853), p. 162., Mrs. Comstock and her husband were Baptist missionaries in Arracan, which became the Rakhine State of Burma., Waist-length portrait of the missionary.
In Hooker, E.W. Memoir of Mrs. Sarah L. Huntington Smith. 3rd ed. (New York, 1845), frontispiece., Facsimile signature: Very affectionately your Sister Sarah L. Smith., Three-quarter length portrait of Mrs. Smith, seated and holding a book., Provenance: Waldo & Jewett, artist., Another portrait appears in: American missionary memorial (New York, 1853), p. 280.
In American missionary memorial (New York, 1853), p. 472., Mrs. Simpson and her husband were sent to Western Africa by the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions., Waist-length portrait of the missionary.
In Lander, Meta. Light on the dark river (Boston, 1854), frontispiece., Facsimile signature: Yours affectionately, Henrietta., Shoulder-length portrait of Mrs. Hamlin.
In Life and letters of Miss Mary C. Greenleaf (Boston, 1858), frontispiece., Facsimile signature: M.C. Greenleaf., Bust-length portrait of Miss Greenleaf.
In The missionary sisters (Boston, 1860), frontispiece., Facsimile signatures: Seraphina H. Everett; H.M.L. Hamlin., Two separate waist-length portraits of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions missionaries, in arabesque frames: Mrs. Seraphina Haynes Everett; Mrs. Harriet Martha Hamlin.
In Judson, E.C. Memoir of Sarah B. Judson (New York, 1852), front cover (stamped in gold)., Below image: Faithful is He that calleth you [1 Thessalonians 5:24]., Full-length portrait of Mrs. Judson, standing between mourners (including Adoniram Judson?) and storm-tossed ship. She points to a vignette (depicting buildings and people in Burma?) within an arabesque frame, above which an angel hovers. Snakes curl around the lower edge of the frame.
Bust-length portrait of Sarah Margru Kinson Green., Sarah Margru Kinson Green, a child captive onboard the Amistad slave ship, returned to the United States to study at Oberlin College., “This girl, one of the Amistad captives, called in her native language Margru, meaning black snake, called at our office for an examination, while a stranger to us. She was described as possessing strong friendship, independence, perseverance, energy, and unusual intellectual powers ; remarkable memory, and the faculty of acquiring education. We afterward learned that she had been educated at the Oberlin Institute, in Ohio, and excelled in all branches of study, and was one of the first scholars in the institution in mathematics and superior sciences ; remarkable for memory and native intelligence. She has gone to her native land as a missionary. The forehead is broad and high, and particularly prominent in the center, in the region of eventuality, and the whole head is large, sustained by a vigorous constitution. She is far superior to Africans generally. The same is true of the majority of the Amistad captives, particularly so of Cinquez, the leader. Dignity, independence, and scope of mind were such as to do honor to individuals of any nation.”--P. 231., In the American phrenological journal, vol. 12 (1850), p. 231., Another portrait appears in The illustrated phrenological almanac for 1851 (1850), p. 30.
In Bloom, David F. Memoirs of eminently pious women of Britain and America (Hartford, 1833), plate opposite p. [300]., Five separate bust-length portraits in arabesque frames: Mrs. Susan Huntington, Mrs. Sarah Edwards, Mrs. Isabella Graham, Mrs. Ann H. Judson, and Miss Hannah Adams.