Nancy Cox-McCormack Cushman Papers, 1906-2000
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Sophia Smith Collection Smith CollegeNorthampton, MA
Finding aid encoded using Perl scripts and edited in XMetal 2.0. Encoded by Laura Cutter. 2004-04-20
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Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Version 2002
collection
Nancy Cox-McCormack Cushman Papers
Creation of Nancy Cox-McCormack Cushman Papers
Time of Creation of Nancy Cox-McCormack Cushman Papers
Cushman, Nancy Cox-McCormack, b. 1885
Biographical History for: Nancy Cox-McCormack Cushman Papers
Biographical Note Nancy Cox-McCormack Cushman was an American sculptor, writer, artist, and socialite. Although she created some altar panels and abstracts, her work consisted mostly of portrait sculpture, primarily in bronze and terra cotta. Particularly productive between 1910 and 1953, her work included a broad range of well and lesser known people. These included Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, poet Ezra Pound, lawyer Clarence Darrow, social reformer Jane Addams, Italian architect Giacomo Boni, Spanish dictator Miguel Primo de Rivera, and Indian politician Mohandas K. Ghandi. Through her work and social contacts, Cushman cultivated a wide variety of notable friends and associates including the family of author Stephen Vincent Benet; social reformer Louis de Koven Bowen; Italian poet and anti-fascist Lauro De Bosis; Ezra and Dorothy Pound; artist Elizabeth Sparhawk Jones; writer and journalist Clara Laughlin; Grace Hegger Lewis, wife of Sinclair Lewis; opera singer Gladys Swarthout; and the family of architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Her work received little critical attention during her lifetime or since, but local newspapers covered her work and travels extensively. Nancy Cox-McCormack Cushman working on a bust of Benito Mussolini, 1923 Nancy Cox-McCormack Cushman was born Nancy Mal Cox in Nashville, Tennessee, August 15, 1885, the second of three children of cousins Herschell McCullough Cox and Nancy Morgan Cox. She was descended from one of the first families to settle in Virginia in the early 1600s. Her mother studied music and painting and although it is not clear what her father's occupation was, in a letter to Alice Gerstenberg, Cushman writes " Like many southerners of inheritance my family was artistic." Her mother died of tuberculosis when Nancy was three. All three children contracted polio, and Nancy's elder sister and younger brother both died of the disease shortly before the death of their mother. The results if the illness affected Nancy's health for the rest of her life. Her father married Lillian Warren with whom he had one son, Henry Herschel Cox. In 1899, when Nancy was fourteen, her father was killed in a carriage accident on his way to view a newly acquired property. After a brief time in a boarding school in Arkansas, she and her stepmother moved to Nashville where Nancy was enrolled at Ward Seminary. At Ward she worked in pastels and watercolors under the direction of artist Willie Betty Newman. Nancy, cut off from her father's family and unhappy with her stepfamily and her "irrational stepmother," ran away and married Mark McCormack in 1903. She admitted that it was an "escape" marriage and they were soon divorced. Left a "small income" by her father, Nancy enrolled at Washington University St. Louis School of Fine Arts in 1910 and then the Chicago Art Institute studying sculpture under Charles Mulligan. She worked in Chicago until 1920 during which time she sculpted over twenty-five pieces and wrote Peeps, The Really Truly Sunshine Fairy, a children's book published in 1918. It was during this time in Chicago that her life intersected with many well known people such as Clarence Darrow, Grace Hegger Lewis, Alice Gerstenberg, Eunice Tietjens, and Frank Lloyd Wright. In 1921 Cushman traveled to Europe. While in France she became friends with Ezra Pound and his wife, Dorothy Shakespeare, whom she had met earlier in the States. In 1922 she opened a studio in Rome, and shortly thereafter she received a commission from the Italian American Society of Philadelphia to sculpt a bust of Benito Mussolini. It was during this period that she also did a bust of the Spanish dictator Primo de Rivera. Pieces produced during this time were exhibited in Paris at the Galleries Jacques Seligman, the Salon of 1923, and at the 1923-24 Exposition Biennale Internationale des Beaux Arts in Rome. They were also subsequently exhibited at Seligman, New York Gallery; the National Gallery in Washington D.C.; the Chicago Art Institute; and the California Palace of the Legion of Honor in San Francisco. Cushman returned to the United States in 1924 settling in New York and Pennsylvania where she wrote her memoirs and a book, Pleasant Days in Spain. In 1931 she traveled to London to sculpt a portrait bust of Mohandas K. Gandhi. During the next eight years she sculpted a number of portrait busts and a bas-relief memorial medallion of Jane Addams. She continued to work on her memoirs and traveled throughout the United States speaking of her experiences. In 1939 she married Charles Thomas Cushman, an employee of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. They settled in Ithaca, New York, traveling extensively until his death in 1962. Her last work was her husband's tombstone. Nancy Cox-McCormack Cushman died in Ithaca on February 17, 1967.
Scope and Contents of the Collection The Nancy Cox-McCormack Cushman Papers consist of 4.25 linear feet of correspondence; writings, photographs, clippings, artwork, and memorabilia. They reflect her artistic work and related contacts as well as a wide social network, particularly in Chicago in the 1910s and Europe in the 1920s. The material is annotated by Cushman. The challenge for researchers using these papers is the fact that material on many of the people is spread throughout the collection. For example, information on Ezra Pound can be found in all four series as well as within the narratives of Cushman's memoirs and correspondence. This is also the case with photographs that are located in both SERIES III. and IV. because many were taken of Cushman at work with her models.
Artists, American--Biography--Sources
lcsh
Sculptors--United States--History--20th century--Sources
Sculpture, American--20th century
Women sculptors--United States--History--20th century--Sources
Women artists--United States--History--20th century--Sources
Addams, Jane, 1860-1935
lcnaf
Beard, Mary Ritter, 1876-1958--Correspondence
Bernhardt, Sarah, 1844-1923
Bowen, Louise Hadduck de Koven, 1859-1953
De Bosis, Lauro, 1901-1931
Gandhi, Mahatma, 1869-1948
Gerstenberg, Alice
Mussolini, Benito, 1883-1945
Pound, Dorothy--Correspondence
Pound, Ezra, 1885-1972
Primo de Rivera, Miguel, 1870-1930
Wright, Frank Lloyd, 1867-1959
Chicago (Ill.)--History--20th century--Sources
series
SERIES I. BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS AND MEMORABILIA
Genealogy, 1930-63, n.d.
Cushman family, 1952, n.d.
Cushman, Nancy Cox-McCormack
[see also Friends and Associates-De Bosis, Lauro and Ghandi, Mohandes K.; SERIES II. CORRESPONDENCE - Gerstensberg, Alice; SERIES III. ARTWORK, SPEECHES AND WRITINGS - Writings]
Diary portions, 1930-31
Memoir: "Two letters of Reminiscence Covering My Decade in Chicago, 1911-1920," 1960
Clippings and articles , 1919-67, 2000, n.d.
Horoscopes, numerology, and handwriting analysis, 1932-34, n.d.
Memorabilia
[see also Oversize materials]
Autograph book, 1922-57
Original
Photocopy
Programs and printed materials, 1915-56, n.d.
Miscellaneous, 1914-62, n.d.
Friends and associates
Adams, George Matthew, 1949
Addams, Jane, 1936, n.d.
Andersen, Stell, 1931-54, n.d.
Benet
Laura, 1939, 1958, n.d.
Stephen Vincent, 1943-62, n.d.
William Rose, 1940-50, n.d.
Miscellaneous family, 1940, 1950, n.d.
Benson, Allan L., 1916
Bernhardt, Sarah, 1918, n.d.
Boni, Giacomo, 1953, 1961, n.d.
[see also SERIES III. ARTWORK, SPEECHES AND WRITINGS-Writings]
Bowen, Louise de Koven, 1940-62
Clark, Charles Upson, 1904-60, n.d.
Darrow, Clarence, 1916, n.d.
De Bosis
Lauro
"An Italian Memoir : Incorporating the Story of Lauro DeBosis" by Nancy Cox-McCormack Cushman, 1951
"The Story of My Death," 1934-48
Writings, 1927, 1931
Articles, clippings, 1930-58, n.d.
Lillian Vernon, 1930, n.d.
de la Gabbe, Juliette, 1928, n.d.
Doremus family, 1925, 1941, n.d.
Draper, Ruth, 1956-60
Dromgoole, Will Allen, 1934
du Manoir, George H. 1934
Edwards, India, 1944, 1952
Evans, Rudolph, 1943-60, n.d.
[see also SERIES III. ARTWORK, SPEECHES, AND WRITINGS]
Favai, Gennaro, 1958, n.d.
Fekete, Zoltan, 1953-56, n.d.
Gerstenberg, Alice, 1929-57, n.d.
[see also SERIES II. CORRESPONDENCE]
Ghandi, Mohandas K., 1931-60
Haubiel, Charles, 1929, n.d.
Jones, Elizabeth Sparhawk, 1942-52, n.d.
Jonson, Raymond, 1947-58
Jules-Bois, H.A., 1937-43
Laycock, Craven, 1940, n.d.
Lester, Muriel, 1927-31, n.d.
Lewis, Grace Hegger, 1956, 1960, n.d.
MacDowell, Marion and Edward, 1938-57, n.d.
MacVeah, Eames, 1940-50, n.d.
Masters, Edgar Lee, 1917, 1944-50, n.d.
Monroe, Harriet, 1938, n.d.
Morrow, Libbie Lutrell, 1935, n.d.
Mussolini, Benito, 1924, 1957, n.d.
[see also SERIES III. ARTWORK, SPEECHES, AND WRITINGS - Writings]
Nobili, Grace Cleveland Porter, 1953-60
Person, Edwin, 1962, n.d.
Pound
Ezra
[see also SERIES II CORRESPONDENCE - Personal- Favari and SERIES III. ARTWORK, SPEECHES AND WRITINGS-Writings-Miscellaneous]
Biographical articles and clippings, 1923-60, n.d.
"Some recollections of Ezra Pound" by Nancy Cox-McCormack Cushman, 1949
Writings, 1912-17
Miscellaneous printed material and notes by Ezra Pound, 1938-57, n.d.
Omar, 1937
Rockefeller, Martha Baird, 1929-51
Sciortino, Antonio, 1914-54, n.d.
Shenton, Edward, n.d.
Shipley family, 1954
Tallmadge, Thomas E and Thomas H., 1924-40
Tietjens, Eunice, 1917-44, n.d.
Walsh, William, 1949, n.d.
Women Poets, 1963-64
Wright, Frank Lloyd, 1914-1959, n.d.
SERIES II. CORRESPONDENCE
Personal
Adams, George M., 1911, 1914
Anderson, Stell, n.d.
Bailey, Vernon Howe, 1926, n.d.
Beebe, Ethel Snyder Fairmont, 1921, 1953-64
Beard, Mary Ritter, 1940-52, n.d.
Benet, Laura, 1939-65, n.d.
Benson, Allan, 1919-23
Bordeaux, Vahdah, 1931, n.d.
Bowen, Louise de Koven, 1925-53, n.d.
Brulen, Eva, 1927-52
Burroughs, John, 1906
Casanova, Grace Hegger
[see Lewis]
Clark, Charles Upson, 1929-60
Colosimo, Candida, 1956-59
Colum, Padraic, 1943
Cushman, Charles T., 1955
Darrow, Clarence, n.d.
de Bosis
Adolpho, n.d.
Lillian Vernon, circa 1923
De Boyden, Grace, 1928-50, n.d.
de la Gabbe, Juliette, 1924-58, n.d.
Doremus, Arthur, 1937-51, n.d.
Dudley, Anne H. and Peter, 1916-19, n.d.
Du Manoir, George Henry, Viscount, 1922-25, n.d.
Earhart, Amelia, 1932
Edwards, India, 1930-58
Elliott, Laura Norwell, 1913-17
Evans, Rudolph, 1941-55
Fabiani, Augusta, 1927-31
Fekete, Zolton and Ann, 1954-55, n.d.
Favari, Maria and Gennaro, 1956-58
French, Daniel Chester, 1927
Gerstenberg, Alice, 1915-64, n.d.
Gould, Lawrence and Peg, 1931-57, n.d.
Grierson, Margaret Storrs, 1948-65
Hale, Irene, circa 1927-37
Hamilton, Alice, 1935-40
Haubiel, Charles, 1929-64
Heistand, H.O., 1919, n.d.
Henderson, Jessie, n.d.
Holmes, John Haynes, 1934
Hoskins, Ann and Stewart, 1933, n.d.
Jones, Elizabeth Sparhawk, 1935-56, n.d.
Jones, Harriet Winchester, 1939-41, n.d.
Jonson, Vera, 1958-60
Jordan, Thomas M., 1923-24
Jules-Bois, H.A., 1941-42, n.d.
Laughlin, Clara, 1924-39
Laughlin, May, 1941-50
Lawson, David, 1942, 1949
Laycock, Craven and Florence, 1928-52
Lewis, Grace Hegger Casanova, 1938-56
McCulloch, Winifred, 1947-62, n.d.
MacDowell, Marion, 1929-43
MacVeah, Eames, 1927-54, n.d.
Marsh, Daniel L. 1930
Masters, Helen J., 1944, n.d.
Miller, Tam, 1963-65, n.d.
Monroe, Harriet, 1930, n.d.
Morrow, Libbie Luttrell, n.d.
Nobili, Grace, 1953-62, n.d.
Noice, Harold, n.d.
Obermer, Seymour, 1923-24, n.d.
Ohannessian, Griselda, 1958
Pearson, Edwin, 1922-25, n.d.
Dorothy, 1921-58, n.d.
Ezra, 1936-57, n.d.
Isabel and Homer, 1924, 1934
Rockefeller, Martha Baird Allen, 1930-33, n.d.
Rose, Ray Clarke, 1924, n.d.
Sciortino
Antonio, 1930-47
Shenton, Barbara, 1940-58, n.d.
Shipley, Caleb and Helen, 1929-65
Sperry, Amelia, n.d.
Stewart, John, 1916-20, n.d.
Stokes, Sarah, 1931-47
Storms, Alice, 1927, n.d.
Swarthout, Gladys, 1919-43
Tallmadge, Thomas, 1921-31, n.d.
Teller, Sidney, 1955
Tietjens, Eunice, 1917-18
Townley, Ephra, 1932-34
Vacca, Virginia, 1958-66, n.d.
Walker, Dugald, 1921
Wallace, Mildred, 1925
Walsh, William, 1930, n.d.
Whitney, Janet, 1938, 1944, n.d.
Wright, Frank Lloyd, 1951, n.d.
Business, 1911-65, n.d.
SERIES III. ARTWORK, SPEECHES AND WRITINGS
Drawings and sculpture
Addams, Jane, 1935-40, n.d.
Boni, Giacomo
Photographs, 1923
Clippings and correspondence, 1923-53, n.d.
Bowen, Louise de Koven, 1948-49
Carmack, Edward Ward
Photographs, 1924
Clippings and correspondence, 1911-62, n.d.
Clark, Charles Upson, 1952
Cushman, Charles T., 1962
de Rivera, Primo, 1925-52
Evans, Rudolph, 1935
Ghandi, Mohandas K., 1931, n.d.
Gould, Lawrence McKinley, 1931-32, 1950
Mussolini, Benito, 1923-34
Pound, Ezra, 1921
Rismondo, Lidia, 1923
Miscellaneous, 1911-33, n.d.
Exhibit catalogs and advertisements, 1917-45
Writings
[see also SERIES I. BIOGRAPHCAL MATERIALS - De Bosis, Lauro; Ghandi, Mohandas K.; Pound, Ezra]
Boni, Giacomo, 1929
Mussolini, Benito, 1923-29
Peeps, The Really Truly Sunshine Fairy, 1918-19
Pleasant Days In Spain, 1927-28
Miscellaneous, 1917-60, n.d.
Radio broadcasts, interviews, and speeches, 1924-62
SERIES IV. PHOTOGRAPHS
Family
Cox family, n.d.
Cushman
Charles A. and Magnola, n.d.
Charles Thomas, 1949, 1962
Nancy Cox-McCormack, 1910-61, n.d.
Mussolini, Benito, 1923-24, n.d.
Pound family, 1923-37, n.d.
Shipley family, 1934-41, n.d.
Wright, Frank Lloyd family and homes, 1915, n.d.
Miscellaneous and unidentified, 1914-49, n.d.
Oversize Materials
Caballero de la Orden del Merito Civil (Spanish medal), 1930
Bas relief of Louise deKoven Bowen mounted on wood, 1948
Portrait of Nancy Cox-McCormack Cushman painted by Christian Abrahamson, 1914
Unidentified phonograph record
Phi Gamma Mu certificate, 1928
Photograph of Nancy Cox-McCormack Cushman with Rudolph Evans, 1936
Music signed by Charles Haubiel, 1929
Blueprint of fountain for Mrs. William Kenley, 1919