Susan Clay Sawitzky
Encyclopedia
Susan Clay Sawitzky was an American
poet
and art historian.
She was born Susan Jacob Clay in Frankfort, Kentucky
to Charles Donald Clay and his wife, the former Mariah Hensley Pepper. Susan was raised on her father's thoroughbred farm outside of Lexington, Kentucky
and in the strict Victorian homes of her grandmothers. She was a great-granddaughter of Henry Clay
and a granddaughter of James Brown Clay
. Much of her life she felt a deep ambivalence toward her heritage. On the one hand, she found that legacy a source of pride, satisfaction, and strength. At the same time, she felt constricted and obligated to live up to a name that carried high expectations in her native Bluegrass region
of Kentucky
. She also chafed under the restrictions placed on women of her class, time, and place.
In the early 1920s Clay worked as a reporter and feature writer for the Louisville Herald newspaper. But on the advice of the writer Edna Ferber
, Susan quit that job. Ferber had said that working as a reporter would not help Susan develop as a poet.
On May 5, 1927 at age 30, Susan Clay shocked her family and local society by eloping with a divorced, much older Russia
n émigré named Vassili (William) Sawitzky (1879 – February 2, 1947). He was an art historian and dealer. The couple lived in New York City
and Connecticut
. They had one child, who was stillborn
.
At nearly age 84, Susan Sawitzky died in New Haven, Connecticut
. She lived alone in a dark, one-room apartment in a dangerous section of the city. Her ashes were scattered near a pond in Stamford, Connecticut
.
, the New York Times, and in local Kentucky publications during the early 1920s. A book, Poems by Susan Clay, was published in 1923. She stopped publishing after her marriage, except for a poem that ran in a 1941 edition of Poetry
magazine.
In 1984 the Kentucky Poetry Review posthumously published a volume of her work entitled, The Encircling Thread. Her poems are moving testaments to the lifelong tension she felt for the traditions which she both honored and rebelled against.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
and art historian.
She was born Susan Jacob Clay in Frankfort, Kentucky
Frankfort, Kentucky
Frankfort is a city in Kentucky that serves as the state capital and the county seat of Franklin County. The population was 27,741 at the 2000 census; by population it is the 5th smallest state capital in the United States...
to Charles Donald Clay and his wife, the former Mariah Hensley Pepper. Susan was raised on her father's thoroughbred farm outside of Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
and in the strict Victorian homes of her grandmothers. She was a great-granddaughter of Henry Clay
Henry Clay
Henry Clay, Sr. , was a lawyer, politician and skilled orator who represented Kentucky separately in both the Senate and in the House of Representatives...
and a granddaughter of James Brown Clay
James Brown Clay
James Brown Clay was a Democratic Party member of the United States House of Representatives from Kentucky....
. Much of her life she felt a deep ambivalence toward her heritage. On the one hand, she found that legacy a source of pride, satisfaction, and strength. At the same time, she felt constricted and obligated to live up to a name that carried high expectations in her native Bluegrass region
Bluegrass region
The Bluegrass Region is a geographic region in the state of Kentucky, United States. It occupies the northern part of the state and since European settlement has contained a majority of the state's population and its largest cities....
of Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. She also chafed under the restrictions placed on women of her class, time, and place.
In the early 1920s Clay worked as a reporter and feature writer for the Louisville Herald newspaper. But on the advice of the writer Edna Ferber
Edna Ferber
Edna Ferber was an American novelist, short story writer and playwright. Her novels were especially popular and included the Pulitzer Prize-winning So Big , Show Boat , and Giant .-Early years:Ferber was born August 15, 1885, in Kalamazoo, Michigan,...
, Susan quit that job. Ferber had said that working as a reporter would not help Susan develop as a poet.
On May 5, 1927 at age 30, Susan Clay shocked her family and local society by eloping with a divorced, much older Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n émigré named Vassili (William) Sawitzky (1879 – February 2, 1947). He was an art historian and dealer. The couple lived in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. They had one child, who was stillborn
Stillbirth
A stillbirth occurs when a fetus has died in the uterus. The Australian definition specifies that fetal death is termed a stillbirth after 20 weeks gestation or the fetus weighs more than . Once the fetus has died the mother still has contractions and remains undelivered. The term is often used in...
.
At nearly age 84, Susan Sawitzky died in New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
. She lived alone in a dark, one-room apartment in a dangerous section of the city. Her ashes were scattered near a pond in Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 122,643, making it the fourth largest city in the state and the eighth largest city in New England...
.
Sawitzky's art history
William Sawitzky, an art dealer and art historian, was an authority on eighteenth-century American painting. Susan Sawitzky soon took to this subject with relish. Until he died from emphysema, she helped William with his research. Following William's death, Susan devoted much energy to carrying on his work. She wrote articles on Ralph Earl, Abraham Delanoy, and Reuben Moulthrop that were published by the New York Historical Society.Sawitzky's poetry
Sawitzky wrote poetry for more than sixty years. Her earliest published poems and stories appeared in Town & CountryTown & Country (magazine)
Town & Country, formerly the Home Journal and The National Press, is a monthly American lifestyle magazine. It is the oldest continually published general interest magazine in the United States.-Early history:...
, the New York Times, and in local Kentucky publications during the early 1920s. A book, Poems by Susan Clay, was published in 1923. She stopped publishing after her marriage, except for a poem that ran in a 1941 edition of Poetry
Poetry (magazine)
Poetry , published in Chicago, Illinois since 1912, is one of the leading monthly poetry journals in the English-speaking world. Published by the Poetry Foundation and currently edited by Christian Wiman, the magazine has a circulation of 30,000 and prints 300 poems per year out of approximately...
magazine.
In 1984 the Kentucky Poetry Review posthumously published a volume of her work entitled, The Encircling Thread. Her poems are moving testaments to the lifelong tension she felt for the traditions which she both honored and rebelled against.
Sources
- Lindsey Apple, Cautious Rebel: A Biography of Susan Clay Sawizky, The Kent State University Press, Kent, Ohio, 1997.