was born in Paris on February 19, 1847. Her family later moved to Mexico, and then to Vermont. In 1868, Sara came to Philadelphia to live with relatives. While living here, she met a successful young attorney by the name of Cornelius Stevenson. They married in 1870 and had one son, William, who was born in 1878.
In 1889, the University of Pennsylvania established the University Archaeological Association, which was a group of prominent Philadelphians of significant means who were interested in archaeology. This group formed the basis of what would become the University Museum. Sara Yorke Ste-venson was one of the group’s founders, and in 1890, she was appointed the first curator of the Egyptian and Mediter-ranean sections of the museum.
In 1893, a new museum building was planned for the corner of 34th and South Streets. Mrs. Stevenson was very involved in the selection of the site, planning, and fund raising, to which she contributed gen-erously. When the amount of private funds fell short of the amount of money needed for the new build-ing, she successfully lobbied the State Legislature for additional funds. The new museum building was dedicated in 1899.
In 1892, Sara Yorke Stevenson was described in an issue of Anthropological Work in America as "perhaps our only lady Egyptologist" and her work in the field was called "a sensation". In 1894, she be-came the first woman to receive an honorary degree from the University of Pennsylvania, when she was awarded the degree Doctor of Science for her work in establishing the University Museum. Also in 1894, she became the first woman to lecture at the Peabody Museum at Harvard University. From 1899 to 1902, Mrs. Stevenson was president of the Pennsylvania branch of the Archaeological Institute of Amer-ica. She served in her role of curator at the University Museum until she resigned in 1905.
In 1908, she began a career in journalism when she became literary editor and columnist for the Pub-lic Ledger, a position she held until 1920. She wrote under the synonym of "Peggy Shippen". Also in 1908, she became curator at the Pennsylvania Museum and School of Industrial Art, which became the Philadelphia Museum of Art. At the School of Industrial Art, she established a course in Museology, which is the study museum design, organization, and management. This was the first course of its kind in the United States.
Mrs. Stevenson was very involved with the cause of women’s suffrage. As president of the Civic Club, she worked for public reform. This brought her public ridicule for being a woman who spoke about civic matters. During World War I, Mrs. Stevenson was chairman of the French War Relief Committee of the Emergency Aid of Pennsylvania, which sent physicians and medical supplies to France. For her tireless work, the French republic awarded her the rank of "Chevalier" in the Legion d’Honneur in 1920.
Sarah Yorke Stevenson died on November 14, 1921. Three days later, she was buried at Laurel Hill Cemetery, where she now rests in Section T, Lots 190-195. At her memorial service, she was described as the best known and most distinguished woman in Philadelphia.
Photo Courtesy of the University of Pennsylvania Archives
Board President, Friends of Laurel Hill Cemetery
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