Clarissa Sligh

Eliza Cooley Story
Eliza Cooley and her husband Philip Cooler, who was one of the freed slaves settled in Staten Island. They had come from Virginia where 1806 legislation forced any slave freed after that date to leave the state within twelve months. The white slave holders did not want additional free black people in the state for fear of slave rebellions. As each slave insurrection occurred, white hostility toward free blacks increased because they would assist the slaves.

In 1820 Eliza Morriss was a 20-year-old free black woman in Gloucester County, Virginia. After she purchased Philip Cooler (a slave age 26) from his owners, they married and had five children. Through hard work, they accumulated a fair amount of real estate and personal property. Some time after they were married, Eliza decided to apply for Philip’s manumission or freedom papers. His freedom was granted, but the petition to the Virginia State Legislature to remain in the state was refused.

In 1830, the Coolers moved to Staten Island with their five children: May, Eliza, Rebecca, Betsy and William. Soon after their arrival, Philip purchased 22 acres of land for $750.00 from Abraham Totten of Westfield in Richmond County. He built a house overlooking Prince’s Bay and immediately entered the oyster business. Philip returned to Virginia, purchased and freed his brother, Baylor. In Staten Island, Baylor purchased nine acres of land adjacent to Philip’s and working together their oyster business rapidly grew.

Two years later in 1832, Philip sailed his sloop to New York City with a load of oysters to sell. It is said that on his return trip, he must have run into a storm and that a sudden squall destroyed his boat. No one could find any trace of it and his body was found washed up on the shore.

Philip’s funeral was held at the Rossville African Methodist Episcopal Church in Sandy Ground. Eliza, age 32, was now a widow with five children. Even though Baylor and friends encouraged and supported Eliza, she mourned and grieved her loss in silence. She went on to bring up Mary, Eliza, Rebecca, Betsy, and William, and at some point along the way the family name Cooler was changed to Cooley.

Eliza Morriss Cooley died in 1884 at the age of eighty-four.

The story of Eliza Cooley was an inspiration to Clarissa for several reasons. At the time of her research into Sandy Ground she was still mourning the loss of her own husband, Aaron Roseman. Eliza’s loss and the disintegration of the Sandy Ground community resonated with her. Additionally, the social practice of free blacks purchasing, marrying and gaining the freedom of their fellow slaves was not unusual and was a narrative that Sligh wanted to illuminate within the installation.