Collier and his family on Sugarloaf Mountain

Description

Watercolor sketch of a man identified as a collier or coal miner, a woman, and a child on Sugarloaf Mountain in Frederick County, Maryland. The man's clothing features many patches, and he holds a rifle and large rake. The woman carries a basket on top of her head and the child looks up at her. The collier shown here is likely David Moody, who bought land alongside Sugarloaf Mountain in 1814 before purchasing 53 additional acres in 1833. Local tradition holds that Moody, who was said to be both African American and Native American, lived in a bark wigwam. Moody was probably the first resident of what became the small African American community of Mount Ephraim. A log home owned by Moody and his family later in the 19th century still stands on the grounds of the nearby Hallowood retreat center.