Malbone, Edward Greene - portrait of a lady

Many miniature portraits are unsigned. Sometimes it is easy to pick the artist by their style. In other cases it is difficult and different people can have different opinions.

This miniature was purchased at the Dennis Auction sale in September 2009 and is a good example of varying opinions. Where in the ultimate, it was up to me as a collector as to whether I was prepared to back my judgement!

It had a label on the reverse, attributing it to E Tisdale (1771-?). However, I did not believe it was by Elkanah Tisdale, as it was unlike other examples of his work, including one attributed to him in this collection, see Tisdale, Elkanah - portrait of a man

From comparing the miniature with examples in the biography of Edward Green Malbone by Ruel Tolman, I was of the opinion it was by Malbone. There are about a dozen similar examples illustrated there, some of which are shown below. They were painted between 1801 and 1803, and so I would date this example to the same period.

Hence, I decided it was worth the bidding risk. Several hundred miniatures were for sale in the auction, but if correct, it was perhaps the best miniature in the auction. Fortunately, my absentee bid was successful.

Others need to make their own judgement, but having received the miniature, I am fairly confident from a stylistic comparison, that the miniature is in fact by Malbone, who is generally acknowledged as the best American miniature painter.

Whether experts will agree with me is still an open question. It cost just under $2000, but if there is agreement it is by Malbone, it is worth several times that value and shows the importance of maintaining a good reference library. 1375





Being initially largely self taught, Malbone did change his style during his short career.

There is one other miniature by him in this collection, where the attribution has been confirmed by a kind expert.

It is a little earlier in date and stylistically less mature, I think it dates from around 1796.

See Malbone, Edward Greene - portrait of a man

The pose is similar and the cheeks have the same bluish tone. 730

O'Brien, Claudia Veva - portrait of Vinnie Brown

A previously unrecorded American artist painted this miniature portrait.

It is signed on the front "V O'Brien" and the note inside reads "1906 - Miss Vinnie Brown - Minneapolis - by Veva O'Brien".

After some research it appears the artist is Claudia Veva O'Brien (7 May 1878 - 11 May 1949) who was born at Liberty, Montgomery, Kansas.

She was the daughter of John O'Brien (30 Jan 1841 - 13 Jan 1905) and Anue [Anne?] Jane Broughton (21 Des 1852- 25 Apr 1940) who were married 11 March 1870. Claudia had three brothers, Oscar, Edwin Enoch, and William.

In the 1881 census, Claudia is named Claudy OBrian and her father was a farmer at Liberty. The census took place before her brothers were born, but a sign of the times, is that her parents had a servant, Shella Bell who was only eleven years old.

It seems Claudia never married.

It has been harder to find anything out about the sitter, Miss Vinnie Brown.

Probably her name was Virginia Brown and she was born around 1885.

Although it is hard to see in the image, the reverse of the case is inscribed. "Mamma from Vinnie Xmas 1905" 1367

Unknown - Marquis de Lafayette

This miniature portrait is believed to be of Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de la Fayette (or Lafayette) (6 September 1757 – 20 May 1834) who was a French military officer born in the province of Auvergne in south central France.

Lafayette was a general in the American Revolutionary War and a leader of the Garde Nationale during the French Revolution.

As an interesting miniature it was kindly offered to this collection and the opportunity to acquire it was much appreciated. It is an unusual item and contact from experts familiar with portraits of the Marquis de Lafayette would be welcomed.

Some collectors completely discount old inscriptions on miniatures. My own feeling is to regard such inscriptions as clues and give them the benefit of the doubt, until they seem to be proved or disproved. Naturally proof can rarely be found, but even aside from that an inscription is part of the history of a miniature.

Additionally, one does not know whether future scientific advances will enable proof of the origin of an item. For example, it may one day be possible to readily identify a sitter in a miniature from a lock of their hair.

The artist is currently unknown. It is cased in a folding leather case which may be from 1825 or perhaps a little later. Unfortunately, there is no provenance, but the miniature did come from a collector who had very many interesting miniatures. Several of which have been previously, and fortunately, acquired for this collection, they include five of identified sitters.

Behind the miniature is a lock of hair, tied with a ribbon and said to have belonged to Lafayette. Two views of the lock of hair appear below.

The rear of the miniature is inscribed with writing which is hard to interpret, but appears to read as his full name;

"Lock of hair from / Lafayette / Marie Joseph Paul / Yves Roch Gilbert / from life / 182."

The last numeral of the date is too faint to even guess.

Any help in identifying the artist or circumstances of the miniature would be very much appreciated.

It is possible it is a copy of a portrait of Lafayette from the time, but so far it has not been possible to locate an original.

A number of portraits relating to Lafayette painted later in his life and around the time he visited America are shown below, but the poses are all different.

There is some question about the length of the sideburns, which do not appear to be completely consistent. However sideburns were only popular for a short time and several of the portraits below were painted in France at different times in his life.

Until a similar pose can be located, it seems reasonable to accept this miniature as an original.

Naturally, one needs to accept the lock of hair with some caution.

If any institution is interested in testing the DNA of a strand of the hair with any known locks of hair from Lafayette, I am very willing to co-operate with such examination.

In the American Revolution, Lafayette served in the Continental Army under George Washington. Wounded during the Battle of Brandywine, he still managed to organize a successful retreat.

He served with distinction in the Battle of Rhode Island. In the middle of the war, he returned to France to negotiate an increased French commitment.

On his return, he blocked troops led by Cornwallis at Yorktown while the armies of Washington and Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, prepared for battle against the British.

He returned to France and, in 1788, Lafayette was called to the Assembly of Notables to respond to the fiscal crisis.

Lafayette proposed a meeting of the French Estates-General, where representatives from the three traditional classes of French society—the clergy, the nobility and the commoners—met.

He served as vice president of the resulting body and presented a draft of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.

Lafayette was appointed commander-in-chief of the French (Garde nationale) National Guard in response to violence leading up to the French Revolution.

During the Revolution, Lafayette attempted to maintain order, for which he ultimately was persecuted by the Jacobins.

In 1791, as the radical factions in the Revolution grew in power, Lafayette tried to flee to the United States through the Dutch Republic.
He was captured by Austrians and served nearly five years in prison.

President James Monroe invited Lafayette to visit the United States from August 1824 to September 1825.

The visit by Lafayette was, in part, to celebrate the nation's 50th anniversary.

During his trip, he visited all of the American states and travelled more than 6,000 miles.

Lafayette arrived from France at Staten Island, N.Y., on 15 August 1824, to an artillery salute.

The towns and cities he visited, including Fayetteville, North Carolina, the first city named in his honour, gave him enthusiastic welcomes.

On 17 October 1824, Lafayette visited Mount Vernon and George Washington's tomb.

On 4 November 1824, he visited Jefferson at Monticello, and on the 8th he attended a public banquet at the University of Virginia.

In late August 1825, he returned to Mount Vernon.

A military unit decided to adopt the title National Guard, in honour of Lafayette's celebrated Garde Nationale de Paris.

This battalion, later the 7th Regiment, was prominent in the line of march when Lafayette passed through New York.

He then returned to France in September 1825 on the frigate USS Brandywine.

Late in the trip, Lafayette received honorary United States citizenship.

Lafayette was feted at the first commencement ceremony of George Washington University in 1824.

He was voted, by the U.S. Congress, the sum of $200,000 and a township of land.

At the time of France's July Revolution of 1830 Lafayette declined an offer to become the French dictator.

Instead he decided to support Louis-Philippe.

Lafayette died on 20 May 1834.

He was buried in the Picpus Cemetery in Paris, under soil taken from the American Revolutionary War battlefield of Bunker Hill.




Locks of Hair

In the 18C, it was not unusual to preserve a loved one’s lock of hair.

For example, as with the example her, when Rebecca Greenleaf initially refused Noah Webster’s (1758-1843) proposal of marriage and was about to return to her home in Boston, in June, 1787, Webster wrote to her, "Without you the world is all alike to me; and with you any part will be agreeable."

"As a pledge of my sincerity, accept a lock of hair, and keep it no longer than I deserve to be remembered. You must go, and I must be separated from all that is dear to me; but you will be attended by guardian angels and the best wishes of your sincere and respectful admirer."

At the end of the 18C it became fashionable to insert hair decorations in the reverse of miniature portraits and later still to have hair ornaments made. 1365

Unknown - portrait of John Shubael Bell

Some interesting American history has emerged while researching this miniature portrait.

It was acquired via an absentee bid at a live auction in Massachusetts. The auction photos are showing below, with a piece of paper glued across the reverse, which thus largely concealed the hair decoration.

The auction description was; "MINIATURE PORTRAIT ON IVORY OF A GENTLEMAN - 2nd Quarter of the 19th Century. Unsigned. Braided hair back. Marked on reverse "John Sheubel Bell", 2" x 10 3/4".

The cost including buyer's commission and shipping was $350, so it was an inexpensive miniature, for the history now found to be associated with it.

Since the purchase, several people in Boston have been very kind and helpful in responding to emailed questions about the sitter and supplying information, for which I am grateful.

Fortunately, in researching the miniature before it arrived, the name Shuebel was a great help, although it has to be said that even for such an unusual name the historical records show a great variety of spellings.

Due to transcription errors and non-standard spelling in the 18C and early 19C, there is sometimes, more than one spelling of a name.

However, Shubael was a challenge to transcribers, as evidenced by the following wide range of spellings, each different to the spelling on the stuck-on note.

- Marriage Notices for the Whole United States, 1785 - 1794>
Bell, Shubael, last Sunday evening, Mr. S.B. To Miss Betsy Robinson. (Wedding, March 19, 1788.)

- Massachusetts Marriages 1762 - 1809
Bell, Shubeal & Joanna Smith Masters, July 26, 1789 by Rev. Samuel Parker
Bell, Shurbeal & Ann Hewes, Oct. 16, 1808 by Rev. Asa Eaton Boston
Bell, Shurbael & Ann Hewes Oct 16, 1808

- 1790 Federal Census, Boston, MA
Bell, Shubal - one male and four free females

- 1800 City Directory for Boston, Massachusetts
Bell, Shubael ~ deputy sheriff, office, Court Street

- 1805 The Boston Directory
Bell Shubael - deputy sheriff, office and house, Court Street

Thus there were sufficient references to identify him as Shubael Bell (1766-10 May 1819) originally trained as a housewright and carpenter, but at his death, Deputy Sheriff of Boston.

Also found on the Internet, was another portrait of Shubael Bell. This was an important find as, being obviously of the same person, although at a different age, it confirms his identity.

Unfortunately, so far a better image has not been located, so a poor version of the portrait appears here. The image is of an oil portrait of Shubael Bell and it appears to be a reproduction of a photograph from a book in a lodge history. The oil is by John Johnston and is recorded in the SIRIS inventory. It is described as; 28" x 22", natural brown hair, white stock and tie, blue coat and waistcoat, brass buttons. There is also an oil copy of the Johnston portrait by Daniel J Strain. However, at present the locations of the oils are unknown.

The photographic image of the Johnston oil can be seen at the website of St. John's Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Boston, see; stjohnsboston1733.org/PAST_MASTERS.htm
where Shubael Bell was recorded as having held several important positions in the Lodge in 1802-1805, and 1809, including; Past Senior Grand Warden, Past Junior Grand Warden, and Past District Deputy Grand Master.
After the miniature arrived, it was possible to carefully open and clean the case, and remove the stuck-on label, (which was then put inside the miniature). The rear label was hard to read, but appears to be; "John Sheubel Bell - gt. gt. uncle of K(?) P(?) Spaulding". The front and rear glasses were very dirty. The "exploded" view can be seen here.

Discovered loose inside, as they were not apparent before it was opened, were the gold initials "JSB". These initials, taken with the wording of the stuck-on label, proves that his full name was in fact; John Shubael Bell, even though historical records give his name as just Shubael Bell.

Later research indicates that he most likely decided to use his second name Shubael, to distinguish himself from his father, John Bell, and also from his brother, who was named John Briggs Bell. His parents, John Bell and Rachel Briggs were married on 20 Sep 1753 in Boston. There were nine children, but the names of only five are known; Elizabeth Bell born 22 Sep 1754, John Briggs Bell born 1756, Rachel Bell born 18 Jul 1758, and twins, Mary Bell and John Shubael Bell born in 1766. [Later, now all nine children are known, see below] See Eulogy below and Family

After cleaning the glass and reassembling the miniature, it looks much more presentable.

However, the initials were not the only discovery about John Shubael Bell. As shown in this old postcard from about 1930, Shubael Bell generously gifted a marble bust of George Washington to Christ Church in Boston.

[As an aside, the discovery as above, of the initials JSB inside the miniature, seems to suggest that a number of history books and references, such as the following, will need to be rewritten to give John Shubael Bell his full name!]

The inscription on the postcard reads; "The Bust of Washington - Presented to Christ Church By Shubael Bell Esq. Senior Warden 1815 - Standing in a niche made by the window through which sexton Robert Newman escaped after hanging the lanterns as directed by Paul Revere - This monument is called the first memorial to Washington erected in a public place and was probably modelled from a plaster bust known to have been made by Christian Gulliger of Boston in 1790."

The meaning of two lanterns has been memorized by countless American schoolchildren for generations. "One if by land, and two if by sea," is from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem, "Paul Revere's Ride". One lantern was to notify Charlestown that the British Army would march over Boston Neck and the Great Bridge, and two were to notify them that the troops were taking boats across the Charles to land near Phips farm.

However, those same generations of countless American schoolchildren, may not have looked upon Shubael Bell with too much fondness, if they had realised that in 1815, Shubael Bell and Rev. Asa Eaton started the first Sunday School for children in America, near Christ Church, at the old Academy next north of the Church.

Christ Church was built in 1723 and is now referred to as Old North Church. The Church has kindly confirmed that the bust is still there; "The bust of Washington is still on display in the sanctuary, as is the painting of "Christ at the Last Supper" by Boston artist John Ritto Penniman (1782-1841) that Bell also donated to the church. In addition, Bell is buried in the crypt below the church and is one of the few who has his name engraved on the door to his tomb."

However, it appears from this more recent photo, that perhaps the window niche has been remodelled. For more about the history of the church, see The Old North Church

In 1823, an appreciation to Shubael Bell was conveyed as follows; "The altar piece, with the decalogue and appropriate texts of scripture, and also the bust of Washington, were presented to the church by the late Shubael Bell, Esq., of this city, whose zeal and liberality in promoting its prosperity justly entitle him to be numbered among its principal benefactors."

The Old North Church is the oldest active church building in Boston and is a National Historic Landmark. As Christ Church, it was built in 1723, and was inspired by the works of Christopher Wren, the British architect who was responsible for rebuilding many churches in London after the Great Fire of 1666. At 53 metres high, it was the tallest building in Boston until 1810. In commenting on the bust of George Washington in the church, the Marquis de Lafayette reportedly remarked it was the best likeness of him he had ever seen.

Shubael Bell was also associated with building of The Church of the Holy Cross (from 1808 called the Cathedral of the Holy Cross). Located in Boston, and was completed in 1803, it was designed by Charles Bulfinch and was the first church built for the city's Roman Catholics.

The city's Protestants also helped fund the building of the Holy Cross Church. About $17,000 was collected, more than one-fifth donated by Boston Protestants who, it was reported, generally seemed in agreement with Shubael Bell, senior warden of Christ Church, that “no circumstance has contributed more to the peace and good order of the town, than the establishment of a Catholic Church.”

Unfortunately, the Roman Catholic Cathedral, as showing here, was demolished in 1859.

So far, the artist who painted this miniature has not been identified, although it was obviously painted by a very skilled artist. The close up, shows how the artist finely painted the lace of his neck-wear.

It is hoped to be able make an attribution with a little more research, as there were few competent miniature artists painting in Boston, between 1795 and 1805, the estimated date of the miniature.

A written eulogy to Shubael Bell records he was married twice and had no children. However, as mentioned above, there are references to three weddings for him.
1 Betsy Robinson, March 19, 1788.
2 Joanna Smith Masters, July 26, 1789.
3 Ann Hewes, October 16, 1808.

It therefore seems likely that Betty Robinson had died shortly after they were married, and Shubael then married Joanna. But Betsy had been completely forgotten, by the time of his death in 1819, when the eulogy was written.

He was a Captain in the Honorable Artillery Company, which seems to trace its history back to 7 October, 1636. Their history notes that he joined the Company in 1791 and the official history lists him as: "Capt. Shubael Bell, Boston, housewright. Deputy Sheriff and Jailer. A man of great generosity and humanity, a zealous Episcopalian, and many years a Warden of Christ's Church, supporting his favorite worship during the long period of feebleness in that society after the death of Dr Walter. He was the principal founder of St. Matthew's Chapel, at South Boston. He was very industrious, but negligent of his charges and died poor. In early life he married, but his wife soon dying, he lived a widower until far advanced in years when he married again, but never had children. He was distinguished as a Free Mason, one of the first Knights of Malta and Knight Templars in New England. He died at Boston, much lamented in 1819."

A eulogy to Shubael Bell was read on 8 June 1819 by Samuel Lorenzo Knapp (1783-1838) Eulogy delivered in Christ-Church, Boston, at the request of Saint ...

The following poem was written by an unknown poet to mark the death of Shubael Bell.

"Lines on the death of Mr. Shubael Bell, who died May 10, 1819."

What talents now are clos'd by death,
A worthy man has lost his breath,
No art could save, in slumbers rest,
Had many friends and them he blest.

Intrinsic worth, in him was found.
By many social ties were bound,
A kind Companion, sooth'd his care.
And friendship bound the happy pair.

In every circle where he mov'd.
He gain'd respect and was belov'd,
The county prison was his care,
The Prisoners lov'd and blest him there.

Humanity dwelt in his heart,
He of his substance did impart,
He took delight to help the poor.
And sent none hungry from his door.

Always in duty, calm, serene,
In faithful trust has always been,
A generous heart and humble mind,
That's not in every man we find.

The Courts, the Bench, and Bar, look round,
That pleasant Bell has lost its sound,
His good deeds speak, they give him praise,
For good attendance all his days.

Farewell dear friend, the Angels wait,
To escort thee through the Heavenly gate,
The Seraphs shout and sing and say.
One that's belov'd is here to day.

The 1904 proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts contain the following report on his life, mostly transcribed from the Eulogy. As it is not a readily available document, the full reference to Shubael Bell has been included here.

The Recording Grand Secretary called the attention of the Brethren to a time-worn and somewhat dilapidated oil painting intended to represent the features of Captain Shubael Bell who was Senior Grand Warden of this Grand Lodge in 1808. The portrait had for many years been in the possession of Brother Bell's grandniece, (Mrs Mary E Young, widow of Rev Joshua Young, who was one of our Grand Chaplains from 1871 to 1881. The lady has loaned it to the Grand Lodge on the condition that, if any of her descendants make request for its return their wish shall be complied with.

Shubael Bell was born in Boston in 1766. He was a carpenter by trade, but at the age of thirty he was appointed Deputy Sheriff for Suffolk County by the Sheriff Jeremiah Allen and served until his death. In 1810 he was also made the jailer. Imprisonment for debt was then in full force and common practice.

In the eulogy pronounced at his funeral it is related that the office of Deputy Sheriff had "in most parts of New England been filled by coarse, boisterous and iron-hearted men. Violence and insensibility seemed to be considered at that time by most people to be indispensable in the character of such an officer.

The conduct of Mr Bell produced a general revolution in public sentiment upon this subject. He stood like the spirit of justice in the form of the angel of mercy between debtor and creditor, softening the severity of the latter and rousing the hopes and encouraging the exertions of the former. From the weight of his character, and the just reputation gained by the delicate and happy discharge of his duty, the office became respectable, and when vacancies occurred, men of worth were eager to "obtain an appointment.""

From other sources we learn that before Brother Bell became jailer, the prisoners were fed more like brutes than as human beings, the soup, which constituted their principal fare, being actually set before them in troughs. He changed all that, made a great bonfire of the troughs in the jail-yard, built a good kitchen on the premises, provided towels, bowls and spoons, dispensed clean and nutritious soups and meats, whitewashed the cells and caused the prisoners literally to shout for joy.

All this he did in spite of strong opposition. When a prisoner was discharged he would furnish him with money from his own pocket, fearing that he might be driven by hunger to commit some offence, which might cause his speedy return. It was a common occurrence for men who had been under his charge to visit him for the sole purpose of thanking him for his kindness to them.

Shubael Bell was the sixth of the nine children of John Bell and Rachel Briggs. He was a twin with his sister Mary. He married, first Joanna Smith Masters, July 26, 1789; and second, Ann Hewes, at Christ Church October 16, 1808. There were no children. His house was on Court Street, near the Court House. He was Senior Warden of Christ Church from April, 1812, until his death, in May 1819. He gave to the Church the Decalogue, which still ornaments the wall, back of the altar, in two frames, the altar piece, platform, and carpet.

In 1815 he also gave the bust of Washington, which the family have always believed to be by Houdon and to have been bought in Philadelphia, a duplicate of one now in the capitol, at Richmond, Virginia. When the funeral obsequies of Washington were held in Boston, this bust was carried in the procession, and John Briggs Bell, Shubael's brother, carried the open Bible, as Chaplain, wearing a Masonic apron which is now in the possession of Phoenix Lodge, of Hanover, Mass.

In June, 1815, Brother Bell assisted Rev. Brother Asa Eaton, the rector of Christ Church, in establishing the first Sunday school in New England. It was known as the Salem Street Sunday School and was held in the old Academy, the next building north of the Church. He was one of the founders of St Matthews Chapel, South Boston a member of the British Charitable Society, President of the Irish Association and assisted in forming the Massachusetts Fire Society.

He was initiated in St John's Lodge of Boston, in 1794, secretary in 1797 and 1798, Junior Warden in 1799 and 1800, Senior Warden in 1801, W. Master from 1802 to 1805, and again in 1809, Treasurer in 1810 and 1811, Junior Warden again in 1814 and 1815, and Senior Warden again in 1818.

He was admitted to membership in St Andrew's Chapter, January 28, 1801, and served as its Treasurer from 1805 to 1808, and as High Priest in 1808 and 1809. He was one of the earliest members of Boston Encampment of Knights Templars.

In the Columbian Sentinel, of Boston, edited and published by Benjamin Russell, Past Grand Master, there appeared in the issue of Wednesday June 2, 1819, the following, among the death notices;
"In this town, on Sunday morning, Shubael Bell, Esq. aged 53, Deputy Sheriff and Prison Keeper of Suffolk. All his duties as a public officer, as a member of the Episcopal Church, as an associate of numerous Charitable Societies, as a relative and a citizen, were zealously and faithfully performed. His mind was cultivated by study; his heart enlarged by practical benevolence; his whole life was a scene of active usefulness and his death is universally lamented. "He who has long had constantly in view the worst of mankind and is yet eminent for the humanity of his disposition, must have had it originally in a great degree and continued to cultivate it very carefully." His remains were privately entombed in Christ Church yesterday morning, at his own request."

Some time before his death he bought the tomb directly under the porch of Christ Church, where his bones rest with those of his ancestors which he had removed from the graves in Copp's Hill Burial Ground. On the 8th of June following his death a memorial service was held in Christ Church and a eulogy was delivered by Brother Samuel L. Kanpp, which was published by St John's Lodge and a copy is preserved in the Library of this Grand Lodge.

The family relate the following incident, as showing his strong sympathy with those under his charge : One of the prisoners was condemned to die and Captain Bell was in the habit of reading prayers with him at night. A strong effort was made to have him pardoned, which resulted in a reprieve being granted, but he was finally hung. Captain Bell was of opinion that it was an act of cruelty to reprieve the man, and said that he thought another such case would kill him. Not long after, another case did occur, and was believed to have keen a principal cause of the death of the kind-hearted jailer.

The portrait exhibited to the Grand Lodge was painted by an artist be the name of Johnson. To restore it to good condition would require much labor and a long time. It is quite possible that it may be decided to be inexpedient to attempt restoration, but rather to be content. with a copy which very probably may be made to furnish a better idea of the man than the time-worn original affords.

For more about Benjamin Russell, the editor of the Columbian Sentinel mentioned above, and also his younger brother John Russell, see Williams, Henry - portrait of John Russell

This collection includes this miniature portrait of John Russell (<1761-1832) painted by Henry Williams. John Russell was also an editor, at one time of "J Russell's Gazette."

It is interesting to think of Shubael Bell and John Russell now meeting again, having not seen each other for two hundred years. One wonders what they make of the world! 1363

Later addition. A kind visitor who is a great-great-great niece of John Shubael Bell has contacted me with more information about the family; "Here are the words from my great, great Aunt, Mrs. John W. Bacon aka Amelia Amanda Jeffers, that she dictated to her nephew, Frederick Wallace Jeffers (1854-1935), in a six page document entitled "HISTORY OF THE BELL FAMILY". The original manuscript is in the New England Historical Society, Boston, Massachusetts.

“Your [Frederick Wallace Jeffers] great, great grandfather John Bell was born on the passage from England to Pennsylvania; his parentage is lost, and date of birth. He was married October 11, 1753 to Rachel Briggs, by whom he had nine or more children (married by Rev. A. Elliot.)

1. Elizabeth Bell, born 1754, died Dec. 18, 1838. She married Thomas Warland and was grandmother to Mrs J. Young.
2. John Briggs Bell, born Sept. 1756.
3. Rachel Bell, born 1758. She ran away with a British Officer and was married in England.
4. Dorothy Bell, born Nov. 1759, died Sept 1838 aged 74. She married James Tucker and was your [Frederick Wallace Jeffers] great grandmother.
5. Ephraim Bell, lost at sea.
6. Twins, Mary and Shubel Bell, born 1766. Shubel died June 1819.
7. Twins Daniel and Rheuben Bell

Rachel Briggs Bell died the night of the Boston Massacre March 5, 1770 when the bells were rung and they called in the streets, instead of buckets carry your guns! She being very sick at that time the fright hastened her death. John Bell died January 29, 1820.

Seven months after his first wife’s death he (John Bell) married Mary or Mollie Robbins of Littleton, by whom he had eight or nine children, one pair of twins John and Sallie Bell. John was married in Washington, no heirs. Sallie married Stockbridge Josselyn. Ephraim and Daniel Bell were bachelors. Rebecca Bell married a Benton had one child a daughter. Three children died in infancy.”

Meucci, Antonio - portrait of J Leache

This miniature portrait is by Antonio Meucci, (Aka Anthony Meucci) (?-1852). It is signed on the right edge "Meucci".

Meucci was born in Italy, but emigrated to the United States in 1818, where he painted miniatures between 1818 and 1827, before leaving for Central and South America. He died in Peru in 1852.

He worked in various American cities including New York, Portland (Maine), Richmond, Baltimore, Charleston, Salem MA, and New Orleans.

His wife Nina Meucci was also a miniature painter and in 1824 they exhibited four miniatures at the American Academy of Fine Arts.

On the reverse, this miniature is inscribed "A. Leache Age 17 yrs 1825", so it is definitely from his American period.

However, to date, it has not been possible to identify the sitter more closely.

As with other European artists, Meucci's European training is evident in the use of gouache, rather than water color, and also in the plain opaque background.

There is another miniature in this collection by Meucci. It is of an unknown man and can be seen in more detail at American Miniature Portraits - 1: Meucci, Antonio - portrait of a man

Meucci often used pink tones in his backgrounds, as can be seen in both these examples. 1361

A descendant of Meucci who lives in Chile, has kindly provided a lot of background information about Meucci. It can be seen, together with many more examples of his work, at Guest Gallery: Chilean collector - Antonio Meucci portraits

Carpenter, Meriva - portrait of self

This miniature portrait is very special on several counts. Firstly, it is by an early 19C female artist, secondly it is clearly identified as a self portrait, and thirdly, it has now been reunited with another self portrait by the same artist which was acquired five years ago.

As one can imagine, it was quite an exciting moment to reunite the two portraits.

The artist and sitter is Meriva Carpenter (28 April 1802 - 24 July, 1887).

The inscription on the reverse reads; "Meriva. daughter of Doct. Ruggles and Juliana Pierce Carpenter was born April 28, 1802 in Ellington, Tolland Co, Conn. Removed 1814 to Greenwich, Hampshire Co. Mass. Married in Tolland Feb 27, 1820 to Eli, son of Doct. Eli and Abigail Baker Carpenter of Orford, Grafton Co. New Hampshire. Removed March 1820 from Greenwich to Homer, Cortland Co. NY for a permanent residence. Painted by herself, Homer, Cortland Co. NY."

Research has shown that Eli Carpenter was a cousin of Meriva and she married him when she was only 17 years and ten months old.

It is a little hard to pick her age in the miniature, but it would seem to have been painted around 1820. Perhaps as her hair is down, it was painted when she was 17, just before her marriage.

Meriva likely added the actual inscription at a much later date, as the writing is so similar to her later self portrait of 1838.


Both miniatures can be seen in the combined image, the earlier one having a sight size of 38mm x 50mm and the later one being 55mm x 65mm.

Both cases are much later than the dates of the miniatures, but it does seem likely that Meriva re-cased the miniatures herself, some years after she painted them.

Also showing are the inscriptions from the 1838 self portrait, which in addition to the portrait, contains a sachet of Meriva's hair, identified in her own hand.

The 1838 inscription is very similar to the 1820 inscription and reads; "Meriva Carpenter - painted by herself - 1838. Meriva daughter Dr Ruggles and Juliana Pierce Carpenter was born April 28, 1802 in Ellington Tolland Co. Conn. Married to Eli, Feb 1820 son of Dr Eli and Abigail Baker Carpenter of Orford, Grafton Co. New Hamps here at Tolland, Tolland Co, Conn. Then moved in March 1820 from Greenwich, Hampshire Co. Mass. to Homer, Cortland Co NY for a permanent home".

More information about Meriva, including miniature she painted of her parents can be seen at Carpenter, Meriva - portrait of self

The Cincinnati Art Museum has a miniature portrait of Zander Carpenter (2004.404) painted by Meriva Carpenter. 719, 1358.

Unknown - portrait of a lady with feathers

Increasingly, I have a reluctance to acquire miniature portraits for this collection where the sitter is unknown, and the artist is also unknown.

This is because the research aspects of collecting provide a fascinating way of studying social and political history and so have become a much more important part of the overall process of collecting.

However, it is hard to pass up the opportunity to acquire pretty ladies, especially when they are wearing elaborate and elegant clothes!

Especially when the artist appears to be talented.

It is therefore a great pity that both the sitter and artist for this portrait are unknown.

The sitter gives an excellent appreciation of fashion for the wealthy who lived in America, I think around 1910 to 1920, although my estimated dates may be a little out.

Thus comments from any visitor, who is able to date the miniature a little more precisely from the clothing, would be welcome.

If a date around 1912 were considered appropriate, one could well imagine her being a passenger on the Titanic which sank on its maiden voyage in that year.

It is fascinating how the artist has been able to convey the impression of glittering diamonds on a two-dimensional surface.

Her feathers are set into a diamond pin, she wears a diamond and pearl choker, a diamond necklace and earrings, a diamond bracelet, a dress covered with pearls, and has a large solitaire diamond on her little finger.

The pose must have been especially selected to draw attention to the diamond ring. 1346

Archambault, Anna M - portrait of Adaline Hall Wignall

This portrait is of Adaline H Wignall (sometimes Adeline Wignall) (15 Apr 1828-27 May 1873), mother of Charles F Wignall (28 Dec 1856->1910) and the first wife of James Charles Wignall (12 Dec 1829-14 Jun 1900) who she married in Philadelphia on 13 May 1855.

The artist
The miniature is by Anna Margaretta Archambault (12 Feb 1857-1956), (aka A. Margaretta Archambault) a well known miniature portrait painter in the revival period.

In the 1850 census she is described as Maggie, aged 3 and is living in Philadelphia with her parents Archile Lucien Archambault 39, a machinist and Henritta B Archambault 35 and her brothers Thomas 8, and Charles 6. There is also an apprentice and a servant living in.

There are other census references to the family, there is not a lot of extra information, although in 1880 no longer Maggie, but now A Margaretta Archambault 23, is a school teacher.

Her passport application of Nov 2, 1891, states her father was native born American. She also stated her date of birth as 23 Feb 1857. She described herself as: artist, 5ft 4ins tall, high forehead, brown eyes, pointed nose, medium mouth and chin, an oval face with dark complexion and dark hair.

Her mother Henrietta A Archambault (6 Apr 1821-?) made a passport application on the same day. She had been born on 6 Apr 1821 and her father was also a native born American. Henrietta was even shorter, but must have been conscious of her height as she stated she was 5ft, plus one-quarter inch!

Anna and Henrietta appear to have been accompanied on their travels by Eleanor L Levy aged 47, who made a passport application at the same time and was a witness to the other two applications.

Anna Archambault was the 1908 founder of the Philadelphia School of Miniature Painting and was also secretary of the Pennsylvania Society of Miniature Painters. For details of other miniature art societies, see Miniature Art Societies of the Revival Period

In the 1910 census, Anna was living in Philadelphia with her father Achile Archmbault 89, her brother Thomas Archambault 58, who was a jeweller, and her nephew Archile Archambault III aged 14.

In 1924 she authored "A Guide Book of Art, Architecture and Historic Interests in Pennsylvania". Anna also travelled to Europe at least one other time, arriving back in New York on 14 Sep 1930 giving her address as 1714 Chestnut St, Philadelphia.

Her extensive private papers are available for research. They date from 1876-1945 and include her personal correspondence as portrait painter, miniaturist, author, and educator, as well as sketches, photos, and correspondence on her work in miniatures.

Also included are correspondence and notes for Guide Book of Art, Architecture, and Historic Interest in Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, 1924), which she edited for the Art Committee of the State Federation of Pennsylvania Women, histories of the counties of Pennsylvania, and clippings and illustrations to accompany the histories.

In the papers there is a reference to Charles F Wignall, which presumably refers to the painting of this miniature, see Anna Margaretta Archambault selected papers, [ca. 1880-1946 ...

For another, earlier miniature of 1897 by her in this collection, see American Miniature Portraits - 20C: Archambault, Anna - portrait ...

The Smithsonian American Art Museum holds one miniature by her, a 1913 portrait of Miss Clementine Dalcour in Mourning .

The miniature is housed in a carved ivory frame and has an ivory easel back. These ivory frames are not common, but examples do appear from time to time. It would have been imported from China or Japan.

Although dated 1912, there is a comment that the miniature was copied from a photograph taken about 1850.

Anna Archambault was awarded the Miniature Painters Medal of Honor in 1922 and the Emily Drayton Taylor Gold Medal in 1939. She exhibited for many years at the annual PAFA exhibitions, even as late as 1945.

The sitter
In the 1860 census for Philadelphia, there is a reference to Francis Wignall 67, with assets of $2500 who is living with his son James Wignall 30 and daughter in law, Adaline Wignall 34. Also Charles 3 and John ten months. The occupation of Francis in 1860 is not given, but from the occupation of surrounding residents both Francis and James appear to have been boat-builders.

By 1870 there is no evidence of Francis, but Fanny Wignall aged 60 is the head of the house. However, it is possible Francis and Fanny are the same person, but subject to enumerator errors. James is now a shipwright and he and Adaline have three sons at home: Charles F 13, Samuel H 10, and James H 7.

In 1880 Charles is a clerk living with James Wignall and his two brothers, but presumably his mother Adaline has died.

By 1900 James Wignall has remarried to Mary Clark, their marriage being in 1892. However Charles as a bank clerk is still living at home, along with his step sister Clara A Clark and his step brother John J Clark who at this stage is a boat-bulder. Mary discloses having had five children, but with only two still being living in 1900.

The 1910 census shows a similar same family group except that James had died in 1900. Charles is now a banker and John J Clark describes himself as a theatrical actor. More about him can be see as the actor Jack J Clark, see Jack J. Clark - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia and http://www.things-and-other-stuff.com/movies/profiles/john-j-clark.html


It was shortly after this in 1912, that Charles must have commissioned the miniature of his mother, based upon an early photograph. Possibly influenced by his father's death and perhaps also a deteriorating condition of an 1850 photograph, but so he could still have her portrait.

As a banker Charles had an article published in a trade magazine, "Method of Bank Clearings" by Charles F. Wignall, (American Counting Room, April, May, June 1884, pp. 193-8) - see The Bookkeepers' Beneficial Association of Philadelphia: an early ...

It is possible Charles is the CF Wignall/or if not, is related to the Charles Francis Wignall mentioned in "Colonial and Revolutionary families of Pennsylvania". See also Wignall: Colonial era-present and James C. Wignall married Mary A. ( White) Clark

Charles seems not to have married. 1345

Comstock, Stout, and etc portraits

I sometimes get distracted and go off to other entries to answer emails, or to cover some other point that occurs to me. A good example of that is August - The Embargo Act of 1807 and 19C miniature portrait cases !!

Recently, I posted a preview of a group of 6 miniatures and 17 photographs relating to several early families, including Comstock, Conger, Starr, and Stout.

I am now in the process of trying to assemble the named individuals into a coherent listing here. With the items there are a number of family trees and other notes that I need to check and try and work out where they fit together.

Some of the notes at first glance seem to be contradictory and so I need to compare them with other Internet sources. The overall process is proving much more difficult than I had expected, even allowing for so many of the portraits being identified.

The whole process is like suddenly walking into a darkened room with family gathering of 30 people that one has never met before. It is too dark to tell their ages, nor who is related to who! Also, they are all clamouring at once to tell their own stories!

It is also worthwhile noting that some family trees appearing on the Internet have errors in them, so it is necessary to check details wherever possible.

Some of the identifications on these portrait are also seeming to be inaccurate. In the 21C, family history records are now more readily available than they used to be and so can now be used to help review identifications previously made in the 1920's, which were some 60 to 100 years after the images were first made.

I am also trying to research the family names for any interesting stories as part of the process, as well as considering attributions to artists and/or photographers where possible.

Anyone who had researched family histories will understand how mentally exhausting this process can be!

This will take a week or two more if I am lucky, so I apologise to my visitors if this entry seems to appear, disappear, reappear and have multiple changes during August and September. In some instances names of portraits may even change, but I am trying to set out full details, so that any interested visitors can test the logic of the process.

Apart from the research time, scanning the images and trying to make a balanced page layout is also time consuming for a technologically challenged person such as myself! However, you are welcome to follow my convoluted progress!

Any visitor who owns images of these family members is very welcome to contact me to try and identify the sitters.

Early Photography
An additional complication in this process is having to learn a little about early photography, to help date the various photographs.

Although there are quite a number of different processes, it seems that most early photographic portraits of individuals are either daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, tintypes, or paper prints. Thus depending upon the type, the earliest possible date for a photograph can be established.

— Daguerreotype (1839-1860s): metal photograph with a reflective surface, sometimes found in a case. They must be held at an angle to be seen.

— Ambrotype (invented 1854): Negative image on glass that appears as a positive due to being backed with a dark material. They were usually placed in a case because of their fragility.

— Ferreotype or tintype (invented 1856): These dark metal images are on thin sheets of iron. Photographers sold them in cases, with paper mats, or alone.

— Paper Print (commonly available 1859): Photographs mounted on cardboard.

Eleutheros Dana Comstock by Joseph Wood

This portrait is the only one of the three early painted miniatures not identified by a glued on label.

The attached notes suggest it is a Comstock. These are three loose notes, possibly by different hands, with abbreviated family trees which refer to these early miniature portraits.

One refers to "Comstock in round frame" and "Comstock in closed frame".

Confusingly, neither miniature is round. However, after a comparison of the oval "green" miniature shown further below, with the photograph of Eleutheros Dana Comstock, it is believed that the "green" oval miniature is the "round" one. Also, therefore that the sitter in the "green" miniature is not the Stephen Comstock named in the label glued to it.

If these two abbreviated family trees are to be fully accepted, the miniature in the "closed" frame might then be thought to be the father of Eleutheros Dana Comstock, i.e. Daniel Comstock. The apparent problem with this identity is that Daniel was born in 1767, whereas the miniature dates to around 1810 and the sitter looks to be too young to be Daniel and is also too old to be a child of Eleutheros.

The third note is written on the reverse of a deposit slip for The Bloomfield Bank and Trust Company and has provision for a date commencing "192..".

Hence it appears the note was written in the 1920's by someone who was familiar with the then recent family history, but who did not have access to early 19C family history records. Thus the writer appears to nominate the sitter in both miniatures as a Comstock, but was uncertain why there were two of them.

After considering this conflict for some time, I have concluded that the most likely explanation is that both the Joseph Rogers miniature and the Nathaniel Rogers miniature depict Eleutheros Dana Comstock, but at different ages, about ten years apart.

The hairstyle is quite different, but both have a high forehead and similar complexions. Being by different artists, one would not expect exactly similar depictions. It may be that after sideburns became unfashionable, Eleutheros commissioned a more fashionable portrait.

In working though the various notes about sitters and fitting them together, it appears that the most likely person we should be very grateful to for attempting to record the identity of sitters, is Miriam Lee Stout Walker (1895-1958). She refers to Nanna on several occasions. Nanna must be Rebecca Comstock Conger who was born in 1842

The third note with some minor interpretations, reads; "Comstock, father of George S Comstock, Susan Comstock married G Lee Stout, Julia Comstock married Wright F Conger - then a line of descent - Rebecca Comstock Conger married G Lee Stout - Wright C Stout, Julia C Stout, G Lee Stout. With Wright C Stout marrying Jennie S Ward, their daughter Miriam Lee Stout marrying Ford Hudson Walker, their daughter being Jane M Walker."

Originally, this appeared to make it clear that the sitter in the miniature is ...... Comstock, father of George S Comstock, Susan Comstock, and Julia Comstock.

(At this point there are several references to G Lee Stout, which need to be reconciled. That referring to a marriage with Susan Comstock seems to be wrong as at the 1880 census, Susan was unmarried. At GIDEON LEE STOUT there is a reference to Gideon Lee Stout aged 23, marrying Rebecca C Conger aged 21, on 3 Jun 1863 at Newark Essex, NJ. As their ages are given, this marriage appears to be from a valid source record, but some other references suggest that the Gideon Lee Stout who married Rebecca Comstock Conger was born in 1816 in Amwell, Hunterdon Co, New Jersey, USA. It thus seems possible there were three generations named Gideon Lee Stout, born in 1816, 1840, and 1877.)

Eleutheros Dana Comstock (26 Sep 1791-17 Aug 1857) was born in Huntingdon, Long Island and died at sea, reportedly as a suicide by drowning. He had settled in New York City and much later went to California. He was a graduate of Yale College in 1807 and his occupation, in the 1830's was with the firm of Smith, Dimon & Comstock, ship builders. Later he was a broker.

Family history sites record that Eleutheros Dana Comstock was the eldest son of Daniel Comstock (4 May 1767-27 Aug 1858) and Mary Polly Dana (1767-20 Dec 1848). He was the grandson of David Comstock Sr (1720-19 Nov 1783) and Rebekah Grumman (1727-?) of Norwalk CT, who themselves had fifteen children.

The arrival from England and the consequent history of the Comstock family in the area near Norwalk, CT appears to have commenced before 1700 and to have continued until the present time. There are therefore many branches of the family.

Eleutheros married Rebecca Matilda Starr (28 Feb 1792-8 Feb 1870) on 19 April 1815 and they had several children.

1. Julia Maria Comstock b: 10 Sep 1819 - d: 22 Aug 1870, who married Wright Conger c1839 in NY
2. James Dana Comstock b: 27 Sep 1821 - d: 10 Dec 1885 in Bloomfield NJ
3. Daniel Starr Comstock b: 10 Mar 1825 - d: 30 Jul 1827
4. Susan Eliza Comstock b: 14 Sep 1826, c: 7 Sep 1827 at Garden St Dutch Reformed Church, New York - d:1915
5. Samuel Starr Comstock b: 1829, d: 20 Jul 1832 - Interred Marble Cemetery
6. George Smith Comstock b: 26 Sep 1834, c: 17 Jul 1835 at Garden St Dutch Reformed Church - d:?

Census Records
Family history sites seem to only list the five named children above, but in the 1850 census Eleutheros (spelled Eluthews) D Comstock 60, a broker, and Rebecca Comstock 50, are living in New York together with James D, a clerk aged 26, Mary 24, Julia 28, Susan 20, George 14, Rebecca 8, and Mary 1, with all children born in New York, as well as two servants. Apart from the servants all are recorded as named Comstock, but it appears Julia and the younger Rebecca should have been recorded under the name Conger, as Julia had married Wright F Conger in 1841. The Mary aged 24 may have been the wife of James D, and thus little Mary their daughter.

In the 1860 census, Rebecca Comstock aged 60 is living in Bloomfield NJ at the home of Wright F and Julia Conger, together with Rebecca Conger now aged 17. Wright F Conger discloses assets of $35,000. Also living in the house are Eliza Stall (Starr?) 60, Susan Comstock 25, and two servants. Presumably Eliza Starr was a sister of Rebecca Comstock.

In the 1870 census Wright F Conger, 57 bonded warehouseman with assets of $110,000 and his wife Julia M Conger, 50 are living in Bloomfield, NJ. Living with them are there are their daughter Rebecca Conger Stout 27, with her husband, Gideon Lee Stout 30, a coal merchant who has assets of $60,000. They have a child Wright C aged 5. Also in the house are Susan E Comstock 42, George S Comstock 33, secretary to coal company with assets of $6000 and there are three Irish servants.

In the 1880 census Rebecca 37, and Gideon Lee Stout, a coal merchant aged 39 are living in 164 Madison Ave, New York. They have three children; Wright 15, Julia 8, and G Lee 3. Also living with them are her uncle James D Comstock 50, a coal dealer, her aunt Susan Comstock 39 (s/be 54!) and four servants.

Eleutheros Dana Comstock by Nathaniel Rogers

Attaching to the reverse of this miniature is a note reading; "Stephen Comstock, brother of Julia Comstock Conger".

However, initially at least, there is more confidence about the artist than the sitter, as the name appears to disagree with other records showing the names of Julia's brothers, who were named James and George.

It is instead believed to be Eleutheros Dana Comstock whose photograph has been repeated here, together with the identifying note on the reverse of his photograph.

The miniature dates to around 1810-1815, so the apparent age of 20-25 fits with Eleutheros who was born in 1791. The sitter also seems clearly to be the same person as the sitter in the photograph which dates to around 1840-1845 when Eleutheros would have been aged 50-55.

Eleutheros Dana Comstock and his family
An early research discovery for this entry has led to The New York Marble Cemetery, Inc. in New York.

This is an award winning genealogical website about the oldest public non-sectarian cemetery in New York City. The Cemetery is entered from 2nd Avenue, between 2nd and 3rd Streets. Most of the 2,070 interments took place between 1830 and 1870; the last was in 1937. All burials are in 156 below-ground vaults made of solid white Tuckahoe marble.

Contact with a very helpful trustee at the cemetery website has been mutually beneficial, as Eleutheros Dana Comstock has proved to be the first owner of vault number 132 at the cemetery, which he purchased in 1833 and which under the Trust Deed, is still owned by his descendants, see Vault Owners Thus, it has now been possible to give the Cemetery Trustees an image of one of its early vault owners for their own records.

This first of the photographs, although not in perfect condition, has a note on the reverse reading; "Comstock - father of George Starr, Julia Comstock Conger, Susan Comstock Stout - marked "Nanna's father". Thus the image appears to be an image of the same Eleutheros Dana Comstock pictured above, but as an older man.

His son appears to be recorded as George Starr Comstock, whereas the earlier reference above refers to George Smith Comstock. One or other of these differing second names seems likely to be a transcription error, as there was a second son named Daniel Starr Comstock.

Sadly, a comparison of the miniature of Eleutheros with the photograph of him as an older man, illustrates what we have lost with the move from painted miniatures on ivory, to photographs. The miniature is as pristine as the day it was completed around 1810, but the photograph despite being some 30 years newer, shows the ravages of time.

The second photograph in a very similar case, differing only in the shape of the mat, is noted on the reverse as; "Great, great, great, grandfather of Miriam Stout Walker - Daniel Comstock MD (medical doctor)".

Thus it seems we now have a photo of Daniel Comstock (4 May 1767-27 Aug 1848) who was the father of Eleutheros Dana Comstock. He was a physician at Miller's Place, Long Island.

He is believed to be the Dr. Daniel Comstock who married Mary Dana and is buried at Danbury, "...with his wife and his mother beside him. His mother was Rebecca GRUMANN of Norwalk. Major Seth Comstock and members of his family rest here...", see DANBURY, FAIRFIELD CO., CT, OLD BURIAL-GROUNDS

His son, Eleutheros was a shipbuilder and merchant who became a member of the General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen of New York City in 1832 and its president in 1840.

As a past president of the Society, he marched in a major procession on 14 Oct 1842 to mark the completion of the Croton Aqueduct which was a major engineering project of the time to bring water to New York City.

Many years later, the New York Times of 28 Apr 1900 recorded that stone from the old Croton Viaduct was purchased and used to build the Church of the Paullist Fathers at 60th and Columbus Ave, see DR. HADLEY AT VASSAR.; Delivers an Address on Political Educa ...

Wright Frost Conger

Another key figure in this family tree puzzle is Wright Frost Conger (7 Dec 1812-10 Apr 1880) who married Julia Maria Comstock on 30 Jan 1841.

He is shown in this photograph which has a note on the reverse reading; "Wright F Conger grandfather of Wright Conger Stout, father of Miriam Stout Walker". It probably dates to the early 1870's.

The mount is stamped "C Benjamin - artist" and "No 274 Broad St, Newark, NJ".

In the background can be seen what may be the Brooklyn Bridge under construction. Construction began Jan 3, 1870. The Brooklyn Bridge was completed thirteen years later and was opened for use on May 24, 1883. On that first day, a total of 1,800 vehicles and 150,300 people crossed what was then the only land passage between Manhattan and Brooklyn.

Wright and Julia Conger had only one child, a daughter Rebecca Comstock Conger who married Gideon Lee Stout.

Wright Frost Conger was the eldest son of John Conger, a famous manufacturer of edged tools who had married Mary Frost on 1 Jul 1809.

Wright F Conger began his business career as a wholesale dry-goods merchant, but was later extensively engaged in the manufacture of paper in Bloomfield, NJ where he owned a magnificent summer residence.

In 1859 he became a member of the firm of Miller & Conger, a warehousing company. His partner said of him that he was a man of such remarkable self-possession that he was never known to use the smallest expletive, no matter what the provocation. He was Master of the Bloomfield Lodge No. 40 for three years, 1863-1865. He was also an initial director of the Newark and Blomfield Railroad company.

In 1867 the firm of Miller & Conger was named in an inquiry into fraudulent activities at the NY Custom House, see NEW-YORK CUSTOM HOUSE.; Public Propriety and Decency Demand His ...

The New York Times of 26 Apr 1871 recorded Julia Maria Conger's death which occurred on 22 Apr 1871 at Bloomfield NJ. She was described as the daughter of Mr E D Comstock. Then the New York Times for 13 Apr 1880 recorded the obituary showing here for Wright Frost Conger himself.



Rebecca Conger Stout and her children
These miniatures are well identified.

One is of Rebecca Conger Stout and her son Wright Conger Stout and the picture must have been taken around 1866.

The other is later and shows Wright Conger Stout (1865-?) holding Gideon Lee Stout (Sep 1876-?) and separately, Julia Conger Stout (1872-?). Thus judging by the apparent ages of the children in these latter two photographs, they were taken around 1879.

In the 1870 census, the family lived in Madison Ave, Manhattan.

References suggest that Gideon Lee Stout (Sep 1876-?) married a Dorothy von Benkendorf Muir. She is most likely the Dorothy von B Muir (Sep 1875-?) recorded as a boarder in Brooklyn in the 1900 census. Their marriage was recorded in Dec 1902 at Newark NJ.

See also Seven Generations of the Family of Joseph Conger and Mary Marsh












Unknown - portrait of George Starr

This miniature has a note on the reverse stating: "George Starr, uncle of Julia Comstock Conger, mother of Rebecca Conger Stout, grandmother of Miriam Stout Walker."

One interpretation is that he was the brother of Julia's mother, Rebecca Matilda Starr Comstock. The problem with this is that Rebecca Starr had two brothers named Daniel Starr (1790-?) and Ezra Starr (1792-?) and they both look to be too old for this miniature, which dates to around 1820-1825.

As can be seen the reverse of the case contains a small compartment with plaited hair in it. The 14 carat gold chain is also interesting, as it shows how many miniatures were worn, i.e. on a chain around the neck of mother, lover, or wife.

Given the other references to George Starr Comstock (which s/be George Smith Comstock), it seems the note is intended to suggest the sitter is George Smith Comstock.

Even this does not fit as George Smith Comstock was born in 1834.

It is therefore necessary to work through and identify as many of the other images as possible, with a view to determining a likely sitter born around 1805-1810, as the sitter looks to be aged 15-20.














George Smith Comstock and Jennie E Quick
Image of a man with the following note on the rear; "Could this be Uncle George Comstock?"
Listed as George L Comstock (26 Sep 1834->1910) he had married Jennie L Quick (28 Jan 1845->1910) on 21 June 1871 at Hunterdon, NJ.

However, the "L" is wrong and it must be George Smith Comstock, as here is a photograph of Jennie Quick and her sisters, Sally and Amanda, together with a note identifying Jennie as the wife of George Starr (sic s/be Smith) Comstock.

In the 1860 census, they lived on a farm at Raritan, Hunterdon, NJ. The three sisters were daughters of Gideon Quick 67, and Clara Leak Rea Quick 51, with Gideon disclosing assets of $19,000. Two farm laborers and one servant lived in.

The girls were named Sarah A aged 18, Jane E, 15 and Amanda M 13 and all five were born in New Jersey.

Based upon those ages, it seems the photograph was taken around 1855, with Amanda on the left say aged 8, Jane (Jane E = Jennie?) on the right say 10, and Sarah (Sally) say 13, in the centre.

For the 1870 census, Gideon described himself as a retired farmer with assets of $25,000, although two farm laborers still lived with the family. The daughters all still lived at home.

By the 1880 census, Jennie had married George Comstock, a coal company secretary and moved to E 126th Street, between Madison and Fifth Avenues, Manhattan, although Sarah and Amanda were still living with them as spinster sister boarders.

For the 1900 and 1910 census retunrs, George and Jennie Comstock were living in Manhattan, NYC, along with Amanda M Quick and one servant.

By 1910 George and Jennie had been married for 38 years but had no children. George still described himself as secretary of coal company.




James Comstock
An early photograph with a rear note stating; "James Comstock - Uncle George's brother". This is thus James Dana Comstock (27 Sep 1821-10 Dec 1885).

The earlier photograph is a daguerreotype and probably dates from around 1846 when James would have been aged 25. The mat for the photograph is inscribed; "Weston 192 Broadway NY".

James Dana Comstock was a coal dealer and seems to have worked for his brother-in-law, Wright Frost Conger, where his brother George Comstock was the company secretary.

James P Weston was active as a daguerreian in New York between 1842-1857 and in 1846-52 his address was recorded as 192 Broadway.

The case is in plain leather, i.e. without an impressed design. This shows that plain leather cases for miniatures were available up top around 1850, by which time impressed designs were the norm.

James Comstock appears here as an older man, with a note on the reverse stating; "Uncle James Comstock - Nanna's brother".

This later case is of impressed leather over wood.

The photograph is an ambrotype and probably dates to around 1865 when James would have been aged 44.

John Wilson Stout
Described on rear as "John Wilson Stout of New Brunswick NJ, father of G Lee Stout - Wright C Stout - Miriam Stout Walker - Jane W Conneen". The sitter appears to be around 60 and the image to date from around 1850.

This is a daguerreotype with the mat marked "Holmes 289 Broadway". This will be for Silas (Samuel?) A Holmes who appears in street directories at 289 Broadway from 1848-1859. In 1854 he was awarded Patent #10,087 for a camera taking stereoscopic and other pictures, known as the "double camera".

Various family trees for the Stout family are available on the Internet, although there are some inconsistencies between them. For example there are references to two Gideon Lee Stout's, with the elder being married twice, firstly to Susan S Comstock and secondly to Rebecca Conger in 1863. However, others suggest Rebecca was the first wife and that Susan S Comstock died in 1915.

Thus, as an alternative (and which seems to be confirmed by the census records) it is perhaps more likely there were three generations named Gideon Lee Stout. One born in 1816, one born about 1840, and one born in 1877.

Thus the first of these Gideon's may have married around 1839 and thus been the father of the middle one who married Rebecca Comstock Conger (c1843-<1884) on="" blur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VWR7MnIUN4M/SMhM_dJ6Y_I/AAAAAAAAGUM/LlW05_BemQw/s1600-h/stout1.jpg"> The identity of John Wilson Stout above is taken to be correct as a start point. He was born in 1790 in Amwell, Hunterdon, NJ and died in 1861.

This fits with the age of the sitter and the approximate date of the image being around 1850. He married Eliza Woodruff (1797-1887) and they had six children including Gideon Lee Stout born in Amwell in 1816.

An older lady recorded on the reverse as "Mrs John Wilson Stout, mother of G Lee Stout, grandmother of Miriam Stout Walker".

This would then be Eliza Woodruff (1797-1881) shown here and photographed around 1860 when she was aged about 63.

Eliza Woodruff was descended from John Woodruff, who was born in 1604 in the Parish of Saint Mary Northgate, Canterbury, Kent, England and died at Southampton, Long Island, New York, America, in 1670. John Woodruff was the Patriarch of the all the Woodruffs who first settled in Southampton, then moved on to New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Indiana, and eventually to all fifty states.

A man wearing spectacles, in a tinted ambrotype, identified as "either G Lee Stout or, more likely, one of his brothers".

If it is Gideon, it seems more likely to be the Gideon Lee Stout born in 1816.

The mount is inscribed "G D Fredericks - 585 Broadway". Charles DeForest Fredericks (1823-1894) was a noted photographer of the mid 19C. In 1856 he exhibited at the American Institute and won a silver medal for best photographic oil colors and a bronze for the best photographic water colors.

In 1859-1860 Fredericks was listed as a photographer at 585 Broadway, with his residence at 587 Broadway. It seems likely that this photograph dates to around 1860.

The sitter looks to be aged around 45 and hence Gideon Lee Stout born in 1816, seems to be a likely identification. He did have a brother Thomas Hance Stout born in 1818 and who married Sarah Coffin, so he is another, but less likely, identification.

An unidentified young lady, but almost certainly from the Stout family as the case is of very similar pattern to two Stout portraits identified above as John Wilson Stout and below as G Lee Stout.

Although the case is similar, it is a little later. The sitter looks to be aged about 25 and is well posed, with a downward looking pose. She may well be Rebecca Comstock Conger before her marriage.

She may also be the Susan Eliza Comstock who married Gideon Lee Stout after Rebecca's death.

A youth identified on a rear note as; "I think this is G Lee Stout".

Given the comments about there possibly being three Gideon Lee Stout's, this could well be the middle one born around 1840.

The case is identical to the one above of John Wilson Stout, which suggests it was taken by the same photographer and around the same time, say 1850.

The sitter looks to be aged about ten. He is wearing a buttoned jacket and is holding what looks to be a high crowned had, possibly with a peak at the front.

Dodge, John Wood - portrait of Mrs Eliza M Eastman

Miniature portraits by John Wood Dodge feature in many public collections of American art. They include The National Portrait Gallery, The Metropolitan Museum, The Cincinnati Art Museum, and the Cheekwood Museum of Art in Nashville.

This collection has been fortunate to acquire a further miniature portrait by Dodge, to make a total of three in the collection.

This miniature portrait of Mrs E M Eastman was painted by John Wood Dodge (4 Nov 1807-17 Dec 1893). He was one of the best New York miniature painters of the second quarter of the 19C, until he was recommended to move to live in the South for the sake of his health where he continued his career.

Two of Dodge's uncles were Generals in the American Army and on 19 Dec 1831 he married the daughter of one of them; Miss Mary Louise Dodge (1 Jun 1811-?), who was the daughter of Ezekiel Dodge (1767-1839) and Jane Power (1780-1837).

The eldest daughter of John Wood and Mary Louise Dodge was Mary Louise Dodge (28 Oct 1832-23 Aug 1833) who died in infancy. They then had another seven children, only one of who seems to have outlived her father.

For his New York Times obituary, see DEATH OF JOHN WOOD DODGE.; An Artist Who Years Ago Gained fame an ...

The miniature is inscribed on the reverse; "Painted by John W Dodge - Miniature Painter - No 42 Franklin St - New York - Sept 30th 1836 - Mrs E M Eastman".

Unfortunately, to date it has not been possible to identify the sitter more closely and so I would be very grateful for any clues that would help to identify her.

At this time, Dodge seemed to identify his sitters with their husband's initials. Thus it would appear that she is the wife of a Mr E M Eastman.

Normally this would be sufficient to identify him and hence, then his wife's maiden name and their families.

However, there are an number of men from around that date named Eastman and with a first name beginning with "E", who lived in the general area of New York and the surrounding states.

They include; Ebenezer Eastman, Edmund Eastman, Edward Eastman, Enoch Eastman, Eli Eastman, Enos Eastman, Elijah Eastman, Ezra Eastman, and Ezekiel Eastman. With some of those first names appearing more than once.

But for none of those can I find one with a second initial "M".

An Exciting Coincidence
Later note - November 2008 - Doyle Auctions offered a miniature (showing below) which must be the husband of the above sitter.

It is described as; "Portrait of Mr. Eastman - Inscribed on the reverse Painted by/John W. Dodge/42 Franklin St./New York/Sept. 30th 1836/Mr. Eastman - Watercolor on ivory 2 7/8 x 2 1/4 inches - The account book of miniature portraits maintained by John Wood Dodge has been microfilmed by the Archives of American Art. On September 30, 1836, the date inscribed on the reverse of the present work, Wood recorded in his logbook payment in cash of $60 each for likenesses of W. M. Eastman and Mrs. Eliza Eastman. [John Wood Dodge Papers, 1828-1934; reel 960, Archives of American Art.]

As the date is identical, Sept 30, 1836 the miniature must be of Mrs Eliza M Eastman and her husband must be Mr W M Eastman, not Mr E M Eastman as I had assumed.

It may not be possible to reunite the miniature portraits, but at least they can be seen together here, over 170 years after they were painted. [Later, Mr Eastman unfortunately sold for more than I could afford, which was a little sad, but at least the images are reunited here.]

Although not confirmed, I am inclined to believe Mr W M Eastman is the William Eastman (1792-?) of Homer, Cortland, NY who married Elizabeth ....? in 1832. They appear to have had five children; Philena, Daniel, Jennie, Ellen, and Henrietta. Philena possibly being the Eliza Philena Eastman (17 May 1836-1907) who married Samuel Rice.

The year 1836 the miniature was painted by Dodge marked one of several high points in his career, as in the previous year, 1835, a miniature portrait by him of his brother Edward S Dodge, had been described by "the City News papers to be the best miniature in the Academy this year".

For reasons that are not clear, Dodge worked from a number of different addresses while he worked in New York.

This can be seen from the following signed and dated examples.

Feb 29, 1832 - 82 Franklin St - A Gentleman
Nov ??, 1832 - 82 Franklin St - James O Owens
Sep ??, 1832 - 37 Lis(?) St - Edward Shotwell
Oct 23, 1834 - 485 Pearl St - Rev W L Jupson
Feb 7, 1835 - 485 Pearl St - Miss Major
Apr ??, 1835 - 42 Franklin St - Mrs E Mead
Oct 14, 1835 - 42 Franklin St - Isaac F Tysen
Sep 30, 1836 - 42 Franklin St - Mrs E M Eastman
Jul 31, 1838 - 52 White St NY - Mr A L Clements
Oct 18, 1838 - 52 White St NY - Mrs A L Clements

Perhaps, as his reputation improved and he could charge higher prices, he moved to better premises.

The photographic quality of his best work is well illustrated in the close up of this miniature. It is hard to realise it was painted several years before photography was introduced to America via the daguerreotype.

Apparent in the Eastman miniature is a characteristic "thumb-print" shadow which is found on many, but not all of his miniatures.

For two other miniatures by John Wood Dodge in this collection, one of Eliza Jane Moffit Budd and one of Reuben Kreider which is unfortunately cracked, see American Miniature Portraits - 1: Dodge, John Wood - portrait of ...
and American Miniature Portraits - 1: Dodge, John Wood - portrait of ...

Raymond White has written two excellent articles on John Wood Dodge, particularly with regard to his later career in Tennessee. One can be seen at John Wood Dodge: and the portrait miniature. - The Magazine ...

The other is in the Spring 2000 edition of the Tennessee Historical Quarterly. The latter article includes the names of around 270 Tennesseans painted by Dodge between 1828 and 1854. 1335

Unknown - portrait of Isaac A Buckingham

Isaac A Buckingham the attorney

Further below there is much history about the Buckingham family in America and also reference to a court case - People vs McCool.

But first some comments about the miniature portrait itself which is unsigned and the artist unidentified, even though the style seems quite distinctive.

For a period in the mid 19C highly patterned vests were fashionable for men. They are not usually included in miniature portraits because of the additional complication and work for the artist.

However, there are various examples including two in the Cincinnati Art Museum which are illustrated as items 4 and 5 in "A Perfect Likeness".

This fashionable young man sitting on a large brown sofa, seems to have a gold key on a cord hanging down the front of his vest.

This particular example looks like a watch key, but around this time many men had highly decorative stick-pins on their chests. Apart from the later fob chains which held a pocket watch, these stick pins were one of very few forms of jewellery worn by men during the 19C.

Much later they developed into what in the 20C were called tie-pins.

Although it is not 100% certain, the sitter is believed to be Isaac A Buckingham of the Buckingham family who were large landowners in central portion of Symmes Township

The 1847 published atlas map of Hamilton County lists the owner of the property shown below as A. Buckingham. See Historical Sites - The Buckingham House

Acquired with the miniature was a very interesting Memorandum booklet of about 100 pages, although about 40% are blank, inscribed in various places on the outside with the name I A Buckingham.

Isaac A Buckingham (25 Jul 1840-8 Aug 1915) who married Martha Simpkins (16 Sep 1841-1909) on 26 Jul 1862 was a lawyer in Decatur and Macon Co, Il.

The copious entries are in two distinctly different sections, one about a criminal trial at the rear, and the other being the history of the Buckingham family commencing from the front.

For the benefit is any Buckingham researchers, I have transcribed all the family history and shown it below, after the following note about the trial.

The People vs McCool
The second section commences from the rear i.e. with the book upside down and reversed. The appears to relate to a trial involving a shooting: "People vs McCool" which took place around 1910-1915.

It is not clear whether the victim died as a result of the shooting, nor whether Isaac Buckingham was the prosecuting or defending attorney in the case.

The notes refer to evidence to be given by many witnesses at the trial. There are copious notes, but they are quite hard to follow and so I have not tried to reproduce them here.

However, if there is any interest in the trial, I can try and post all the witness references as many of them are named in the notes.

If any visitor knows more about this trial, it would be nice to hear from them.

History of the Buckingham Family
The front section of the notebook about the Buckingham family and other local history is headed Jan 12, 1912 and some appears to have been copied from a local newspaper article, but with extra snippets from other sources, but some sections may be original historical comments.

Some writing is hard to interpret, but it appears to read as below. Although it is quite long, I have transcribed all the information about the Buckingham and other families mentioned, so that it is available to anyone researching the family on the Internet. In odd places the meaning is not clear, perhaps due to errors when it was copied.

An interesting fact from the note book and which I am still working through, is that Enoch Buckingham, the grandfather of Isaac, was fortunate not to be killed and scalped when he was ambushed in 1791.


The Buckinghams - Interesting History of a well known family.
Paper read at a Sunday School Convention by Mrs Dean. The following paper was read before the Symmes Township [in Hamilton, Ohio] Sunday School Convention at Camp Dennison. It is of such general interest that we are glad to give it space. Valley Enterprise, Milford Ohio. ["Valley Enterprise was a weekly, published in Milford between 1886-1920. It was an independent and general type newspaper. The Cincinnati Library and the Clermont County Genealogical Society have the only known copies.]

The name Buckingham according to Camden[?] was derived from Bucen or Becen or Beechin - beech tree and ham a village, from the number and size of beech trees. In later editions the editor makes it mean the home of deer. The crest on the family Coat of Arms is a deer or stags head. It has been a tradition in the family that their ancestor was a Welshman. But the name is evidently an old English name and we should naturally look for it somewhere in or near the County of Buckingham/ In his Anglo-Saxon Dictionary Bosworth has one mode of spelling the name Buckingham and also Buccenheim. Gorton in his Topographical Dictionary says of the name of the county "It is supposed to derive the name from the Saxon word Bucen from the great number of deer which abound in its forests." The name Buckingham as a family name is no doubt derived from the County of Buckingham in England. The Shire town of which is also Buckingham. The Duke of the name derived their title from the county. In the catalogue of Cmbridge University England are found the following names; John Buckingham Jes A M 1669, Dennis Buckingham 1763, Chandos Buckingham L L L 1819.

There seems to be a dispute as to their first arrival [in America]. It is believed by some to be a established fact that they came with the first Puritan settlers on the Mayflower in 1620 and that William Buckingham a native of England arrived in America at that time and settled in Chester, Pennsylvania where he died at an advanced age. His son John Buckingham was born in Chester County PA and removed to Newcastle County Delaware where he married. Knowing nothing do his personal character we have only to add that he died here at the age of 84.

While a book now in the possession of William Buckingham of Washington Heights on the genealogy of the family and which was 20 years being compiled claims that Thomas Buckingham who arrived in Boston June 26, 1687 was the Puritan ancestor of the American Buckinghams and that he was one of the company to which Eaton and Hopkins, two London merchants and two ministers Davenport and Purdy belonged. They sailed in two ships, the Hector, name unknown of the other and on the 30th March following 1638 the company sailed for Quinnepack now New Haven where they arrived in about a fortnight or April 1638. Here we find the name of Thomas Buckingham under the head(ing) of Names of Planters, and Division of Land according to the estate and heads in families from which it appears that he has four persons in the family and an estate of 60 pounds as the interest in the enterprise.

The only other mention of the name found in New Haven records while he remained there is the following for Feb 5, 1639. Mr Wilke is ordered to pay Thomas Buckingham five and one half bushels of Indian corn destroyed by Mr Wilke's hogs.

Thomas Buckingham was married twice. His first wife Hannah in England by whom he had five children. She died in Milford Conn. June 24, 1646. His second wife Ann made her will which was presented for probate bearing date of Milford Mar 18, 1686.

Whether the original ancestors were those of the Mayflower 1620 or the Hector 1637, either date is of sufficient age to place us as lineal descendants of the first Puritan settlers.

Be that as it may, many of the family of the country have filled honourable and important stations. Up to 1872 where this book was (?) eleven had graduated at Yale and several at other college and seminaries of the country and a large number had distinguished themselves in learned professions.

William Buckingham was Governor of Connecticut 1858-1866. A newspaper clipping at the time of his death will give you an idea of the man. He was an ardent and partisan Republican but it is only just to say of him that he strove with more success than most men to be a Christian gentleman. While unobtrusive and destitute of those qualities which are called personal magnetism, he had a reasonableness of demeanour which made him many friends - and few enemies. He had more of the element of command and none of the symptoms of greatness, but he was an honest merchant an efficient Mayor and as Governor and Senator he served those who elected him with fidelity and acceptance. The truth and beauty of these same remarks and especially this, none of the elements of command and none of the symptoms of greatness. It seems to me we can use so applicably in describing the life and character of our dear old Dr Buckingham whose death has so recently touched all of our hearts. He was the most renowned one of the name following the Governor and the only one of the present generation to whom any mark of distinction has even come. William Buckingham father of the Doctor was a veteran of the Indian Wars and fought with Wayne against the Indians at the Battle of Fallen timber. Colonel Buckingham of Wilkes-Barre Pa was the first one to put the flag upon Fort Sumpter after it was restored and a Charles Levi Buckingham was with the 146th New York Volunteers in the Battle of Wilderness as Second Lieutenant and severely wounded. After his recovery promoted to First Lieutenant shot by a rebel sharp shooter three days after joining his regiment on Welden Road Va and died three hours later. The minister spoke of him as follows; "Today we are gathered around the body of a youth who had given himself for a great cause, this is his sufficient eulogy. He took our place as our substitute, fought, and fell, and I trust that we come here today with a feeling of gratitude for what he has done for us. He has won greater fame than he could in civil pursuits for he died for his country".

Enoch Jeffrys Buckingham and his brother Levi emigrated to Ohio in the year 1790 and settled in Hamilton Co on the Little Miami River fifteen miles from Cincinnati in 1795, where they both lived until their death. The Clermont County history states that Encoh and Levi B settled there in 1794. They were both Baptist deacons of a very fervent and ardent nature. [See also Re: Enoch and Levi Buckingham tombstones- OH]

Enoch was a man of small stature, but his sons were stalwart fellows of very large physique. Enoch's children were Levi, William, Greenbrier, Mark, Horatio, John, Maria, and Elizabeth.

Levi's children were Smith Buckingham, father of Mrs John Queal (?) and grandfather of our president S.B. Queal. Maria mother Van Buren Buckingham still living at a respected old age on a portion of the family homestead and Isaac Buckingham a prominent attorney of Decatur Illinois. Two other daughters married brothers of the old pioneer family of Fletcher, several children of which unions still survive them. Another son Isaac died in his youth.

Levi's son Uncle Smith as he was known to all was a fervent Christian worker and for many years a devout member of this church right here in his home place. Levi's oldest son and first born of Enoch Buckingham was the first white child born in Ohio and when he grew to manhood had a small mill on the south side of the river, later his brother John and William bought it and moved it to the north side where they conducted a mill and distillery for a great number of years. After William died John took into partnership his two younger brothers Mark and Horatio. Later on John retired, Mark and Horatio conducted the business. Mark retired and Horatio ended it up.

Enoch Buckingham was an expert with the rifle as was also his son Enoch who was my grandfather. The story goes that on Sunday while great-grandfather was at church, grandfather purloined the coveted rifle from the accustomed place and spent the Sabbath morning shooting fish as they drifted over the ripples. Another devout old pioneer,Uncle Jerry Price(?) saw the boy's wicked conduct and immediately reported to the father who sternly commanded that every fish be thrown again into the river. But great-grandmother stood by the boy and they saved the fish. This same rifle many, many years later burst and almost killed his great-grandson, Robert Thompson who too was loading it on the Sabbath day, but he claims not for use on that day, but for some time the following week.

Another interesting account of no doubt the same rifle is given in the History of Clermont Co in regard to the killing of Covalt [Twenty-one-year-old Abraham Covalt Jr in late January 1791] by the Indians while Buckingham and others were hunting along the Little Miami. Toward noon of the first day which Buckingham, Fletcher, and Covalt started on their hunt, Covalt began to get uneasy and to urge the others to return home saying that there might be Indians about. The two told him there was no danger but this did not satisfy him. The nearer night approached the more importunate he became and the more he urged them to return, the uneasiness in Covalt mind Buckingham always viewed as an even (evil?) omen. His entreaties finally prevailed over the others and they consented to return. So they left the licke(?) in order to reach the station while it was yet daylight. Arriving opposite where Buckingham's mill stood while Covalt and Fletcher were walking close together and Buckingham about there rode behind. Suddenly three guns were fired at about twenty yards distance. Buckingham looked forward and saw Covalt and Fletcher start to run down the Miami and also saw three Indians jump over a log yelling and screaming like demons. As Buckingham started to run up the river he tried to throw off his blanket but it hung over his shoulders like a powder horn as the strap passed over his head when he tired to get it loose, it took his hat with it. He ran but a few poles then look up the hill, the river and the hill being close together. As he went up the hill he looked back several times but saw no one in pursuit. When he arrived on top of the hill he got his gun ready for the emergency, then stopped looked back and behind. While there standing he heard the Indians raise the yell down in the bottom thirty or forty rods distance. Then he knew that the Indians had caught one or both of the others.

When he knew the Indians were that distance from him, he knew he could make tracks as fast as they could follow him, so he steered over the hill and came to the Miami at what is known as Queals railroad bridge crossing. Getting to the station he found Fletcher had got there a few minutes before him. By this time it was night. Fletcher's story of the affair was that he and Covalt ran together some distance when Fletcher's feet became entangled in a grapevine and down he fell where he lay perfectly still until the Indians passed him. One passed close to him, no doubt thinking he had fallen to rise no more and they all kept on in hot pursuit of Covalt. As soon as they got out of sight, Fletcher made his escape down the river. Next morning a party of men left the station to look for Covalt. Arriving at the place they found his body, his scalp, gun, tomahawk, powder horn, blanket, and hat, knife and part fo his clothing gone and an old broken rifle (sic) left near his body. The Indian traces showed that they had crossed and recrossed at Indian Ripple, they were not raced any further.

[There is another account of this incident, with differences of detail, at A Place Called Terrace Park ]

Of all the direct descendants of Levi Buckingham, there are but fifteen grandsons, great-grandsons, and great-great-grandsons left around their old home place.

The past is the mother of the present and all that has gone before is the cause of all that is now, and it is undoubtedly a truth in philosophy that the past is the window of the present, so that it will become us once in a while to look back to the past and gather strength and encouragement for the present and we may add hope and faith for the future.

As early as 1810 John Robinson's was a preaching place and continued such until a church was built in 1817. In 1815 a church was organised at John Robinson's with the following members etc. In 1817 a log church was built on the road leading from Boston to Belfast, near the present residence of Joseph Bidett.

There is a little sketch of the Buckinghams told me by Holly R Buckingham when I visited at his home in Alto Pase, Ill.
1 William Buckingham came over with William Penn, he had a title and settled near Philadelphia.
2 William Buckingham, his son.
3 William Buckingham, his grandson settled in Washington Co Penn. He had three sons Levi, Enoch, and William. Enoch, one son named William.

These three brothers came to Columbia, Ohio. At first they lived in a hollow sycamore so that they could be near Fort Washington. These three went in a canoe up the Little Miami River. They camped near Cedar Banks. Levi shot a turkey and it fell near the camp. This was taken for an omen that that place should be their home and they obtained possession of that part of the Miami valley. The first mill was built in 1814 by Mr Waldron and he sold it to Levi Buckingham, he sold it to his nephews, sons of Enoch; William, John, and Mark Buckingham and afterwards John and Mark built a distillery.

4 William B returned to Penn, his son Levi married Margaret Black. There were two sisters of these three brothers who came from Penn. One married a Bonnell(?) father of Avon(?), George, Henry, and Moses. The other girl married a Mr Mundel(?).

South (North?) Bend on the Ohio River Dunlaps Station or Colerain on the Big Miami and Covalts Station was on the Little Miami. The stations were strong buildings of logs in the fashion of block house. The upper storey projecting over the lower storey and faced(?) with loopholes for riflemen.

On Set 22nd 1788 a large company of Kentuckians with Col. [Robert] Patterson and [John] Filson arrived on the ground and were met by Judge Symmes and Israel Ludlow chief surveyor of the Miami Association who were with Denman, came down from Levi's store. In the latter part of Jan 1789 came the floods.

Maj. Doughty with two companies under Captains Ferguson and Strong and Quartermaster Pratt companies containing a number of artificers and mechanics took possession of the ground on the Ohio immediately east of the lower flat and built Fort Washington on the second and upper bank. It was a substantial fortress of hewn timber about 180ft square with blockhouses at the four angles and two stories high.

On the 29th December Col Harmar occupied the new fort as headquarters with the larger part of his regiment, leaving two companies at Fort Harmar on Jan 2 1790 Governor St Clair (for more about him, see Visitor's Guide to St. Clair County - Illinois' First County) arrived in a tour of the French post at the west and spent three days establishing the county of Hamilton, the name of the village was changed from Losantiville to Cincinnati.

Two further expeditions were made against the Indians on the Scouls(?) in 1786 and 1790. The former by Colonel Todd and the latter by General Scott aided by Col Harmar and a party of regular troops, but without nay material result. Separate expeditions equally unimportant were conducted by General Scott and Colonel Wilkinson against the Wabash Indians in the summer of 1791. These dashes as they were called, served to show what a wild and aimless, but mutually exasperating method of warfare harried the banks of the Ohio for many years. They were not merely inconsequential, but injurious in provoking constant retaliation, inflicting injury without conquest or any actual victory over the Indians. Richard Hall served as a Captain under Colonel Wilkinson.

From Mark Buckingham's bible and copied from his father Enoch's bible is as follows: William Buckingham was born June 2nd 1734. William Buckingham was married to Jane Jones daughter of James Jones born June 28, 1744 married Dec 7, 1762. Their children were;
Enoch Buckingham b Nov 3, 1763
Levi Buckingham b May 14, 1765
Catharine Buckingham b Aug 22, 1767
John Buckingham b Jan 20, 1769
James Buckingham b Nov 16, 1770
Isaac Buckingham b April 15, 1772
Susan Buckingham b Oct 9, 1773
Hannah Buckingham b Nov 7, 1775
Esther Buckingham b Jun 17, 1777
Lydia Buckingham b May 1 1779
William Buckingham b B Feb 19, 1781
Jesse Buckingham b Feb 2, 1783
Jane Buckingham b Nov 15, 1784

From the History of Clermont Co. Ohio published 1895. In September 1800 Captain Richard Hall settled on the farm now owned by John Smith, he was a native of Penn. In 1791 he emigrated to Ohio locating at Columbia. Soon after his arrival he was made Commander of Gerard Station which office he held to the satisfaction of his comrades until after the Treaty of Greenville.

While in command of the blockhouse or station, a party of five Indians were seen prowling around the blockhouse intent on surprising some of the settlers. He took his rifle and stole out, unobserved by them, and afterwards shot one of their number, a chief of more than local reputation. Capt Richard Hall was married to Theodosia Edwards. Their children were Jackson, Richard, Lytle, Eleanor, Ruth, Isabel. It is claimed by some that he was a soldier of the Revolution, but it cannot be positively determined.

The Fletcher brothers, William, David, and Jesse settled in this township about the same time. They were natives of Penn. and came south with Captain Hall to Gerard Station in 1791 where they remained until 1801 when they settled on farms now owned by Henry Balshizer(?) and J W Robinson, of their history we have been unable to obtain any definite information. They at different periods owned and operated several distilleries and were counted good businessmen. More of their descendants are now living in the township.

John Robinson settled on a farm, now owned by Culonen(?), in 1807. He was the son of Thomas Robinson of whom we have been unable to obtain any information, suffice it to say that they were from Pennsylvania near Pittsburg. John had seven brothers and sisters viz; William, Thomas, Jane, Elizabeth, Nancy, Barbara, and Peggy. He was the founder of the Old Robinson Church and was a man noted fro his piety and zeal for the cause of the Christian religion. He was a soldier of the war of 1812 by some legal technicality, never obtained a pension. His family, though large, are nearly all dead.

As early as 1810 John Robinson's was a preaching place and continued as such until a church was built in 1817 witht he following members: John Robinson and wife, Jacob Long and wife, H Campbell, Moses Wood Sr, John Hensel, Nathan Shumard etc. In 1817 a big house was built on the road leading from Boston to Belfast near the present residence of Joseph Budsel(?). It was 20 x 30, the work was all donated, probably costing $50. It went down in 1845 ,it was the strongest church in the county in 1830, but after the churches in Boston and Mt Olive were built it began to decline in membership, a Sunday school was organised in 1825.

Ephraim Simpkins settled on a farm, now owned by his son David, in the year 1805, he is a native of Orange Co NY, he was born Mar 10, 1754. In 1804 he was married to Mary (Rebecca) Chandler who was born Mar 24, 1781. Immediately after their marriage they emigrated to Ohio, stopping for a short time at Gerard Station. Among those who came were Samuel Penn. Ephraim Simkins was the father of four children: John born Sep 29 1806, David born Dec 14 1809 who still lives on the homestead and has been one of the greatest businessmen of the township, besides carrying on various trades, he has buile more miles of turnpike than any other man in the country.

Archie(?), Phoebe, present wife of Ezra Williams of the children, all are now living, but one Archie who died in early manhood.

Ephraim Simkins was a revolutionary soldier and served under Washington at the Battles of Monmouth and Brandywine and several other minor engagements. He took an active part against the horse thieves and counterfeiters that infested Stone Lick(?) Township in 1818. He was a good friend of education and built the first school house in that part of the township.

In person, he was above the average height, well built, muscular, active and courageous, he has all the elements of a good soldier. He died greatly respected by those who knew him for his personal worth.

The Post Office at Belfast was established in 1850. Simkinsville is situated on the Milford and Wardville turnpike and was named in honor of David Simkins. It contains about 20 houses on both sides of the pike besides cooper, carpenter, and blacksmith's shops. In 1827 David Simkins built the first cooper shop and from that time up to 1860 gave employment to twenty hands on an average. He had also a black(smith's?) shop in connection with the cooper and wagon shop. In 1870 David Simkins began the distilling of apple and peach brandy.

Christian Beagle owned land in 1826, Union Township, Clermont Co. paid no personal tax in that township.

In 1832 Campbell Johnston of Scotch/Irish ancestry who had been a merchant in Cincinnati moved to the Mt Carmel neighborhood and engaged in farming, introducing many fine head of cattle. He died in 1843. His eldest son, John was in the Mexican War and is today a successful lawyer in Cincinnati. Robert, the youngest son, also became an attorney in Cincinnati in 1876 and was elected Judge of Common Pleas Court of that city discharging the duties of that office to the great satisfaction of all the bar and the people. Another Jean(?) James, after bring a merchant in the northern part of the county moved to Illinois where he is a large farmer.

William Chandler of London Grove PA, born there Mar 1, 1717, died there Feb 28, 1795 married widow Rebecca (Allen) Mode daughter of John Allen who came from Ireland in 1714 and settled in London Grove. William Chandler had five children viz; Joseph born Oct 12, 1757 died May 1815, Allen born Oct 31, 1759 died Dec 24, 1837, Thomas born Oct 27, 1761 died Jan 18, 1823. William born Dec 25, 1762 died Oct 10, 1839, Rebecca born Nov 9, 1766 died Feb 13, 1856. Phoebe Leever gave the date of Rebecca Chandler born July 30, 1760 She brought the spinning wheel from New York in 1804/05.

(He was) son of William Chandler of London Grove PA born at Greathodge(?) Eng, died in London Grove PA 1747, married on July 10 1712 to Ann Bowater daughter of John and Frances who came from Wiltshire, Eng, came to Chester PA and had more children besides William viz: Jane, Lydia, Samuel, John, Anne, Thomas, Moses, Mary, and Abm. 2nd son of George Chandler born in Wiltshire, Eng died at sea, leaving widow Jane with seven children; Jane, George, Swithin, Thomas, William, Charity, and Ann who arrived in Philadelphia in Dec 1687. They lived in a cave in the Delaware front afterwards built a home in Philadelphia, still standing.

That is the end of the information about the Buckingham family.

Since writing it I have received the following extra information from a visitor:

I found your blog and was pleased to see a cousin in miniature. The notebook is interesting as we have much better info on his ancestors. There is no PROVEN link between the "Pilgrim" Buckinghams and Isaac's family. Isaac's family descends from William Buckingham and John Buckingham. They arrived in 1682 on board the ship "AMITY", part of William Penn's fleet. The later history is more or less accurate, just a bit convoluted.

The Court Case
The book also contains a lot of information about a Court case involving a shooting, apparently the case was titled; "People v Mc Cool". It may have taken place around 1910.

The information runs to about thirty hand written pages and seems to be about the witnesses and their evidence. To date I have found no other reference to the court case. 1334



Extra Comment
A kind visitor has sent me the three attached photographs, including images of Isaac Buckingham later in life.

Also the following comments. "I stumbled across your blog and saw an entry on a miniature of Isaac Alexander Buckingham, who was my great-great-grandfather's half-brother, Van Buren Buckingham. I thought you might be interested to see him in photographs, of which I have attached three. The earliest dates roughly to 1850 (Isaac and MVB Buckingham), with Isaac on the left. The second is from about 1860 (Isaac Alexander Buckingham) and the last is with his wife Martha and daughters Slonna and Maria.

Not sure it will be possible to see the resemblance to the mimiature with all the facial hair!"T

Unknown - portrait of husband and wife

Unfortunately many miniature portraits are of unknown sitters and are by unknown artists.

It is so much easier to identify with sitters or artists when they are known and, obviously, it is so much more rewarding to research them.

Thus, although this pair are unknown, the miniature itself is still of interest for several reasons.

Firstly, it is most probably American. The image at the bottom of this post shows a close up of the hanger and includes a section of the "beaded" bezel.

To my mind, this hanger shape is most often met with on American miniatures, rarely on British miniatures, and almost never on European miniatures.

Especially when taken with a beaded bezel, which is also rarely met with on miniatures from other than America.

However, although judged to be American, the case is rare in one other respect.

No doubt other examples do exist, but this is the first American case of this type that I have come across with a double portrait and a beaded bezel on both sides.

Elsewhere I have mentioned I have been trying to work up the enthusiasm to tackle what seems to me a somewhat daunting task of illustrating the differing styles of oval metal miniature cases used in America from around 1820 onwards.

Also the rectangular metal cases which emerged in America in greater numbers after 1900. There seems to be little or no literature on this subject, so it is crying out for research.



American cases seem to diverge in style quite distinctly from European cases from about 1815, possibly due to the difficulty of importing cases during and after the war of 1812.

One presumes that glass was expensive and so small rear glazed compartments containing hair became more common in oval metal cases in the United States from around 1820.

Whereas in contrast most British cases after 1820 are rectangular in shape, with oval miniatures and hair-work tending to become unfashionable in Britain after that date.

Oval miniatures seem to have lasted longer in the United States and hence it must have become necessary to seek locally made oval cases.

I suspect that most oval cases were handmade to fit a particular miniature, rather than the case being purchased as a complete standard size.

However it seems possible that some components, such as the hangers and the small rear bezels to contain a glass, were made in the United States as standard items. 1333

Fraser, Charles - Mary Branford Shubrick

I The Military Matriarch
Showing here is a miniature portrait of Mary Branford Shubrick (1759-Aug 1832), the wife of Colonel Thomas Shubrick (27 Dec 1756-4 Mar 1810).

It is believed to be by Charles Fraser (1782-1860) the pre-eminent miniature painter from Charleston, SC.

It may be the original or else a later copy of the original made by Charles Fraser himself. As mentioned below, Fraser himself did make copies of his own miniatures for family members on request, so that is a possibility. To confirm the attribution to Fraser, it would be necessary to compare the miniature with other works by him on a side-by-side basis.

Fraser painted many miniatures and was reportedly trained by a French artist, Belzons. No known examples of Belzons work are known. However, a recently purchased miniature included in this collection may be by Belzons, see Belzons (?) - portrait of a gentleman

A kind and expert visitor feels the face of Mary Branford Shubrick in the miniature looks like the work of Charles Fraser, but is not quite as confident about the background. Hence another possibility it may be a copy of a Fraser miniature painted by Henry Bounetheau (1797-1877) a fellow and well regarded miniature painter in Charleston, who made a number of copies of miniatures by Charles Fraser. However, for miniatures in the Gibbes Museum, Bounetheau did record on the miniatures that they were copies of Fraser's work. Thus it seems likely he would have done so again in this case if it were a copy by him.

II The Sitter
At the auction, the auction house concerned described the miniature as; "Mary Beauford (sic) Shriback? Wife of Col. Thomas Shriback? of North (sic) Carolina. Painted by Frazier?"

From this brief, but inaccurate transcription, it has been possible, in a manner typical of many items in this collection, to locate some initial facts, and then determine a great deal about the sitter and her family.

As it unfolds below, I hope you can agree Mary Branford Shubrick merits the kindly meant title of: "The Military Matriarch".

Her husband was a Colonel who died young and left her a widow for 24 years. Six of her sons served in the military, three of them predeceasing her while serving in the military, including one lost at sea. Two other sons died after her death, while serving in the military, with only one surviving to retirement age.

Later descendants have also served in the American Navy and four naval vessels have been named USS Shubrick. These vessels are all illustrated below.

Apart from this, two British Shubrick cousins of the American Navy Shubricks, became British Army Generals in India.

The "detective" work into this miniature commenced with a search of a listing of the miniatures in Charles Fraser's workbook. This quickly revealed the name Shubrick, thus the correct spelling was established, i.e. Shubrick, not Shriback and also "South" Carolina instead of "North" Carolina.

Then a search for the marriage of Colonel Thomas Shubrick, determined that he had married Mary Branford on 9 April 1778 and so the correct spelling of her name was also established, i.e. Branford, not Beauford.

Mary Branford was the daughter of Ezekiel Branford and Alice Bulline (aka Alice Bullein, both being variations of the name Boelyn), being the third daughter and with two brothers.

A kind descendant of Mary Branford Shubrick has located this description of Mary Branford Thomas Shubrick which was given by her grandson Paul Trapier.

"How far the character of my good grandmother Shubrick was moulded on this counsel of her father I was too young to be able to judge. But I always knew her as a professing member of the Circular (Independent, or Congregational) Church of Charleston; & used to attend worship with her there every now & then, when she always seemed to take a devout interest in its services, though going generally alone; for my grandfather, while respecting her attachment to it, & affording her every facility for attending there, had their children all baptized into the Protestant Episcopal Church & habituated from Childhood to its ways, thus rendering his wife's constancy to her own hereditary persuasion only the more remarkable. To me she was rendered dear chiefly by her unvarying kindness in supplying my juvenile wants with her ever-ready stores of "creature comforts" in my early childhood, by her liberal gifts of money as I grew older, & always by her inexhaustible stock of revolutionary lore in shape of anecdotes of stirring adventures, of gallant exploit of hairbreadth escapes, of patriotic sacrifice, stirring the spirit of my brother & myself, & of my sisters too, as we would sit by the hour at her feet, & drink in the love of country & the hatred of oppression. Some of the grotesque old songs with which she would amuse us linger still in my memory--with the tones of the voice which gave them such sweetness to our ears; & the vivacity wherewith to an advanced age she would sing them & recount her marvels of Whig Biography were proof to us that the "Spirit of '76" had not yet died out from even her failing frame. The only child of a deceased son, (my uncle Templer) deserted by an unnatural mother, was left to her care, & it was touching to witness the tenderness, not always tempered by sufficient firmness, with which she watched over her charge." - Paul Trapier, "Notices of Ancestors and Relatives, Paternal and Maternal" in Volume 58 of the Transactions of the Huguenot Society of South Carolina.

Research has revealed that Thomas and Mary Shubrick had many children and many descendants who may see this miniature. Mary seems to be an unsung heroine of the early years of the American republic. It is usually the men who make and feature in history, including her own sons, but they could not have done so without her.

III The Miniature
When the miniature arrived, it was found the packers had taken the portrait out of the frame to pack it separately and in the process, the backing paper had fallen to pieces, with several scraps just loose in the package. Some were missing, but the remaining pieces of paper were collected and glued to a fresh backing as shown.

The completed "puzzle" reads: "Mrs Margaret Branford Shubrick - wife of Colonel Thomas Shubrick of South Carolina - Painted by Fraser - For George Clymer her great-great-grandson."

The miniature was housed in the large gilt frame as can be seen in the top thumbnail image. The packing in the rear of the frame was part of a printer's proof or scrap, being part of an uncut sheet of several pages from a book about rail-roads.

One section of the paper includes the words; "Whitehall and Saratoga Rail-Road, now in progress. About 43 miles in length."

Then the power of an Internet search revealed that these exact words came from an 1840 book titled "A Description of the Canals and Rail Roads of the United States" by H S Tanner. See A Description of the Canals and Rail Roads of the United States, ... - Google Books Result

The use of this 1840 printer's scrap for packing, suggests that the miniature was framed, or reframed, in the early 1840's, which was during the active painting lifetime of Charles Fraser.

The close up images show the skill of the artist. Mary Shubrick is holding a fan in her hand and is sitting on a red chair which is characteristic of several works by Fraser.

Fraser's workbook, which he kept from 1818-1846, contains several references to miniatures of the Shubrick family and also to copies of those miniatures.

There are also references in the work book to Fraser painting copies in 1846 of miniatures of unnamed persons for Mr Horry, who was a son-in-law of Colonel Shubrick. It is probable these were of Shubrick family members.

More Shubrick copies may have been made by Fraser after the entries end in his work book in 1846, as the Gibbes Museum lists several miniatures by Fraser after this date, the latest recorded being 1852.

However, the key entry in the book is June 1827 when Fraser records: "Mrs Shubrick Senior ---$50".

In 1827 Mary Branford Shubrick would have been aged 68. It is a little hard to tell her age in the miniature shown here, so it is not really clear whether the 1827 miniature was from life, or copied from an earlier oil portrait. As she was still alive in 1827 and Fraser does not use the word copy in his work book, I tend to lean towards the miniature being painted from life, but perhaps with a little kindness by the artist.

Earlier in 1827 Fraser had recorded: "Copy of Col Shubrick's for Mr Horry ---$50". This may have been a copy based on the Trumbull miniature portrait of Colonel Shubrick referred to below.

In 1857 there was an exhibition of miniature portraits and other works by Charles Fraser in "The Fraser Gallery" at Charleston. This included the following list of miniatures of members of the Branford, Horry, and Shubrick families.

Item 26 refers to a miniature of Mrs Branford. This is most likely the one shown here of Mrs William Branford, traditionally identified as a Revolutionary era heroine, who must be the mother of Mary Branford Shubrick. This miniature is owned by the Gibbes Museum and appears on page 73 of the CAA catalogue.

Item 30 reads: "Mrs Shubrick, wife of (Col. Thomas Shubrick)".
"

If visitors know the location of any of the miniatures listed, it would be nice to hear of them.

IV The Shubrick Family
According to handed down family history, Colonel Thomas Shubrick (1756-1810) was the son and grandson of two other Thomas Shubrick's and some family history can be found at Thomas Shubrick However, as shown below, I am inclined to the view his grandfather was instead named Richard Shubrick.

His gravestone, which Mary Branford Shubrick no doubt often visited, reads:
"In memory of Col Thomas Shubrick a distinguished patriot, soldier of the American Revolution. A gentleman eminent for his private virtue as a husband, a father, and a friend. He was born in Charleston, SC December 27, 1755 and died March 4, 1810."

A brief account of his military career reads: "Thomas Shubrick served as a First Lieutenant in the 2nd South Carolina Regiment, Jan 1777; as Brigade Major to General Howe, 24 May 1777 to Sep 1778; Captain, 15 Jan 1778; Aide-de-Camp to General Greene in 1781. by the Act of 29 Oct 1781, it was "Resolved that Major General Greene be directed to present the thanks of Congress to Captain Shubrick, his Aide-de-Camp, in testimony of his particular activity and good conduct during the entire action at Eutaw Springs, S.C."

Also; "His valor at the Battle of Eutaw Springs (Sep 1781) earned for him a medal and a resolution from Congress. At one stage the medal was in the possession of the family of Mrs Geo. Clymer, of Washington, DC.

This is an interesting link back to this miniature, see the note on the reverse which is inscribed: "For George Clymer her great-great-grandson."

This suggests the note was added some years after the miniature was framed, as this George Clymer was born in 1882, being also a great-grandson of William Branford Shubrick and a grandson of George Shubrick Clymer (1858-?). George Clymer (1882-?) was also a descendant of George Clymer, the signer of the Declaration of Independence who is shown here.

There is a reference to a 1791 miniature of Colonel Thomas Shubrick by John Trumbull at: JSTOR: A Tentative "Short-Title" Check-List of the Works of Col ... and a further reference to its current location at Thomas Shubrick, Capt (1756-1810), (painting). where it is recorded as still owned by the Clymer family.

Thomas and Mary Shubrick were the owners of the Belvedere Plantation sited at Charleston Neck. The Belvedere house was demolished in 1925 by the Standard Oil Company, although some woodwork was reused in 98 Broad Street, Charleston.

The Shubricks had a large number of children, fourteen by some counts. Most of whom were christened at St Philip's Parish Church. (Some dates and names quoted vary between sources and so may need correction.)

The eldest was 1 Sarah Alicia Shubrick (2 Jan 1779->1824) who married Paul Trapier (1772-1824) on 7 Jan 1802. She is depicted here in a miniature by Edward Greene Malbone.

Paul Trapier was the son of Paul Trapier Jr and Elizabeth Foissin. Reared by his paternal grandfather, he attended Harvard and graduated in 1790. In South Carolina, he was a planter, residing at Windsor plantation (approximately 672 acres) on the Black River in Prince George Winyah Parish. He also owned a tract known as Gibbon's Neck on the Black River, a portion of North Island, several lots in Georgetown, and land on Charleston Neck.

According to the federal census for 1800, he possessed 189 slaves in Prince George Winyah. However, in 1812, Trapier found himself financially overextended (due to having been the security for his father-in-law's debts) and was forced to sell Windsor plantation and to convey most of his Georgetown District property to trustees for benefit of his creditors.

Consequently, he and his family moved to Belvedere plantation in St. Philip Parish, home of the Shubricks. There he operated rice and saw mills and was a factor in Charleston where he also maintained a residence. An inventory of his estate revealed he owned 95 slaves at death; an 1824 tax return taken 12 March 1825 listed 5,713 acres and town property under his name in Prince George Winyah.

He held a number of elected and appointed positions. Paul Trapier died of a bilious fever sometime before 28 December 1824. He was survived by his wife and several children.

2 Thomas Shubrick (12 Nov 1781-11 Nov 1782) who died very young.

3 Thomas Shubrick (31 Dec 1783-) who reportedly died while serving in the army.

4 Mary Eveleigh Shubrick (16 Apr 1785-Jun 1785) who died very young.

5 Richard Shubrick (14 Aug 1787-26 Jan 1818) who reportedly died while serving in the army.

6 John Templar Shubrick (28 Sep 1788-1815) who married Elizabeth Matilda Ludlow. He is shown in this engraving.

John Templar Shubrick was born on Bull's island, South Carolina and entered the navy as midshipman, 19 Aug 1806, being attached to the "Chesapeake" during the surrender to the British ship "Leopard," and remained in that vessel under Decatur until 1808. He was commissioned lieutenant, 28 May 1812, attached to the "Constitution" during her escape from the British fleet in July 1812 and participated in the capture of the "Guerriere" and "Java."

On 6 Jan 1813, he was transferred to the "Hornet," and was executive officer at the capture of the British brig "Peacock," 24 Feb 1813. He was next transferred to the "President," of which he acted as executive at its capture by a British fleet, 15 Jan 1815. He was carried a prisoner to Bermuda, but released at the end of the war. He received three silver medals and votes of thanks from congress for assisting in the capture of the "Guerridre", "Java", and "Peacock."

South Carolina gave him a vote of thanks and a sword. On 20 May 1815, he sailed as executive of the "Guerridre" to Algiers, where he assisted at the capture of an Algerine frigate and brig, and in the demonstration by which Decatur obtained the treaty with Algiers. He was assigned to command the brig "Epervier," and sailed from Algiers early in July, 1815, with a copy of the treaty for ratification. The brig was lost at sea with all on board.

7 Mary Rutledge Shubrick (23 Oct 1789-14 Jan 1852) married Elias Edward Horry (1773-1834) in 1817. Elias was a widower who inherited a fortune from his father in plantations and other properties. They had four children. In the 1850 census, Mary lived with her four children and disclosed assets of $130,000.

The following was recorded about Mary Rutledge Shubrick Horry:
"Of my mother's two sisters, the elder, Mary, did not marry till middle age, but spent her youth & early womanhood at home. She had a large share of the beauty, which distinguished the family & was quiet & amiable with less of vivacity & imagination than either of her sisters, but of a practical matter of fact disposition, & very attentive to her devotional duties.

She was addressed by Mr. Elias Horry, a widower with a son & two daughters. I remember his formal visits to Belvedere in his handsome coach with outriders, his stately walk upstairs with his gold headed cane, & his punctuality of arrival & departure. In due time, & after the completion of regular approaches, he carried his point, was accepted, & married, & took her to his home in the ancestral Mansion, the solid substantial rough cast house at the corner of Meeting & Tradd Sts, Charleston, where she spent the rest of her days, surviving him, & two of her children, a son & daughter, leaving a daughter & three sons.

She was a brave woman, & in the days of Nullification shewed her readiness to meet danger in the spirit of her forefathers. She mingled little in society , but lived for & among her children, to whose welfare she gave herself up with entire self sacrifice, &, though not always with the dearest perception of what would be for their highest good, yet with a sincere desire for the promotion of their best interests in this world & in the next. She died in the midst of them, justly lamented by the few who knew her intimately, & highly respected in the community at large."

8 William Branford Shubrick (31 Oct 1790-25 May 1874) who married Harriet Cordelia Wethered. He had a distinguished career in the Navy, rising to the rank of Rear Admiral. He served in the Navy from 1806-1861. Also, as mentioned in more detail below, he was Chairman of the Light House Board from 1852-1871. A total service of 65 years.

An unfortunate miss on eBay was a letter written by Colonel Thomas Shubrick to his son William dated Oct 31, 1804. (It was withdrawn by the seller, along with other Shubrick items, before the auction closed.)

However, the accompanying images are shown here, although I cannot read all of them.

As far as I can tell, the small part of the letter showing reads:
"Mr William B Shubrick, Rev Thatchers, Dedham, Massachusetts.
Belvedere, Oct 31, 1804.
My Dear Son, I was much disappointed after (the a)rrival of Capt Burdil(?) a few days ago at not .......... after as I had written to the former for them to accompany .... Wilson who came with him and who was very ......... should be of the party - I fancy my letter directing them ... must have miscarried, if that should have ..... they do not, in consequence of my letter to .......... and Hayward or some other person ......... (much missing)....... my dear son. Your ever affectionate father, Thos Shubrick".

Other records cover his career in much detail and so are not included here. However one example is that as Commander Shubrick of U.S. warship "Independence" he held a conference with King Kamehameha III of Hawaii on 11 Sep 1848.

Although born in the South William Branford Shubrick supported the Union and strongly disapproved of the secession. This was possibly because he had lived in Washington for some years and had close naval connections there. For example, one of his sisters-in-law had, as a brother, another high ranking naval officer, Admiral Dupont.

For the 1860 census William and Harriet Shubrick were living in Washington with their daughter Mary and her husband George Clymer (Jul 1804-Apr 1881), who was himself a surgeon in the navy, two grandchildren and four servants. William described himself as a Commodore in the Navy and disclosed assets of $20,000.

It seems likely the miniature of Mary Branford Shubrick was part of the household at this time.

In the 1870 census William and Harriet were still in Washington with their daughter's family and a similar sized household. However, their assets had increased to $70,000.

A list at Congressional Gold Medal recipients states that William Shubrick was awarded a Congressional Gold Medal.

However a different list at Recipients of Congressional Gold Medals does not include his name, nor that of his father.

A different reference again records "Pursuant to a resolution of Congress (February 22, 1816), (Shubrick) received a silver medal as one of Stewart’s officers. In 1834 the Legislature of South Carolina presented him with an elegant sword in testimony of their appreciation of his gallant services in the Constitution when she captured the Cyane and Levant." See Lossing's Field Book of the War of 1812, Chapter XXXI - War on the ...

Thus there is currently some uncertainty from my limited research, as to what medals were awarded to either, or both, Thomas and/or William Shubrick.

Subsequent to the death of Admiral William Branford Shubrick, he has had a steamer, a torpedo boat, and two destroyers named for him.

Harper's Magazine printed an article about his career written in Aug 1876 by Susan Fenimore Cooper (1813-1894), the eldest daughter of James Fenimore Cooper and a distinguished writer and naturalist (she is shown here) and this article was later republished as a separate booklet, the cover also being shown.

Susan's father, James Fenimore Cooper, had also mentioned the career of John Templer Shubrick in his 1845 book titled: "Lives of Distinguished American Naval Officers".

For more about the career of Admiral Shubrick see William Shubrick - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The New York Times of 28 May 1874 reported the following General Order from the Secretary of the Navy: "On the day after the receipt of this order, the flags of the navy-yards and stations and of all ships of war in commission will be kept at half mast from sunrise to sunset, and thirteen guns will be fired at noon from all the navy-yards." See DEATH OF REAR ADMIRAL SHUBRICK.; THE TARIFF BILL. CLAIMS DERIVED ...

The New York Times of 28 May 1874 also carried his obituary. It reported that "in 1834 his native state had presented him with fine sword". In 1859 he received another sword from the Argentinian Confederation. See REAR ADMIRAL SHUBRICK.

9 Hannah Heyward Shubrick (17 Mar 1792-24 Aug 1806) who seems to have died quite young.

10 Edward Rutledge Shubrick (12 May 1793-12 Mar 1844) who married Esther Mary Bellin (14 Dec 1801-?) on 24 Sep 1817. They had three children.

Edward Rutledge Shubrick was born at his father's residence on Bull's Island, South Carolina 12 May, 1793. He was appointed Midshipman 16 Jan 1809 and ordered to New York to join USS Constitution. From 1812 to 1814, he served in USS President under Commodore John Rodgers, and participated in the taking of 23 prizes. Shubrick was commissioned Lieutenant 9 Oct 1813. He subsequently reported to USS Guerriere 23 Apr 1816 USS Independence 31 Jan 1817, under Commodore Bainbridge and the USS John Adams 26 Oct 1818 under Commander Evans, later under Captain Wadsworth.

On 12 Feb 1821, Edward Shubrick was assigned command of the Navy Yard at Charleston, South Carolina, where he served until transferred to Philadelphia 20 May 1822. On Apr 14 1823, he reported to the brig USS Spark at Norfolk, Virginia. On Dec 11, 1823 he transferred to the Philadelphia Yard, then to command of the Pensacola Yard 20 Nov 1825. On 1 November, 1827 Shubrick commenced unlimited leave, during which he was promoted to Master Commandant, 18 Apr 1828.

Shubrick took command of the Philadelphia Yard 29 Jan 1829, then was ordered to USS Vincennes 11 Nov 1830. On 9 Feb 1837 Shubrick was promoted to Captain. He took command of the Charleston Navy Yard 12 Mar 1840, and remained there until ordered to command USS Congress 16 Apr 1842. He transferred to USS Columbia 18 May, 1842 and died en route from Brazil to the Mediterranean on 12 Mar 1844.

11 Eliza Susannah Shubrick (Aug 1794-17 Apr 1802) who died young.

12 Decima Cecilia Shubrick (1 Feb 1796-Apr 1867) who married James Hamilton Heyward (17 Sep 1792-2 Jul 1828) on 12 Dec 1816. They are depicted here in a pair of miniatures by Edward Greene Malbone.

Decima does not seem to be in the 1850 census, but in the 1860 census, Decima Heyward was living in Wilmington as a widow, with Mariah Heyward, also a widow and a total of seven children and two servants. Decima dislcosed assets of $20,000.

13 Irvine Shubrick (15 Nov 1797-5 Apr 1849) who married Julia Sophia Angelica Du Pont de Nemours (3 Jun 1806-11 Feb 1882) on 12 May 1824. They had five children.

Irvine's wife, Julia Sophia Angelica Du Pont de Nemours, was the sister of Samuel Francis DuPont de Nemours (27 Sep 1803-23 Jun 1865) who was made an Admiral in the US Navy in 1861.

Julia and Samuel Du Pont were both grandchildren of the founder of the famous DuPont Chemical family, who had emigrated from France to the United States in 1800.

Admiral Dupont is shown in this engraving. See also Samuel Francis Du Pont and americanrevwar.homestead.com/.../dupont.html

Thus Irvine and Julia Du Pont Shubrick were part of an extended naval family.

Irvine Shubrick was appointed Midshipman on 12 May 1814 and assigned to USS Constellation in Boston. On 12 May 1814 Shubrick transferred to USS Guerriere, where he served until reassigned to USS President under Commodore Stephen Decatur. He was taken prisoner when HMS Endymion captured USS President and was taken to Bermuda with Decatur and others. When Decatur later commanded USS Guerriere in 1815, Shubrick participated in the capture of an Algerine frigate.

On 9 Jul 1816, Irvine Shubrick was ordered to USS Franklin under Captain Stewart, where he served until 17 Sep 1816, when he transferred to USS Alert. He served briefly in USS Hornet during her cruise to suppress piracy in the West Indies in 1823, then was assigned to USS Washington as Sailing Master 10 Oct of that year. After a brief leave period, Shubrick reported on board USS Brandywine 8 Jun 1825, having been commissioned Lieutenant 13 Jan 1825. On 14 Aug 1827, Shubrick transferred to USS Delaware, then took a year's leave commencing Jan 1830.

On 16 Feb 1831 Lieutenant Shubrick reported as Executive Officer of USS Potomac, Pacific Station. He commanded the landing party of Potomac during an attack on the Malay town of Quallah Battoo on Sumatra, which he destroyed to avenge the capture and plunder of the American ship Friendship the year before. He was highly commended for ability and gallantry in the conduct of this expedition.

In 1832 he was in Chile and reported back to the DuPont family about the prospects for exporting saltpeter, see the dupont dynasty - Google Books Result

Irvine Shubrick transferred to the command "receiving ship" at Philadelphia 27 May 1834 and remained "awaiting orders". Lieutenant Shubrick was promoted to Commander 8 Sep 1841.

During January to March 1843, Irvine Shubrick was one of the judges at the Mackenzie Court Martial. The alleged mutiny aboard Commander Alexander Slidell Mackenzie's ship, the U.S.S. Somers, was the first such incident in the history of the U.S. Navy.

It was also the inspiration behind Herman Melville's novel Billy Budd. See Mackenzie Court-Martial: 1843

On 13 Dec 1844, Irvine was assigned to command USS Saratoga on the Brazilian Station. He continued in command until transferred to Philadelphia as Inspector of Ordnance 8 Oct 1847. He died 5 Apr 1849 at Wilmington, Delaware.

14 Elizabeth Susannah Shubrick (27 Dec 1800-Apr 1896) who was christened on 2 Sep 1801 and seems not to have married.

V Origin of the Shubrick Family
The family seems to have originated in Devon, England where there are 16C and 17C names including: Angleess Shabbrooke, Christopher Sheobrooke, Grace Shebbrooke, James Shabrook, John Shibroke, and Robert Shaubrocke.

The name Shobrooke and its variations, such as; Shoobroke, Shoobrooke, and Shobrocke, is also relatively common in Devon with a Richard Shobrooke being found as early as 1575.

The most likely origin is that the various names all originated from the village of Shobrooke, in Devon which is only 5 miles north-west of the port of Exeter.

In 1872 it was described thus: "SHOBROOKE, a parish, with a village, in Crediton district, Devon; 2 miles NE of Crediton r. station. It has a post-office under Crediton, North Devon. Acres, 3835. Real property, £6,004. Pop. in 1851, 812; in 1861, 630. Houses, 133. The manor, with Fulford Park, belongs to J. H. Hippesley, Esq. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Exeter. Value, not reported.* Patron, the bishop of E. The church is ancient. There are a slightly endowed school, and charities £17. T. Westcote, the antiquary, was a native; and the Bodleys, of whom was Sir T. Bodley the founder of the Bodleian library at Oxford, were at one time residents."

The British Connection
A Richard Shoobroke born at West Teignmouth on 18 Jun 1682, a small port about ten miles south of Exeter, seems to be the most likely candidate for the Richard Shubrick recorded as married in London in 1704, as his age fits and there is no record of his marriage in Devon.

Teignmouth contributed seven ships to the siege of Calais in 1347 and hence was noted as a port for many years prior to the 17C. Richard Shoobroke (18 Jun 1682-?) was the son of Richard and Mary Shoobroke. The earliest reference to a Richard Shoobroke in Teignmoth refers to a marriage between Richard Shoobroke and Thamasin Gibbs on 4 Sep 1634.

Successful merchants and sailors would naturally gravitate to London as the chief British port of the late 17C. Thus if Richard Shoobroke (1682-?) is the correct person, he may well have been sent to London in about 1700 by his father to establish a London branch for the family's trading endeavours.

His name quite likely became Richard Shubrick when he reached London. Standardised spelling of names did not emerge until the late 19C and prior to that spellings were often altered due to the effect of differing local accents, especially when people moved significant distances such as from Devon to London.

He may also have wanted to avoid the phonetic sound of his previous name as "shoe-broke", which would not sound a very auspicious name for a merchant setting up a new branch in London.

In fact, I have inclined towards the view that this Richard Shoobroke (1682-1756) became Richard Shubrick when he reached London and is the ancestor of everyone in the world with the name Shubrick, as so far I have not seen any earlier reference to the spelling Shubrick anywhere in Britain or elsewhere in the world.

Richard Shubrick then married Jane Oldfield on 5 Nov 1704 at St Dunstan, Stepney, London, England. Richard and Jane Shubrick had three children who were christened at the same church; a daughter Sarah on 5 Sep 1705, a son Richard Shubrick on 4 Jan 1707, and another son, Thomas Shubrick on 17 Aug 1710.

In the 18C the elder son of Richard Shubrick (1682-1756), a Richard Shubrick (1707-1786) was a prominent merchant and trader between London and South Carolina, About 1730, Henry Laurens knew this firm. The British National Archives holds documents dated 23 May 1751 described as; "Captain J. Reynolds, the Arundel, South Carolina. Has drawn a set of bills of exchange payable to Messrs. Richard and Thomas Shubrick for the payment of Boatswain's and Carpenter's stores, workmanship and necessaries. There are also references to the family's ships carrying slaves to South Carolina. For example, "in about 1755 the Shubricks put 220 Gambia and Windward Coast slaves to South Carolina".

In 1763 Richard Shubrick was recorded as a Carolina merchant and a director of the Royal Assurance Co. In 1769 the firm was Thos. and Richard Shubrick of 52 Watling St, by 1775 with another partner named Clemson at 19 Birchin Lane, Cornhill, near Carolina Coffee House.

At one stage, Richard Shubrick seems to have initiated a Court Case which created some contract law precedents, see Shubrick v Salmond (1765) 3 Burr 1637, 1639 per Lord Mansfield; Bunn v Guy (1803) 4 East 190, 200 per Le Blanc J; and Wallis v Day (1837) 2 M & W 274,277 per Parke B. "The Master (of a ship) is bound, likewise, to proceed to the port of delivery without delay, and without any unnecessary deviation from the direct and usual course. If he covenants to go to a loading port by a given time, he must do it, or abide the forfeiture: and if he be forced by perils out of his regular course, he must regain it with as little delay as possible." See James Kent's Commentaries: Of the Contract of Affreightment This is still an important principle with respect to ship chartering.

The eldest child of Richard and Jane Shubrick, Sarah Shubrick (5 Sep 1705-?) appears to have married John Neckleson (aka John Nickleson) in London, England on 2 Nov 1727. John Nickleson entered into partnership with his two younger brothers-in-law, Richard and Thomas Shubrick.

Richard and Thomas both emigrated to America, but with Richard later returning to live in London, while Thomas remained in America until his death.

Richard's return to London in 1746 was probably to take over the running of the London end of the business and thus allow his father to retire. The death of Captain Richard Shubrick is recorded on 25 Jan 1756, in the paper "British Spy" of 31 Jan 1756. This seems to be the first Richard Shubrick (1682-1756).

(Interestingly, in the same week "British Spy" reported; "On Thursday was held a General Court of the South Sea Company, when a Dividend of Two per Cent was declared on the Capital Stock for the Half-year ending at Christmas." This reference is to the infamous South Seas Bubble Company.)

There are references to marriages of a Richard Shubrick to Hannah Foster in London on 16 Aug 1755 and also of a Richard Shubrick to Sarah Hotchkis in London on 31 Oct 1767.

The former, 1755, marriage is probably the second marriage of the Richard Shubrick (4 Jan 1707-1786) who reportedly returned to London from America in 1746 with his son Richard (1741-?) on the death of his first wife, Elizabeth Ball.

Then the latter, 31 Oct 1767, marriage is likely to be that of the third Richard Shubrick (1741->1792) who was elected as a director of London Assurance on 3 July 1792, when he gave his address as the Carolina Coffee-house. This Richard and Sarah Shubrick had eight children, a daughter Mary Shubrick on 27 Dec 1768, a daughter Mary Ann Shubrick on 3 Mar 1771, a daughter Carolina Shubrick born 1 Feb 1773, another daughter Sarah Shubrick born 23 Feb 1770, a son Richard Shubrick born 3 Mar 1775, a son Henry born 15 Jun 1780, and another son Thomas Shubrick on 8 Sep 1781, and another daughter Emma Shubrick on 1 Jul 1786, all children being born in London, England.

The Bengal, India Connection
At at least one of these sons, Thomas Shubrick seems to have emigrated to India, as there are a number of 19C BMD references to Shubrick in India, including a reference to Lieutenant-General Thomas Shubrick (1781-1863) of the Bengal Cavalry who was appointed a full General on 6 Apr 1862, see P1426 and Bulletins and Other State Intelligence - Google Books Result Also to a General Richard Shubrick of the Indian Army (11 Jan 1820-26 Apr 1888), see Officers Died S.

The latter General was appointed a provincial commander in chief on 5 Mar 1871. He was most likely the son of the former General and he was the second husband of Flora Anne Gilbert (1818-1894), herself the daughter of Lieutenant-General Sir Walter Raleigh Gilbert, GCB. General Richard Shubrick is buried at St Peter's Church, Leckhampton, Cheltenham, Glos. England. Flora may have been related by marriage to Francis Rawdon-Hastings, Marquess of Hastings, Governor General of India.

The Shubrick connection with the Army in India continued, as there is a reference to Lieutenant-Colonel Abraham Bolton of the 5th Dragoon Guards who died 20 March 1857. He was the son of Lyndon Bolton and married Eliza Fanny Shubrick, daughter of Charles Shubrick (Bombay Civil Service). There is a memorial at Christ Church, Cheltenham - "Dedicated to the memory of Abraham Bolton Esq. Lieut Colonel, late of the 5th Dragoon Guards, who departed this life on the 20 Mar 1857 aged 52, as a testimony of affection and high appreciation of his merits and Christian virtues by his afflicted mother-in-law, Eliza Matilda, widow of Charles Shubrick Esq, of the Bombay Civil Service."

This Charles Shubrick must be related, but how is not exactly clear. It seems likely he went to India as the Charles Shubrick mentioned as fourth mate on the East India ship "Canton" which traded to Asia in 1794/95.

There are several references to him as a senior Civil Servant in India, including a reference to him being "writer in the 1794 season" and being appointed Collector of the Broach Collectorate region of Gujarat in 1818 where Charles Shubrick was described as follows: "Shubrick, however, was a man of independent mind and ungovernable spirit: whenever his principles or his policies were criticized, he was apt to be outspoken to the point of insubordination in their defence. "

There is also a note of Charles Shubrick's death at Belvidere, India at age 46 on 24 Mar 1822. Thus he must have been born in 1775 or 1776.

It seems more than a coincidence that the Lieutenant Governor's residence at Bengal, India shown here was named Belvidere, the exact same name and spelling as the Shubrick plantation in South Carolina.

Perhaps a son of Charles Shubrick, was the C J Shubrick MCS who was a member of the Ootacamund Club in India in 1842. Also a grandson was perhaps the Charles J Shubrick who was married at Madras in 1854 to Louisa M H Taylor.

There seems to be an Anglo-Indian branch of the Shubrick family even today.

The American Connection
The history connecting the ancestors of Colonel Thomas Shubrick (1756-1810) with Richard Shubrick (1682-?), seems to fit as a reasonable account of the family origin.

It does broadly fit with the orally handed down Shubrick family history, recorded over 100 years later, apart from an apparent mix-up between the forenames Richard and Thomas at one point in the early 18C, which is commented on below.

Most sources agree Colonel Thomas Shubrick (1756-1810) was the son of Thomas Shubrick (c1710-14 Aug1779) and Sarah Motte (11 Jun 1778-7 Jul 1760) who were married 8 May 1746 at Charleston, Charleston County, South Carolina.

His grandfather is not as clear. Some family history trees suggest he was also named Thomas Shubrick (1690-?).

Given the combination of similar names and dates, and the extreme rarity of the name Shubrick, it seems the grandfather of Col Thomas Shubrick was the Richard (not Thomas) Shubrick (1682-1756) mentioned above.

There is no reference to Thomas Shubrick (17 Aug 1710-1779) marrying, or fathering children in London, England. It is therefore clear he was the Thomas Shubrick who emigrated to America, remained there, and fathered Colonel Thomas Shubrick (1756-1810).

Apart from the miniature of Mary Branford Shubrick shown above, recently some other Shubrick relics were sold by Golden Memories Auctions of Mountain City, GA on May 24, 2008 and were advertised as having belonged to William Branford Shubrick.

They are shown here and were described by the auction house as.


Lot 207 Blanket Box with star decoration on inside reportedly belonging to W B Shubrick


Lot 278 Captain W B Shubrick US Military and Naval Magazine Dec 1835


Lot 283 Shoulder epaulettes, belt and whale tooth (ex Shubrick)


Lot 284 Four powder horns (ex Shubrick)


VI Origin of Mary Branford's Family
As the name Branford is more common than Shubrick, it is more difficult to trace. Additionally, the Branfords do not appear to have been members of the Church of England and hence parish records of BMD are not available.

Various family history sites record that Mary Branford (1759-Aug 1832) was the daughter of Ezekiel Branford (1725-1776) and Alice Bulline (?-1787) (aka Alice Bullein), both being variations of the name Boelyn) who were married around 1738, with Mary being the third daughter and having two brothers.

Available family trees provide little information about Ezekiel Branford and Alice Bulline. I tend to think the birth date of 1725 usually given for Ezekial is too late, as his eldest child was born in 1739. Thus a birth date for him of around 1715 seems more reasonable.

However there do appear to be one or two clues to the Branford family ancestors. The sources are shown below in full for any interested researchers, although the second quotation contains much unrelated information.

From my reading of the two sources below, it appears that the mother of Ezekiel Branford was Mary Cator (aka Mary Cater) (c1682-<1730)> daughter of Thomas Cator (c1652-1730) who came from Jamaica and was married there in c1677. Mary Cater (aka Mary Cator) seems to have been married several times, with the first being to Branford with whom she had a number of children including Ezekiel Branford.

Thus one grandfather of Ezekial was Thomas Cator (c1652-1730). Ezekial married Alice Bulline who was probably a granddaughter of Thomas Bulline (c1668-6 Jul 1733) and Susannah Stone (c1672-?) of Berkeley, SC who had seven children, including a daughter named Alice (c1700-?). Their two sons were John Bulline (c1694-?) and Thomas Bulline (c1696-?). Thus it is probable that the Alice Bulline who married Ezekial was the daughter of John or Thomas Bulline.

From source one below, Ezekial seems to have had an elder brother William Branford. This may well be the William Branford (1699-1751) born in Barbados, who married Annie Creighson in 1720 at Berkeley, SC and had a number of children. This William Branford is well documented.

Source one is the will of Thomas CATOR (see http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cato/cato1/sca.html) Will sg. 1 Feb. 1730 pr. 13 Apr 1731 in Charleston. No wife is listed...Ch. 3 named: Son, William CATOR Ex. with Paul JENNYS...Dtr. Susanna Bradwell...Dtr. Mary Lashley dead...Shares to grand children as follows: Elizabeth Bullin...William Branford...Benjamin Branford not yet 21...Ann Hamblin (and called sister to Benjamin Branford)...Mary Hamblin ...Mary Shepherd & called sister to Benjamin Branford...Paul CATOR not yet 21...Ezekiel Branford...Joseph Branford...in text of will Mary Shepherd will have the 100ac where my daughter, Mary Lashley lived...Rev. Thomas SIMMONS, my pastor to have 10...Trustees to be John BULL & Elizabeth JENNYS. Wit. Angle KOONE & William BURNLY.

Source two is a very long letter from the Society of First Families of South Carolina quoted at http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/CATO/1998-01/0885605789

"1. ...The family of Thomas Cater who had 100 ac. grant 23 Mar 1681 on Ashley River, 300 ac. 12 May 1699, etc., will 1 Feb 1730 p. 26 Apr 1731, is complicated, to say the least. He had at least 4 ch: 1. Mary (c.1682-c.1750) apparently m. 4 times: Branford, Hamblin, Shephard & Lashley; 2. Thomas (c.1684-c.1725); *William* (c. 1688-1749); Susannah (c.1690- ) m. c.1708 Nathaniel Bradwell. (Many researchers never realized the existance of his son Thomas.)

2.Son *William* (c.1688-1749) m. Mary & had 7 known children: 1. Elizabeth m. Benjamin MARION; 2. Mary m. (1.) 1733 Thos. QUARTERMAN & (2)1738 Richard BAKER, Esq. of Archdale Hall; 3. Ann m. Joseph CHILD; 4. ~William~ (c.1723-c.1775), Executor of his father's 1744 will (possibly your anscestor); Benjamin (c.1725-1751) m. Mary BEDON, no children; 6. Joseph (c.1727 - ); 7. Thomas (1731-1753) m. Susannah BAKER (1731-1752) of Archdale HALL.

3. Son ~William~ (c.1721/3-c.1775) Ex. of his father's 20 Oct. 1744 will, had 500 ac. grant 29 Oct.1769 Combee Island, Granville Co.; two known ch: 1. Mary (1 June 1749-16 July 1770) m. 16 Mar. 1769 Charles DuPONT b. 1770); 2.^William^ Cater (c.1751-c.1829)

4. Son ^William^ (c.1751-d. Cater Hall Place, Barnwell Co. near where Lower Three Runs Creek empties into Savannah River (short distance from where Thomas Miles Cater lived after 1810) of burns & old age; served 290 days SC Militia Revolutionary War Service 12 May 1781-25 Feb. 1782 (SC Stub Entries Vol. R-T); granted 80 ac. west side of Lower Three Runs (then in) Orangeburg Dist. 28 Feb.1785, having had 100 ac. Tille's Branch, Lower Three Runs 1 Sept.1784; he bought 100 ac. adjoining 3 Aug.1786 from Lewis JOHNSTON, 50 ac. additional 20 Jan 1805; on Winton Co. tax list 1788; 1790 Census So. Part Orangeburg Dist. no slaves; 1800 Census Barnwell Dist. 26/45 yrs. old 6 slaves; 1810 Census with 12 slaves; 1820 Census 17 slaves. (note: this part of Orangeburg Dist. became Winton Co. 1785-98 after which it became Barnwell Dist. & in 1912 became Allendale Co.) On 17 May 1810 he had 1000 ac. grant on Boggy Gully, South Edisto River (not far away;) his wife's name unknown but she was living in 1820 census & reputedly died soon thereafter; he fell into fire in old age & was badly burned; 5 known ch: 1. James (c.1774-1807) m. Ann; no issue; 2 Benjamin (c.1777- ) had 340 acre grant on McTear's Creek, waters of South Edisto 17 May 1810 same day his father had the 1000 acre grant in same neighborhood; his name does not appear in Barnwell Co. records or censuses. My opinion is that he is the father of your Joseph Cater b. 1795 as well as the William Cater who came to Vanderburgh Co., Indiana; 3. Elizabeth born c.1780 m. Benjamin COKER who's will was proved 29 Sept 1818 naming children James, Mary, Lucy, Julia & Daniel B.; Elizabeth Cater COKER's will was executed in Barnwell 11 Sept 1849; 4. Edward, b. c.1784 (26 & up in 1810 census with wife & three young daughters; 5. Mary (1786-16 July 1855) m. 10 June 1806 James FURSE (b. Bristol, England 1774-died Barnwell Dist. 11 May 1850, son James FURSE who m. in Christ Church, Savannah, GA 24 May 1766 Herodias REDDING); James & Mary (Cater) had 11 children.

Since the 1810 date is the last known record of Benjamin Cater, it seems likely that he left SC. My files contain no reference to your Joseph born 7 Nov 1795, nor to a William who emigrated to Kentucky/Indiana.

My gr-grandfather, Capt. Thomas Cater (17 Dec.1751-30 Apr.1803) married 18 Feb.1773 Rachel MILES (22 Dec.1755-30 Jan.1802), daughter of Captain Silas MILES of Poplar Springs Plantation, St. Paul's Parish, and Elizabeth, daughter of Capt. James McPHERSON of Buckfield Plantation. They lived at Cater Hall Plantation, St. Peter's Parish; he was Commanding Officer of the Beaufort Volunteer Artillary during the Revolutionary War, member of the Jacksonbororough Assembly 1782, member of SC House of Representatives 1786 from Lincoln Co.; they had 11 children: Rachel Miles, Mary Elizabeth, Elizabeth, Susannah Baker, Caroline, Ann Miles, Thomas Miles, Silas McPherson, Richard Bohun, William Main & McPherson. Mary Elizabeth (25 June 1776-25 Feb.1823) m. (1) Thomas RHODES (Bridgnorth, England 22 Apr 1775-Calliwassee Is., Beaufort Dist., SC 25 Apr.1809) and their eldest child: Hon.George RHODES (1802-1881) of The Hermitage Plantation, Lawtonville, St.Peter's Parish, SC, Signer of the 1860 Ordinance of Secession for St. Peter's Parish, was my gr-grandfather.

The late J.G.HUBBARD of Troy, AL, a descendant of William Cater (1751-1829) studied the family extensively early in this century & in 1963 just before his death at around age 100, allowed me to abstract his conclusions. He also examined the 1802 Bible of Thomas Miles Cater, younger brother of my Mary Elizabeth.

I cannot close without noting that in 1985 I recieved a letter from (ask Bonnie if you want name & address!) who claimed that my Thomas Cater was a grandson of Ernau Catoir being a variety of Cathari, part of the Waldensians of southern France. He thought my Thomas had settled among the French Hugenots but that was not the case at all. Thomas lived on Ashley River in the midst of the Original English settlers while the Huguenots lived east of the Cooper River and along Santee River. (I have quite a few Huguenot ancestors and am a life member of the Huguenot Society of SC.) While studying the background of some of my English ancestors I found a reference to Thomas Cator at Ormesby, Lincolnshire April 1472 and another to Richard Cater, gent, on of the sons of John Cater of Langston. Richard died in the fall of his horse 10 July 1631, buried at Welton Church, leaving 2 sons: Francis & John. Richard died seised of the reversion in fee simple of the grange of Whait & of the rectory of Welton, expectant after the end of a lease made to one Thomas MASSINGBERD. Francis Cater had a son John. The Rev. MASSINGBERD's History of the parish of Ormesby cum Ketsby contains quite a few references to Cater folks in Lincolnshire whom I have no reason to doubt are my Cater family.

Also, in 1982 I carried on an extensive correspondence with (once again, write Bonnie for name & addess), who claimed descent from a William Cater born c.1753 Edgefield Dist., SC, died 1835 Monroe Co., AL; my conclusion was he belonged to a Cater family of Sumpter District, SC which had probably come down from VA. (His wife Catherine COLLINS was recorded as having been born in VA). William's grandson, Douglas John Cater (27 Mar 1841 Sparta, AL-23 Nov. 1931 San Antonio) left an account of his activities during the Confederate War.

Although my Thomas Cater (d.1731) has many descendants qualified to join the Society of First Families of South Carolina 1670-1700, none of our 500 members has elected to enter on descent from him. The Society would welcome the establishment of his line & I shall be happy to sponsor any descendant who chooses to do so....Faithfully, Robert E.H.Peeples, President.
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Note from Bonnie! The above Thomas Cater was the nephew of Stephen Cater & inherited land in GA from him (according to a Cater researcher). This is not the same Stephen Cater who willed land to nephew to John Cater - land also in Georgia. Still looking for other Stephen Cater! We have another John & George ! See following off the Family Histories 2 page: (These are the notes on Wm.W.Cater m. Mary that were sent to me)
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7GGrandfather Thomas Cater held land warrants as early as 1681 in Berkely Co. SC.

6 GGrandfather William W. Cater m. Mary ? Held Land Grants in SC. over 21 in 1774

****5 GGrandfather."William Cater (Father of John and George) Son of William W. Cater, Executor of Fathers will in 1744. Moved to Queen Annes Parish, MD. Named in 1790 Prince George County, MD Cesus."

George Cater (What I know about George comes from the entry I have for his brother John. It reads as follows: From notes br Earl F. Cater Pastor on Baugo Church of the Bretheren. "John Cater b.1776 d. Sep 18, 1858 age 81 yrs, 6 months, 26 days took tract of 160 acres in 1806 land grant in Belmont County, OH
(still in the Cater family name){1980}, Settled with brother George and family. and father, William.
Wife Mary Tarman 1-23-1805 Prince George County, MD. Known Children." Both John and George were probably born in SC or definately MD. 4G-Grandfather John Cater (1777-1858) m. 1805 Mary Tarman (n Prince George Co. MD) John Cater Jr."

VII Literature
There are several interesting Shubrick literary references.

Firstly, an 1823 book, "The Pilot - A Tale of the Sea" and written by the famous author James Fenimore Cooper (shown here in a contemporary 1822 portrait by John Wesley Jarvis) was dedicated to William Branford Shubrick as follows:

"Dedication - To William Branford Shubrick Esq. U. S. NAVY.
MY DEAR SHUBRICK,
Each year brings some new and melancholy chasm in what is now the brief list of my naval friends and former associates. War, disease, and the casualties of a hazardous profession have made fearful inroads in the limited number; while the places of the dead are supplied by names that to me are those of strangers. With the consequences of these sad changes before me, I cherish the recollection of those with whom I once lived in close familiarity with peculiar interest, and feel a triumph in their growing reputations, that is but little short of their own honest pride. But neither time nor separation has shaken our intimacy: and I know that in dedicating to you this volume, I tell you nothing new, when I add that it is a tribute paid to an enduring friendship, by your old Messmate, THE AUTHOR."

Secondly, another book written by James Fenimore Cooper in 1827 and titled "The Red Rover", was also dedicated to W B Shubrick as follows:

"To W. B. Shubrick, Esquire, U. S. Navy.
In submitting this hastily-composed and imperfect picture of a few scenes, peculiar to the profession, to your notice, dear Shubrick, I trust much more to your kind feelings than to any merit in the execution. Such as it may be, however, the book is offered as another tribute to the constant esteem and friendship of The Author."

Anyone interested in learning more about these novels or the connection with James Fenimore Cooper should visit an excellent and comprehensive site about Cooper at journal.html There is also information there about a short biography of James Fenimore Cooper published by W.B. Shubrick Clymer published in 1900 (reprinted 1918). Cooper's known letters to William Branford Shubrick are included in his published letters and journals (6 volumes, Harvard, 1960-68), along with detailed notes.

Thirdly, a romantic novel which refers to Mary Branford Shubrick is set at Belvedere Planatation at the time it was owned by the Shubrick family.

It is titled "The Haunted Avenue" by Margaret Rhett Butler, 1963. A synopsis is:

This story takes place at the first Belvidere Plantation, which was built beside the Cooper River, three miles from Charleston, in March 1796. The beautiful plantation was owned by Colonel Thomas Shubrick. He had married Mary Branford in Charleston on April 09, 1778 and was proud to present to her a property of great wealth and importance.

The story is a tale of how a young slave girl, Clarissa, who served Mrs. Shubrick was convinced by the Shubricks' gardener, an immigrant from England, Timothy Wales, to steal jewels from her mistress with a promise they would run off together. After Clarissa gave him the jewels, he pushed her aside and fled alone promising to return for her. Frightened she returned to the house and set it afire. Suspicion pointed towards her and she broke down, confessed and was hanged. Although, Belvidere was rebuilt, it's no longer standing, but they say that the ghost of Clarissa still walks the lonely avenue awaiting her English gardener who never returned.

Fourthly, there is an interesting reference to a book titled "The Lost Light - The Mystery of the Missing Cape Hatteras Fresnel Lens" by Kevin P. Duffus, 2002. It is about the Civil War, Lighthouses, and William Branford Shubrick at Lighthouses@Lighthouse Digest ... The Lost Light

VIII The Light House Board
There have been four naval vessels named USS Shubrick.

The names reflected the service of Admiral W B Shubrick (seen again here) as Chairman of the Light House Board from 1852 to 1871.

The role of Chairman of the Light House Board may be thought to be a sinecure, but in times of both peace and war it was an important role, for example in 1861 North Carolina alone had two dozen light houses.

It should be remembered that during peace times, many more ships were wrecked in coastal waters, than were ever sunk by gunfire during war!

Some brief comments on the formation of the Board are interesting and indicate the amount of work. For many years prior to 1851 light houses were a civil responsibility and were poorly managed.

A congressional investigation which began in 1847 took more than four years to effect a change in the administration of aids to navigation in the United States. During those four years, Lieutenant Jenkins of the Coast Survey was appointed to conduct interviews with pilots and mariners, and engage in research both foreign and domestic. See A HISTORY OF BUOYS AND TENDERS IN U.S. COASTAL WATERS: Chapter I

As a result of the investigation on 3 Mar 1851, Congress approved an "Act Making Appropriations for Light House, Light Boats, Buoys, &c."

In accordance with Section 8 of the act, "The Secretary of the Treasury is authorized and required to cause a board to be convened at as early a day as may be practical after the passage of that act to be comprised of two officers of the Navy of high rank, two officers of Engineers of the Army, and such civil officers of scientific attainments as may be under the orders or at the disposition of the Treasury Department, and a junior officer of the Navy to act as Secretary to said board, whose duty it shall be under instructions from the Treasury Department to inquire into the condition of the Light House Establishment of the United States, and make a general detailed report and programme to guide legislation in extending and improving our present system of construction, illumination, inspection, and superintendence."

The creation of the Light House Board was the result of this mandate. Its original members were Cdr. William B. Shubrick, US Navy; Cdr. Samuel F. Du Pont US Navy (as noted above he was a relation of W B Shubrick) U.S. Navy; Lt. Col. James Kearney, US Topographical Engineers; Professor Alexander Dallas Bache, Superintendent US Coast Survey; Professor Joseph Henry; and Lt. Thornton Jenkins, US Navy, who acted as Secretary.

The creation of the Light House Board essentially and effectively removed the jurisdiction of aids to navigation from civilian control and placed it with a quasi-military organization. The convening of the Board on April 28, 1851, marked a new beginning for aids to navigation, but members of the Board faced a significant up-hill battle. Their first task was to address the inadequacies of the existing aids, a task that consumed the Board for its first few years of existence.

In Dec 1852 the New York Times reported; "The new Light House Board, W B Shubrick, Chairman, at Washington City, has issued a circular requesting mariners and others interested in commerce, and the preservation of life and property from loss by shipwreck, to give prompt information of cases in which lights are not lighted punctually at sunset. and extinguished at sunrise, or in which they are not properly attended to during the night."

An example of the great effort required can be seen by reading W B Shubrick's annual report of the Light House Board for the year ended 30 June 1857. It runs from page 229- 256 of the Treasury Report and records that the number of light stations had risen from 371 in 1852, to 627 in 1857. See Annual report of the Secretary of the treasury ... - Google Books Result

As the board made improvements in personnel, quality of structures and materials, lighthouse equipment, and supply, it became evident that a central base of operations was needed.

In 1863, Admiral William B. Shubrick, as Chairman of the Lighthouse Board, and Professor Joseph Henry, head of the board's experimental department, set out to find the land on which to build a 'super depot' for the Lighthouse Establishment. Because of its convenient location in a major U.S. Port, the good anchorages nearby, and the availability of room for expansion, the Staten Island site was chosen.

Work began immediately to build the lighthouse depot. In 1864 the warehouse building (called the barracks today) was completed, and work soon began on the old Lamp Shop, which would be completed in 1868. The Administration Building was completed the following year in 1869. The French Second Empire style office building shown here was completed in 1871,

The Civil War caused a number of coastal lighthouses to be dismantled to avoid assisting the enemy and others fell into disrepair, which then became a major task to remedy and relied on the availability of sufficient lighthouse tenders.

The Lighthouse Service tenders provided supplies and work parties to the scattered and isolated lighthouses, in addition to maintaining other lesser aids to navigation. The work was dangerous, as lighthouses were located in hazardous areas. The tenders and their crew were expected to go where no other vessel could get to and work through storm, darkness and sunshine. The first tender along the Southwest coast was also the first steam powered tender, Shubrick.

This is a picture of South Farralone Island, Point Shubrick, Light-house, Parrot Rock and Gull Peak, from Abaloni Trail. Presumably named for W B Shubrick, but not confirmed. It gives a good idea of the type terrain and seas often met with, in establishing light houses.

In Harper's Monthly in 1869 there was a report on the state of light houses which included the following statistics:

"Commodore W.B. Shubrick, as Chairman of the United States Board, reports the number of light stations existing on 31 Mar 1868, to be 486, with 695 keepers and assistants, directed and controlled by 12 inspectors, as many engineers, and 10 members and clerks of the Board in the office at Washington. The whole force is maintained, according to the report of Controller Brodhead of the Treasury Department, at the annual cost of about $2,194,651.18, or about $4500 per light. Three hundred and sixty-six of these lights are along the Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific Coasts; but 45 of them were extinguished during the rebellion, and have never been relighted. The remainder are along the Hudson River, the only inland stream in the country which is lighted along its entire course. The highest light is visible at sea for only the distance of twenty-eight miles, and that one is on the Pacific, the least frequented of our coasts." See RootsWeb: LOWER-DELMARVA-ROOTS-L [LDR] Harpers Monthly, 1869 -1 ...

IX USS Shubrick
Shubrick 1
The first Shubrick was a lighthouse-tending ship for use on the Pacific Coast, but built in Philadelphia at a cost of $60,000. It was the first steam-powered and purpose built Lighthouse Tender. It is shown here, with another image further below which appears to be subsequent to some modifications, for example to the funnel.

From the incidents below, it can be seen it set an impressive example for its later, and larger, Shubrick namesakes!

A side-wheeler with a harp and steeple single-expansion steam engine, the Shubrick was 140 feet long with a 22-foot beam and drew only nine feet, a draft which enabled it to relieve buoys in relatively shallow water. The 284-horsepower engine propelled it at a top speed of eight knots. The hull was constructed of Florida live oak and white oak, and she displaced 350 tons fully loaded. To better withstand buoys scraping her side, the Shubrick's hull was painted black, topped with a white ribbon and waist.

US Coast Guard vessel Shubrick was dispatched to the Pacific Northwest as a lighthouse tender. It was a harrowing 150-day adventure commencing on 22 Dec 1857. The vessel steamed around Cape Horn and through the Magellan Straits. It ran out of coal to fuel the steamship, and the crew was forced to cut up pieces of the ship for fuel, before putting ashore to accumulate wood, and arriving on 27 May 1858 at San Francisco

In a full and interesting reference to the maiden voyage Henry George, a crew member, wrote: "She looked as sharp and trim as a yacht, but, as in addition to her regular duties of supplying light-houses and maintaining the buoyage along the west coast, she was intended to give protection to government property along the sea shore of Oregon and Washington from the depredations of Indian tribes, she was armed with six brass guns and a novel contrivance for squirting scalding water on the redskins when at close quarters."

The voyage was dangerous. As early as "Christmas day, while the Shubrick was steaming along over a sun-kissed sea some distance off the Hatteras coast, the wind, which had been fair, subsided, and then without warning rose into a white squall, blowing from the north-east. The boat's head was swung around and she was brought to under low-steam. At night the wind blew a hurricane, the sea breaking over her fore and aft with great violence. The after part of the wheelhouse, engineer's storeroom and starboard bulwarks were stove in, and everything movable on deck washed overboard, including port shutters, harness-casks, deck engine, and spare spars and lumber. At ten that night, deeming that she was in danger of foundering, thirty tons of sacked coal and some other things were thrown overboard.

Many times during his life Henry George spoke of the terrors of this storm, on one occasion saying: "A negro deckhand and I worked together throwing over bags of coal to lighten her. The sailing master hung on the bridge shouting to us through the speaking trumpet and barely able to make himself heard, as he told us the work we were doing was for life or death."" The account also describes an incident when a crew member died at sea, but his coffin later floated into the harbour and bumped up against the Shubrick. See THE LIFE OF HENRY GEORGE I

There is a further reference to the initial voyage of the Shubrick to the West Coast where James Monroe Frazer (1830-1891) was its second officer, see Descendant of ship's top surviving officer - 04/09/01

The cargo on the first voyage included a bell cast in 1855 by Bernard & Co of Philadelphia which was used as a fog warning device. The bell served at the New Dungeness and Point No Point Stations before being installed at Browns Point in 1903, see www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM17F2

An early master of the Shubrick was Captain Charles Stuart Boggs who had been at Panama during the massacre of 1856 with his wife and daughter, and narrowly escaped falling victim to it. He then served as commander of the Illinois for three years, before being transferred to the coast of California. The light house system needed extension, and in 1859 and 1860 he was appointed Inspector of Lights. The Shubrick was placed under his command, and he was required to make two annual trips along the coast from Vancouver's Island to Lower California, inspecting old lights, and carrying supplies to them, and surveying sites for new ones. In performing this duty, he was enabled, at the same time, to complete an exploration of the western coast of the continent, which he had partially carried out many years before.

This is a stereoscopic view titled; "The Golden Gate - from U.S. Steamer "Shubrick" off North Point."

The Shubrick was transferred to the Navy Department on 23 August 1861 and saw service on the West Coast. For example in 1863 in connection with the wreck of the Novick.

The steam corvette Novick (also known as Norvick) of the Imperial Russian Navy may have conformed to particulars cited for other Russian men-of-war that served with her. If so, Novick was between 800 and 1000 tons, carried a 300-horsepower marine steam engine, was screw-propelled, and mounted 6 to 12 guns.

The Novick was wrecked at Point Reyes on 26 Sep 1863. Novick was the vanguard of the Russian Pacific fleet commanded by Admiral A. A. Popoff. The fleet was en route to San Francisco as part of a Russian goodwill visit to the United States during the American Civil War. In the winter of 1863-1864, Russian fleets visited New York and San Francisco, where they were warmly welcomed by the beleaguered American government at a time when many foreign governments, notably England and France, were openly sympathetic to the Confederacy.

Novick had departed Hokkaiddo, Japan, on 1 Sep 1863, for San Francisco. On the morning of 26 Sep, the corvette was off Point Reyes when she ran aground on Ten-Mile Beach. Her officers thought the ship was 25 miles offshore when she struck. "The weather was very foggy at the time. She tried to back off, but the very heavy sea running turned her broadside on to the beach, heaving her into from five to ten feet of water."

A boat was sent ashore and an officer walked inland to San Quentin on San Francisco Bay, where he caught a boat to San Francisco. With news of the wreck of Novick at hand, the United States revenue cutter Shubrick was sent with the Russian Vice-Consul Klinkestrom to Point Reyes. Arriving there, Shubrick found Novick broken up in the surf: "only a small piece of the stern was all that remained of her." The 160-man crew managed to reach shore with the loss of only one man and were transported with their dunnage to San Francisco.

The salvage of materials from the wreck began almost immediately and by November 1863 San Franciscans were able to view "Relics from a Wreck" as follows. "Some five or six guns have been recovered from the wreck, amongst which is one brass rifled cannon. This is a twenty-four pounder; the others being thirty-two pounders. There are also to be seen a number of substantial and handsome copper chests, used as powder magazines. Of these the Novick had on board no fewer than three hundred and forty. The engines were saved also, but not the boilers. The sails, made of simon pure "Russian duck," were also recovered, besides a variety of other articles, which will repay the inspection of the curious."

Two weeks after the wreck, Admiral Popoff arrived at San Francisco in his flagship Bogatvre. A court-martial was held that ultimately absolved the officers of Novick of any blame in the loss of their ship. See Full text of "Submerged cultural resources assessment : Golden ...

The Shubrick again featured in 1865 when the US Customs Collector, Victor Smith threatened to bombard Port Townsend , WA using the guns of the Shubrick in a dispute about the relative commercial merits of two competing ports, Port Angles and Port Townsend. He then churned the water to a frenzy with the Shubrick's paddle wheels when a marshal tried, but failed to deliver an indictment using a row boat! See Exploring Washington's Past: A Road Guide to ... - Google Books Result and also Victor Smith, Port Townsend and the Customs House

The Shubrick also featured in 1865 when the US Coast Guard services began in Alaska. The Shubrick led a six vessel expedition along the coast to Bering Straits.

On 17 Oct 1866 the Daily Hawaiian Herald reported a Mark Twain despatch of 24 Sep 1866 when the Shubrick had given a 21 gun salute in San Francisco to mark the arrival of Queen Emma of Hawaii, Mark Twain on Queen Emma of Hawaii

Partly resulting from the earlier Shubrick voyage to Alaska, in Mar 1867 the United States purchased Alaska from Russia. On 30 Mar US Secretary of State William H. Seward reached agreement with Russia’s Baron Stoeckl to purchase the territory of Alaska, amounting to 591,000 square miles (more than 375 million acres) for $7.2 million in gold, or two cents an acre.

It was a deal roundly ridiculed as "Seward's Folly," "Seward's icebox," and President Andrew Johnson's "polar bear garden." The treaty was signed the next day and on 9 Apr 1867 the treaty authorizing the purchase was ratified. On 20 Jun 1867 President Andrew Johnson announced the purchase of Alaska.

On 12 Aug 1867 the first US official, a coast guardsmen, arrived in Sitka, Alaska and on 9 Oct 1867 the Russians formally transferred Alaska to the US which formally took possession on 18 Oct 1867. Alaska became a state in 1959.

The Shubrick was then returned by the Revenue Cutter Service to the Lighthouse Board in 1866. But on 8 Sep 1867, while under the command of Captain J.W. Patterson the Shubrick went aground near Cape Mendocino, the most westerly point in California, see Cape Mendocino Lighthouse and PACIFIC COAST.; Accident to United States Steamer Shubrick ...

It seems Shubrick must have been recovered as there are reports of it still working in 1879 on the construction of the Point No Point light house in Puget Sound, see Captain's Log

The last record seems to be on 20 Mar 1886 in Astoria, when a man from San Francisco purchased the Shubrick for $3,200.29. After twenty-nine years of government service, the first steam lighthouse tender retired from the fleet. See PACIFIC COAST.; Accident to United States Steamer Shubrick ...

Shubrick 2

The second USS Shubrick was a torpedo boat, USS Shubrick (TB-31) built at Richmond, VA by William R Trigg.

The two larger photographs are from Janes Fighting Ships of 1914 and 1919.

Unusually, it was a side launching. Although side launching on the Great Lakes was not an uncommon practice, the side launching of torpedo-boat Shubrick and others were different in some respects.

These vessels were not launched sideways from choice; on the contrary, the limited extent of land and water available at the time these vessels were laid down left the Trigg Company no alternative. The land at their disposal was a wedge-shaped piece of ground, bounded on two sides by the old James river and Kanawha canal and by the dock at the head of the same, and on the third side by the tracks of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad and of the Southern Railway.

The canal is about 100 feet wide, and is normally about 15 feet deep, although this was increased by flooding during the launches to about 18 feet. The Shubrick's building slip occupied the apex of the wedge, and the Stockton and Thornton, and Dale and Decatur, were built in pairs in the order named. The Shubrick, Stockton, and Thornton were sister vessels, as were the Dale and Decatur.

As a torpedo boat, Shubrick was thus side launched on 31 Oct 1899 by "little Miss Carrie Shubrick" a great-grand-niece of WB Shubrick, in the presence of President McKinley and in a heavy rainstorm.

The weather was so bad that a paddle-wheeler in the harbour sank with 100 people on board. See M'KINLEY AT RICHMOND; President Attends Christening of Torpedo ...

The Shubrick was commissioned in 1901, renamed Coast Torpedo Boat No. 15 in 1901 and decommissioned in 1919. On its trials, it reached a speed of 26.7 knots.

For more about it see USS Shubrick (TB-31) and www.history.navy.mil/danfs/s12/shubrick-ii.htm
and Waving US Flag NavSource Naval History Photographic History of the ... -

Shubrick 3
The third USS Shubrick was one of the "FAMOUS FIFTY" lend-lease destroyers later loaned to Britain to assist in World War II. It had been laid down on 3 Jun 1918 as a Clemson Class destroyer and was launched on 31 Dec 1918.

It can be seen here in as the centre of three destroyers on this first day cover. It was decommissioned in Jun 1922 and remained laid up until Dec 1939. See also USS Shubrick (DD-268)

As USS Shubrick it arrived at Halifax on 21 Nov 1940, was decommissioned on 26 Nov 1940 and simultaneously commissioned in the British Navy as HMS Ripley [G-79.].

It served throughout World War II and its service record can be seen at HMS Ripley, destroyer It spent most of the war as an Atlantic convoy escort and later as a coastal convoy escort.

Shubrick 4
The fourth USS Shubrick (DD-639) was laid down in 1942 and decommissioned in Nov 1945.

Details about it have not been included here, as there is a great deal about the ship and its crew at an award winning website at USS Shubrick Home Page

Also see USS Shubrick (DD-639)

X Navy and Other Links
Consequent upon the gradual additions to this collection, and the associated research, it is increasingly found that links appear connecting miniatures in the collection, with people in other miniatures which form part of the collection.


Thus there are miniature portraits of Naval officers who would likely have known members of the Shubrick family.

They include these three miniature portraits of:
Commodore Edward Preble (1761-1807) who may have known John Templar Shubrick, see Colby, Clara - portrait of Commodore Edward Preble

Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry (1794-1858) who was of a similar age to John, William, Edward, and Irvine - see Gelee, Isabelle - portrait of Commodore Perry

Admiral Charles Stanhope Cotton (1843-1909) who, although younger, may well have met Admiral Shubrick, see Unknown - portrait of Admiral and Mrs Cotton

There are also names which connect through marriages. 1330

Snead, Lousie Willis - portrait of Emma C Rose

This miniature portrait of Emma C Rose is signed in red "Snead".

The packing inside the frame includes an invitation shown below which is dated 10 February 1907 and thus this is probably the approximate date for the miniature.

Snead is the signature of Louise Hammond Willis Snead (25 Dec 1866-1958) who according to her 1924 passport application was born in Charlston, SC and worked in Noroton, CT and New York City.

So far, no confirmed record of her parents has been found, but they may well have been Major Edward Willis (1834-1910) and Elizabeth Louise Hammond Willis (1835-1917) of Charleston, SC.

As is the rightful privilege of women generally, the year of Louise's birth tended to become more recent as each year of her life passed.

Thus, it is not exactly clear which year she was born, as her stated birth years seem to vary between 1866 and 1875.

Louise married Harry Vairin Snead (15 Mar 1867-16 Sep 1924) on 4 Sept 1894 in Blowing Rock, NC. Harry was the son of Colonel Thomas Lowndes Snead (10 Jan 1828-17 Oct 1890) and Harriet Vairin Reel (26 Apr 1833-?) from St Louis, Mi. who were married in St Louis on 24 Nov 1852.

Louise and Harry had a daughter, Louise V Snead who, in 1918, became engaged to Roderick Murchison Edens. It seems that Harry V Snead was a judge in later life, but on 14 Nov 1893 and before he was married, he was falsely arrested, see A CASE FOR INVESTIGATION.

Harry's father, Colonel Thomas Snead was senior assistant adjutant general under Confederate Major General Sterling Price during the Civil War. Thomas Snead later resumed his career in NYC as a lawyer and newspaper editor.

On 18 Oct 1924, very shortly after her husband's death and when she was living in Noroton, CT, Louise Snead made a passport application, containing the attached passport photo, to travel for health and study reasons to England, France, Germany, Italy, Egypt, and Palestine.

Louise was a small lady, being only five feet tall, with brown hair and eyes, and gave her occupation as artist. She returned from her trip on 11 May 1925.

The sitter in this miniature is identified on the reverse as Emma C Rose. However, she has not yet been more closely identified.

Louise Snead was more than a miniature painter. She was also a journalist and illustrator.

An article she wrote for "Outing Volume XXXVIII" titled "Houseboats and Houseboaters" can be read at [PDF] Houseboats and Houseboaters.

The first illustration by her shown here, being in a book by F. H. Lundgren.

"When Titania leads her fairy dancers about the heads of little dreamers." Illustration for "Reading the Book of Fate" by Louise Willis Snead. St. Nicholas. Volume 23, No. 1 (November 1895), 33

The second is of a lady wearing a large red hat on the cover of McCall's Magazine for September 1909.

SIRIS appears to have references to Louise Willis Snead under the heading of Macbeth Gallery Records.

In 1916 Louise Snead wrote and illustrated a 58 page book titled "Silver and Gold" about the History of the Stamford Trust Company. 1329

Miller, George M - wax portrait of a man

Rarer than ivory miniature portraits, are wax portraits such as this one.

It has been attributed to George M Miller (?->1821?). SIRIS list five wax portraits by him and suggests he died in 1819, but another reference (Bolton) states he exhibited a wax portrait of Talbot Hamilton in 1821.

In her work on wax sculptors, Bolton attributes 23 wax miniatures to Miller, but at least one of them is wrong, as it is signed by the German was sculptor Curiger.

Miller originally emigrated to the United States from Germany under the name Mueller. He was a potter, stone-cutter, and modeller and worked in Baltimore, New York, and Philadelphia, being active from 1790 to 1821.

He was a member of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts where he exhibited several waxes between 1813 and 1821, including one of James Madison (whereabouts unknown). He was also a fellow of the Columbian Society of Arts.

There were a few other modellers in wax. The most famous was Patience Wright, but others of note included Johann Christian Rauschner (aka John Christopher Rauschner), Valaperta, and Robert Ball Hughes.

The work of Miller and Rauschner is similar to one another, but Miller's sculptures tend to be a little smaller. For example with this one, the actual wax is 40mm x 20mm.

Rauschner apparently used colored wax throughout, whereas with this Miller wax, the face is colored, but the coat is white wax covered with brown pigment. The sitter has a pigtail, although it is hard to see in the image here.

The waxes were made by pressing soft wax into a mould and hence multiple copies could be made. The resultant model was then mounted on black glass and framed, often with a distinctive style of metal frame imported from Germany.

Although there is some similarity with this miniature of James Madison, which is by Charles Willson Peale, it seems unlikely this is a version of the Madison portrait as Bolton records that as right facing.

There are three other American wax miniatures in this collection.

Until now they have all been attributed to Rauschner, but they need to be revisited to determine if any should instead be re-attributed to George Miller.1326

For anyone interested in knowing more about Robert Ball Hughes, I have been kinldy sent the following information; "I found your blog and thought you would like to see my website for my ancestor, Robert Ball Hughes, at www.robertballhughes.com. I have a page on wax miniatures at http://robertballhughes.googlepages.com/waxminiatures "

Unknown - portrait of Judge John Speed

Fortunately acquired for the collection is this miniature portrait painted on ivory in 1840 by an unknown artist for Lucy Gilmer Speed. It is of Judge John Speed (May 17 1772-Mar 30 1840), the father of Joshua Fry Speed (Nov 14 1814-May 29 1882), the great friend of Abraham Lincoln.

On April 15, 1837, Lincoln arrived at Springfield, the new state capital, in order to seek his fortune as a young lawyer. Lincoln needed to set up housekeeping and went to Speed's store to buy a bed. Lincoln asked to buy the bed on credit but young Joshua Fry Speed offered to share his own large upstairs room, resulting in the two settling in as room-mates. This in turn led to the development of a life-long friendship.

Judge John Speed was also the builder and original owner of the historic home Farmington, which he built in 1815/1816 for his wife, Lucy Gilmer Fry, daughter of Joshua Fry and granddaughter of Dr. Thomas Walker, the guardian of Thomas Jefferson.

Lucy knew Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson and there are design similarities between Farmington and Monticello, the latter as shown here being completed in 1809.

For example, they both have octagonal rooms, a distinctive feature of Jeffersonian architecture. Lucy's aunt and uncle's home in Charlottesville, Virginia was also called Farmington and had an addition designed by Thomas Jefferson.

Judge John Speed was descended from the British cartographer of the 17C, see A genealogy of the Speed family since the 16th century

Judge John Speed was also the father of James Speed (Mar 11 1812–Jun 25 1887), who was appointed to the cabinet of Abraham Lincoln as Attorney General in 1864. See James Speed - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

One of the Judge's daughters was Susan Fry Speed (30 Sep 1817-Nov 1888). She is referred to below in connection with some other Speed and Lincoln memorabilia acquired with this miniature.

The miniature is 43mm x 35mm in size and the reverse of the unusual octagonal shaped case is inscribed "L G Speed" for Lucy Gilmer Speed, who was the second wife of Judge John Speed.

The birth of John Speed was recorded at Charlotte Court House, Charlotte, Virginia. He was the son of James Speed and Mary Spencer.

He firstly married Abigail LeMaster (aka Abby LeMaster) on 1 Nov 1796 (sometimes 26 Nov 1796) in Jefferson, KY. Abigail (c1775-Jul 1807) was the daughter of John LeMaster and Jemimia Floyd.

There are reports of up to four children, James Speed (1797-1797), possibly a second James Speed (1799-1799), Mary Speed (1802-?), and Eliza Jane Speed (1805-2 Jul 1885). Eliza is buried at Cave Hill Cemetery, Louisville KY.

As a widower with two small children, John Speed then secondly married Lucy Gilmer Fry on 15 Nov 1808 at Mercer, KY. Lucy Fry (23 Mar 1788-27 Jan 1874) was the daughter of Joshua Fry and Peachy Walker.

Judge John Speed was then 36 years old and thus 16 years older than Lucy. Family history sites suggest they had eleven children with most of them born prior to 1819. The eldest, Thomas Speed being born on 15 Sep 1809.

John Speed served in the United States forces in 1791 against the Indians and the "Farmington" property in Judge John Speed's life was reportedly the scene of lavish hospitality extended not only to kinsmen and friends, but even to an army, for it is said, that the volunteers for the War of 1812, passing "Farmington," were entertained in entire companies and even larger bodies of men. Although this was before the main house was built in 1815.

At around this time, in 1820, Louisville’s population was 4,180 of which 1,031 were slaves and 95 free people of color.

Speed commenced construction of a homestead in 1815, which was completed in 1816. It is shown here together with four outbuildings in John Rutherford's 1820 gouache, which was painted some 65 years before the first known photo of the house.

It is now the historic home Farmington Historic Homes Foundation - Farmington According to tax lists, John Speed owned 12 enslaved African Americans in 1811, 39 in 1812 and 43 in 1813. By 1820, John Speed is listed as owning 55 slaves. This rapid increase in slave ownership reflects the establishment and development of Speed's plantation at Farmington.

The main cash crop was hemp, which was used to make rope and bagging for the cotton trade. The farm also produced corn, hay, apples, pork, vegetables, wheat, tobacco and dairy products. The tasks of planting, harvesting and shipping products to market were performed primarily by enslaved African Americans who worked in the fields, labored at the ropewalk and drove the wagons.

Farmington has a place in history, as shortly after the 1840 death of Judge John Speed, in 1841, Farmington hosted its most famous guest, Abraham Lincoln.

Tired and despondent over breaking off his engagement to Mary Todd of Lexington, and also worried about the direction his political career was taking, Lincoln came to Farmington to visit with Joshua Speed and his family. He stayed about three weeks with the Speed family during August and September 1841. The courtship of his friend Joshua and Fanny Henning gave him some hope about his own future. After rest and relaxation, Lincoln returned to Springfield and to renew his wooing of Mary Todd. Their subsequent marriage is history.

At least six of Judge John Speed’s sons and grandsons served in the Union Army during the Civil War.

The Speed Art Museum has in its collection two similar images of Judge John Speed as shown here. One is a large oil by Matthew Harris Jouett (1788-1827).

The second is a miniature watercolor said by the Speed to be on paper, although it looks as if it may be on ivory. It is 51mm x 41mm and is by an unknown artist.

All three portraits appear to be based on the same pose, looking at the viewer and with his spectacles pushed back on his forehead.

Most likely, the Jouett portrait is the original, obviously painted before Jouett died in 1827. In that year Judge John Speed would have been aged 55 and, although the image is difficult to see, Speed looks a little younger than 55, which suggests the oil portrait was painted around 1820.

Differences between the two miniatures are subtle, as can be seen by comparing them, but sufficient to be confident they are not by the same artist.

The artist for this octagonal miniature is unknown, but there is part of a trade card used as packing in the reverse, with the wording "..den Lane New York". A kind visitor has suggested this refers to Maiden Lane, in Manhattan, with the trade card referring to the artist or jeweller who made the case. This suggests the miniature was painted and/or framed in New York. However, there were some 120 miniature painters in New York at this time and hence it has not been possible to identify the artist.

From the style of the case it probably dates to the early 1840's. Judge John Speed died in 1840 and the most likely explanation is that Lucy Gilmer Speed commissioned the miniature in 1840, so that she could wear it in memory of him.



Within the Speed Museum collection there are these three portraits of Lucy Gilmer Speed but, unfortunately, she does not appear to be wearing the miniature in the paintings.

The one on the left is a miniature in a case which is difficult to date. The middle portrait in color is an oil by Jouett who, as noted above, died in 1827 and probably painted the oil of Judge John Speed around 1820.

That suggests the oil of Lucy Gilmer Speed by Jouett which is of identical size, was also painted around 1820, when she was aged 32.

However, she looks to be quite some years older than 32 in the oil portrait, which raises the possibility that the portrait does not depict Lucy Gilmer Fry but some other family member, unless the years, her own eleven children, and her two step daughters had caused time to be particularly unkind to her!

The various other portraits of the Speed family above are in the Speed art Museum collection and full details about them can be viewed via the Kentucky Online Arts Resource (KOAR) Home

When the miniature of Judge John Speed was acquired, it was accompanied by several other items of memorabilia associated with the Speed family and Abraham Lincoln. These items are associated with descendants of Judge John Speed's daughter Susan Fry Speed (30 Sep 1817-Nov 1888) who married Benjamin O Davis (3 Jun 1806-15 Mar 1861) on 5 Jun 1838.

One of the children of Benjamin and Susan Davis, was Lucy Gilmer Davis (30 Aug 1840-3 Feb 1924) who married J Edward Hardy (5 Nov 1834-?) on 18 Jun 1861.

One of the children of J Edward and Lucy Hardy was Frank Whittle Hardy (aka Frank Hardy) (see references to F W Hardy below) and a daughter was Charlotte Howard Hardy.

Charlotte Howard Hardy (aka Lottie Hardy) (1862->1930) married Charles Pettet Robinson (1854->1930) and their daughter was Lucy Gilmer Robinson (Jan 1896-May 1987) who married ? McCormick (?-<1930) in 1921. She is also known as Gilmer Robinson McCormick as referred to below. It appears her husband died before 1930, as in the 1930 census, she was living as a widow, with her 8 year old son, John N McCormick at her parents' home.

There is an actress and singer named Gilmer McCormick who was born in Louisville in 1947 and seems likely to be the granddaughter of Lucy Gilmer Robinson McCormick, see Gilmer McCormick - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia She is best known for for her performance in the stage and film versions of Godspell in the early 1970s and for her role in the 1984 horror film Silent Night, Deadly Night.

One of the items acquired with the miniature portrait of Judge John Speed, is a very old photograph of an oil portrait of a Speed family member. He is believed to be the son of Judge John Speed, but the whereabouts of the original oil portrait is unknown.

On the reverse there are several partially illegible inscriptions, but the following can be read; "Mrs Edward Hardy Ky St" and "J E Hardy 117 W Ky" and "8 cream on board".

These appear to relate to instructions for creating copies of this photograph of the oil portrait.

However, the oil can be compared with this miniature portrait of Joshua Fry Speed which is owned by the Filson Historical Society, Louisville, KY.

Although an image of the young James Speed has not yet been located, a photograph of him in later life is shown here.

Of the two brothers, Joshua Fry Speed seems the most likely to be the sitter in the oil, but the help of any visitor able to confirm the sitter's identity would be appreciated.

Three other items came with the miniature of Judge John Speed, two books and an engraving.


One book seems to be quite common. It is a 1908 edition of "A Perfect Life" by Mary Raymond Shipman Andrews, and which contains an engraved portrait of Lincoln.

The flyleaf of the book is inscribed; "F W Hardy 117 W Ky St, Louisville, Ky", the same family as mentioned on the reverse of the image of the oil portrait above.

The second engraving is a profile portrait of Lincoln which seems to have been cut down from another source. It has a facsimile image of Lincoln's signature.

It appears to be signed "Mandel(?) Murphy UWI(?)". However, it is possible that the word Mandel may be Cryllic for Murphy, as the "N" is back to front and the "E" is a "C".

Thus any thoughts on the origin of this profile engraving would be welcome.

The last item is another book by Joshua Fry Speed which seems to be uncommon, as there are few Internet references to it and no original copies appear to be available for purchase.

The exterior cover is titled "Lincoln - California - by Joshua F Speed".

Inscribed on the flyleaf is "Mrs Wm Robinson from her friend Fanny Speed" and underneath that is "Gilmer Robinson McCormick".

From the information above it is can be seen that Gilmer Robinson McCormick was a great-great-granddaughter of Judge John Speed.

The full title of the book is "Reminiscences of Abraham Lincoln and Notes of a Visit to California - Two Lectures by Joshua F Speed".

It has 67 pages and was published by John P Morton and Company in Louisville, KY in 1884.

Joshua Fry Speed married Frances Henning (aka Fanny Henning (1820-1902) on 12 Feb 1842. They had a marriage of 40 years, but they had no children.

Joshua Speed died in 1882 and so it is probable his wife Fanny Henning Speed arranged the printing of the book in 1884 after his death.

Joshua and Fanny are shown in this double portrait, with Joshua's arm around Fanny.

In the 1850 census, Fanny's mother Elizabeth Henning (1785-?) was living with them and they disclosed assets of $20,200.

They can be tracked through subsequent census records, although Fanny could not be found in the 1900 census.

They are interred together at Cave Hill Cemetery which is a 296-acre Victorian era National Cemetery and arboretum located at 701 Baxter Avenue, Louisville, Kentucky. 1327

Wagner, Daniel and Maria Louisa - portrait of a lady

There are a number of American miniature painters who are deservedly well known for the quality of their painting.

There are others, sometimes demonstrating even more skill than those well known names, whose names are completely unknown, or whose name is known, but their work is very rare. In my opinion, this stunning miniature portrait comes into the latter category.

The photos displayed here, while illustrating the skill of the artist, do not convey the depth of colors and the vibrancy of the miniature when viewed in the hand or under a magnifying glass. It is 95mm x 77mm and contained within a leather case.

The portrait has moved straight to the top echelon of my personal favourites among the American miniatures in this collection.

I feel the actual painting skill is similar to that displayed by John Henry Brown. However Brown was trying to emulate photographs and his miniatures tend to be flat, whereas this miniature was painted just before the introduction of photography and has a depth that very few other miniature painters have equalled.

Unfortunately, the name of the sitter is unknown, although the previous owner has believed it had probably been in a drawer in the same house in Raymond, Maine since before 1880.

If any of the occupants of the house at that date had been known, it may have been possible to back track through census records to determine the likely sitter.

The skill of the artists can be seen in the close ups of the head, her wrap, and her hands. It is almost possible to read the writing on the letter she is holding.

The miniature is clearly signed on the reverse "D and M L Wagner December 1839". Above the signature there is an earlier erased signature which is indecipherable. It appears to start "By Daniel ......." but there are two interpretations.

Firstly, that it read "By Daniel Wagner" but then it was amended to include his sister's name.

Secondly, that it may have read "By Daniel and Maria Louise Wagner" but the wording was then found to be too long to fit on the reverse of the miniature when the paper was cut down to size and so the signature was rewritten to fit the piece of backing paper.

Since the miniature was first listed here, more has been discovered about the lives of Daniel (14 Apr 1802- 21 Jan 1888) and his sister Maria Louisa Wagner (1815-20 Oct 1888) and added below. Daniel was born in Leyden, MA and worked in Utica NY, Albany NY, NYC and died in Norwich NY.

They have been found in the 1880 census record which shows Maria Louisa as born in NY state, elsewhere she is recorded more precisely as born at Preston, Chenango, NY in 1815. She worked in Chenango Valley, NY, Albany NY, NYC and died in Norwich NY in the same year as her brother. Maria Louisa is buried at Mt Hope Cemetery,Norwich, NY.

In the 1880 census, they are recorded as living in Rochester NY, Maria as 62 years old and with no occupation, but Daniel describing himself as 78 and as "portrait and landscape painter". They record both their parents as born in Massachusetts. Daniel is not referred to as crippled, despite the references below to him being crippled.

Their father was Frederick Wagner (1777-16 Jul 1868) who had been born in Worcester, MA, son of John Frederick Rudolf Wagner born on 19 May 1778 in Worcester, whose parents were Caterina Elizabetha Wagner and Johan Jacob Wagner. Their mother was Anna Walworth.

Frederick Wagner married Anna or Hannah Walworth (21 May 1778-6 Sep 1847) who had been born in Leyden, Franklin, MA. They were married on 03 Jan 1799 at Leyden, Franklin, MA and had 13 children, of which Daniel was the eldest of four sons, and Maria Louisa was the seventh of nine daughters.

The reverse of the ivory shows how some artists added depth to their work. In comparing the reverse with the front, it can be seen that the dress, necklace, and hair are different. Presumably, at the request of the sitter.

Among American miniature painters there are very few examples of miniatures being jointly signed. Other examples include; "Inman and Cummings" and "Doyle and Williams". However, the Wagner's seem to be unique as signing as brother and sister.

According to Women's Culture: American Philanthropy and Art, 1830-1930 - Google Books Result Maria took up miniature painting to help care for her crippled brother.

Other works by them seem to be rare. The only one I can find is a reference to this portrait of Henry Rowe Schoolcraft by Maria Louisa Wagner, which is inscribed on the reverse "Painted by/Mary Louis Wagner/Washington ["Albany" is crossed out] /June 1852/The Property of Ester Schoolcraft." This seems to suggest that they also worked as individuals.

The year 1839 that this fine miniature of a lady by Daniel and Maria Louisa Wagner was signed, is poignant in the history of miniature portraits, as it is the year before the introduction of daguerreotypes began to hit miniature painters like a tsunami.

Thus 1839 could be said to represent the high tide mark for American miniature painting. This miniature certainly deserves to be regarded as a worthy example to mark that high tide. 1322

Subsequently, the following extra information has been found out. "Daniel and Maria Louisa Wagner, were a brother and sister team from Norwich, New York who travelled from town to town in a covered wagon painting portraits and miniatures.

One day they met the great William H. Seward in Ithaca, NY who later became Governor of New York. He was so taken with their work that he advised them to open a studio in Albany, NY. They soon won acclaim among the elite, painting portraits of many famous people of the day...Martin Van Buren, Erastus Corning, Silas Wright, Millard Fillmore, and many others.

Showing here is a partial list of the portraits they painted. A larger list is now held as part of the Chenango County museum. Also showing are some newspaper articles about the Wagners.

"Some commentators proclaimed the two country children to be "THE WORLDS GREATEST PAINTERS OF MINIATURES" In 1852 upon the advice of Mr. Fillmore, the two headed to Washington, DC. There they made paintings of Daniel Webster, President Fillmore's family, and a great many other notables. Then they went to New York City where they opened a studio. Throughout their entire lives the brother and sister remained inseparable. They returned to their home town of Norwich, New York in later years where Daniel Died in Feb. 1888, and his sister died a few months later apparently of grief at the loss of her brother. They are buried side by side in Mt. Hope Cemetery in Norwich."

A kind visitor found the miniature by Daniel and Maria Wagner in this collection and has sent in for display another miniature by Daniel Wagner. Wagner painted this one of his niece, Altheda Sheffield (Phelps) at age 14 in 1840. She was the great-great-grandmother of the visitor.

For those interested, the visitor was able to provide more information about the Wagner family. There were 13 children, with Daniel being the third and Maria the eleventh. The following obituary is from an 1888 newspaper clipping found at the Gurnsey Memorial Library in Norwich, New York. As there is little information readily available about the Wagners, it has been repeated here in full for any interested family or art researchers.

"Death of Daniel Wagner
At his home on Hayes St, Saturday evening, Mr Daniel Wagner the well known artist died at the advanced age of 86 years. As noticed in a former issue he had a shock of paralysis about two weeks ago. He was too feeble to rally after lingering till Saturday evening quietly passed away. He was born at Layden Mass. April 14, 1802 and removed to this town with his parents in the fall of 1805. At sixteen years of age he was a well grown youth five feet ten inches high a well proportioned and could out work, out run or out jump any one of his age. In those days, farmers had all their own grain ground at the mills near by, and boys went to mill evenings so as to be in school in the day time.

One evening he went to mill with grain, and having to wait his turn, played a game of "goal" with the other boys. When his grist was brought out, though in a great perspiration, he placed the grist on his horse and rode nearly two miles, in the teeth of a northwest wind. He took a severe cold which settled in his right hip joint. He was treated with "calomel and jallop and freely bled." He suffered intense pain and his right leg contracted about three inches. Drs. Mitchell and Packer were called in consultation and pronounced his disease "acute hip disease." Dr. Mason, who had just been Chenango’s Representative in Congress, was also consulted and gave it as his dictum that his patient might live three months.

Despite the prophecies of the physicians, he rallied and could move on crutches. Then the socket joint of the left leg was attacked and that hip thrown out of joint. He was confined to the bed for a year by this trouble. He finally recovered so as to be able to get about with short crutches.

While in this crippled condition he began to sketch the heads of his friends for amusement. He soon found he had decided talent for drawing giving individuality. His friends soon began to insist upon keeping his sketches and paying him for them. One day he was a guest in a home where the daughter had just returned from boarding school and had a box of water colors. She taught him how to use them and he colored a head of her, with which she was greatly pleased. Going to Oxford soon after he saw a portrait of a beautiful lady by Rembrant Peale. He copied it in oils with gratifying success.

He then began to teach his sister, Miss Louise Wagner, the details of drawing and gave her the head of "Thomas Jefferson," to copy. She succeeded so well that they determined to pursue art. About this time he was confined to his bed for a year, but, his health slightly improving , he began to paint miniatures "lying on his back and having his sitter beside his bed. His sister having decided to devote herself to the same line of art, they spent several years painting portraits in the towns of Chenango Valley, going as far south as Binghamton and north to Utica and Whitestown and west to Ithaca. At the latter place the became acquainted with William E. Seward and under his advice went to Albany, where they painted miniatures of the members of legislature. From Albany they went to New York taking letters of introduction.

From a short autobiography we take the following, "We took rooms at the Astor House and being lame I sent my letters to those for whom they were intended. Among them was one Newman the bookseller. He called, looked at our specimens, pronounced them excellent but said he - "I fear there is one thing you lack to succeed well in New York and that is brass. My motto is that brass is gold in New York. You must keep a brass candlestick by you and rub your face morning and night till you get brass enough for New York. Then you will succeed."

Among the New York visitors was Dr. Valentine Mott, the great surgeon. He examined Mr. Wagner and pronounced his case one of the most remarkable he had ever seen. "I have never known," said the great surgeon "one to live through a dislocation of both hips."

From New York, the brother and sister returned to Albany, where they painted portraits of Erastus Corning, Martin Van Buren and Silas Wright. In 1848 the painted Vice President Millard Fillmore. In 1853 they went to Washington and painted the family of President Fillmore, visiting the White House and attending the receptions. They painted many Congressmen and Daniel Webster, then Secretary of State.

Returning to New York they established a studio in the Dodworth Building and took a landscape painting in oils. They made studies on the Hudson and in the Adirondacks. Some of these paintings were exhibited at the Centennial. About 1870 they returned to this village, where they have resided since. Mr. Wagner was a very pleasant and interesting man to meet. His struggle and victory over the disease which made him almost a helpless cripple for sixty years was as remarkable as pathetic. His sister who has been his inseparable companion all these years, is left to mourn her great loss.

His funeral was attended Monday afternoon from the residence of Elmore Sharpe, Esq, on Hayes Street whose wife is a niece of the deceased where Mr and Miss Wagner have made their home for several years. Rev A J Van Cleft officiated and made some most appropriate and excellent remarks.

Another kind visitor has also sent images of a nice miniature by Daniel Wagner, signed and dated Albany Jan'y 1845.

It is interesting to compare the signature with the one above. The word Wagner seems a little different and hence it appears one signature is by Maria Louisa and one is signed by Daniel.

The case containing the portrait is engraved on the reverse "John J P de Puy", but so far the owner has not been able to find out more about John de Puy.

Gimbrede, Thomas - portraits of man and lady

Recently, the opportunity arose to purchase this nice pair of American miniatures.

They are probably husband and wife, but unfortunately no history came with them, so it is not possible to determine whether they are marriage portraits.

They are both unsigned and trying to determine the artist has been frustrating, although at present they are attributed to Thomas Gimbrede on the advice of a very kind visitor who is more knowledgeable about miniatures than I am.

Two examples by Gimbrede are shown here, but his miniatures are relatively uncommon. The black and white one is a self-portrait painted c1806 and belonging to the Metropolitan Museum . The one in color was sold by Bonhams in 2007.

Gimbrede was born in Agen, France in 1781 but emigrated to America, where he worked in New York and Baltimore as an engraver and miniature painter, before taking up a position as teacher of drawing and of French at the West Point Military Academy, where he died 24 Dec 1832.

Judging by the comments on his grave at West Point, where it is recorded he was drawing master for 14 years, Gimbrede took up his position in 1819, see The History Box| Learning About New York State Part IX That does not mean he ceased painting miniatures after 1818, but presumably his output of miniatures was reduced.

Gimbrede was remembered by many West Point students for his comment at the start of each course; "There are only two lines in drawing, the straight line and the curve line. Everyone can draw a straight line and everyone can draw a curve line, therefore, everyone can draw."

Whilst drawing may today seem an unlikely skill for military cadets, in the 19C it was a vital skill, especially in the years before photography, so that details of terrain and enemy fortifications could be sketched and conveyed back to headquarters.

Gimbrede was also an early experimenter at wine growing in the United States. At A History of Wine in America "d0e5342" there is the quote:

"A few miles north of Croton Point, a Frenchman named Thomas Gimbrede was experimenting with native vines at West Point, where he taught drawing to the cadets. Starting about 1820, Gimbrede had collected every variety that he found growing wild in the woods and transplanted them to his garden, "manuring, stimulating and pruning them with great care, in the hope of changing and ameliorating their character." After fifteen years of such experiment, Gimbrede was candid enough to admit that he had had no luck whatever: the natives remained obstinately unimproved by their pampering. But perhaps this barren result may have helped put an end to the notion, so long and fondly entertained, that the "wild" grape could be "tamed" by so simple a process of cultivation in which, as one writer has said, the experimenter acts as a sociologist instead of a geneticist."

Nevertheless, to my untrained eye, I worry there are some differences of style, so I must confess I am still wondering if the miniatures might be by a different artist. (However, for later discussion by my kind visitor in response to my thoughts below, please see the helpful extra comment at the bottom of this description, which also helps illustrate that attribution is an inexact science!)

The two other examples shown by Gimbrede appear to have the opaque gouache background usually associated with artists trained in France and they have a more finely delineated style, that is often seen with artists trained as engravers. Gimbrede was also an engraver and some examples of his engravings are shown below.

In contrast this new pair, has the wash type sky backgrounds of artists trained in the British method of painting miniatures and more of the ivory is allowed to show through in the flesh areas. They are a little better painted than these scanned images show.

There is fine detail in the hair and clothing, but in the delicate manner of a very good painter, rather than an engraver. The colors are a little brighter than the images show, with the coral earrings and necklace being the very same shade of orange used by Richard Verbryck when he painted jewellery.

Based upon the hairstyles, they seem to date from around 1825-1830. Interestingly, both have the same rear case work, copper with an oval aperture, although the rear glass and bezel are missing from the man.

However, the fronts of the cases are different, the man being of the plain style in gold used from 1800 to 1825 and the lady being the chased foliate style with a beaded bezel used from 1825 to 1840. Her front beaded bezel is too distorted and tightly wedged to open, thus it is not possible to clean the interior of the glass.

It therefore appears the cases were made at a transitional time of changing fashion in case work, perhaps with the lady having the then latest fashion of chased foliate work for the front, at the time when the rear of the cases continued in the previous fashion.

There is no interior packing for either portrait, which is unusual, and as the lady's bezel appears never to have been opened, the ivories were presumably originally framed with out any backing paper.

When considering some other possible artists who were skilled and also active around 1825, the following have been eliminated; Eliza and Sarah Goodridge, Nathaniel Rogers, William Doyle, Henry Williams, Anna Peale, and several others. Certainly, the artist is more skilled than average.

Comparatively speaking, the best match I could come up with for the pose, and style of painting the man's clothing, was fig 47 in Dearborn. This is the portrait shown here of T T Heartie by Anson Dickinson, which has the same fine parallel frilled folds on his shirt. However, I accept that Anson Dickinson is probably not the artist.




Thus, if any other visitor has views on the artist, whether confirming Gimbrede or otherwise, I would be grateful to hear from them.

As further examples of Gimbrede which may be of interest, here are several portraits which were engraved by him. 1323, 1324

Extra visitor comment.
I want to correct a couple of incorrect assumptions that you have made. A grey solid wash background, not necessarily gouache, is typical of artists who worked or trained on the continent. Outside of Jos Saunders, I can't recall ever seeing an English artist use this type of background. In any case, a close inspection a an English artist using a relatively solid background, usually brown or greenish, would show that it is almost never a float but a series of brushstrokes, either stipples or cross-hatching. Floating a solid background is typically continental, hence, I doubt that your pair are done by an English trained artist. And saying that because it is delicately painted it could not be done by an engraver just doesn't hold water. Check out the miniatures of Nathaniel Jocelyn for example. Extremely fine detail on his later pieces and his earlier pieces show great delicacy. There are lots of other examples too. Many engravers were first very good painters. As for the cases...there is a definite overlap in time for these cases. The plain cases were used up to around 1820 and the chased cases actually came in just before 1820. This is not to say that these are by Gimbrede, (although I feel that they probably are) but there are very few artists working in this style at this time. Often there is just a feel about a piece that can be difficult to put into words. On the other hand I have a list of over 130 artists working at about the time these were painted, many of them foreign trained, and I have only seen the work of about 1/3 of them. So who knows what may come to light in the future.

Unknown - portraits of lady and gentleman

Miniature portraits come in various sizes, largely depending upon the fashion of the time and the wealth of the person who commissioned the portrait.

In the 18C, up to around 1790, they were mainly oval and small in size, say 45mm x 35mm. This is sometimes referred to as "modest school" from the size.

After 1790, the standard size for oval miniatures tended to be around 70mm x 76mm and the lasted until it overlapped with rectangular miniatures around 1810 onwards.

Rectangular ones tended to be 80mm x 60mm or larger.

This pair are very unusual for the post 1800 period in being modest size at 40mm x 30mm.

There are only two other American miniatures in this collection which are post 1800 and of modest size. They are all shown here compared with a miniature of more normal size.

Attribution of the pair of miniatures has not been possible so far. From the style of painting, for example the pose, the eyes, and the mouths, it is clear that they are both painted by the same artist. From the clothing and hair styles, they look to be from around 1820, probably American given the frame style.

However, a kind visitor feels they look Continental. A likely explanation is that they were painted in America by an artist originally trained in France.

After the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars, a number of miniature painters emigrated to the United States.

The images are sharper than appears here, as they have been scanned through the glass.

As can be seen from the images of the reverse of the four modest school miniatures, the rear of the cases are all plain gold.

Thus, they are all opened via the front. this often being the sign of an American miniature.

The pair has plain bezels, whereas the two small unmatched miniatures have beaded bezels, normally a slightly later decoration after around 1810, but also normally a sign of an American miniature.

Regretfully, the sitters are unknown. 1321a, 1321b, 880, 909

Unknown - portrait of mother and baby

Unfortunately this miniature portrait is unsigned and the sitters are not known. However it is American and dates from around 1840.

The artist is uncertain at this point, but it should be possible to come up with an attribution at some stage from a comparison of styles.

American and indeed miniatures from all countries, with more than one sitter are very much in the minority, but it is interesting to compare this portrait with a random selection of some of the "mother and child" portraits from history. This shows what a timeless image it is.

Dickinson, Anson - portrait of a gentleman

This miniature portrait is by one of the better known American artists, Anson Dickinson (1779-1852) who worked in Connecticut.

The sitter is unknown, but from a comparison with examples of his work in various books, including those in the 1983 biography of Anson Dickinson by Mona Leithiser Dearborn, it would appear to date from around 1835/1840 when the collar worn by the sitter was common.

Dickinson painted no fewer than 1500 miniatures during his lifetime, but as there is no inscription it is impossible to determine the sitter.

The outer frame was missing when purchased and the name of the sitter may have been removed by the family member who sold the miniature, as on a piece of old wooden backing that came with the miniature there is a small piece of torn paper that reads only "Mr".

As I have said previously, I feel it is very sad when sitters lose their identities. They can only lose them once.

Unfortunately, Dickinson used a fugitive blue in the background, so that where the portrait has been exposed to strong light, the blue has been bleached out, leaving only the reddish tones.

In Dearborn's biography a similar effect can be seen with two miniatures of ladies figs 93 and 94.

Nevertheless the skill of the artist is apparent. It is possible to have such color loss retouched, but that requires the expertise of a professional restorer.

A simpler option is to use a mask that hides the darker section, as has been done here.

There is another miniature by Anson Dickinson in this collection where there is no bleaching and this example shows what the original coloring would have looked like, see View

Despite the bleaching, it is a good portrait showing Dickinson's technique and one that can always be restored at some time in the future. 1308

Dyart, J - portrait of girl with a blue ribbon

Acquired recently is this attractive miniature portrait which is American judging by the front opening case, fancy bezel, and the shape of the hanger.

The case seems to be made from unmarked sterling silver.

There is a apparent signature on the lower right in very small and indistinct writing.

The best estimate of this signature is perhaps "J Dyart", but no artist of that, or any similar name has been found. However, the artist although unconfirmed, was very competent as there is no sign of a photographic base.

Judging by the ringlets of the unknown sitter, the miniature probably dates from 1900 to 1910.

It came from Chester, New York and so that may provide a further clue to the artist at some time in the future. 1303

Belzons (?) - portrait of a gentleman

Unfortunately this miniature portrait is unsigned and unidentified. However, it is definitely American in style with a fine early 19C case, where there are beaded bezels both front and reverse.

Inside, the packing includes part of a trade card which reads;
"constant supply, of the best quality, .nd of Segars and, .d perfume, which, of weak nerves, .id will be duly, Oct 25, 1804."

Correspondence with Tony Hyman, the owner of the National Cigar Museum has established that this is part of a trade card previously unknown to him and thus a rare trade card.

During our correspondence, I was able to send him copies of a number of early cigar advertisements taken from copies of J Russell's Gazettee dating from as early as 1800, which are held as part of this collection as they support a miniature of the newspaper publisher, John Russell himself, see View which was painted by Henry Williams.

The miniature was acquired at a rural auction in Georgia, only about 90 miles from Charleston. Thus initially, there was a thought that it might be an early work by Charles Fraser. Fraser's later work tends to be more stippled, but his earlier work was influenced by Edward Greene Malbone.

Backgrounds as dark as this are more associated with artists trained in France, but the pose is similar to miniatures painted by Fraser in 1803 and 1804 as shown in the Carolina Art Association catalogue. For example see the portrait of James Reid Pringle.

The early date was supported on opening it and finding the 1804 trade card, which while not being firm evidence of an 1804 origin, does fit with the date of the costume worn by the sitter which is commensurate with a date of 1804-1810.

Initially, a kind visitor expressed the opinion that the miniature may be by John Marras who was born in France, but worked in New York between 1801 and 1808, before moving to Constantinople where he became painter to the Sultan.

In 1994 Christie's sold as Lot 146; "JOHN MARRAS, Dated 1804 portrait miniature of Mrs. McAwly Watercolor on ivory, signed l.l. John Marras fecit 1804, the case inscribed, "Mrs. McAwly, Temora," 3 1/8 in. high. John Marras was a French portrait miniaturist working in New York City during the first decade of the 19th century. He later appeared as a court painter to the Sultan in Constantinople." Unfortunately no photograph is available.

Little is known about John Marras. In his book William Dunlap refers to a M. (presumably for Monsieur) Maras, but is not complimentary, saying "A Frenchman by birth, M Maras visited America about the year 1800. In 1801-2 he painted poor miniatures in New York. A poor or bad artist flourishes best where the people are most ignorant; and M. Maras, with great judgement, transferred himself to Constantinople, where he is at the head of affairs in the department of the fine arts, and painter to the sublime Sultan."

Although it is known that Dunlap could be very uncharitable with his comments, there must be doubt that he was referring to the skilled artist who painted this miniature. Additionally from the sale example above, Marras seems to have signed his work. The skill demonstrated in the miniature seems broadly comparable with the work of Malbone and Fraser from around 1805.

There were few artists with this degree of skill working in America at this time and the Charleston connection has raised another possibility for the artist.

Recently, I came across a reference with respect to Charles Fraser in Huger Smith commenting; "We are told that a French painter, named Belzons, was his first master, but from lack of knowledge of Belzon's own work we cannot estimate his influence on his pupil's style, but of Malbone's influence there can be no doubt."



Appearing facing page 20 of Huger Smith and shown here for comparison, is Fraser's 1827 portrait of Charles Winthrop (1800-1833).

The pose, the manner of painting the hair, and the general appearance of the two miniatures are similar. This suggests Fraser was influenced by, if not trained, by the painter of this miniature.

Adding the 1804 date of the trade card and the acquisition of the miniature from a country auction only 90 miles from Charleston, seems to make an attribution to Belzons a reasonable proposition.

Belzons (sometimes Jean Zolbius, for example it was the name he used when he married) was a respectable artist and a leading scene painter of the Charleston theater. He advertised as having been a student of the famous French painter, David. Belzons worked in Savannah, Camden, Georgetown, as well as Charleston. In 1795 he "established his price at five pounds for a likeness and will furnish plain gold elegant setting for the additional price of two pounds."

He also acted, but his profession was miniature painter and as a drawing master he operated a school from 1800-1812. Apart from teaching Charles Fraser, Belzons was also first master to Thomas Sully.

In fact, Belzons was a brother-in-law to Thomas Sully, as Jane Sully married Belzons on 25 Nov 1794. Thomas did not like his brother-in-law Belzons, who is thought to have died in Savannah about 1816.

Thus, this miniature may be by Belzons, due to the similarities with some early work by Fraser. However, until we see some signed pieces by Belzons, a firm attribution to him will have to wait. 1300

Micailo - portrait of a baby

The origin of this miniature portrait is uncertain.

It appears to be signed "Micailo" which may be Italian, but the frame does not appear to be Italian.

Micailo appears to be a form of Michael or Michaela, and may even be the name of the sitter.

The frame is too tight to be able to open it without risk of damage to the glass or painting.

It may even be British, but has been included here as the style has some similarities with American miniatures of babies.

No record has been found of an artist with the same or a similar name.

The sitter is unknown. 1299

Hall, E A - portraits of Root Family from Uxbridge

These three miniatures were offered at auction as three separate lots. Thus there was a risk that the three related sitters from one family would be separated forever.

It was fortunate that the hammer prices were not too high and so it was possible to acquire all three miniatures for the collection.

They represent an excellent example of how a forgotten family can be "brought back to life" just from their bare names, to such an extent one can see how they fitted into the social fabric of their times.

Visitors to this site may like to read a little essay about the portraits titled "A Forgotten Family Story" at View before proceeding to read the description below.

The miniatures are all signed on the right "E A Hall" as shown in the two examples, and the cases all engraved on the rear with the initials and name of the sitter; the man "Charles Arthur Root - Dec 25, 1925", the older lady "Jane Wheelock Root - Dec 25, 1925" and the younger lady "Deberah (sic - one wonders why a replacement with the correct spelling, Deborah, was not requested) Root - Dec 25, 1927". Thus it appears they were painted as Christmas presents.

To date a closer identification of the artist has not been possible, although it is possible he/she is related to E A Hall & Co of Greenfield, MA. Conversely, clear identification of the sitters and some detective work has made it possible to learn much about the family.

Charles Arthur Root (11 Sep 1874-1932) married Jane Frances Wheelock (24 Sep 1872-1954) around 1898 and various Internet references strongly link the family to Uxbridge, MA. Charles and Jane had three children, Dorothy, Deborah (shown here), and Charles Jr.

As these three miniatures are all dated December 25, it seems fairly certain that elsewhere in the world, there are miniatures of the other two children, Dorothy Root and Charles Root Jr, also dated December 25.

Charles Arthur Root Sr was the son of Charles B J Root (1846-?) and the grandson of Hezekiah Root (6 Feb 1803-?) and his second wife Maria Jenks who were married 15 Dec 1831. Hezekiah and his family were all involved in the grocery and dry goods business, although in 1850 Hezekiah had been a farmer.

The Roote family can trace their name back to before their earliest arrival in America, Thomas Roote who was born in Northampton England in 1605 and was married in Hartford CT in 1638. Much information being contained within "The Root Family" by J P Root, published in 1870.

Jane Frances Wheelock Root is referred to in the 1880 census as Jennie F Wheelock and also in the 1969 book by Walter W Wheelock "The Wheelock Family in America, 1637-1969", where she is referred to as Jennie Frances Wheelock". She had the DAR ID Number: 23432 Her DAR lineage was;
Descendant of Lieut. Simeon Wheelock and of Capt. Edward Seagrave.
Being daughter of Charles Edwin Wheelock (1842-1915) and Jane Frances Sprague (1847-1915), his wife.
Granddaughter of Charles Augustus Wheelock (1812-1895) and Nancy Seagrave (1815-1911), his wife.
Gr.-granddaughter of Jerry Wheelock (1784-1861) and Sukey Day, his wife; Bezaleel Seagrave and Lucy Taft, his wife.
Gr.-gr.-granddaughter of Simeon Wheelock (1741-1747) and Deborah Thayer, his wife; John Seagrave and Sarah Dorrington, his wife.
Gr.-gr.-gr.-granddaughter of Edward Seagrave and Lois White, his wife.
Edward Seagrave, (1722-93), commanded a company of militia, 1775-78. As he was the oldest captain in the regiment and unable to undergo further military service he resigned his commission, 1779. He was born in England; died in Uxbridge, Mass.

The main significance of the Root family was as the owner of woollen mills, including Uxbridge Worsted Co, in partnership with Louis Bachman. It was in 1907 that Louis Bachmann of New York City and Uxbridge's Charles Arthur Root organized a small woolen and worsted plant on the site of the Old Scott's Mill. Later they bought the Capron Mill whuch had made textiles for military uniforms during the Civil War and did so for subsequent conflicts.

Half a century later, the Uxbridge Worsted Co. boasted 13 plants in four states, with 6,000 workers producing enough fabric annually for six million garments. The group having also bought the Rivulet, and Davis and Brown Mills.

The Root family did have a philanthropic side; one reference to the family is for the Unitarian Church at Uxbridge, where it is noted "The Hook-Hastings electric organ was installed in 1926, given by Mr. and Mrs. Charles A. Root in memory of her father, the Hon. Charles A. Wheelock", see Church History - Unitarian Congregation of Mendon &; Uxbridge ...

Another reference is to the Coronet John Farnum House on Mendon Street near the Mumford River falls. Farnum and his wife, Mary Tyler of Mendon, built the house there in 1715, before Uxbridge became its own town. It remained a private residence until 1926, when the house was purchased and restored by the owners of the Uxbridge Worsted Co mill across the street. Today, the town-owned building serves as headquarters for the private Uxbridge Historical Society, see Town Hall holds the ghosts - Milford, MA - The Milford Daily News

In 1920 Charles Root also part owned the Uxbridge Inn in Uxbridge, originally built as the Hotel Windsor. The wide veranda on the front was a reviewing stand for parades and ceremonial events. Through the years, it was a popular spot for travellers whether arriving by horse-drawn coach, train, or automobile. The woollen mills attracted many European visitors to the inn.

In 1924 Uxbridge Worsted Co helped to establish the Blackstone Valley Industrial League which enabled baseball competition between the various mills. This is regarded by some historians as part of a very paternalistic management style, see baseballBVLeague In 1928 Charles A Root was a Republican Delegate from Massachusetts to the Republican National Convention.

Charles Root seems to have been a hard businessman, particularly during the Great Depression when unemployment in larger Rhode Island mill communities such as Pawtucket and Woonsocket ran as high as fifty percent. Figures for Blackstone Valley towns in both Massachusetts and Rhode Island were much lower but misleading because once unemployed, a worker and his family were evicted from company housing and, quite literally, the community as well.

In January 1932 workers launched a bitter strike at five mills belonging to the Uxbridge Worsted Company, protesting a reduction in wages. The workers lost their strike when owner Charles Root threatened to close the mills permanently. Perhaps due to the stress of this strike and the Great Depression Charles Root Sr died in 1932, aged 67. In 1934 workers at Rockdale, Uxbridge Worsted Company and other Blackstone Valley mills joined a national strike by textile workers from Maine to Georgia for recognition of the Textile Workers Union.

Rockdale employees eventually returned to work, but only after the company sold workers' homes to break the union. Similar threats were made by employers elsewhere in a coldly calculated strategy designed to deliver an irrevocable message to workers who might consider further protest. For workers this strike and its results became the symbol of paternalism's end in the Blackstone Valley. Employers throughout the region pointed to it as an example of the evils of unionism and their reaction successfully forestalled union organization for another fifteen years in most Massachusetts Blackstone mills.

After Mr Root's death in 1932 the name changed to Bachman-Uxbridge Worsted Corporation and operated as such until it was sold to Emile Bernat & Sons, Inc in 1962.

Census information provides more information about the family. In 1910 Charles and Jane Root lived with their three children, Dorothy 10, Deborah 6, and Charles Jr 3 in Uxbridge close to Jane's parents Charles and Jane Wheelock and their family. In the 1930 census, the Root family still lived in Uxbridge; Arthur C Root aged 55, Jane W Root aged 57, Deborah Root aged 26 and Charles A Root Jr aged 23. They had three servants and disclosed assets of $25,000.

Charles Arthur Root Jr (6 Apr 1907-25 Nov 1988) married Helen Sybil Rixford (6 May 1908-30 Jun 1987) of Woonsocket, RI on May 1, 1930 at Uxbridge, MA. Helen was the daughter of the then postmaster at Woonsocket, Frank A Rixford who had risen from a mail clerk in 1910.

The 1930 census shows Dorothy E Root (Jul 15, 1899-?) married to Howard John Walter (10 Sep 1900-1962) from the Walters brewing family of Pueblo, CO, see TABLE OF CONTENTS

Dorothy may have met him at Cornell University as his Draft Registration Card shows him enrolled there in 1918. In 1924 Howard applied for a passport for himself and Dorothy stating they would be married on 2 Jun 1924. They were intending to sail on the "President Harding" leaving on Jun 24, to Great Britain, France, Holland, Belgium and Germany, obviously on their honeymoon. This being their passport photographs.

Thus Dorothy's husband Harold John Walterhad came to Uxbridge and then took over the running of the Uxbridge Worsted Co when her father died in 1932. They had one daughter Mary Jane Walter, (Apr 1927-?) and a second daughter Dorothy Deborah Walter (2 Jun 1931-16 Jul 2003), see Dorothy Deborah "Dee_Dee" WALTER According to immigration records, the Walters lived at 178 Mendon St, Uxbridge, later at 220 Mendon St, and travelled extensively. However, from reviewing Google maps it seems Mendon street numbering may now be different.

Interestingly, Uxbridge Worsted Co was internationally known for the development of "Uxbridge Blue" or "Uxbridge 1683", or "Air Force shade 84 blue", the patented color for uniforms worn by the United States Air Force. For background on this see Transitional Period Dye houses straddled the river so kettles of used dyes could be dumped directly into the water. Observers say the river ran blue when the kettles were emptied. Uxbridge Worsted Co. also designed uniforms for the Nurses Corp. They received a personal letter of thanks from President Roosevelt for their help in the war effort.

In 1953 business was booming as evidenced by a story in Time Magazine in Aug 23, 1953, see The Pride of Uxbridge - TIME when the factories were working three shifts a day, six days a week and employees agreed to postpone their annual vacations. Presumably this was a flow on boom from making uniforms for the Korean War, but see also Harold Walter - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Around this time, or perhaps the late 1940's, Bachmann Uxbridge Worsted Corporation produced this elaborate display piece to introduce their new nylon fortified wool fabric. The material was called Concertones, and their first appearance was called the Concertones Carnival. The carnival was headed by a circus wagon, all made of wood, black, and gold raised lettering on paper, with fancy gold painted trim. It is affixed to a black wood base. Inside is a ten page booklet, all with showy circus illustrations, describing the benefits of their new fabric.

Shortly thereafter, on Mar 29 1954, Time magazine reported; "American Woolen Co. will ask its stockholders to approve a merger with Bachmann Uxbridge Worsted Corp. As a combined operation, troubled American Woolen (1953 sales, $73,494,160; net loss, $9,476,981) and Bachmann Uxbridge (1953 sales, $52,609,000; profit, $272,000) would be by far the biggest woolen manufacturer in the country. Textron, Inc., which wants American Woolen to merge with it, and claims to own almost 4% of American Woolen's stock, plans to fight the merger," see TIME CLOCK - TIME

So despite the 1953 acolades, only ten years later, in 1964 the textile and shoe industries in America were in severe recession due to imports. Bachman-Uxbridge Worsted Co (as it was named by now) had shed 800 jobs due to mill closures, just one of dozens of mills and thousands of jobs lost, see Bates College: Ladd Library: Muskie Archives & Special Collections ... Harold Walker had died in 1962, after running the business for 30 years and that was probably a trigger for the company being sold to the Bernat Corporation.

During the 1970s, many mills were closed and the looms were silent for the first time in 200 years. The rivers had become a dumping ground for chemical dye vats. The Blackstone River lost its title as "America's hardest working river" and became one of its most polluted. The Uxbridge center was largely boarded up and abandoned.

The ultimate insult, was in 2007 when the mill building, then called the Bernat Mill was destroyed in a fire. In the early morning of July 21, 2007, the fire erupted at the historic mill, devastating the complex on Mendon and Depot Street. A total of 600 firefighters, from 66 communities, battled the blaze, but the complex was nearly totally destroyed. At the time of the fire, the 400,000 square feet structure, had ceased operating as a mill and had been converted into space containing 65 small businesses. The business losses following the fire were estimated in the millions of dollars and between 300-500 people lost their jobs.

There is a video of the fire available at YouTube - bernat mill fire uxbridge massachusetts For current information, see Help Uxbridge Recovery Resources

Michelle Fontaine also has some more interesting information and videos about the fire on her website at Show, images and article

Despite the later industry problems, the Root family had achieved and retained substantial wealth. When the Charles Root estate was subdivided in 2001, 21 acres of floodplain forest consisting of predominantly red maple, silver maple, and sycamore trees were gifted to the Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park which now extends to 1000 acres in total.

Deborah Root (Oct 27 1903-Mar 25, 2000) married Edward Addis Robertson (Sep 21, 1900-1950) a lawyer born in Washington. In the 1930 census, Edward appears to have been living in Flushing NY, with his mother Helena Addis Robertson (16 Sep 1868-?), then a widow living in her home worth $30,000 and his cousin Laura M Healy, a stenographer. Judging from Helena's passport application, it appears Edward's father was also named Edward Robertson and died in South Africa in April 1900, presumably just before Edward was born.

Deborah had graduated from Dana Hall School in Wellesley and moved to Old Brookville, NY, after her marriage, which was probably in July 1934. Returning to Worcester in 1995, when she moved to Washburn House. A skilled horsewoman and participated in fox hunts. She was named for, and a direct descendant of, Deborah Wheelock; whose family members were among the early settlers of Uxbridge. She was a member of the Deborah Wheelock Chapter, of the DAR in Uxbrdge.

Deborah died in Worcester in 2000 aged 96, after 50 years as a widow and appears not to have had any children, being survived by nieces and nephews. As she was the last of her siblings and parents to die, it seems that must have been the trigger for the winding up of the Charles Root estate and the gifting of the 21 acres to the park.

It is likely that a previous owner of these three miniatures acquired them at the estate sale of Deborah Root Robertson. Presumable the nieces and nephews who inherited the estate did not want to keep the miniatures.

Apart from the Root family, noteworthy among early Uxbridge settlers was Lydia Taft, a widow, who was allowed to vote in her deceased husband's place in an official Uxbridge town meeting in 1756. She is reported to be the first recorded legal woman voter in the United States. The Taft family in Uxbridge included the grandfather of President William Howard Taft. 1304, 1305, 1306

Goodridge, Sarah - portrait of a lady

In a post last year I commented about damaged miniatures.

Generally, I avoid buying cracked miniatures, but from time to time do buy them if the price is not too expensive.

This one came from Maine and will be useful for reference purposes, as I believe it is by Sarah Goodridge (1788-1853). Her work in good condition can go for high prices, so it is useful to have a miniature by her that can be used for comparison when considering potential attributions.

Sarah was the elder of two sisters, and her younger sister Eliza Goodridge (1798-1882) also painted miniatures. Johnson describes Sarah as "America's finest woman miniaturist". Given that praise, it is hoped visitors will forgive the crack.

Sarah received informal instruction from Gilbert Stuart and lived her entire life in Boston, supporting her mother, her paralytic brother, and a niece from her painting.

Based upon a comparison with this photograph of Eliza Goodridge taken c1870, it is even possible that this miniature is a miniature portrait of Eliza Goodridge, painted by Sarah Goodridge around 1825.

So far, no other images of Eliza have been located, but one imagines that they exist somewhere, as the sisters must have sat for one another to improve their painting skills.

Stylistically, the miniature is similar, although a little less mature, when compared to this miniature by Sarah Goodridge of Mrs Alice Goudry of Wilmington Massachusetts, which is in the Metropolitan Museum collection and which has been dated as c1830-1835, although I would date it a little earlier than that by the neck frill, perhaps closer to 1820-1825.

Aside from possibly being of Eliza Goodridge, one could also believe this miniature of an unknown lady, is a portrait of Alice Goudry as the features and expression are again quite similar.

Johnson has described Sarah's work: "Goodridge's best works are direct, realistic, powerfully individualised portraits. Her brushwork is tightly controlled and the compositions tiny in scale; yet in costume, color, and pose, these miniatures are strongly influenced by the work of Gilbert Stuart."

And " The subject is often placed low on the ivory; backgrounds are usually blue-grey shaded to brown at the bottom; skin tones are light cream and pink. Ladies are frequently painted wearing a hair ornament, jewellery, and a bright red paisley shawl."

However, the hair ornament and red shawl are absent with this miniature, which is likely to be one of her earlier works. 1297

Biggs, Walter Ferris - portrait of Luna Alston de Gallegos

This miniature portrait is by Walter Ferris Biggs (JFM 1851->1910). It is signed on the front "Biggs 1900" and is inscribed on the reverse; "Luna Alston de Gallegos painted by Walter Ferris Biggs year 1900".

Walter Ferris Biggs (not to be confused with the American artist Walter Biggs (1885-1968)) is not mentioned in Blattel's dictionary.

However by using family history sites and the Internet it has been possible to assemble a little about him.

Biggs was born JFM 1851 in Islington, London, England, where his father Charles Ferris Biggs was a lace and flowers warehouseman, presumably the flowers being artificial.

In the 1851 census Charles and his wife Sarah Jane lived at 31 Gibson Square and had four sons aged four or under; Charles Neville, Fred William, Walter Ferris, and Henry. To assist with the children, they had a general servant and a nurse girl aged 13. This nurse girl, Elizabeth Malcolm, was from Scotland and seems to have been a long way from home for a 13 year old.

For the 1861 census, Biggs, was at Bickinshill boarding school at Dymock, near Bristol in Gloucestershire.

It is hard to find census references to Walter Biggs after 1861 until he turns up in the 1910 United States census. However, his parents seem to have continued living in England, in the 1881 census with Walter's father living as an auctioneer and land agent at 8 High St Lewisham, with his wife Sarah Jane, and two daughters.

In the 1910 census Walter F Biggs is a painter of portraits living as a boarder in Philadelphia. His wife is not with him, but he states his present marriage has lasted 19 years, suggesting he was married in 1891. He also states he arrived in the United States in 1871 and is naturalised.

A clue to his whereabouts in the intervening years is found from the Internet, where he appears to have married Elisa Moore y Sinnot (1867-1944) in Argentina Edward Moore & Eliza Sinnott

It therefore seems Biggs may have painted portraits in both Argentina and in the United States.

References have been found to him as the teacher of Luna Alston de Gallegos, see Inmigración y plástica: los pintores - Monografias.com

The miniature portrait is a very useful reference document as it actually depicts Luna Alston de Gallegos (1881-1978) who was also a miniature painter in Argentina. There are several miniatures by her in this collection in the American 20C Gallery, including the one showing here. In her career she painted over 400 miniatures.

A comparison of the two miniatures enables one to determine that the miniature by Luna, where the sitter was unidentified when purchased, is in fact a self-portrait by Luna, probably painted several years after the portrait by Walter Ferris Biggs. 1301

American 3 Gallery

This is an overflow gallery for American miniatures from all periods, which has opened in 2008.

All American miniatures acquired after January 2008 will be displayed here.