Distant Boats, Sunset

(1847-1933) Painter. Born in East Monmouth, ME. In 1848 his father migrated to California followed by his mother and child two years later. The young boy loved the ships passing through the Golden Gate and began sketching them at an early age. His first art training was at age seven in the studio of Charles Nahl Yearning for California, he started west but stopped in Clinton, OH where he married Kathryn Evelyn Wright in 1874. Settling in San Francisco. Both he and his wife wrote and illustrated for Century and Overland Monthly publications. He had his first showing at the San Francisco Art Association in 1876. He was recognized as a first-rate marine painter in 1878 at the Sacramento State Fair where he won all prizes. In 1880 he visited Yosemite for the first time and subsequently spent 24 summers there. One painting, sold there to a British noble, was presented to Queen Victoria and hung in Buckingham Palace. At the time of the 1906 disaster he and his family were living in San Francisco. He had moved most of his paintings to a warehouse for safe keeping; however, the building burned destroying a great portion of his earlier works. Once again fire destroyed their home in 1921 taking with it 20 years of his Yosemite works. He died on May 8, 1933 in San Rafael. Member: Bohemian Club; Palette Club (co-founder); SF Sketch Club. Works held: California Historical Society; Maritime Museum, SF; Crocker Museum; Oakland Museum; Bohemian Club; de Young Museum.