Recollections of a septuaginarian

Collection — Container: Doc-30

Identifier: Doc-30

Scope and Contents

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Jonathan Mason's memoirs were “written without any attempt at elegant phraseology or fine writing, but Currente Calamo as his thoughts and remembrances arose to his mind between sundown and dark. For the amusement of his Grandchildren.” Begins with account of his parents' recollections of the Revolution, and his own childhood memories of Boston. Continues with detailed accounts of his friendship with artists and patrons--including Gilbert Stuart, Washington Allston, Horatio Greenough, Thomas Sully, and Charles Robert Leslie--as well as other important New Englanders, including George Peabody, the Danas, and Cardinal Cheverus. Includes copies of unpublished letters from Allston, Greenough, and others. Also includes accounts of travels in Europe and the U.S. Each volume has photographs pasted onto the endpapers. One photo is of sons Herbert and Philip, with Philip in uniform. Another photo is of Philip alone, in his uniform. Entries record the Civil War service of these sons. Contains notes and corrections in author's own hand.

In a separate folder will be found excerpts from "Recollections of an Octogenarian" which relate to Gilbert Stuart. Also included in this folder is "An Episode of Gilbert Stuart's Life" and a copy of a letter from George C. Mason of Rhode Island about Gilbert Stuart. (George Mason was planning to write a biography of Stuart.)

Dates

Creation: [1866?]-1881

Creator

Mason, Jonathan, Jr., 1795-1884 (Person)

Conditions Governing Use

Collection is open to the public. Copyright restrictions may apply.

Biographical / Historical

Jonathan Mason, Jr., of Boston, was a portrait and figure painter, student of Gilbert Stuart, friend or acquaintance of virtually every major American artist of the nineteenth century. His father Jonathan died in 1831. He himself was married to Isabella Weyman in Italy in 1834. The sculptor Horatio Greenough was one of the witnesses. They had six children: sons Charles, Arthur, Herbert, and Philip, and two daughters, Isabelle (who married Charles Hook Appleton) and another who married William Sturgis Hooper. Arthur became an ordained minister. Herbert and Philip served in the Union army during the Civil War; Philip died from wounds in July 1864 and was interred at Mount Auburn Cemetery.