Engraving

Title:

The Last Days of Webster at Marshfield

Object Name:

Engraving

Object ID:

1987.066

Creator:

Ames, Joseph (1816-1872); Mottram, Charles (1807-1876); Smith Parmelee

Place of Origin:

New York City, NY

Date:

circa 1858

Description:

Engraving, hand-colored. "The Last Days of Webster at Marshfield", engraved by Charles Mottram (1817-1876) after a painting by Joseph Ames (1816-1872) and published by Smith Parmelee, c. 1858. Webster, in center, dressed in white and bathed with light from a window at left. He is surrounded by men, women, and children. Group of men surround his bed. Women are seated around the room. One woman, at left, wearing white cap holds hand to head. Unsigned. No text in margin. Daniel Webster, center, sitting up in bed, lit by ray of sun from window. Others present: Charles Henry Thomas, Jacob LeRoy, Edward Curtis, Caroline LeRoy Webster (wife), Mrs James W. Paige, Samuel A. Appleton, James W. Paige, George Ashman, Rufus Choate, Peter Harvey, Daniel Fletcher Webster (son), Caroline L. Appleton, Daniel Webster, Ashburton Webster, Mrs. Daniel Fletcher Webster, Caroline Webster, Dr. J. Mason Warren, Dr. John Jeffries, Sarah ("colored servant"), John Taylor (farmer), and Porter Wright (farmer). Unframed.

Material:

Paper

Dimensions:

H-26 W-34.6 inches

Provenance:

Included in this accession was the original bill of sale for the subscription of "The Last Days of Webster." Sold to Edward Robinson in Thomaston, ME by Smith and Parmelee for $10.00, probably in 1858 (see original receipt in accession file). It also came with a key to the people shown in the engraving. Bill of sale in accession folder.

Stated by the donor, "this engraving came from a sea captain's home in Thomaston, ME." The sea captain could possibly be Edward Robinson (1796-1857) who lived in Thomaston, ME. He was a member of the Maine State Senate in 1836-1837. Elected as a Whig to the Twenty-fifth Congress (1838-1839) to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Jonathan Cilley. Daniel Webster was the leader of the Whig Party, and it is likely that Robinson would have known Webster personally. Robinson was also engaged in mercantile pursuits, banking, and shipbuilding until his death in 1857.

In Benjamin F. Smith's book, "A Maine Family of Smiths," he states that as early as 1856, he and his brother, David, traveled to Boston and other major cities collecting subscriptions for the engraving that was concurrently being made in England. Because the bill of sale is not dated, it is possible that Robinson purchased the subscription shortly before his death.

Credit Line:

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. George C. Scribner

People:

Webster, Daniel (1782-1852), Robinson, Edward (1796-1857), Ames, Joseph (1816-1872), Mottram, Charles (1807-1876)

Subjects:

Webster, Daniel, Death