Cass County, Indiana - Chapter 20: Art and Artists, 1913

In pioneer days the people were engaged in the practical and hard work of clearing the land, with few of the luxuries of life. Anything that could not be utilized in everyday life was eschewed.

In early days the painter was a person apart from the everyday world. It was regarded as little short of lunacy for a man to attempt to Uve by art. There was but little demand for the work of an artist, as this was something that was not essential, yea, it was regarded as a hindrance to the woodsman's work, hence but little attention was paid to art until the country became settled, people more prosperous, and the artistic faculty developed. In the first settlement of Cass county, photography was unknown, and the only way of perpetuating the features of a loved one was by a painting ; consequently the efforts of the early artists were largely devoted to portrait painting. The native pioneer hoosier artists had only self -training. There were no schools of art in Indiana, or even in the United States and the youth of our county in pioneer days were too poor to attend the art schools of Paris or Munich. It is the history of all countries, that, as they grew older, industries more diversified, people become wealthier, and general education assumes higher standards, more attention is paid to aesthetics, to the beautiful in nature, and to represent the same on canvas, and Cass county is no exception to the rule.

To create and develop the artistic taste and encourage its growth among our people, the Logansport Art Association was organized February 4, 1911, with Mrs. W. H. Snyder as president; Mrs. J. A. Downey, first vice president; Mrs. S. T. McConnell, second vice president; Mrs. Jennie Mcintosh, secretary; Mrs. F. H. Wipperman, treasurer.

This association, which now numbers over three hundred, has been very active in creating an interest in art work and encouraging and fostering a taste and desire for the beautiful.

In the spring of 1912, the association held its first annual art exhibit in the Reporter building, which was a creditable display of the Indiana Artists' Traveling Exhibit, consisting of about forty paintings by Indiana artists, together with the works of local artists and other artistic displays. Another annual exhibition was held in the basement of the new Baptist church from April 25 to May 2, 1912, which was far more extensive than that of the previous year. It is the expectation of the association to secure a home and open a permanent art gallery, which is certainly very desirable, and would develop the literary and artistic faculties of our people and be a great incentive to the students ot art to further advancement.

George Winter was the pioneer painter in Cass county. He was . bom in England in 1810 ; studied in the Royal Academy of London ; came to New York when a young man and in 1837 located in Logansport. He was united in marriage to Mary Squier of New Carlyle, Ohio, in 1840. In 1850 he moved to Lafayette, Indiana, where he died about 1877. He had one son, George, now living in California, and one daughter, Mrs. C. Gordon Ball of Lafayette, Indiana. Mr. Winter was a prolific painter, of more than ordinary ability, and has made a greater number of pictures of real merit, more than any other artist that has ever resided in Cass county, although his paintings have been scattered and never collected in one gallery. He painted many portraits of Cass county pioneers, of the Miami and Pottawattomie Indian chiefs and of the noted Frances Slocum, the white girl stolen in Pennsylvania and raised by the Indians and who became the wife of an Indian chief. Mr. Winter also painted a number of landscape views on the Wabash. Perhaps his greatest painting was that representing the Battle of Tippecanoe. In a private letter, now in possession of the Wisconsin Historical Society, Mr. Winter speaks of six different pictures of the Tippecanoe battle ground, aqd of two of these covering 152 square feet each. These were painted in 1840, while Mr. Winter lived in Logansport, and his idea was suggested by the famous Harrison campaign of that year. The whereabouts of the painting is not known.

The largest collection of Winter pictures in existence is owned by his daughter, Mrs. C. G. Ball of Lafayette. There are nine oil paintings and thirty-eight water colors in this collection. Among this collection are portraits of Francis Godfrey, the last of the Miami chiefs and of Joseph Barron, the famous Indian interpreter who served under General Harrison. The late Judge Biddle had a collection of Winter's paintings, now owned by Mrs. Eva Peters Reynolds.

Judge M. Winfield is the owner of two oil paintings, scenes on the Wabash, and Miss Tillie Tipton also has two. There are a number of other Winter's paintings held by different Logansport residents, which should all be gathered into one collection by the Historical Society or Art Association.

Miss Mary McDonald, a sister of William McDonald, deceased, was bom in Camden, Indiana; moved to Logansport in 1883, where she resided until her death in 1896 or 1897. She was educated at Oxford, Ohio, and at the Philadelphia Art School. Miss McDonald ranked high as an artist and her work consisted chiefly in illustrations for Harper's, Leslie's and other magazines. She also drew the illustrations for some of Riley's poetical works.

Margaret McDonald Pullman, a sister to Mary McDonald, was bom in the adjoining county of Carroll, but was reared and educated in Logansport Miss McDonald was united in marriage to George M. Pullman of Chicago. After her marriage she made Chicago her home and became president of the Chicago Art Club, and gained a national reputation as an artist and published two creditable books on art; one in 1889 entitled *'Days Serene," containing copies of her best paintings and in 1891 a second art work known as *'Sommerland," which was published by Lee and Shepard of Boston. This work contains a preface including a poem with poetical selections under each picture, which were favorably mentioned by eminent artists.

From about 1837 to 1845, thore was a Mr. Richards living in Logansport who was a painter of some reputation, but particulars concerning him or his productions are not obtainable at this late date.

John D. Forgy, brother of C. P. Forgy of New Waverly, where he was reared and educated; stjudied in Cincinnati and painted a number of landscape views in Cass county, but his chief work was sketching for books, papers and magazines. He was twice married, the last time in Des Moines, Iowa, where Mr. Forgy lived some years before his death, which occurred several years ago.

Elias H. Conner, bom in Adams township about 1845, possessed artistic faculties and did some clever work with pen and pencil. He went west but returned, and, like many an artist, died in indigent circumstances about 1910.

George E. Weaver of the American Normal College, 1878, and E. A. Hall, the proprietor of Hall's Business College, were pen artists and. did some sketching worthy of record and the latter published a book of forty-two pages m 1868, entitled ** Bookkeepers* Guide."

Max Keppler, a student of Mr. Swain who came from Chicago and had rooms at 414^ Market street from 1875 to 1878 ; later studied in Europe, was a (fistinguished artist, and illustrated for ''Puck/' ''Harper's" and other magazines. Mrs. W. H. Snyder has some of Mr. Keppler 's paintings. He died in New York in 1910.

Jacob Ackerman, about 1872-1875, had a studio in Dolan's Opera House. He was a good artist and teacher and had a number of pupils which he instructed in painting and decorating.

Scott Evans, professor of music and painting in Smithson's College about 1872-1875, was a landscape and portrait painter who had studied in Paris. He has one glass eye. He has a family and his home is in Cleveland.

Jerome McLean was a sign painter with a studio at 209 Sixth street from about 1873 to 1875. He was a portrait painter and painted a portrait of Joseph Seiter and other local men.

Samilla Love Jameson is a young artist of some ability, who was born and educated in Logansport and whose home is with her mother, Mrs. Elvira Jameson, on the north side. She has studied in Chicago and other art centers, and has painted some very fine pictures. She illustrated Mrs. Flora NeflP*s book of poems, ''Along Life's Pathway," and is engaged largely in sketching for illustrated papers and magazines.

Wils Berry, a native Cass county boy, bom in Miami township, 1851 ; traveled for ten years over thirty different states, sketching from nature, chiefly landscapes and animals, for New York and Chicago publications. He sketched the Parliament building at Ottawa, Canada, which was copyrighted and presented to Queen Victoria, and he received an aclmowledgement, complementing him on its elegance. Mr. Berry has painted many local views and landscapes, and some fine portraits. He had an extensive collection of paintings, also relics of pioneer life, all of which were badly damaged, and some practically ruined by the great flood of March 25 to 28, 1913, which submerged the old Biddle home on the island, which is now owned and occupied by Mr. Berry.

Percival E. Berry, a son of Wils Berry, who was raised in Cass cotlnty and educated in the city high school, and taught school at Onward, where he died three years ago, was a fine sketcher from nature

There have been, and are today, many other painters who have a local reputation as artists in diflferent departments of art work whose names cannot be enumerated here, yet are equally meritorious. Onlj^ a few have been mentioned to show that Cass, county is well represented by artists and works of art as well as in all other lines of human endeavor and progress. Our people are learning the fact that as one learns to love and -admire the beauty of nature, it enhances and develops the beauty of soul.