The Winterthur Library

 The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum, Winterthur, DE  19735

302-888-4600 or 800-448-3883

 

 

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

 

Creator:          Lossing, Benson John, 1813-1891                                           

Title:               Correspondence

Dates:             1841-1890

Call No.:         Col. 397          

Acc. No.:         [various – see detailed description]

Quantity:        2 folders

Location:        9 C 1

 

 

 

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

 

Benson J. Lossing was a wood engraver and editor working in New York throughout much of the 19th century.  Born in 1813 in Beekman, New York, to a farmer of Dutch descent, Lossing was orphaned at age 12.  The following year, he began a seven year apprenticeship to a watchmaker in Poughkeepsie, NY, after which he took up the study of wood engraving with Alexander Adams.  At the age of 22, Lossing was named joint editor of the Poughkeepsie Telegraph newspaper and its corresponding literary magazine, The Poughkeepsie Casket.

 

In 1838, Lossing moved to New York City to work as an engraver and book publisher, producing his first book, Outline History of the Fine Arts in 1840.  He took over as editor and illustrator of Family Magazine in 1839, and in 1846 he teamed up with engraver William Barritt, with whom he worked until 1869.  Lossing spent the remainder of his life producing illustrations and publications concerning American history, including a biography of Senator Philip Schuyler, a biography of pioneer engraver Alexander Anderson, a history of New York City (1884), histories of the War of 1812 and the Civil War, and most notably a two volume work published in 1850-1852 entitled, Pictorial Field Book of the Revolution.

 

Lossing married twice, first in 1833 to Alice Barritt, and after her death, he married Helen Sweet in 1856.  He retired to his estate, The Ridge, in Dover Plains, New York, where he died in 1891.

 

 

SCOPE AND CONTENT

 

This collection contains letters either to or from engraver and editor Benson J. Lossing.  Correspondence with sculptor John Rogers concerns prints and reviews of each other's work.  Letters from Lucy Peale (Mrs. Titian R. Peale) discuss personal matters and the work of her husband's father.  Other correspondence includes business requests, personal news, and invitations to social functions.  One item has a letterhead engraved by Lossing.  As well, the collection contains a sketch of Sackett’s Harbor, New York, and a note about engraving it.  

           

 

ORGANIZATION

           

The letters are arranged in chronological order.

 

 

LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS

 

The materials are in English.

 

 

RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS

 

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

 

 

PROVENANCE

           

Purchased from various sources.

 

 

RELATED MATERIAL

 

An original watercolor by Lossing of the Shaker meeting house of the New Lebanon, New York, community is in the Edward Deming Andrews Memorial Shaker Collection.

 

 

ACCESS POINTS

 

            People:

                        Rogers, John, 1829-1904.

                        Peale family.

 

Topics:

            Artists - Correspondence.

            Engraving - Specimens.

            Engraving, American - 19th century.

Sackett’s Harbor (N.Y.)

            Letters.

            Sketches.

            Illustrators.

            Authors.

            Engravers.

            Editors.

 

 

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

 

Location: 34 J 2

 

Folder 1:

 

77x228.2         To Lossing from John Rogers, New York, n.d.  Rogers agrees to provide requested electroplates.

 

77x286            To R.E. Lockwood from Lossing, Nov. 4, 1841.  As Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Mechanic’s Institute, Lossing accepts an invitation to attend the anniversary party for the Mercantile Library Association.

 

77x230            To Miss Garrettson from Lossing, Poughkeepsie, NY, July 25, 1859.  Lossing accepts invitation to stay at her house while he is touring the Hudson River valley; includes itinerary; mentions reception of plates in London’s Art Journal.

 

77x228.1         To Lossing from John Rogers, New York, June 29, 1860.  Requests him to add writing to enclosed print; asks how to obtain a statue of Washington; comments on prosperous sale of the Art Journal with Lossing’s Hudson River works in it.

 

77x606            To Lossing from George T. Rider, Poughkeepsie, NY, July 24, 1864.  Concerns summer vacation; reminiscences of Adirondack Mountains.

                       

                        Letterhead is a Lossing engraving, depicting a village: houses in foreground, church tower behind them, building resembling a Greek temple on hilltop in background.  Signed Lossing-Parritt.

 

99x145.1         To Lossing from Henry L. Stephens, New York, Feb. 15, 1868.  About preparing a view of the capitulation of Vicksburg and the interview between Grant and Pemberton; the engraver will need it soon.

 

78x143            To Mrs. G. [or J.] R. Chopins[?] from Lossing, Dover Plains, NY, June 2, 1871.  Discusses article on the history of Westover and her use of it.  Mentions work on the history of the Franklin house in Perth Amboy, New Jersey.

 

77x228.3         To Lossing from John Rogers, New Canaan, CT, June 11, 1872.  Rogers is happy with Lossing’s review of his work.

 

76x490            To Lossing from Lucy Peale, Holmesburg, Penn., April 21, 1876.  Offers religious thoughts and mentions anticipation of Lossing’s visit in July.  (Also a transcript of the letter.)

 

76x491            To Lossing from Lucy Peale, Holmesburg, Oct. 25, 1876. Concerns sale of miniatures; talks about sale of Mr. Peale’s father’s memoirs; thanks him for writing friend in England about picture.  (Also a transcript of the letter.)

 

92x64              to Lossing, Dover Plains, from W.(?) Barnard, Washington, January 28, 1878.  Artist E. F. Andrew is seeking information about costume of Martha Washington, and Barnard referred him to Lossing; intends to send requested reports soon.

 

76x492            To Lossing from Elizabeth Bryant Johnston, Washington, DC, May 28, 1881.  Requests autograph of Charles Willson Peale. [C.W. Peale’s papers were in Lossing’s possession.] Mentions that she is writing an article on Washington portraiture.  (Also a transcript of the letter.)

                        [Johnston’s book Original Portraits of Washington, Including Statues, Monuments and Medals was published in 1882.]

 

78x144            To Lossing, Dover Plains, from J.W. Weidermeyer, New York, Aug. 30, 1888. Requests loan of likeness of John Trumbull the poet for Appleton’s Cyclopaedia of American Biography.

                        On back: Lossing’s reply: does not possess a likeness, except for a copy.

 

78x145            To L. P Capin[?], literary editor of The Graphic, from Lossing, Dover Plains, July 27, 1890.  Concerns article about him in The Graphic.  Agrees to send biographical materials.

 

 

Folder 2:

 

78x118.1a        pen and ink sketch, unlabeled but identified as being fortifications at Sackett’s Harbor, on Lake Ontario, New York, 1812.  The paper is creased.

                        [See The Pictorial Field-book of the War of 1812, by Benson J. Lossing; maps of Sackett’s Harbor appear on pages 612 and 614.  The sketch more closely resembles that on p. 612.]

 

78x118.1b       envelope addressed to “B.J. Lossing, Esq., Care Lossing & Barrett, Engravers, No. 71 Nassau St., To be called for.”

 

78x118.1c        Note: “Be careful to keep this very clean.  Engrave the same size as the original.  B.J.L.”