The Winterthur Library

The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum

5105 Kennett Pike, Winterthur, Delaware 19735

Telephone: 302-888-4600 or 800-448-3883

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

Creator: [unknown]

Title: Sketchbook

Dates: 1829-1833

Call No.: Doc. 1775

Acc. No.: 2018x43

Quantity: 1 volume (with 21 sketches)

Location: 31 K 1

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

The artist who created these sketches never identified herself or himself. Because one of the sketches was done in a woman’s bedroom, the artist is strongly believed to have been a woman, and evidence points to a woman known to Joseph Pitcairn (1764-1844). It is speculated that the artist may have been his niece Elizabeth Brodie (1792-1857), daughter of Pitcairn’s sister Helen and her husband Alexander Brodie.

Joseph Pitcairn was born in Scotland and immigrated to the United States, where he became a diplomat, serving as American consul in Hamburg, Germany. (At the time, Hamburg was a free city in the Hansa League.) In Hamburg, he married Pamela, the widow of Irish patriot Lord Edward Fitzgerald. The Pitcairns had a daughter, Helen, but the couple afterwards divorced. Mrs. Pitcairn remained in Europe, while Joseph and Helen returned to the United States. He bought and developed land in St. Lawrence County, New York, including property in the town of Edwards and the hamlet of Helena (in the town of Brasher). It had been his intention to settle in Helena, and he had a large stone dwelling built there, although in the end, he was not able to make that his permanent home.

Joseph Pitcairn and his sister Helen (1763-1812) were the children of Janet McCormack and the Rev. Joseph Pitcairn (1708-1780). Helen married the Rev. Alexander Brodie (1727-1804), who was a minister in Fife, Scotland. The Brodies had a number of children. Their son James (1782-1831) joined the East India Company. Son Joseph (1783-1825) was a merchant in Hamburg, Germany. Son Alexander Oswald (circa 1787-1856) was a merchant in New York City. He married Eustachia Griffiths; they had no children; Alexander Oswald Brodie died in Scotland. Daughter Helen (1792-1856) married Alexander Cowan around 1830; they lived in Edinburgh. Daughter Elizabeth (1796-1863) never married; it is speculated that she was the artist of this sketchbook.

SCOPE AND CONTENT

A sketchbook with pencil drawings of places in New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey, drawn in 1829-1833 by an unidentified artist, but perhaps by Elizabeth Brodie. The artist visited Edwards, Helena, Canandaigua, Saratoga Springs, Sing Sing, and New York City, New York; Paulus Hook (now part of Jersey City), Springfield, and Passaic Falls (in Paterson), New Jersey; and New London and Norwich, Connecticut. The sketches were usually views of or from the homes of people the artist seemed to know; views of Passaic Falls and Springfield Mountain in New Jersey are also included. The sketchbook is further described in the finding aid.

ORGANIZATION

When received, all the pages in the sketchbook were loose and therefore it was impossible to know the original order of the sketches. Although the volume was received with the sketches in one order, it was decided to put them into chronological order so that sketches of the same locations would be together.

LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS

The materials are in English.

RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS

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

PROVENANCE

Purchased from Terry Alford.

ACCESS POINTS

Topics:

Sing Sing Prison.

Art, Amateur.

Barns - Pictorial works.

Church buildings - Pictorial works.

Dwellings - Pictorial works.

Paper mills - New Jersey - Pictorial works.

Rivers - Pictorial works.

Trees - Pictorial works.

Women artists.

Canandaigua (N.Y.) - Pictorial works.

Edwards (N.Y.) - Pictorial works.

Helena (N.Y.) - Pictorial works.

Hudson River (N.Y. and N.J.) - Pictorial works.

New London (Conn.) - Pictorial works.

Norwich (Conn.) - Pictorial works.

New York (N.Y.) - Pictorial works.

New York (State) - Pictorial works.

Ossining (N.Y.) - Pictorial works.

Passaic Falls (N.J.) - Pictorial works.

Paulus Hook (N.J.) - Pictorial works.

Saratoga Springs (N.Y.) - Pictorial works.

Springfield (Union County, N.J.) - Pictorial works.

Sketchbooks.

Pencil drawings.

Creator:

Brodie, Elizabeth, 1792-1857.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

Location: 31 K 1

The sketches are in the following order:

1. Mrs. Watson’s house at Edwards, 5^th August 1829

The sketch shows a log cabin, with a woman standing outside it, along the bank of a stream. Logs are scattered on the bank as well, and there is a small cleared field, but the cabin is mostly surrounded by trees. On yellow paper.

Edwards, New York: Like many of the drawings in the sketchbook, there are strong connections to Joseph Pitcairn and his circles. In 1816 Joseph Pitcairn acquired a township in the settlement of Edwards. Through his efforts of promoting and selling the land, he was instrumental in bringing Scottish immigrants to the area. This was a major factor leading to the permanent foundation of the town of Edwards on April 27, 1827.

Mrs. Watson: There were many Watson settlers in the early years of Edwards. The cemetery records list four Mrs. Watsons who are good candidates for the owner of the house in the drawing. First is Hellen Dixon Watson (Dec. 1776- 20 Dec. 1840), who was the wife of Robert Watson, Sr. They were both early settlers coming to Edwards from Scotland. Second is Helen Kerr Watson (20 Nov. 1800-1897), who was also born in Scotland and who was married to a Robert Watson (possibly the son of Hellen and Robert, Sr.). Third is Agnes S. Watson (died 3 Jan. 1861, age 54), who was the wife of William Watson. Fourth is Mary Haverman Watson (died 25 July 1868, age 70), who was the wife of a different William Watson. The Scottish thread running through the drawings favors one of the first two candidates. Both are possible, although Hellen Watson would have likely been of an earlier generation than the artist, while Helen Kerr would have likely been the artist’s contemporary.

Reference: http://www.edwardshistory.org/index.htm

2. Edwards from the Bendfield. 7^th August 1829

Several houses, what might be a sawmill, and other buildings, make up the town of Edwards. Logs are scattered about, and a fenced garden are shown, as well as the falls obviously being used to run mills. On yellow paper.

Based on the geography of the town of Edwards and the Oswegatchie River that runs through it, the artist appears to have taken her sketch downstream from where the falls, the island, and a bend in the river are located. There is currently a field at this location that the artist may be referring to as the Bendfield.

3. View of the Rapids at Edwards. 11 August 1829

Stumps of felled trees are scattered about cleared land.

This second sketch of the Oswegatchie River at Edwards is further upstream, taken from above the falls. The top of the falls is in the background of the sketch.

4. Helena from Uncle’s New House. Sept. 1829

Houses and other buildings, tree stumps in cleared fields, fences, and the not-so-distant forest are depicted in this sketch.

This caption makes another strong case for the artist being a close friend or relative of Joseph Pitcairn (1764-1844) as Helena was named for his daughter. Although the title “uncle” may be an endearment used by a close friend, Joseph Pitcairn did have a sister, Helen Pitcairn. She and her husband Alexander Brodie had several children, including two daughters, Helen (1796-1863) and Elizabeth (1792-1857). Although there is no definitive evidence in the sketchbook for the identity of the artist, it is easy to imagine her as the older, unmarried Elizabeth, traveling and possibly living with her uncle Pitcairn and cousin Helen after the death of her parents in 1812 and 1804, and the marriage of her sister (which occurred between 1829 and 1831). Helen Brodie and her husband Alexander Cowan lived in Scotland. (The dates of their marriage are suggested by the death of Alexander’s first wife in 1829 and the birth of Alexander and Helen’s first child in 1831.) A female artist is suggested by the numerous female figures in the sketches and the reference to “Mrs. Greig’s bed-room” (see sketch 15), a location more expected for a female guest.

References: https://www.ancestry.com/genealogy/records/joseph-pitcairn_107642152

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helena,_New_York

5. View of New London from Mr. Stewart’s house. 15^th July 1830.

A number of buildings alongside a body of water, with sailboats at dock and one person out in a smaller boat. A fence cuts across the water, perhaps the boundary of Mr. Stewart’s property. No attempt was made to identify him.

6. Mr. Taylor’s house near Saratoga. 5^th August 1830.

A house and barn half-hidden by trees, with fields around them. No attempt was made to identify Mr. Taylor.

7. View of Norwich from the Steamboat. 5^th July 1830.

Houses and other buildings along a stream, with rocks on one side and trees on the other bank.

8. Judge Walton’s house from Mr. Putnam’s. 23^rd August 1830.

A neoclassical house (columns across the front) tucked into the trees, with fields in front of it. A smaller sketch than most in the book.

Judge Walton: This may refer to Judge Henry Walton, judge and landowner in Saratoga Springs. His involvement in land development in New York state may have led him to cross paths with fellow land developer Joseph Pitcairn. His home in Saratoga Springs was “Woodlawn” and there are accounts of the estate dating from 1826 to 1830, corresponding with the date of the sketch.

Reference: http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/msscfa/sc19956.htm

9. View of Episcopal Church &c. at Paulus Hook taken from Mrs. Bourne’s back window. July 1831.

The church is in the center of the sketch, with another tower beyond it, and barns off to the right. A woman stands in the foreground, with other human figures and a cow also present in the landscape.

Episcopal Church at Paulus Hook: In 1830, land was given to St. Matthew’s Protestant Episcopal Church and in 1831 a church was completed on the site. This building, which is the one depicted in the sketch, was destroyed in a fire in 1869. On the site now is the church rebuilt in 1870. The building is currently the Our Lady of Czestochowa Roman Catholic Church.

10. Mr. Colden’s House at Paulus House. View from Mrs. Bourne’s back window July 1831.

There are two houses shown in this sketch, both with barns. Fields stretch between the viewer and the homes, and a fence cuts across the fields.

Paulus House: It is not known to whom Paulus House belonged. Both houses were in Paulus Hook, a community within Jersey City, New Jersey, situated on a point of land bordered by the Hudson River. It has historically been a transportation hub as a major docking point for ferries to New York City. The artist may have traveled through Paulus Hook on her way across the bay to Battery Park, the locations of sketches 12 and 13.

Mr. Colden: A possible candidate is Cadwallader D. Colden (1769-1834). Cadwallader D. Colden was a prominent politician in New York. After resigning from the New York State Senate in 1827, he spent his final years in Jersey City, dying there in 1834. Colden was involved in building the canal system, was on the commission for the Erie Canal, and helped complete the Morris Canal. These ventures may have led him to cross paths with Joseph Pitcairn and others in Pitcairn’s circle.

References: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paulus_Hook,_Jersey_City

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/79689844

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadwallader_D._Colden

http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=C000604

11. Passaic Falls at Patterson. July 1831.

A sketch of the falls into its rocky gorge, with trees above the falls, and a house overlooking the scene.

Passaic Falls: The Great Falls on the Passaic River are large and powerful falls. This made it an ideal location for manufacturing and it was the site of the first planned industrial city in the United States. The picturesque falls were also a popular subject for artists, so the artist of the sketchbook was following in the footsteps of many before her. The artist Thomas Pownall sketched the falls in 1754 and his sketch was made into paintings and then a series of prints by Paul Sandby.

https://www.nps.gov/pagr/index.htm

https://www.bl.uk/collection-items/a-view-of-the-falls-on-the-passaick

Print made after Thomas Powall’s sketch of the Great Falls of the Passaic River, 1761.

12. View of the Narrows & Bay of New York. Sketch taken from Jersey City.

Trees dominate the foreground, with ships and boats on the bay and the land off in the distance.

13. Governor’s Island, Staten Island, & the Bay of New York from the Battery.

Two women and a man stroll in the park, which is fenced off from the bay, on which ships are sailing. Roof tops are seen on the island to the left. A fort is also visible.

14. Markhsoom near Canandaigua

The name of this is a little unclear, and it could also be read as Markbroom. What is clear is that it is a house, with nearby barns, along a road with fences on either side of the road. A field is in the foreground.

15. Episcopal Church at Canandaigua from Mrs. Greig’s bed-room window. 12 June 1832

Church, partially hidden by trees, with a smaller building next door. Fences line the road in front of the church.

Episcopal Church at Canandaigua: St. John’s Episcopal church was first organized in 1814 and the first church building was built in 1816. This is the church shown in the drawing. In 1872 the first church building was razed and replaced with the Gothic style building which is still in use.

Photo of original wooden church.

Mrs. Greig: A search on www.findagrave.com leads to a reference to John Greig (6 August 1779 – 9 April 1858). He emigrated from Scotland and became an attorney in Canandaigua, where he is buried. His wife was Clarissa Chapin Greig. The Scottish connection makes this couple a good candidate for the owners of the house where the artist was located when making the drawing.

16. Mr. Campbell’s house at Thistle Mill near Springfield, New Jersey. Sketch taken from the rock at the side of the lake. 7^th July 1832.

House, partially hidden by trees, and barn near a calm lake.

Mr. Campbell: Samuel Campbell came to the United States from Scotland in 1785 or 1786. He was earlier confused with a Samuel Campbell who emigrated from Scotland in 1756 and bought land at the location of the later mill. Campbell lived and worked in New York City before opening his mill in Millburn ca. 1790. The “Mr. Campbell” in the captions may also refer to Samuel Campbell’s son, John, who operated the mill after his death.

Thistle Mill: Thistle Mill was founded by Samuel Campbell ca. 1790. The mill was successful and several others were soon established in the area. After approximately 20 years, a fire forced Campbell to shut down his business. The house was located across from the mill. Google Maps currently indicates Campbell’s Pond (the artist’s lake?) on Brookside drive in South Mountain Reservation.

References: https://www.tapinto.net/towns/millburn-slash-short-hills/articles/the-history-of-the-mill-in-millburn

http://millburnlibrary.org/site/1915www_/MillburnHistoryeBook.pdf

John Bidwell. American Paper Mills 1690-1832: A Directory of the Paper Trade with Notes on Products, Watermarks, Distribution Methods, and Manufacturing Techniques. Hanover, New Hampshire: Dartmouth College Press, 2013.

17. View of Springfield Mountain where General Washington was encamped during the Revolution in 1777 or 8. Sketch taken from the rock on Newark First Mountain. 6^th July 1832.

The sketch shows a patchwork of fields and woods, with two roofs of buildings.

This is most likely a view of Washington Rock, currently located in the South Mountain Reservation in northeastern New Jersey. According to the plaque on the rock, George Washington was there in 1780 and observed the American troops thwart a British attempt to reach Morristown. The rock is located between Millburn and Newark, corresponding with the neighboring sketch made a day later as well as the artist’s description of her location when making the sketch. There are several high points in the Reservation and Newark First Mountain probably refers to one of them.

References: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Mountain_Reservation

https://www.essexcountyparks.org/parks/south-mountain-reservation/about

18. Mr. Campell’s Paper Mill

Two buildings, a fence in the foreground, and a woman walking along a path.

[for more about the mill, see notes under number 16]

19. Mr. Campbell’s House

A large house, with attached barn; a shed in a field; woods behind the house; and a woman and man walking nearby.

[for more about Mr. Campbell, see notes under number 16]

20. Mr. Smith’s house at Sing Sing from the rock on the beach. July 1833.

Mr. Smith’s house is right on the river, with a small boat tied up to the piazza. Another boat, with passengers, heads toward the house. To the right of the house are rocks and trees.

[see notes below]

21. View of the Hudson and State Prison at Sing Sing from Mr. Smith’s piazza looking downriver. 24^th July 1833.

Rocky shoreline to the left side, with a building just beyond, and a wharf or jetty jutting into the Hudson River, on which a sail boat is seen. Hills on the other side of the river are in the background.

Mr. Smith: Smith is a name associated with early settlers of Ossining and there are numerous graves for Smiths at the old Sparta Cemetery in Ossining. The Smiths are too numerous and information too sparse to determine any likely candidates for the artist’s Mr. Smith. The 2010 “Village of Ossining, New York, Significant Sites and Structures Guide” describes two later houses associated with Smiths and notes another Smith house of the correct period for the sketch that needs more research. However, the location of none of these houses corresponds with the location of the sketches as none are located on the river.

State Prison at Sing Sing: The state prison opened in 1826, and is still in use.

The Beach: Currently upriver from the correctional facility is Louis Engle Waterfront Park which has several small beaches, coinciding with the reference in the first caption, and is in the correct position for the view taken in the second sketch.

References: https://www.villageofossining.org/about

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sing_Sing