From the Firdt Mate's Photo Album - Willard Library

Very Large Portrait

of George Washington

with Horse

Hangs midway on the stairs to the second floor.

 

This photo and excerpts below are from the Willard Library website: Washington's Portrait. [Click on the link to the left for this photo and story.]

This copy of Gilbert Stuart’s “George Washington at Dorcester Heights” (which hangs at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts) is believed to have been painted by William Edward West.

The painting has been with Willard Library since its opening, but how it came to the Library was a mystery until 1954.

At that time, Julia Evans Stephens Shea, a resident of Hollywood, California, and descendent of General Robert M. Evans, was visiting Evansville. During her stay, she read a newspaper article by Bish Thompson on the cleanup and minor restoration of the painting.

Shea was the only living heir to the painting in 1954, and she determined it should be left on display at Willard Library. It hangs there today.

Willard Library Director Greg Hager told me an interesting story about this painting that maybe I will be able to get him to share on this blog!  My middle son, JJ, who just turned 37 lives in Cincinnati and asked me about this painting that he remembers as an 8 or 9 year old.

Photographs of Willard Library, 1948

• Click to view enlarged image.

J. Paul Wurtz is the photographer of these Willard Library images, taken in 1948.

Reading Table and Bench

• Click to view enlarged image.

The reading table and bench from Columbia school were a gift from Mrs. Sam Warren.

Willard Library and Other Notable Buildings of Evansville

• Click to view enlarged image.

The depictions of Willard Library and other notable buildings of Evansville are from Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper, October 12, 1889.

- Compiled by JGWest

From the FIRST MATE's PHOTO ALBUM...

'

Here is a photo of my youngest son,
James William Warner West.

James got 3 given names since his two older brothers got my middle name (Phillip Gregory West) and my first name (John Jefferson West). I ran out of names to give a third son from me, so we just ended up naming him after all of my other ancestors: (Warner West... my grandfather); (William Wood, William Ellis West, William Huff, William Allen Kimble, William Allen, William Lewis, William Haynes, William Gardner, William H. Woodis, William Allen Long [this William was my Uncle Bill, Mom's brother, who died not long before James was born]) and (James Tobias Long & James Henry Wood).

Interestingly, the lady in the oval frame over James' right shoulder (left side in this photo) is Donna Isabelle Mayes who married James Henry Wood. James Henry Wood is buried in St. Joseph Cemetery in Evansville and except for my mother & father is the only ancestor buried in Evansville and in Indiana!

- Photo taken on James' 32nd. Birthday - 2010 by JGWest

From the FIRST MATE's PHOTO ALBUM...

'

My Grandson, Evan, graduated in June this summer...

and his family was there to celebrate the day! L-R: JJ West, Halle West, Evan West (the Graduate) and Christie West.
I post this photo to remind all of our genealogy friends that for special events like Easter, Memorial day, 4th. of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc. and graduations, weddings & even funerals are good times to be with your families and learn about the living family, as well as, the ones that have passed on in time. Get family addresses, phone numbers and email - so you can keep in touch. Send your family members a brief history of the family as it relates to them... then keep them posted as to any changes or additions. Sharing with them may mean that, later, they will share with you.

- Compiled by JGWest

From the FIRST MATE's PHOTO ALBUM...

.
My grand daughter's version of patriotism...

Halle West of Cincinnati drew this bust of the Statue of Liberty with the U.S. flag as background at school this year. Halle is six years old.

- Submitted by JJ West