Portrait of Miss Margaret Ramsey Woods (1823-1895) ca.1855, by John James Trumbull Arnold (1996.009.016).
John James Trumbull Arnold was an itinerant portrait artist who painted the likenesses of people who lived in the York Springs area in the 1840s. He was born in Latimer Township, York County, the son of Dr. John B. Arnold and his wife, the former Rachel Weakley. The last known dated portrait by Arnold was painted in 1853.
The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum lists John James Arnold as a ‘Professor of Penmanship and Portrait and Miniatures Painter’.[1]
The Cumberland County Historical Society collection contains the following works by Arnold:
1. 1993.027.012 ‘A 1847 painting by John Arnold: Oil on canvas portrait, 34” height and 29" width, of Mary Ann Gardner McKee of York Springs, PA, at age of 16.Girl is in green dress, seated holding a pink rose. She has black hair held and a pink bow around neck.’ She later married Jessie McKee of New Bloomfield, Perry County.[2]
2. 1996.009. 016 An 1853 oil on canvas portrait of Margaret R. Woods, probably painted in West Pennsboro Township. She has long black hair and is wearing a black dress. She is wearing green-framed glasses to protect her eyes although the exact cause of the light sensitivity is unknown. Her right hand rests on the book, “Cowper” by William Cowper. Woods raised Martha Jane from age two. Margaret Woods never had children or married. [3]
3. 1996.009.019 An 1853 oil on canvas portrait of Mary Jane Stuart as a three year old. A full-length portrait shows her wearing a blue dress with yellow bows and black and green shoes. She holds a red rose in her right hand and a basket of roses over her left arm.[4]
Clarence I. Lewis, a decorating painter, was born in St. Clair, Pennsylvania. He left high school his sophomore year to apprentice as decorating painter. In 1917 he joined the military as an insignia painter where he would later he paint equipment.
[1] Cumberland County Historical Society, Museum accession
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Ibid.