The Portland daily press., 1864-06-03
Mr.. Clark Mills, the Sculptor.


Mr.. Clark Mills, the Sculptor.
The following extracts are from an interest.
ing article in the New York Round Table:
Clark Mills was born in the State of New
York, December |, 1915. In consequence oi
the death of his father, he was put, at the ear
ly age OF i've years, with an uncle by mar
riage, whom he left between the ages OF twelve
and thirteen for imagined ill-trealment. The
following spring he worked on farm and
drove wagon. He went to school that win
ter, working night and morning, before
school hours, for his board. The next spring
ne went to Syracuse, N. Y, in search OF work,
and found employmentat at i've dollars month
with board; he worked nine months, and re-
ceived only five dollars; his employer failed
IN the fall, and he lost all that was due him.
He worked during the winter at . different
employment. and in the spring drove wagon
hauling lumber at Syracuse, where he remain
ed one year at eight dollars month and
board. The horses we're finally sold, and oxen
substituted; finding an ox-team too slow for
his "go-ahead" disposition, he left his employ
er aud worked on the canal till the fall, and
went to school that winter. In the spring he
attended canal locks. The following winter
he worked in a swamp cutting cedar posts,
and got his feet so badly frozen that he was
unable 10 wear shoes for several months, which
suffering determined him never TO work again
as common laborer. He then procured a
situation with a cabinet-maker, working first
for instruction and then for board. He next
learned the millwright's trade and worked at
that about two years, and left the employ
ment to take charge Of a plaster and cement
mill.
His next move was for New Orleans, La,
where he stayed about one year, and then
went to Charleston, S. c., and learned the
stucco trade, which business he followed nn-
til 1885, when he commenced modelling busts
in clay. He soon discovered q new method
for taking a cast over the living face, which
enabled him to take busts so cheaply that he
soon had as much work as he could do. He
then resolves TO try cutting In marble, and af-
ter procuring block OF native Carolina stone
he commenced the bust of John G. Calhoun.
At that time he was not familiar with the
rules for cutting bust, and was compelled to
adopt rule OF his own, which was very te-
dious process, requiring extraordinary care.
He soon, however, succeeded in producing
what was then considered the best Likeness
ever taken of Mr.. Calhoun. The bust was
purchased by the city council Of Charleston,
and he was also awarded gold medal.
Soon after this, means were offered him by
the wealthy gentlemen Of Charleston to study
in Europe. This circumstance found its way
into the newspapers, and In a few days he re-
ceived letter from Hon. John Preston, 1.-THE
gentleman who sent Hiram Powers to Italy,
which stated that he had seen the notices
about his visit TO Italy, and that he would like
him to come TO Columbia. S. c., and take the
busts OF himself and wife, also that Col. Wade
Hampton desired the busts Of himself and
daughters, and that he might cut them in mar
BILE when he had farther advanced in the art
He took the advice OF friends and went TO Col
umbia. After taking ten busts he returned to
Charleston. A little incident occurred at this
time which seemed TO change his whole course.
Whom ha esllea 10 toxic ieevo of VIM. O. P.-o-
ton, whose acquaintance he had formed, be re-
marked TO the artist that he should see the
statuary at Washington before visiting Eu-
rope. He replied that, "if he spent his means
in travelling about, he would not be able to ac-
complish his main object" "As for the ex-
pense," said Mr.. p, "f you will go to Wash
ington and take the busts Of my friends Web
ster and Cri,tenden, will pay your expenses
there and back, and pay you for the busts al
So" He readily accepted the offer, started
for Washington, stopping in Richmond, Va,
TO see the statue by Houdon, which was the
first statue he had ever seen. The first thing
he did after his arrival In Washington was TO
visit the Capitol, that he might feast his eager
eyes on the statuary there.
An accidental circumstance here gave rise
to the order for the jackson statue. He was
introduced to the Hon. Cave johnson, then
Postmaster-G General and President OF the Jack
son Monument Committee, who, on learning
his intention to visit Europe, proposed that
he should give design for bronze equestri-
an statue !; he felt himself incompetent to exc
cute work of such magnitude, and positive
ly refused. The incident, however, made an
impression upon his mud, and he reflected
sufficiently TO produce design which was the
very one subsequently executed, and now
adorns the public square 10 front Of the White
House. He concluded TO oaccept Mr.. John
sons offer, and after nine months Of patient
labor he succeeded in bringing out miniature
model on a new principle, which was to bring
the hind legs Of the horse exactly under the
center of his body, which of course produced
perfect balance, thereby giving the horse
more the appearance OF life; the model was
adopted by the committee. A contract was
made for the sum OF twelve thousand dollars
A the bronze TO be furnished by the committee
\ Two years labor and hard study and be fin.
ished the plaster model. After waiting near
ly nine months, Congress appropriated the old
Il cannon captured by Gen. Andrew jackson
I and, under various disheartening circumstan.
ces, the breaking Of cranes, the bursting o
I furnaces, after six failures In the body of the
/ horse, he finally triumphed. And on the Sth
/ OF January, 1858, the statue was dedicated
| Soon after. Congress voted him twenty thou
sand dollars to remunerate him for his ser.
vices. The sum of fifty thousand was after
ward voted for an equestrian statue Of Gen
! George Washington, and that also occupies q
/ central position in the metropolis. In the fol
/ lowing spring, the city of New Orleans voted
( thirty-ive thousand dollars for duplicate o
4 the Jackson statue. A farm was purchased
| on the Washington and Baltimore Turnpike
about three miles from Washington, for thu
purpose Of erecting the necessary buildings
studio and foundry.
Having completed the buildings, he wa
about to commence work, when gale de
stroyed the studio. Before 1t was rebuilt th,
foundry was destroyed by fire, but it was re
built as sooH as possible. After finishing tn,
4 statue for New Orleans, he commenced tn
statue of Washington, which was completed
f and dedicated on the 22d of February, 1886
4 The living horse after which this statue wa
4 modelled was captured on prairie near For
4 Leavenworth, and was considered remarka
Il bly, fine animal. In June, 1850, Mr.. Mill
commenced the work of casting the statue {
Freedom, after Crawfords design, which wa
completed in 1863 and now stands above tn
dome Of the Capitol.
oueh, In brief, Is the story of another sci
made man, aud one of the most fortunate
American artists. That he possesses geniu
of high order cannot be doubted; and il hi
works do not possess all the convention,
graces OF European art, he has certainly Or,
duced two statues which are original and
: perfect keeping with the manly vigor of til
great Republic. At the present time M
, Mills is engaged in taking busts in mann,
peculiarly his own and while he is assiste
8 Inv ono son who inherits HIS fathers peniu
he has recently received the gratifying ne'
from Munich that another son, who has be-
: studying there the art of the sculptor, b
( been honored with the first prize of the Aca
+ emy, and is the first American who has ev
! received prize at that institution.