New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1873-01-30


tributed. 1funable to make the contribution
Ihere are friends who will be willing to de-
Tray the expense. have. in a previous let
ter, gwen all the information in my posses
sion concerning the descendants Of the missing
Governors, with whom correspondence should
be commenced or continued. If you should
90 to New Haven. / would advise you To
visit the "Trumhull Gallery" There are
many portraits there of our revolutionary pa
tnots, particularly the sigDers Of the Decia-
ration Of independence. painted 10y TrImbull
himself. Also. at Philadelphia. in Independ-
ence Hail. and in the public and private gal
leries Of art many rare portraits are 10 be
found. The State is greatly indebted to you
for your fidelity and enthusiasm in this mat
ter. Although difficult at the outset to make
much progress, now that the object IS so well
secured, there are additional incentives to
complete it.,
Dartmouth College and Phillips Exeter
Academy. from which YOU hOnorably gradu-
ated, must also appreciate your efforts, in
procuring portraits Of many distinguished or
fcers and alumni Of their respective institu-
tons, which now grace their own halls of
learning. II it is possible to obtain any por-
traits Of the Provincial Governors the efforts
should now be made. Full length portraits
of Lieut.. Gov. John Wentworth, l7l1-30,
and Of Gov. Benning Wentworth. l74l-GG,
arc now in the well-preserycd Wcn.w orth
mansion, on Pleasant street, Portsmouth.
Mark fiunking Wentworth, Esq, an estima-
bic citizen of that city, whose pride Of an
honorcd ancestry is commcndable, would no
doubt esteem it a privilege to present to the
State copies Of the originals, which he so
highly prizes, and prefers retaining in the
possession Of the family. If the portrait Of
Gov. John Wentwarth 1878, is not in the
collection he may be able to procure it. 1t
is possible there may be in existence por-
traits of the earlier Provincial Governors,
and engurers among the antiGuarians of New
England might give some light on the sub
jcct. n communication inserted in the " y.
L. Historical and Genealogical Register at
Boston, might result in obtaining valuable
information. Has the portrait which was
sent by express, from, know not where, d.
rcc:cd TO the State House. Augusta. Maine,
and by the authorities there forwarded t.
Concord, supposing it had been msdircctcd.
been claimed or recognized?
The grand, old mansions Of Governors
Bennlng and john Wentworth and John
Langd0n, built in Eye oldcn times" and also
the stately residences of Governors Wood |
bury and Goodwin, Of latter construction. at
Portsmouth, are sill commanding in appear
ancc and retain their architectural attractive
MSS. iHch 'iHPit, ANA W MY youthful
eye, palatial proportions, upon which gazcd |
with admiration in my boyhood days, looI, |
somewhat smaller now but their connection |
with the historic past continues to invest !
them with such interest as to excite emotions |
OF more than ordinary venCration. An in |
teresting addition to your collection might be |
made by procuring large Photographic views I
OF these old mansions AMI the present oc- |
cupants would no doubt contribute the same. |
Perhaps one of the Wentworth houses which |
was removed for the new High school build |
inc may have been photographed before its |
demolition.
January 4, 1873.
Absence from the city has prevented the |
completion of this letter; and since writing |
The foregoing, have been informed that por-
traits of Gov. John Langdon, who was also
4 member Of the Continental Congress and |
L. ). Senator from New Hampshire, are i'm
possession of the Elwyn family in Philadcl-
phia, and that DR.. \. Langdon Ewyn. a
grandson OF the revolutionary patriot has
kindly consented to present one of them to
the State.
l addressed a letter recently to Major
Matthew Thornton Bottom, of Portsmouth.
| 18TH \. ii. Reg. OF NOls.,) Il great grandson
OF the first President of New Hampshire. and
a signer of the Declaration of independence,
which elected the information that the family
had been again consulted and had no knowl-
edge Of any portrait of Matthew Thornton in
existence; but the gallant Captain James :.
Thornton, of the U. 5. Navy, another lineal
descendant, great grandson, who as execu-
tive officer ofthe' 'Kearsagc, fought the"Ala-
bama" with such cOnsummate skill and intre-
pidity, informs me through q friend, and will
write to you Oh the subject, that he has quite
recently come into possession of an engraved
likeness Of his honored ancestor, which was
copied from drawing made by a foreign art
isl, now in the collection Of Mr.. Emett, of
Philadelphia, and will present to the State a
copy in oil, a most valuable and much desired
acquisition.
am, very truly and sincerely, your friend,
THOMAS J.. TULLoCK.