The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1881-05-05
A Family Of Artists,

er, sculptor and poet, who was recently
found dead in his apartments in Ess,
New York, recalls some personal knowl.
edge Ct this remarkable family. They
were originally from Darmstad:, Ger.
many. but for many years the family
homestead has been 1t Springfield, Ohio.
Their mother, who was . woman Of great
personal beauty, died there In 1872. HeI
four sons and two daughters inherited
from her their talent for music and paint.
ing, and they have cultivated, by long
study and practice, especially the lstter
art. which has been their lifelong pro
fession, and associated their name with
this wonderful gift.
John Ffankenstein had . studio In
Cincinnati. and painted. besides good
landscapes, many portraits Of distin-
guished persons both East and West.
which were regarded - very superior.
he painted in Louisville, Philadelphia.
and other cities, before making his home
in New York. When VIM. h. Seward
was Governor he was his Aid, with rank
Of Colonel, and lived with the family at
Auburn - well - Albany. An infelici.
tous marriage with an Akron lady-who
il still living, herself an elocutionis. of
talent, and since her separation from
Frankenstein married to one Of her own
profession-may have had something to
do with disposing him to the life of .
recluse. in whose Loneliness death found
him. Music and literature, a. well as
painting and sculpture, came naturally
to this family, and John played the piano
with remarkable skin at the age Of seven.
Godfrey Frankenstein, who for twenty
years studied Niagara, and painted 1t
with fidelity probably achieved by NO
other. died in February, 1873, and was
regarded - most genial friend, .
Christian man. profoundly deep and ten
der in his nlial and fraternal devotion.
The surviving brothers George L. and
0ustavus-sre men Of talent. the former
an artist, the latter also Q writer of abil.
ity and . noted geometrioian, By far
the finest description we read of the
phenomena Of the solar eclipse of
1859 - seen In the latitude Of its to-
tality. was . magazine article BY
Gustavus Frankenstein.
In the early summer in 1867, Just be.
fore Godfrey Frankenstein was to sail
again for Europe. taking some Of his
pictures, and others the work of his sis
ters. We had the happiness 10 be one of .
party Of several invited guests who
would be received at the home and shown
the paintings before they were packed.
was in the glory Of its most
charming season, and the Ffankenstein
yard, with its abundant shade and bios.
soming shrubs, and crossed by . clear
brook in stony channel, was sufficiently
picturesque to be the vestibule to such
close study Of Nature a. was evidenced
within. "Early Summer" . scene near
Fernclif. ON the Lagonda, was then just
and was one Of Godfrey Frank
famous pictures. The originals
Of many Of the choicest steel engravings
Of the Ladies' Repository were seen thss
day, - well - Others reproduced for
In Barper's Magazine.
A. We walked through the yard in
leaving, one Of the sister artists who had
70 pleasantly entertained NJ, gathered
here spray Of green. there flower,
telling ~ the while from what State or
laAd some ono Of the family had brought
The root or cutting, and ~ she bound
hem lightly-delicste, nodding. family
odorous things-gsve them to the writer,
hoping the memory Of the visit would
outlast their beauty and be a. pleasant
- their fragrance. The faded flowers
stiil preserved, and very liberal entry
In the diary Of that date, helps N now to
recall the persons and the pictures asso-
siated with an afternoon that added
to the sum Of LIES happiness.