The Russellville Democrat., 1893-11-09

and doubtless in Fort Smith, evidencing.
 in very flattering and remarkable de- gree, artistic talent, even before he was grown or had conceived the idea of the
 "Arkansaw Traveller From Fort Smith
 he went to New York to improve in the art with the scant means derived. and
 was gone nearly eighteen months. study ing under Elliot, the great American painter, and also at the academy of de- sign, returning to Arkansas much im- proved. He was finely educated. a deep student, with retentye memory. He loved the classic page and could repeat
 page after page from Virgil, or a whole oration from Cicero. His father was his principal classical teacher, being a finely educated prominent divine and scholar.
 who gave his children the full benefit of
 his attainments in history, literature and the classics. In 1858 Edward, with his father and family, moved to Norristown in Pope county, within three or four miles of old Dwight Mission on the H. inois bayou, the first old home of his father in 1920.
 Iii the fall of 1858, his brother Henry came on a visit to his parents, and one day while the two were on their way to try their skill III fishing in the Illinois bayou near old Dwight, Edward remark ed to Henry that he believed he would paint picture and call it "Arkansaw Traveller and few days afterwards, he canyassed frame and began to paint some of the characters fer the "Traveler,p painting few hours each day and occas- ionally fishing. One day he and his brother visited their fathers old home at Dwight, to look at the memorable snrino Nf xuhiah al thirst of the little missionary band. who had formerly lived there, and on passing around one of the old houses of the Mis- sion, to go to the sprlng, they saw young lady, holding looking glass in one hand and with the other she was brushing a lovely suit of hair, at which they laughed, but which made such an impression on him, that Edward. when he reached home, put in the character of the girl,holdinga a glass and combing her hair, with some other characters, repre- sentIng the Arkansaw Traveller. These characters are still retained in litho- graphs. Here at Norristown. Pope coun- ty, Tn lS6s, must then be given as the place and time at which the first con ception and idea entered the mind of Edward Payson WaShbourne, to make and execute this remarkable and famous picture, "The Arkansaw Traveller and which received its finishing touches at Little Rock, at which place, at the resi- dence of Dr. k. l.. Dodge. on the I7th day of March, lS60 his father, the Rev. 1 Cephas Washbourne died. in the sixty eighth year of his age.
 About one week after the death of his l father and at the residence of Dr. Thom- 1 as k. Welch, on the 26th day of March. | 1860, in Little Rock, Arkansaw, Edward i Payson Washbourne died, in the twenty- | ninth year of his age, and was buried on | the following day, with Masonic honors | by that fraternity. Thus terminated the | life and fame of one of Arkansaw's first | and most gifted artists, who, had he been | spared to have attained the age of fifty | or sixty years, would have been chased | and recognized among the finests artists of the world. Dr. Thomas k. Welch, i Dr. R. l.. Dodge and Mrs. Eliza B. Dodge | his wife, in whose houses these two f Washbournes, father and son, breathed | their last, have also crossed over Jordon, and all five of these noble personages are entombed in the cemetary at Little Rock. could give many noted acts and incl dents of hospitality, love and kindness, of all five of these depart ed friends, who have left lasting impress sions of their worth upon the hearts of f sorrowing survivors which can never be etfaeed or obliterated. They are all worthy | page in the history of Arkan- saw in which they figured 50 prominent ly, and 1 sincerely hope that future his torians will treasure u. their usefulness and virtues so layishly bestowed and extended to all with whom it was their lot to commingle in the wilderness -wilds of Arkansaw, in the long, long years ago.
 All have written in this communica- tion in reply to your letter and request as to the birthplace, proper names, and my knowledge of Edward Payson Wash bourne and his family, and other persons mentioned herein, you may rely upon as being correct
 Trusting that what l have written may be satisfactory in reply to your let .er on the subject, and that it may not prove uninteresting to yon in it's perusal,
 lou will believe me, my dear madam, with esteem and kind regards,
 Very respectfully yours,
 JNo. k. HOMER SoorT.
 Russellyille, Ark April 20, 1S03 TIsDR sALE--stove or fire wood, sawed and fa Fs. Vf... 1ta fa tta