Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-01-15
WILLIAM CLARKE NOBLE.
Is Native Of Gardiner and Spent His Boy.
hood in Richmond.

William Clarke Mobiles experience with
his model Miss Julia Pierce. who had
him arrested in New York. Tuesday,
tor wbo made m,h hs RECALLS h the
of Cambridge. Mr.. Mobiles model
charges that under promise of intended
marriage he induced her to loan him
5000 in small amounts at different times.
Mr.. Noble did the greater part of the
work that made him famous while he
lived in this. vicinity, although 1t is five
duced him to remove to New York city.
Mr.. Noble Is native of Gardiner. Me-.
and his father was a sea captain who
was lost while on voyage when the son
was only 10 months old. Under the care
of his grandfather the boy grew up at
Richmond, Me-. and his talent for sculpt-
ure manifested itself at that time in the
modelling he did with common clay from
a bank on his grandfather's farm.
When IA years old. his grandfather S
death forced the boy to hustle for Iiv-
ing. and he came to Boston, engaging as
an apprentice to an architectural sculp-
tor.
Although he was obliged to support
himself: young Noble was a student an6
city. He was ready and particularly
adept at carving in stone and wood and
as a modeler in plaster.
He used his talent during those early
years for architectural decoration ant
worked on great many private house.
i'm Boston and vicinity. About Is years
ago he had a commission to emhellisf
the stOnework on Il house ir Newport. r.
l.. and then he was engaged upon the
Casino. performing most of the interior
carving. This brought him to the notice
OF wealthy patrons and soon he was able
to strike out for himself. Architectural
decoration was not his ambition. how
ever. for he turned to portrait sculpture
He made large acquaintance in tho
wealthy Newport set and secured orders
for medallions. has reliefs and portal,
busts from the prominent summer resi-
dents.
He reproduced one OF Viewpoints char
acteristic old salts with remarkable ac
curacy. He did the statue of Rev vii
liam Ellery Charming for Truro park,
Newport; and the much commended
statue of Robert Burns originally made
for Providence, but the failure of the
COMMITTEES having the matter in charge
to raise the necessary funds, lost the cit,
this work.
Mr.. Noble executed life-size bust per
trait of Phillips Brooks for the church
of the Holy Trinity in Philadelphia 81
successfully that he received an order
church of the incarnation, New York
city.
During the last few years of his life ii
and around Boston. his acquaintance
among the Newport residents and hi:
popularity with them had divorced him
from his friends here.
He was devoted athlete, and was q
very clever amateur boxer. Another OF
his favOrite exercises was fencing, anC
while he was abroad he competed witt
a number of the most deXterOus swords.
men he met Another of his hobbies was
horseback riding. and he knew good
horse when he saw one.
Since his removal to New York city he
has branched out as Il designer for sill
versmiths, and several friends with
whom he was most intimate while III
Boston have also gone to New York city
for a wider field.
His talent. ability and energy have
given Mr.. Noble opportunities for earn
ing money sufficient to make it unneces
sary for him to borrow of a model and
the charges of the young woman in the
case are discredited in Boston.--Boston