Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1911-07-21

~ p TO the age or twelve ne received
the ordinary English aud classical ed
ucation afforded by the village acad.
envy. Having almost from infancy
shown fondness for the arts, he was
sent to Philadelphia in 1929, to study
drawing with Persico, and afterwards
Pietro Ancara, an Italian, drawing
master, who lived on Walnut stree t
between Third and Fourth streets. In
1888 he entered the SOPHOMORE class
Of Jefferson college, AT Cannon-burg,
Pa, but having little taste for regular
studies, and much less for college
rules, his un profitable career there ter
minated in less than a year
The three years GLOWING were feeble
attempts AT the study Of law and med
Icine, aimless desultary reading idle
sports. and wild adventures in the
mountains Of Virginia. He went to
New York in 1886, aud entered the
University under rofessor y. f. b.
Morse, Prof. of Painting. "In the fall
of 1888 Mr.. Strother went to the West
professeily as partract painter. Dur
ing his sojourn there he visited the
states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Mis-
sour and Kentucky, spending his
time principally in hunting, fishing,
sight seeing and adventure, exercising
his art at intervals, obly as 1t became
necessary to reDlenish his purse. Re-
turning from the West he sailed for
Europe in 1910, and spent several
years studying painting in the CALLER
les Of Paris, Florence and Rome. Here,
as al his home, be gave the smallest of
his time and effort by the speciality he
had adopted, but devoted himself
chiefly to music, literature, and the
modern languages. His favorite eccu-
patton, was the observation of men
and manners, to which END he travel
ed over great portion of Italy on foot,
seeking by-roads, obscure districts, and
towns not named in the guide books
During his absence he wrote number
of letters to his friends in the United
States, some of which were more than
Of ordinary Importance, and attracted
some general notice; they were pub
ished in country newspaper. After
visiting France, Italy, Switzerland,
Germany and England, he returned
to the United States, and took up his
residence in the city of New York,
where under the direction of John q.
Chapman, he acquired aud practiced
the art of drawing on wood for the en-
gravers, illustrating anunber of tracts
books and pamphlets.
For the next four years he passed his
time between New York and Virginia,
dividirg & his summers between wild
sports in the mountains and gay So
ciety at the Virginia Springs, and
working at the graphic arts during the
winter languidly, like one who has not
yet found his true vocation.
In rS49 he married IN Martnsburg,
and took up his abode at his fathers
house, abandoning all business and
professional effort, and occupying him.
self with art and literature only as
During the next three years he has
left no record, except some character
istic sketches in oil and crayon, and
the illustration of John P. Kennedy's
"Swallow Barn"
1t was in 1852 and 1858 he made
those pleasant journeys through the
picturesque regions of Virginia, the
results of which were offered to the
Harpers for publication in 1858. From
this date until the spring of 1861, bis
pen and pencil we're rarely idle, as the
pages of Harpers Magazine and Week
ly may attest.
His principal productions are as fol-
lows: Virginia Canaan, one paper;
Port Crayon and mis- cousins eight !
papers; the Dutchman and the Bear
one paper; The Dismal Swamp, Va.
one paper; North Carolina Illustrated |
five paperi; A Winter in the South six
papers; A Remiuescence of Rome one
paper; Rural Pictures one paper; Pomp-
ey's Pictures, Jamestown, and John !
Browns Raid, etc, exc. And, now in |
the breaking out of the Civil war he |
enters the army.
The time mas come when
Peace's "sweet morning past,
Ere borne upon the tempests blast
Wars trumpet notes, and battles tide |
Came surglng by;-and far and wide
1t smote our Sunny Southern land
From mountain-peak to oceans
strand"
Gen. Strother goes forth upon the
field of battle, of one of the most fiery
and bloody wars in the annals of his =
tory. He served in ten campaigns,