The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1934-05-10
Bust Of Whistler in
Hall Of Fame, New York University

eldest of family of five children.
1t would be pleasant to be able TO record the
fact that 1t was case Of love at first sight for
Cadet Whistler and Anna Mcneil But that Is
doubtful. for soon after he was graduated from
West Point he was married but not to Anna
McNeill- Shortly afterwards young Whistler was
left widower and early In the '3os he again
met the motherly older sister OF his classmate,
William Gibbs McNell and married her. In 1888
Whistler resigned from the army and the next
year to George Washington Whistler and Anna
Matilda Whistler was born q son to whom was
given the name James Abbott Mcneil Whistler,
thus perpetuating the name OF his uncle, James
Abbott the Detroit trader at Fort Dearborn. as
well as his paternal and maternal families, the
McNeills and the Whistlers.
After George washington Whlstler's resigna-
ton from the army he rose to emlnence as an
engineer and In 1912 he went to Russia to enter
the service of the In the construction Of the
railroad from St Petersburg to Moscow, winning
for himself from Car Nicholas the decoration
OF the Order of ST. Anne. To Russia with him
went his wife and their two sons, one OF them
a slender, weak lad. affectionately known to his
mother as Jamie" And Jamie" he was to her
to the end OF her days, even when he became
world-famous painter. For the close tie be-
tween the mother and the son who was to I'M
mortalize her on canvas began during this Rus
sian experience
She nursed him during those bitter years and
when they were ended In the death of Major
Whistler and when the widow and her two sons
were reduced to poverty she brought them out
of the land of SHOWS back to her sunny North
Carolina. When Jamie" grew up he decided to
follow the profession Of his father and become
a soldier. He secured an appointment to West
Point In 1852 but his career there was d short
one In fact Ii lasted only two years.
But the loss to the military world, II Indeed
1t was loss, was the gain of the world OF art
After leaving West Point, Whistler went to Paris,
resolved to become painter, and his career In
that role Is too well known to need further
comment During the years he was rising to
fame his mother was In Europe, also, not with
him always but nearby In case he should have
need of her. For somehow her little Jamie"
never seemed to grow up enough to be without
his mother. In 1850 Whistler left London for
three years more OF study In Paris ana dis
mother returned TO America for last visit with
her relatives In North Carolina. For Whistler
had decided never to return to his native land
to live So his mother was going to wind up
what few affairs she had there and then return
to London. where they would live on the scant
means which the son could provide
While she was visiting In Cumberland and
Baden counties In North Carolina, the storm OF
the Civil war broke and her return to Europe
was postponed indefinitely. Finally early In 1864
came word from her son that he had returned
to London and established himself there. Sc
she announced her intention of joining him.
But no matter how much her relatives told
Anna Matilda Mcneil Whistler that 1t would
be impossible for her to go to Europe now, mel
only reply was the calm statement that mel
"Jamle" needed her and she was going. AND IS
she did. Somehow she arranged 10 take passags
on Confederate blockade runner and on Il
arrived safely In England
There she lived to the end of her days, the In
separable companion OF the man who came to b.
hailed as one OF the greatest painters Ia th'
world
cby Western Newspaper Union