Portraits of the Rich and Powerful in New Castle (1750-1850)
New Castle was home to four signers of the Declaration of Independence (2 from DE, 1 each from NJ & PA), governors, judges, state and U. S. senators, an opium merchant/Consul-General/son of a Signer (William Read) and wealthy people. Perhaps not powerful but influential were their wives who bore up to 13 children, including many who themselves became influential, such as the child who became the Bishop of Virginia, served as a field chaplain in the civil war, and preserved William and Mary.
They lived within four blocks of each other (and me), and most were related. The map below shows their portraits and either the locations of their residences (red lines) or the relationships between the families (blue lines). Press the toggle button to switch between views.
Click here for a larger version of this map.
Click on the portraits on the map or in the table below to see a larger image and details about the person and portrait.
Click on the portraits on the map or in the table below to see a larger image and details about the person and portrait. The 1805 Latrobe Survey map is courtesy of Delaware Public Archives, Dover
* Couturier's only portrait was of Stuyvesant.
The introduction to the "Art in Colonial and Federal America" gallery in the Delaware Art Museum, Wilmington, states that
"portraiture was the dominant art form [in colonial and federal America]. Portraits not only revealed Americans' desire to preserve images of themselves and their families, but also the Puritan view that portraiture was an acceptable art. This was because portraits were affordable only by those with an excess of income, and earthly success was believed to be dependent upon heavenly approval. Eighteenth and early 19th-century portraits also inform us about Americans' taste, social status, contemporary clothing, and life preferences."
Click on the portraits on the map or in the table below to see a larger image and details about the person and portrait. The 1805 Latrobe Survey map is courtesy of Delaware Public Archives, Dover
| Artist and link | Date active in Philadelphia region |
|---|---|
| Henri Couturier* | 1661-1669 |
| Gustavus Hesselius | 1712-1746 |
| Robert Feke | 1741-1750 |
| Benjamin West | 1746-1759 |
| John Wollaston | 1749-1767 |
| John Hesselius | 1750-1778 |
| Robert Edge Pine | 1784-1788 |
| Charles Willson Peale | 1767-1827 |
| Gilbert Stuart | 1795-1805 |
| Thomas Sully | 1806-1872 |
| Jacob Eichholtz | 1809-1842 |
| James Reid Lambdin | 1837-1899 |
* Couturier's only portrait was of Stuyvesant.
The introduction to the "Art in Colonial and Federal America" gallery in the Delaware Art Museum, Wilmington, states that
"portraiture was the dominant art form [in colonial and federal America]. Portraits not only revealed Americans' desire to preserve images of themselves and their families, but also the Puritan view that portraiture was an acceptable art. This was because portraits were affordable only by those with an excess of income, and earthly success was believed to be dependent upon heavenly approval. Eighteenth and early 19th-century portraits also inform us about Americans' taste, social status, contemporary clothing, and life preferences."
About Portraits (Wikipedia)
* The State Portrait Commission since the early 20th century (now under Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs)
has commissioned artists to paint and/or copy portraits of statesmen and women thought to be important to add to the
state's collection. As of 2013, the State Portrait Commission collection
includes about 300 images.
I'm grateful for help on this page to Heather Coyle, Curator of American Art, Delaware Art Museum and Louisa Wood Ruby, Head Photoarchives Research, Frick Art Reference Library.
Placeholder images are for people whose portraits were known, for example in the Smithsonian database, or where there was likely a portrait, but no location is known.
-- Click on column headings to sort up or down.
-- Click on the portrait to see more details and a larger image.
-- Click on the portrait to see more details and a larger image.
| Image | First | Last Name | Link | Dates | Artist | Credit | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Gunning | Bedford Sr. | X | 1742-1797 | Robert Edge Pine | Winterthur Museum | Governor (1796-97), Trustee NCC |
 | Caleb | Bennett | 1758-1836 | attr. Thomas Sully | State Portrait Commission * | Governor (1833-1836) | |
 | Ann Clay | Booth | X | 1759-1846 | Delaware Historical Society | Wife, mother of 8 | |
 | James | Booth Jr. | X | 1789-1855 | Laussat Rogers? copy of painting attr. Thomas Sully | New Castle Historical Society | Chief Justice (1841-1855) Trustee NCC |
 | Hannah | Booth Jr. | 1797-1857 | Laussat Rogers after ? | New Castle Historical Society | Organist & Directress of Music | |
 | James | Booth Sr. | X | 1753-1828 | Laussat Rogers? | State Portrait Commission * | Chief Justice Common Pleas (1799-1828) |
 | Slator | Clay | X | 1711-1767 | John Hesselius | The Trout Gallery at Dickinson College, Carlisle,PA | Ship Captain, Merchant, Tavern Owner |
 | Ann Curtis | Clay | X | 1724-1789 | John Hesselius | Schwarz Gallery, Collection 68 | Mother of 13 |
 | Thomas | Clay | X | 1753-1793 | John Hesselius | Philadelphia Museum of Art | Fourth son of Slator Clay |
 | Slator | Clay Jr. | 1754-1821 | John Hesselius | Freeman's Auctions | Fifth son of Slator Clay | |
 | Roeloff | deHaes | Roeloff Sr 1623-1655, Johannes 1645-1695, Roeloff Jr. -1716? |
Unkown | Private Collection | ||
 | Dorcas Montgomery Van Dyke | Dupont | X | 1806-1838 | Thomas Sully (1783-1872) | Hagley Museum and Library | |
 | Anna Dorothea | Finney | X | 1735-1817 | John Hesselius | Biggs Museum of American Art, Dover, Delaware | |
 | George | Gray | X | 1840-1925 | Clawson Hammitt | Delaware Historical Society | U. S. Senate (1885-1899), Judge |
 | Francis | Hopkinson | X | 1737-1791 | Robert Edge Pine | U. Penn Archives | Signer of the Declaration of Independence (for NJ). Customs collector, New Castle, 1772 |
 | John | Janvier | X | 1808-1890 | John Carlin (1813-1891) | Private Collection | President Union Line Steamship, NC&FT RR, NC Water Co Trustee NCC |
 | Ann Van Dyke | Johns | 1768-1839 | Jacob Eicholtz/James Reid Lambdin | New Castle Historical Society/State Portrait Commission * | ||
 | John | Johns | 1796-1876 | James Reid Lambdin | Muscarelle Museum of Art at The College of William & Mary, in Virginia | Bishop of Virginia President W&M President Va. Theol. Seminary |
|
 | Kensey | Johns Jr. | 1791-1857 | U. S. House of Rep. (1827-1831), Chancellor (1832-1857) | |||
 | Kensey | Johns Sr. | 1759-1848 | Jacob Eicholtz/James Reid Lambdin | New Castle Historical Society/State Portrait Commission * | Chief Justice DE Supreme Court (1799-1830), Chancellor (1830-1832) | |
 | Benjamin | Latrobe | 1764-1820 | Charles Willson Peale | The White House | Engineer, Architect | |
 | John | Lewden | X | 1739-1809 | Delaware Historical Society | Varied businesses | |
 | Thomas | Macdonough | 1783-1825 | Gilbert Stuart | Wikipedia | Commander, USN | |
 | James | McCallmont | X | 1755-1824 | Charles St.-Memin, Thomas Sully | Frick Art Reference Library | Physician/Ferry monopoly Trustee NCC |
 | Thomas | McKean | X | 1734-1817 | Charles Willson Peale | Wikipedia | Signer of the Declaration of Independence, President of Congress, President of Delaware, Governor of Pennsylvania |
 | Mary Borden | McKean | X | 1744 -March 12, 1773 | Frick Art Reference Library | ||
 | Louisa | McWilliam | 1784-1849 | C. K. Palmer | Private Collection | ||
 | Louisa Ridgley Dorsey | Read | X | 1792-1835 | copied from Thomas Sully | Private Collection | |
 | William | Read | X | 1767-1846 | Spoilum, Samuel Sartain (1885?) |
Martyn Gregory Gallery, NYPL |
Consul General, Kingdom of Naples Opium merchant with China |
 | George | Read Jr. | 1765-1836 | Samuel Sartain after Adolf Ulrik Wertmuller | Private collection | Chief Justice (1793-1798) Trustee NCC |
|
 | George | Read Sr. | X | 1733-1798 | Unknown after Robert Edge Pine | Delaware Historical Society | Signer Declaration of Independence and Constitution U. S. Senator, President of Delaware |
 | George B | Rodney | 1803-1883 | Private collection | U. S. Rep. (1841-1845) | ||
 | James | Rogers | X | 1780-1855 | Masons Grand Masters | Attorney General (1815-1840) | |
 | Catherine Van Gezell | Ross | X | 1689-c1748 | School of Gustavus Hesselius | Delaware Historical Society | |
 | George | Ross | X | 1679-1753 | Clawson Hammitt copy of John Hesselius | Delaware Historical Society | Rector Immanuel Church |
 | George | Ross | 1730-1779 | John Hesselius | Private collection | Signer of the Declaration of Independence (for PA) Colonel Continental Army Continental Congress |
|
 | Thomas | Stockton | 1781-1846 | Ellen Wendell, crayon on paper | State Portrait Commission* | Governor of DE | |
 | William | Strickland | 1788-1854 | John Neagle | Architect | ||
 | Charles | Thomas | 1790-1848 | Rembrandt Peale? | Governor, President, NC Turnpike Co. Trustee NCC | ||
 | Catherine Ross | Thompson | 1740-1809 | attr. Benjamin West (1738-1820) | Private collection | ||
 | Mary Curtis | Van Bebber | 1702-1782 | John Hesselius | New Castle Historical Society | ||
 | Mary Van Leuvenigh | Van Dyke | X | 1768-1831 | John Crawley | Delaware Historical Society | |
 | Nicholas | Van Dyke Jr. | X | 1770-1826 | John Crawley | Delaware Historical Society | U. S. Representative (1807-1811) U. S. Senate (1817-1826) Trustee NCC |
 | Nicholas | Van Dyke Sr. | 1738-1789 | President of Delaware (1783-1786) Continental Congressman (1777-1781), entered politics in 1774 as a member of the Boston Relief Committee (vs Tea Party closure of harbor), Trustee NCC |
|||
 | Harding | Williams | X | 1758-1813 | Abraham Delanoy | Biggs Museum of American Art, Dover, Delaware | Captain |
 | Jacobus | Williams | Private collection |
![X](http://dehistory.pastperfect-online.com/33973cgi/mweb.exe?request=record;id=89AE0200-359F-43B4-864E-283704415326;type=101<br><br>
<a href="images/nicholas_vandyke_jr.jpg"><img src="images/nicholas_vandyke_jr_tn.jpg height="150"></a>Jefferson Davis Chalfan){kind=link}
I'm grateful for help on this page to Heather Coyle, Curator of American Art, Delaware Art Museum and Louisa Wood Ruby, Head Photoarchives Research, Frick Art Reference Library.
Placeholder images are for people whose portraits were known, for example in the Smithsonian database, or where there was likely a portrait, but no location is known.
James L. Meek '14
NC-CHAP