Ohio History Journal

398        Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

Thou, with ambition modest yet sublime,

Here, for the sight of mortal man, hast given

To one brief moment caught from fleeting time,

The appropriate calm of blest eternity."

It is with much trepidation that the writer essays to do

simple justice to a dear junior brother, whose genial character

and lovely disposition charmed all who came within the halo

of his sacred and sublime influence. He was one of the most

unselfish men I ever knew:

"To trace each future of departed worth,

Distinguished excellence in fitting terms

Portray, and virtue eminent proclaim;

How vain the task! Alone, then let the hand

Of gratitude inscribe this simple truth,

Beloved by all he lives, by all lamented died."

In quiet garden spots of thought throughout the world, live

those who act as centers of influence. By the law of natural

affinity they draw toward them the good in whatever form found,

giving forth more abundantly than they receive. The fire of

aspiration ever glows in these places. One such sanctuary lies

under the roof of a towering building, far above the crowded

streets of a busy metropolitan.  Here dwells a master of art

and life. Over the door is the inscription, visible to grateful

patrons of the arts: "All ye who enter here, leave care behind."

Within sits the master, old in years, yet young, weaving the

spiritual truth and beauty of the ages into brilliant, many-hued

pictures. From invisibility there come forth, beneath the stroke

of his brush, visible creations of the eternal verities; embodiment

of great thoughts, supreme ideals, high endeavor and triumphant

achievement.

William  Thomas Mathews was born in Bristol, England,

May 7th, 1821. When he was about eight years old he was placed

under the tuition of Professor Corff, organist of the Bristol Ca-

thedral, under the auspices of "The Established Church of Eng-

land," where he was thoroughly catechized and attended school.

He had a fine soprano voice and was one of the leaders among

the twelve choristers in that time-honored cathedral, which dates

back nearly one thousand years. The great cathedral bell still

William Thomas Mathews.               399

swings just as it swung over the heads of the monks of St.

Augustine at their morning prayers six hundred years ago. The

cathedral and a grand old Norman gateway leading to quiet

precinct and echoing cloister, are all that now remain of the

splendid Abbey of the Augustine Order, demolished at the com-

mand of Henry VIII. when the monastic houses were dissolved.

All around us are the sculptured marble monuments; the floor

beneath our feet contains the tombstones of dead generations.

The organ music rises soft and slow:

"Untwisting all the chains that tie

The hidden soul of Harmony."

It was in these sacred and solemn precincts that our sub-

ject began his useful career. In the year 1833 the Mathews fam-

ily sailed for the United States. From the management of a

small farm in the vicinity of Canton, Ohio, William turned to

learn the process of making tinware from Henry Bockins, one

of the substantial business men of Canton's early days. The

time thus spent between '33 and '34 was regarded by the young

man of lofty ideals as time lost; in acquiring a business which

he never afterwards pursued.

In 1844 he taught a select school in Winnesburg, Holmes

county, Ohio. In the winter of 1845 he went to Cincinnati; at

least we find him there in February, 1846, saying: "I am going

to paint a picture for a young lady here, as I must have practice.

I have commenced a portrait of the lady I board with. Mr. Soule

says I ought to paint altogether from life. I practice a good

deal and learn something every day. I expect to commence a

portrait for a Mr. Barnes, a former printer in the Gazette office.

I have the use of a piano here and am improving on the guitar."

A Columbus paper, January, 1894, says: "Mr. Wm. T. Ma-

thews, who is painting Gov. McKinley's picture, began his ca-

reer as an artist in Cincinnati in 1845. He went there from

Canton, Ohio. He took with him several pictures as evidence

of his handiwork. His purse being light, he stopped 'Over the

Rhine.' His pictures he hung on the wall to beautify his room.

The German proprietor was attracted by a picture of 'Bos-

ton Harbor,' with sailing vessels. When Mr. Mathews returned

400       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

the landlord asked the price and was told twenty dollars. He

said: 'You stop by me and I buy him.' The bargain was soon

made, and this was the first picture Mr. Mathews ever sold. A

local artist, Insco Williams, persuaded him that he was a natural

artist and that it would be wrong for him to fritter away time

at other business and offered him a position without pay in his

studio. Mr. Mathews is now recognized as one of the leading

portrait painters in the United States."  In speaking in later

years of this period of his life, he said: "My fortune was made.

I could see six weeks of undisturbed possession of myself. I

walked, or rather strode, down the street with the feeling of one

who owned about everything in sight. I passed a drug store

to which I had been recommended for a position with a sense

of relief and I called on my friend Mathias Weaver. He intro-

duced me to William Miller, the miniature painter, who intro-

duced me to Charles Soule, the leading portrait painter of Cin-

cinnati. He asked me what I was going to do in Cincinnati?

I showed him some of my work. He promptly said: 'You were

intended for a painter. Don't make the fatal blunder I did by

going at business not suited to your talents.' These words made

a deep impression on my mind. He asked me to call again, and

said: 'I live out of town. I would like this studio opened by

9 o'clock a. m. If you would like to come here and open up

and entertain callers, you can paint here as much as you like.'

This effectually disposed of the drug business. Some kind friends

had mentioned me favorably to the 'Gazette' people, and the next

thing I knew the great daily had blazed forth the news that

another artist had arrived and would join the group of artists

who were making the Queen City famous as the Cradle of Amer-

ican Art."

That Professor Mathews thought and studied deeply, is

evident from fugitive productions found among his papers. That

he did not leave a succinct autobiography is deeply to be re-

gretted.

"Art," says he, in a written essayette, "is the manifestation of

the Ideal of a people. This signifies that the artist is supposed to

take the most exalted and unbiased view of human character

and to depict it with fairness, always evincing a sacred regard

402       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

rules and principles, the same as any other science which re-

quires careful study. A natural bent combined with great en-

thusiasm and industry are the requisites for success. The es-

sential principle of painting relate to outline or modeling-you

might call it drawing-and the variation of light and shade.

You can have a good picture by combining these skillfully,

without the use of color. On the other hand, skillful coloring

may make a tolerable picture out of indifferent outlines and

lights and shadows. An artist may be a great painter and lack

in color. He can hardly be so and lack in the other essentials.

Perfection in all is requisite in attaining the highest rank."

Near the close of his career it was the aim of Professor

Mathews to paint a thoroughly American picture of a represen-

tative American. He chose William McKinley as the highest type

of our nationality. When Artist Mathews was in Washington,

nearly twenty years ago, President McKinley was then chairman

of the Ways and Means Committee. He associated with him,

saw him in the halls of Congress, heard his speeches, walked

with him upon the streets, and was with him in his home. As

a sitter the artist says he found Mr. McKinley the same grave,

dignified, courteous, gentleman that he always was. It was one

of the desires of the artist that the portrait should show itself

a thoroughly apparent type of the American school, and one

that would commend itself to his countrymen. The portrait

sows the strong, uncompromising, qualities of the man, with his

conscious force disclosed in every feature. It presents the man

when fewer cares had been borne and lesser battles fought. The

picture, the artist hoped, was one that would be regarded as a

faithful portraiture of a man known the world over. Any one

with a critic's eye, who has seen the McKinley portrait by Mr.

Mathews can well understand Ex-Speaker Henderson's remark

to the artist: "Mr. Mathews," said Mr. Henderson, when the

portrait was on exhibition at the Corcoran Art Gallery in Wash-

ington, "the American people should never forget the service

you have rendered them in preserving the features of President

William McKinley in so truthful and artistic a manner."

The portrait of President McKinley was first publicly shown

in Pittsburgh a few years ago, where it attracted general at-

404         Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

ory of a mind equipped with rare accomplishments and of a char-

acter whose influence could not cease with his demise.

"Yes, the grave hath quenched that eye, and

Death's relentless frost,

Withered that arm: but the unfading fame

*       * *   the remembrance

With which the happy spirit contemplates

Its well-spent pilgrimage on earth,

Shall never pass away."

ODE FOR STANTON DAY.*

Written by Prof. George C. S. Southworth and read at the celebration

at Kenyon College, 26th April, 1906, in memory of her distinguished

son, Edwin McMasters Stanton.

I.

Statesman and Jurist, entered into rest

What time our grand Republic loosed her helm

After the toils of war! Among the blest

None shines more radiant in the heavenly realm

Than he, whose name our laureate honors overwhelm.

STANTON, the patient, fiery, masterful and bold,

Persistent, wielding freedom's sword of flame,

Man cast in the Arthurian, knightly mold

Whose blazon vibrates from the trump of fame

Down the resounding avenues of time the same.

As some fair star ascends the arch of night,

While round the pole the constellations wheel,

His good report mounts brighter and more bright,

Resplendent in the galaxy of commonweal:

Beside his tomb a reverent people kneel.

II.

His perfect courage in that hour awoke

When craven counsels paralyzed the arm

* See article on Edwin M. Stanton by Andrew Carnegie, page 291

supra.