N E W S L E T T E R

Volume 51, No. 3 Fall 2014

View of Mount Washington from North Conway by Benjamin Champney (1817–1907), 1851.

BENJAMIN CHAMPNEY DRAWINGS ACQUIRED AT AUCTION Through the efforts and support of P. Andrews drawings in detail. As a result, the Society’s McLane and Charles O. Vogel, together with 15 Champney collection is now one of the best publicly additional donors, the Society purchased 105 draw- accessible resources documenting this artist’s work in ings by artist Benjamin Champney from Eldred’s the White Mountains. Auctioneers in East Dennis, Massachusetts. Part of a collection found in Minnesota, most of the drawings “We invite interested and knowledgeable scholars and focus on the Conway area from 1850 to 1863. Others collectors to examine the collection online and help depict Champney’s trips to Vermont and New York in further identify scenes, locations, and possible dates,” 1853 and to Europe in 1865. said Wes Balla, the Society’s director of collections and exhibitions. Soon, conservators will prepare Following preliminary cataloging and imaging, the condition reports and treatment proposals with new collection is already available through the estimated costs for the cleaning and conservation of Society’s online catalog at nhhistory.org, where the drawings. scholars, collectors, and the public can examine the (continued page 8) Historical Society Newsletter Page 2 Fall 2014 New Hampshire Historical Society Newsletter Page 3 Fall 2014

RESIDENT S ESSAGE A key part of the plan involves the building’s 11 skylights covering 40 P ’ M percent of its roof area. Our objective is to retrofit the skylight system to Board of Trustees The Society’s capital campaign, led by trustees eliminate the ultraviolet light that is damaging to the collections, better Chair Bill Veillette and Kurt Swenson, now totals just manage temperature levels (also to the benefit of the collections), and Glenn K. Currie over $6 million in gifts and pledges. We are reduce heating and air conditioning expense. These benefits will be Concord 30 Park Street grateful to all those who have contributed. The achieved by constructing barriers within the skylights that will be Vice Chair Concord, New Hampshire 03301 campaign is underwriting key priorities: digiti- invisible from the exterior or interior of the building. David H. Souter zation of the Society’s collections to make them Hopkinton 603-228-6688 more widely available; implementation of the Treasurer online New Hampshire History Network to All of this is complicated and time consuming, but nhhistory.org Kurt M. Swenson facilitate the sharing of collections by local necessary, with a building as precious as the Society’s. Hopkinton historical societies around the state; additions to Secretary the endowment; installation of a new overview Newsletter To gather data Jane C. Nylander Volume 51, No. 3 exhibition; and important climate control and energy efficiency renova- Portsmouth about the barriers’ Fall 2014 tions at our historic Park Street headquarters. environmental Joel J. Bedor In support of the climate control and energy efficiency plans, we recently effects, a test Littleton barrier was received the welcome news that we have been awarded both a $350,000 Kathleen A. Belko President Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections grant by the National Endow- constructed, New London William H. Dunlap ment for the Humanities and a matching grant of $200,000 by an where sensors anonymous foundation. With this total added to the previously could be placed to Q. David Bowers Editors Wolfeboro announced gather data over Joan E. Desmarais several months. Margaret Marshall Donna-Belle Garvin LCHIP grant (the state’s Land and For the test we Conway Contributors Community selected the Barbara A. Pitsch Wesley G. Balla Heritage Invest- smallest skylight Bedford Douglas R. Copeley ment Program) in the building. Del Delampan Paul C. Remus and private Even with a small Bedford Joan E. Desmarais donations, we skylight, this was Brenda L. French now have suffi- a complex pro- Edward E. Shumaker Sarah E. Galligan cess, requiring a Concord Donna-Belle Garvin cient funding to team of engineers, Anne L. Hamilton move forward Susan P. Sloan Hopkinton & Boston, Mass. Wendy J. Olcott with the climate/ HVAC experts, construction and energy project. Marilyn Goodwin Soper roofing crews, Newbury Because our Park and a large crane. Street building is The good news is David M. Sundman Littleton listed on the the test barrier has National Register been installed, we William W. Upton of Historic are now collecting Concord Places, making data, and— Pamela D. VanArsdale any changes to it assuming good Bedford is a far more test results—full construction will commence in the coming year. All of complex under- Cynthia J. Van Zandt this is complicated and time consuming, but necessary, with a building Portsmouth taking than as precious as the Society’s. renovating an William P. Veillette ordinary commer- Amherst cial or residential building. After considerable preliminary planning, we Bert R. Whittemore are now at the stage of engineering design and testing, after which Concord construction will begin. Bill Dunlap, President New Hampshire Historical Society Newsletter Page 4 Fall 2014 New Hampshire Historical Society Newsletter Page 5 Fall 2014

SOCIETY ACQUIRES INDIAN PEACE MEDAL SOCIETY WELCOMES NEW TRUSTEE NOTEWORTHY Society trustee Q. David Bowers has made a Marilyn Goodwin Soper of When Peter Wallner generous and significant addition to the collec- Newbury is the newest retired in 2012 from tion after acquiring at auction a rare peace member of the Society’s his position as medal documenting diplomatic relationships board of trustees. Marilyn library director at with Native Americans during the presidency Peace medals given to was born and raised in the New Hampshire of Franklin Pierce (1804–69). Following the Native American Manchester. She attended Historical Society, leaders by or on behalf practice established by European powers of various U.S. Wellesley College and he embarked on a during the colonial period, Pierce and other Presidents appear in holds a B.S. in early project to research presidents and their agents gave medals to many 19th century childhood education from and write a book chiefs or leaders of Native American tribes as portraits, as in this Wheelock College and an about one of the example in which tokens of friendship with the U.S. government. “Naw-Kaw, a M.A. in American and New England Studies from the most sensational According to family history, the original Winnebago Chief,” University of Southern Maine. While living in Maine, legal trials of the recipient of this medal was Sicola (Barefooted wears three such Marilyn participated in architectural and volunteer work at 20th century. The idea came from his years of or Chief Barefoot) of the Sihasapa or Blackfoot medals of different Castle Tucker in Wiscasset as the property transitioned from working at the Society, where much of the band of the Lakota people. sizes. Illustration from private ownership to Historic New England. In 2004 Marilyn original source materials for the book are Thomas L. McKenney and James Hall, History and her husband moved to Keene where Marilyn served as preserved. The 1907 trial took place in New The medal was previously part of the collection of the Indian Tribes of executive director of Giving Monadnock, as well as a Hampshire’s Merrimack County Superior of Dr. Luther R. Zehner and Frances T. Zehner North America . . . volunteer and trustee of the Historical Society of Cheshire Court and involved one of the most famous of Meadville, Pennsylvania. In 1949 the couple copyright 1848, vol. 1. County. In 2012 the Sopers relocated to the Lake Sunapee women in America at the time—Mary Baker moved to the Standing Rock Reservation in region where Marilyn keeps busy with volunteer service, with Eddy, founder of Christian Science. In the case North Dakota. They learned to speak the Sioux completing Goodwin family genealogical research, and with of Eddy v. Frye, Mary Baker Eddy’s sons language used by the Lakota people and recorded Cast in silver, the medal is 2.5 inches in diameter. A the preservation of materials spanning eight generations of attempted to take possession of her person and oral histories from those residing on the reservation, hole drilled at the top allowed the medal to be hung the Goodwin family in New Hampshire. wealth, charging she was insane. The case including survivors of Little Big Horn. They also from the neck by a leather thong. On the front is a became a heresy trial as Eddy’s religious views collected the material culture of the Lakota people. bust of Franklin Pierce. On the reverse, a farmer and a VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR and the doctrine of Christian Science became Plains Indian face each other against the backdrop of the basis of the plaintiff’s charge. In his The Zehners purchased this medal in 1950 from Leo an American flag. In three interlocking ovals above Rob Bermudes, an employee of Xerox in Rochester, New meticulously researched book, Faith on Trial: Cadotte, Sicola’s great-grandnephew. According to the flag appear the words: “LABOR VIRTUE York, and a graduate student in history at the nearby College Mary Baker Eddy, Cadotte, the medal was received by Sicola on the HONOR.” of Brockport, is the Society’s 2014 Volunteer of the Year. He Christian Science occasion of the signing of the Fort Laramie treaty in is a life member of the Society and visits New Hampshire and the First 1851. The medal dates from 1853, however, during The medal joins the Society’s already extensive and regularly to use our library and other resources but carries out Amendment, Pierce’s administration. The treaty, signed by repre- important collections of papers and objects related to much of his volunteer work from his home in New York. Wallner brings this sentatives of several Native groups and recognizing the life and career of Franklin Pierce, many donated courtroom drama their sovereignty over much of the Great Plains, was by family members. When Rob first offered to help alive and explores designed to ensure that, in return, settlers could pass with Historical New Hampshire, the case’s implica- safely along the he already had experience writing tions for yellow Oregon Trail. Sicola for, as well as helping edit, the journalism and the apparently received Daguerreian Annual, a journal of Progressive Era. the medal during the early photographic history. At the short period of peace Society we employ his talents Meet the Author; that resulted. and knowledge as both a proof- Buy the Book reader and copy editor. In addition to his work on the Wallner will present a talk about this notable journal, last year Rob served a trial and sign copies of his book at the New month-long internship in Concord as part of his master’s Hampshire Historical Society, 30 Park Street, Franklin Pierce Indian Peace Medal, silver; obverse (left) designed by Salathiel Ellis (1803–79); reverse (right) designed degree requirements. While working on site, Rob helped with Concord, on Wednesday, November 5, 2014, by Joseph Willson (1825–57), New York, New York, 1853, the development of an online exhibition, and he continues to at 4 p.m. The book is available for purchase at purchased with funds provided by Q. David Bowers. work on this project for the Society from New York. the Society and online at nhhistory.org. New Hampshire Historical Society Newsletter Page 6 Fall 2014 New Hampshire Historical Society Newsletter Page 7 Fall 2014

UILDING ONSERVING AND HARING THE OCIETY S ALE OLLECTION Thanks to Society volunteer Sandy Wheeler, who B , C , S S ’ H C processed the recent acquisition, updated finding aids The acquisition also includes correspondence among (collections guides) for both the Hale and Chandler members of the Hale family. Their letters describe collections are available on the Society’s website at society and events in Washington, D.C., as well as the nhhistory.org. daily lives of the Hale women: John P.’s wife, Lucy Lambert Hale, and their two daughters, Lizzie Hale Another recent undertaking related to John Parker and Lucy Lambert Hale Chandler. Additionally, the Hale is the conservation of a locket daguerreotype of a collection contains political and business correspon- young Hale. The locket’s glass was cracked to the dence of John P. Hale with Gilman Marston, Asa point that the image could hardly be seen. The Society Fowler, Edward A. Rollins, Joseph A. Gilmore, sent the item to the Northeast Document Conservation Nathan Lord, and other prominent men of the time. Center for treatment and digitization. As a result of conservation, the locket is now in better condition, and the daguerreotype of Hale is more clearly visible.

This locket is an example of how conservation and digitization help make the collections more accessible. With the future launch of the Society’s new online catalog, many more images of collections, This c. 1860 oil portrait of Lucy Lambert Hale Chandler (1841– like the John Parker 1915), acquired along with a collection of letters and documents Hale daguerreotype related to the Hale and Chandler families, has recently received conservation treatment at the Williamstown Art Conservation John P. Hale. / The Champion of Liberty and Free Soil, hand- and Lucy Hale’s Center. The conservation was made possible by the Society’s John Parker Hale was born in Rochester and educated colored lithograph by Kellogg & Comstock, after a daguerreotype letter to her father, Katharine Prentis Murphy Fund, an endowment to support the at Phillips Exeter Academy and Bowdoin College. by Paige & Beach, 1852, gift of Herschel B. Burt. will be available via acquisition and conservation of museum collections. Admitted to the bar in 1830, Hale practiced law in the internet. The Society’s collections related to Dover, building a reputation as a successful jury This past year the Society added more than 800 items John Parker Hale (1806–73) and lawyer and public speaker. He became a member of William E. Chandler (1835–1915) to the papers of John Parker Hale and William E. the Democratic Party in New Hampshire, serving in include this daguerreotype of Hale, Chandler. Both Hale and Chandler served as U.S. the state legislature and U.S. House of Representa- c. 1845, and hold a wealth of Senators from New Hampshire, the former holding the tives. Hale first showed independence of thought in information about New Hampshire and history. position during the Civil War. 1845 while serving in Congress when he denounced The original manuscript collection was a gift to the the annexation of Texas as immoral because it pro- Society in 1926 from the Estate of William E. Chan- moted the extension of slavery. He was elected to his dler and contains items related to John P. Hale, first term in the U.S. Senate in 1846 when a combina- William E. Chandler, Joseph Gilmore, and their tion of Whigs and Independent Democrats gained families. The Society’s recent acquisition, a purchase, control of the New Hampshire Legislature. Hale centers on Lucy Lambert Hale Chandler, who was became a national figure for his outspoken opposition John Parker Hale’s daughter and William E. to slavery. In 1852 he accepted the nomination of the Excerpts from a letter by Lucy Hale Chandler’s wife. Free-Soil Party for U.S. President, running against to her father, John Parker Hale, Franklin Pierce, polling 150,000 votes. Hale eventu- March 7, 1861. Lucy wrote to her father in Washington, D.C., about A number of letters in the new acquisition are to Lucy ally became a Republican and went on to serve two her daily life in Dover, frequently Hale from her suitors, including Oliver Wendell more terms in the U.S. Senate before being appointed apologizing for not writing more Holmes Jr., John Hay, and Robert Todd Lincoln. Minister to Spain by President . often. New Hampshire Historical Society Newsletter Page 8 Fall 2014 Nonprofit 30 Park Street Organization Concord, NH 03301-6384 US POSTAGE PAID nhhistory.org CONCORD, NH PERMIT #280 The independent nonprofit that saves, preserves, and shares New Hampshire history.

BENJAMIN CHAMPNEY DRAWINGS PURCHASED AT AUCTION (continued from page 1) Benjamin Champney became one of America’s most famous artists depicting White Mountain landscapes during the second half of the 1800s. Born in New Ipswich, Champney began his training as a lithographer in Boston. After traveling in the White Mountains and Europe, Champney married Mary Caroline Brooks of Woburn, Massachusetts, in 1853. The couple bought a house in North Conway, and each summer, for 50 years, tourists and vacationers from the United States and Europe visited their White Mountain studio and home. Champney split his time between Boston and North Conway, further popularizing White Mountain landscapes by working with Louis Prang & Co. of Boston to manufacture and sell affordable This view of Lake Dunmore in Vermont is one of a group of 105 drawings by chromolithographs of his paintings to Benjamin Champney recently purchased by the Society thanks to the efforts and American consumers. He was a founder support of P. Andrews McLane and Charles O. Vogel, together with 15 additional donors. The date “August 10th 1853” is inscribed on the bottom edge of the of the Boston Art Club and exhibited painting, together with the name of the lake. Champney and his wife, Carrie, regularly at the Boston Athenaeum. visited Lake Dunmore that summer during their honeymoon.

Funds for the purchase of the Benjamin Champney drawings were provided by: P. Andrews & Linda McLane Š G. Warren & Leslie Schomaker Š Michael Mooney Š Josh Eldred Jamie LaFleur Š Roger E. Belson Š Jackson Historical Society Š Doug & Karin Nelson Bryant F. Tolles Jr. Š William W. Upton Š Charles O. & Gloria Vogel Š John & Alice Pepper John A. & Nina DeLoge Š Frances S. MacIntyre Š Samuel M. & Sheila Robbins Š Barbara J. MacAdam Katharine Prentis Murphy Fund of the New Hampshire Historical Society