Winslow Homer _ Winslow Homer's Minerva

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Winslow Homer's Minerva
by Peter G. Mc Shane

Bibliography

1.     Notarized statements from Minerva Town Historian, Doris Wells and her husband Bob Wells identifying the
        subject of the portrait as Fred Loveland. He states his early knowledge of the Loveland family and how they
        worked for his mother, especially in the fall of the year, helping with all the canning and other chores.

Many meetings and research with the Town Historian, Doris Wells and her husband followed, it opened up a Pandora’s box, connecting W. Homer and his friends Rufus Wallace, Charles Lancashire, Michael Flynn, Fredrick Loveland to Aiden Lair and the Baker farm.

        Interviews with an early neighbor of the Loveland family, since the 1920’s on the Healy Road. Tom Healy
        identified the portrait subject through Frederick Loveland’s children. Maude, Jackie and Harry as being their father
        Frederick. He commented, “the family resemblance was quite strong. They were all hardworking guides, hard
        drinking Adirondackers like their father before them.” Conversations with Molly Maguire Town of Minerva
        Historical Society treasurer she knew the Loveland’s and reminisces of what loved town characters they were.

2. The North Woods Club, 1886-1986. One Hundred Years in the Wilderness, by Leila Fosburgh Wilson, page7. "The
most famous guide in the area.”

3A. Adirondack Life, 1998. The Smell of Old Wood, by Leila Fosburgh Wilson, page 4. “the older structures of the
North Woods Club in Essex Co, are true log cabins. Winslow Homer lived in one when the original men-only hunting and fishing club was established after the Civil War.” (The Adirondack) Preserve Assoc.)

3B. The North Woods Club, 1886-1986. One Hundred Years in the Wilderness, by Leila Fosburgh Wilson, page 13.
“incidentally, it was in 1912 that the motion to admit women members was defeated for the third time.”

3C. Minerva. A History of a Town in Essex Co., NY, Blue Book. Prepared by Minerva Historical Society, August
       1967, by Multiprint, Inc., 230 w. 17 Street, New York City, NY 10011, page 125. “in 1880 Mr. Jeremy G.
       Case with Messengers. Crane and Fitzgerald made a trip to Minerva to locate land for a private club. They made
       their headquarters at Aiden Lier, which was then run by Tom Murphy and they had Fred Loveland for their guide.
       After considerable tramping about they settled on the present N.W.C. property as a suitable place for a club. The
       First road to the property started at Aiden Lair, but was later changed to the present road opposite to the Minerva
       Hill Lodge.”

It was incorporated May 21, 1886 under the title “Adirondack Preserve Assoc. For the Encouragement of Social Pastimes and the Preservation of Game and Forest.”

4. Minerva. A History of a Town in Essex CO., NY Blue Book, page 129. the mail stage stopped there, bringing travelers lumbermen, artists and sportsmen,

4A. Photo courtesy of Minerva Historical Society, Blue Book, page 120.

4B. N.W.C.,1886-1886. One Hundred Years in the Wilderness by Leila Fosburgh Wilson, page 11. “A road was
authorized from Kellogg’s to the Clubhouse. Thus began the first and most essential development but the “road” was not complete until 1895”.

4C. N.W.C., 1886-1986, page 11. Leila Fosburgh.

4D. N.W.C.,1886-1986, Leila Fosburgh page 12

5A. Livin in the Crick by Dr. Dan O’Keeffe II. Pub. Sunset Enterprises, 103 Sunset Trail, Queensberry, NY 12804. Author writes humorously of the existing Bordellos in North River and N. Creek Area, page 11-12

5B. Conversations: Walter Bibby, North River. Town Historian of Minerva, Doris Wells and her husband Bob. She stated “that up until some years ago no one would even mention or discuss the fact they existed.”

6. Minerva, A History of Town in Essex Co., (Blue Book), page 129-130.

6B. Hewitt Lake and the Sage family, Compiled and written be Gistave Stewart III.

6C. Hewitt Reflections. A Short History be Gus L. Stewart, III, part III, page 2.

7A. Hewitt Lake and the Sage Family. Compiled and written by Gustave Stewart, III, page 36

7B. Minerva, A History of a Town in Essex Co., Blue Book, page 130

8. Juliette Baker Diaries: Located at the Adirondack Mts. Museum Library, Jerry Pepper, Archivist, N.W.C. File.
There are three references to the Loveland family Recorded in the diaries.

One reference recorded on May 1874 has Winslow Homer, his friend Finch and Ida Loveland, Frederick Loveland’s eldest child all staying at the Baker Boarding House, Ida working there for the season.

The present copy at the Adirondack Mountain Museum Library was typed by Doris Wells, Minerva Town Historian. The Where-abouts of the original diary is unknown Doris Wells Stated she made 3 copies circa 1950’s and returned the original to Hugh Fosburgh
(N.W.C)

9A. Minerva a History of a Town in Essex Co. (Blue Book), page 89.

9B. The North Woods Club, 1889-1986, by Leila Fosburgh Wilson, page 7.

10. Recorded in family history (letter to Mabel Jones, Minerva Town Historian, October 14, 1882)

11. The North Woods Club, 1886-1986, Leila Fosburgh, page 7.

12. Juliette Baker Diaries. Located at the Adirondack Mountain Museum Library, Jerry Pepper archivist-N.W.C File

13. 1876 map of Part of Minerva, showing residences.

14A. Interviews with Mary and Willard Jenkins (daughter and son-in-law of Mike “farmer” Flynn.) Willard at age 86 smiled and stated “now theirs real Adirondack Guide, look at that face, and the hat it is correct” when shown the portrait.

14B. Guides of the Adirondacks a History. Copyright 1994 by Charles Bromley, page 57 “in a group photo of mixed sports and guides, the guides can usually be picked out. The difference are subtle ones-the guide’s cock of the hat, gauntness of cheek bone, and penetration of gage.

The sports usually look paunchy and Edwardian, the guides physically hardened.

The works of Randel and Stillman are almost Documentary in their preciseness, but somewhat lifeless, when we come to the artist A.F. Tait and Winslow Homer “we see the same Journalistic focus re-enthused with artistic energy-a sense of the moment. But with greater action and tension.”

14C. Winslow Homer by Lloyd Goodrich, copyright 1973 by the Whitney Museum of American Art, page 33 “at the same time that he was painting his feminine themes Homer was discovering a new world of masculine subjects. As early of 1870 he visited the Adirondacks.

15A. Traveling with Winslow Homer, America’s Premier Artist/Angler, by Robert J. Demarest, page 54 Bear Hunting, Prospect Rock 1892. Homer gave this painting to R. Bibby caretaker at the N.W.C.

Winslow Homer in the Adirondacks by David Tatham notes page 143 #8 Re: R. Wallace “He evidently owned Homers water colors Hunting Dogs Among Dead Trees (M.F.A.B).”

15B. Mr. Clen Antiques, a Riverside neighbor of the late Mrs. Betsy Filkin, and daughter of “Farmer” Flynn. He states Betsey was always looking locally for a Homer painting and said “she would find one before she dies.” Farmer had told her that “Homer gave some of his pictures away to the locals”

16 . Observation of the author and all who observed the canvas, including Jim Wright noted Art Conservator, # 1 Fitchburg St., Somerville, MA. 02143.

          There are three nail wholes punctured directly through the canvas and stretcher on both the right and left sides,
          thus supporting the obvious, that the painting had been nailed directly onto a wall. The edging surrounding the
          size of the painting indicates it never supported a frame. Homer also initialed his friend’s gift on the hat with H-74

17. John Kelly Funeral Home Records-Schroon Lake, NY.

18. Two very large gray granite tombstones overshadow the Loveland graves. It obviously was the gracious and respectful gesture the Dean Sage family could afford.

19A. Hugh Fosburgh in “One Man’s Pleasure”, page 72-73.

19B. James Fosburgh in the Adirondack Reader, page 475-476

19C. Pieter Fosbugh Essay in New York State Conservationist Magazine.