Bronsdon and Box Families (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1902 edition. Excerpt: ... Wainwright of Boston. One of the portraits, whose destruction is related, represented Mrs. Mayhew, " wife of Dr. Mayhew" and " mother of Mr. Wainwright." It was a beautiful portrait; the lady held a basket of roses, which she was apparently to offer to the spectator. This explanation does not clearly state whether there were two Peter Wainwrights, father and son, or whether the writer confused the parentage of Mr. and Mrs. Wainwright. A letter published in Vol. 17 of the Mass. Hist. Soc. Coll., on pages 233-4, throws some light on the fate of this portrait, and perhaps accounts for others which are missing. It was written by Miss E. S. Quincy, and is as follows: Quincy, Jan. 20, 1879. Dr. S. A. Green: --Dear Sir, --I enclose an account of Mr. William Clark, a prominent merchant in the early days of Boston. It was sent to me by the heirs of the late Peter Wainwright, Esq., to send to Mr. A. T. Perkins who had inquired concerning the portraits formerly in Mr. Wainwright's possession, which were unhappily burned in 1872--not in the great fire but in one which occurred the night afterward. All these portraits, Smiberts, Copleys and one by Emmons, were under the care of an artist in Washington St. who had varnished and put them in order and who had earnestly requested Mr. Wainwright to send for them and relieve him of the responsibility. But this was not done and the fire came and destroyed them. Mr. Wainwright was in great distress at their loss and, I believe, never recovered from the grief his neglect of the request of the artist gave him. His children had taken so little interest in these pictures that they could not give Mr. Perkins or myself a list of the persons represented in eight or nine portraits, but they sent me this account of Mr....