Featured 19th century portrait

Next up in the continuing series of "why didn't anyone in the family want to keep this", is a 19th century painting. Thankfully someone in the family was interested enough to reline and write a history on the back (I obscured the most recent entries since I don't want to cast aspersions), though a later generation has lost interest.

Following info is from a quick google search, if there is more out there I couldn't find it.

Anyway, the subject looks about 30 or so? He lived 1812 - 1883 (according to https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/81168517/henry-ingle), so I'm guessing this is from about the 1840's. No signature on the painting but a well done painting so must have been well off enough to hire a trained painter. Attempts to find out more about Henry or his father Samuel (1763-1818) have failed - he isn't the Henry Ingle who made furniture for Washington and Jefferson.

Anyone know how to research further, or anything to add about pre-photography 19th century portraits in general? About 12" high not including frame.

 

@Bakersgma

 

Finally !!!!
A painting that we actually know who it is.......
not " Is this some famous person.....Am I rich now ?? "

 

Oh....Nice portrait , Jeff !!!!

 

@Jeff Drum What more info do you want about Mr. Ingle beyond what's already been provided?

 

I’m mainly interested in what he did, and what his dad did. His dad born in 1763 and living in Pennsylvania during the revolution could have an interesting history. And the subject of the painting, born in 1812 and living in Washington DC (and having the money to pay for a portrait) may have some interesting skeletons in his closet too.

I would also really love to know who painted it, but I know that’s a real long shot.

 

And what is the significance of the cross on his shirtfront? Not a typical accessory, especially for an Episcopalian.

Debora

 

You're in luck. I had a bit of time and did a little research in anticipation.

Henry was a government clerk in DC from at least the time of the 1850 Census until sometime between 1870 and 1880. In the 1880 Census his occupation was listed as "watchman." He married Elizabeth Clementine Lloyd in 1852 (his second wife, the first having died only 2 years after they married in 1843, apparently in childbirth or from childbirth complications.) An interesting note - in the 1870 Census Elizabeth is running the large boarding house in which they were living and the value of said real estate is listed as hers, not his.

Henry served for 3 mos in 1861 in the 3rd Battalion of the District of Columbia Infantry as a corporal.

From a couple other public trees I gather that his father (who died in 1818 in Alexandria, VA) was a cabinetmaker, as was at least one of Henry's brothers, Randolph.

I assume you are aware of the "itinerant painters" in colonial and early US times whose paintings often show up on the Roadshow and who are mostly unidentified. I'm not at all sure how well-off you had to be to afford to have one of them paint your portrait. I have no way of knowing who painted the portrait.

One thing that would interesting to explain is why his son was buried in the Congressional Cemetery.

 

Went back to see if there is any obvious explanation of Henry's son Samuel being buried in the Congressional Cemetery and discovered that he's not the only member of the family there. His grandmother (Henry's mother Mary Simmonds Ingle) is also there (and not with her husband at the Episcopal Church) as is Henry's sister Mary Ann Ingle, who never married. I guess the name on the graveyard does not imply that only members of Congress and their families can rest there.

 

I for one, would like to thank you for (always) being so generous with your time and research skills. But must say... I'm very surprised that Henry was not a gentleman; he certainly appears to be one in his portrait.

Debora

 

You (and Jeff) are very welcome, Debora. I find genealogy fascinating (and would do it as my profession if I had a do-over.)

Maybe it was like sitting for a photographer - get dressed up in your finest clothing (or borrow from the photographer if your finest isn't good enough.)

 

Still interested in cross. After quick internet search, found portrait of another early Victorian man wearing an insignia of some sort on his shirtfront. Obviously, not unusual then but, to what purpose, don't know.

https://www.skinnerinc.com/auctions/2282/lots/43

Debora

 

Here's Samuel's home in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. According to wikipedia.org, one of the first Washington, D.C. neighborhoods to have electricity and plumbing so wouldn't have been considered humble at the time.

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/407-D-St-NE-Washington-DC-20002/415549_zpid/

Debora

 

I'd think Henry would have been a bit long in the tooth for the Civil War.

Debora

 

3 months in DC Infantry. Doubt they even left the city limits.

Samuel and his wife lived at 405, not 407. And they didn't own it, in 1910 they were roomers.

Sam was a clerk in a livery stable in 1880, a carriage driver in 1900 and shipping clerk for a department store in 1910.

 

Did you see this? Not recent but individual on Washington, D.C. ancestry board asking for information on a Henry Ingle line. Dates (1799-1822) don't fit though.

http://www.theusgenweb.org/dcgenweb/other/query_gl.shtml

Debora

 

405 is the blue fronted building to the right of 407.

Debora

 

Oh, sorry. I just saw the address as 407D and figured there were more townhouses inbetween.

 

Actually, the painting DOES look to have "some sort of identification" in the lower left corner in the dark.....I lightened the image to find "it".....I do see a couple of numbers for sure..... 2 and 24 or 27....I think there's other stuff there too, but I can't tell what it is!!! You have to let your eyes focus as I had to enlarge it beyond 100%......as long as you're sure it's an OIL painting, you could try a little spittle on a Q-tip to see if anything cleans off to see better with a magnifier.....AND I really like the painting!!!