Benton (Thomas Hart) | Online Library of Liberty In the presidential campaign of that year, Benton supported the Democrat James Buchanan, even though his son-in-law Frmont was the candidate of the new Republican party. made their way into Benton's works, and American icons of progress, railroads, The Senate later confirmed his appointment as major general, but he declined the commission because he was not given chief command of the army over the two Whig generals, Zachary Taylor and Winfield Scott. America. Owner of a plantation on the banks of the Eno River, he also speculated heavily in Tennessee and Kentucky lands. Although this incident was known to many contemporaries, it was rarely used publicly by his opponents during his long and often stormy career in public life. Benton, a southerner and slave owner, became increasingly uncomfortable with the topic. Benton spent much of his childhood following his father to political rallies, providing a unique lens of rural Missouri. of the state of Indiana's contribution to the 1933 Century of Progress He was the oldest child of Maecenas Eason Benton and Elizabeth Wise Benton. Jesse Benton moved from Granville to Orange County, became a prominent lawyer, and was a member of the assembly in 1781. Benton's early senatorial career won him recognition for his advocacy of political democracy and a liberal public land policy, and he later achieved prominence as the champion of hard money. Thomas Hart Benton (1889-1975) was one of the principal American regionalist painters of the 1930s. Known as the "little giant of the Ozarks", Maecenas named his son after his own great-uncle, Thomas Hart Benton, one of the first two United States Senators elected from Missouri. oppressed farmers, Ku Klux Klan members, and big business as negative and their works reflect the desire to appeal to a public aesthetic. He had two younger sisters and a younger brother. Thomas Hart Benton Born 14 Mar 1782 in Harts Mill, Near Hillsboro, North Carolina, United States Ancestors Son of Jesse B. Benton and Nancy (Gooch) Benton Brother of Anne Benton, Margaret Benton, Susan Benton, Jesse Benton, Nathaniel Benton, Mary Benton and Samuel Benton Copyright 2023, Combined Trust under Wills of Thomas Hart Benton and Rita Benton, https://www.mostateparks.com/park/thomas-hart-benton-home-and-studio-state-historic-site, Thomas Hart Benton Home & Studio State Historic Site, Missouri Untold - Thomas Hart Benton & Walt Disney, KCUR - For The Man Who Lives In Thomas Hart Benton's Kansas City Home, The Famous Artist Is Just 'Tom'. His position on currency earned him the nickname Old Bullion.[7]. Benton's last years were saddened by tragedies and setbacks, which nonetheless failed to conquer his spirit. https://www.ncdcr.gov/about/history/division-historical-resources/nc-highway-historical-marker-program/Markers.aspx?sp=Markers&k=Markers&sv=G-26 (accessed April 9, 2013). Although he had supported Van Buren at the Democratic convention of May 1844, he endorsed the party presidential candiate, James K. Polk. For example, in the Indiana mural, he included the Klu Klux Klan, much to the disappointment of his political commissioners. Benton pushed for a settlement on Oregon and the Canadian border favorable to the United States. William Nisbet Chambers, Old Bullion Benton (1956). While he did not view slavery as wrong or wish to abolish it completely, he did not want to see it spread into the territories. This land was all that Jesse Benton's heirs were able to obtain of the more than 20,000 acres he originally claimed in Tennessee. Two years later, he moved to Paris in 1909 to continue his art education at the Acadmie Julian. time, the relentless forces of American industrialization and capitalism In December 1934, his self-portrait was featured as one of the earliest color covers of Time magazine. In the years 19361937, Main Street in Fredericktown, Missouri (Madison County). Copyright 2023, Combined Trust under Wills of Thomas Hart Benton and Rita Benton, Kansas City home and studio of the Bentons. Declining to accept these instructions, he took the issue to the people in a vigorous stumping tour of the state in the summer and early fall of 1849. Browse artwork and art for sale by Thomas Hart Benton and discover content, biographical information and recently sold works. Thomas Hart Benton, American painter, is born | NEH-Edsitement Born in the rural town of Neosho, MO, Benton achieved fame in large cities such as Paris and New York. Thank you for your interest in the legacy of Thomas Hart Benton. Washington, D.C.: The Congress. Thomas Hart Benton, senator and representative from Missouri, was born near Hillsborough, the third child and eldest son of Jesse and Ann Gooch Benton. His great-uncle was Missouri's first Senator and his father was a congressional representative who often invited other public figures to their home. Benton's "are glad to see it stated that great work of. Thomas Hart Benton (1782 - 1858) - Genealogy - Geni.com After the war, in 1815, Benton moved his estate to the newly-opened Missouri Territory. Benton opposed the Compromise of 1850 on the grounds that it was "a capitulation to those who threatened secession." Enlarged Thomas Hart Benton Boomtown Thomas Hart Benton was born in Hillsborough, North Carolina, on March 14, 1782. On 20 Mar. Brother of Margaret Benton; Mary Bento; Ann Benton; Nathaniel Benton; Samuel L. Benton and 5 others; Jesse Benton, II, of NC & TN; Catherine Benton; Susannah Benton; Peggy Benton and Nancy Benton less, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Hart_Benton_(senator). He was the eldest child of his mother Elizabeth Wise Benton and his father Colonel Maecenas Benton. Until the early 1920s, Benton was generally viewed as a modernist and ran through the gamut of modern approaches, such as Czannism, Synchromism, and Constructivism. He was also at odds with fellow Democrats, such as John C. Calhoun, who he thought put their opinions ahead of the Union to a treasonous degree. art scene, and the Naval shipyards, played an integral role in crystallizing Benton tried new ventures after his move to Missouri. Thomas Hart Benton Biography, Age, Height, Wife, Net Worth, Family He also failed in a bid for Atchison's seat in the Senate in 1855; a bitter legislative battle led to a senatorial vacancy for two years, because no candidate could obtain a majority. His die-hard determination to support Van Buren, who had been defeated by Harrison in 1840, in his bid for another term in 1844 led to a further weakening of Benton's political position in Missouri. As death approached Lucas then stated "I can forgive you -- I do forgive you.". political background and the encouragment of his congressman father, "Nobody opposes Benton, sir, nobody but a few black-jack prairie lawyers. His paternal grandfather, Samuel Benton, was a substantial landed proprietor in Granville County who served as a justice of the peace and a member of the colonial assembly prior to the Revolution. His sister Mildred said, "My mother was a great power in his growing up." In the presidential campaign of 1824, Benton supported Henry Clay, who had married his cousin, Letitia Hart, although Clay's American System was repugnant to Old Republicans, such as John Randolph of Roanoke and Nathaniel Macon, with whom Benton had become intimate friends. ", "I never quarrel, sir, but I do fight, sir, and when I fight, sir, a funeral follows, sir. On 28 Feb. 1845, Congress passed a joint resolution providing for the annexation of Texas. purposes. He stayed in Paris until his mother visited and discovered he was keeping a mistress. Thomas Hart Benton his works that addressed the social realities of the city. Over the next thirty years, Benton continued to produce paintings, lithographs, and murals that centered around rural subjects. Benton continued to create art, focusing on the rural workers and farmers. New York [etc.] While he and Jackson had resolved their differences by this time, Benton also recognized Jacksons popularity in Missouri. on the i first of May. Back in the New York art scene during the 1920s, Benton Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates as soon as our newsletter begins. About the artist. When Clay was eliminated from consideration for the presidency in the election by the House of Representatives in 1825, Benton supported Jackson over John Quincy Adams and William H. Crawford. And as uncompromising as the Midwestern landscapes and laborers they celebrated. style during the formative years of Regionalism. He proposed a law requiring payment for federal land in hard currency only, which was defeated in Congress but later enshrined in an executive order, the Specie Circular, by Jackson (1836). His father, Maecenus Eason Benton, was a lawyer and a United States representative from 1896 to 1904, so the young Benton spent his early years in both Washington, DC, and southwest Missouri. Benton resumed practicing law and soon became involved in the city s business community. Benton was active in the War of 1812, serving as aide-de-camp to General Andrew Jackson and as colonel of an infantry regiment. After the lecture tour was over, Benton settled into a home in Washington, DC. critique. "Benton, Thomas Hart, (1782 - 1858)." Maybe you've never never heard of 20th century. Between Missouri's two largest cities, there are intriguing activities, whether you wish to relax at a pleasant resort or discover more about the state's history. Tom's father was a successful lawyer. Thomas Hart Benton - Biography - University of Virginia He was the first son of Jesse Benton and Ann Gooch. They had a duel on Bloody Island with Lucas being shot through the throat and Benton grazed in the knee. This return to the Midwest occurred because Benton accepted a commission to paint a mural for the Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City and got a steady teaching job at the Kansas City Art Institute. The painter, writer, and musician Thomas Hart Benton was born in Neosho, Missouri, the son of a famous Missouri political family. 1858, only one day before his death from a disease diagnosed as cancer of the bowels. Thomas Hart Benton (March 14, 1782 April 10, 1858), nicknamed "Old Bullion", was a U.S. Benton was assigned to represent Jackson's interests to military officials in Washington D.C.; he chafed under the position, which denied him combat experience. Thomas Hart Benton was born on 15 April 1889, in Neosho, Missouri, United States. Jesse Benton died during the winter of 179091, leaving his widow and seven children with an apparently large estate, though title to much of the land he claimed was never validated. Thomas Hart Benton. through federal art projects funded as part of Roosevelt's New Deal, into the public hemisphere in order to evoke a nostalgia for pre-industrial Closed on New Years Day, Easter, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day. N.C. Highway Historical Marker G-26, N.C. Office of Archives & History. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. With the election of James K. Polk, however, his power began to ebb, and his views diverged from the party's. Benton also Around 1835 Benton slowly began to change his views. 1851, the first senator to hold office for thirty consecutive years. As the oldest son, Thomas Hart Benton assumed the role of paterfamilias in establishing a plantation on the "widow Benton's settlement." His father was a . The area, also claimed by Great Britain, eventually became a U.S. territory in 1848. This change in position cost Benton much support, and he lost the 1851 senatorial election. When he returned to Washington, DC, Benton plunged back into his job. In the 1840s the status of the Oregon Territory became an important issue. of a naturalistic and representational style. His career took a distinct downturn with the issue of slavery. of social critic and produced more portraits and works for decorative On February 28, 1844, Benton was present at the USS Princeton explosion when a cannon misfired on deck while giving a tour of the Potomac River. taught at the Art Students League and began to gain acclaim for his Well-known examples include the allegorical nude Persephone (1939) and the mural Achelous and Hercules (1947). Despite being an old structure, it is still standing and hasn't been destroyed. But it was his steadfast devotion to the Union, in the face of mounting sectional sentiment in Missouri, that won him a place among the eight congressional leaders whom John F. Kennedy believed best exemplified the quality of political courage. Benton returned home and in 1801 moved with his family to Tennessee. Thomas Hart Benton Biography - Thomas Hart Benton on artnet In Benton's absence, Jackson had served as William Carroll's second in a duel with Jesse Benton, Thomas's brother, who was wounded in the affray. "Soft" (i.e. some of his most well-known works such as the Independence Murals and 15 Things You Might Not Know About Thomas Hart Benton His first major commission was a mural for the Missouri State Capitol, A Social History of the State of Missouri (1936). Birth of Susan Taylor Virginia McDowell de Boilleau. art historians generally consider Regionalism to be the subsect of American Benton ran for governor in 1856, suffering an embarrassing loss. Thomas Hart Benton (1782-1858) | WikiTree FREE Family Tree Thomas Hart Benton Paintings, Bio, Ideas | TheArtStory With President Polk, Benton's relationship and influence varied from time to time. Born in Neosho, Missouri in 1889, Thomas Hart Benton moved back to his home state in 1935 after spending the previous 2 decades in New York City. The success of the Ashcan Inspired by his midwestern roots, Benton emerged as an advocate of Regionalist art, that focused on painting realist scenes of the rural South and Midwest. In 1929, thanks to Rita, Tom got his first big commission. Benton was born in Neosho, Missouri, into an influential family of politicians. Tom and Rita regularly enjoyed summers on Marthas Vineyard, Massachusetts. His father Jesse Benton, a wealthy lawyer and landowner, died in 1790. The Rise of Thomas H. Benton in Missouri Politics. During World War I, he served in the U.S. Navy and was stationed at Norfolk, Virginia. Benton's father, Colonel Maecenas Benton, was also a politician for the Democratic party and a lawyer. During the War of 1812, Benton volunteered for military service and was appointed a colonel in the Tennessee State Militia. Discover the artwork of Thomas Hart Benton and discover his legacy as one of the most influential American artists. Jackson survived the wound, but the two remained enemies for several years. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manifest_Destiny. He pushed for greater exploration of the West, including support for his son-in-law John C. Frmont's numerous treks. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. BENTON, Thomas Hart, (father-in-law of John Charles Frmont, brother-in-law of James McDowell, great-uncle of Maecenas Eason Benton), A Senator and a Representative from Missouri; born at Harts Mill, near Hillsboro, N.C., March 14, 1782; attended Chapel Hill College (University of North Carolina); admitted to the bar at Nashville, Tenn., in 1806 and commenced practice in Franklin . Thank you for your interest in the legacy of Thomas Hart Benton. Missouri State Capitol completes mural restoration project He had two younger sisters, Mary and Mildred, and a younger brother, Nathaniel. He worked with his teachers to convince his mother to support his move to Paris, where he believed that he would receive the training and artistic environment he required and deserved at the Acadmie Julian. Benton shortly thereafter went to Washington, where he obtained the government's consent to honor Jackson's claim for the expenses incurred on the unauthorized march from Natchez to Nashville. Discover Benton's Artwork. Benton's vivid, stylized Thomas Hart Benton worked until his last moment, returning to his canvas after dinner to sign his last mural, The Sources of Country Music. His work is strongly associated with the Midwestern United States, the region in which he was born and which he called home for . Benton died in 1975, in his studio, but left a rich history city culture, and cars, begin to encroach on the Benton's idyllic pastoral Although his law practice soon became quite flourishing, his health was for a time precarious; he ultimately recovered from an incipient attack of tuberculosis, a disease that took the lives of three of his sisters during the family's residence in Tennessee. beauty of the rural Midwest and the life of small farmers. As a teacher at the Art Students League of New York, Benton mentored many who would go on to have a career in the arts themselves, including Jackson Pollock. 1907 and later transferred to the Academie Julian in Paris. 07:41Resume June 10, 2015 Andrea Shea "Hollywood," by Thomas Hart Benton, 1937-1938. Benton became the senatorial leader for the Democratic-Republican Party, and as such argued vigorously against the Bank of the United States. Benton was born in Neosho, Missouri in 1889. Some of the artwork captures . KCUR - For The Man Who Lives In Thomas Hart Benton's Kansas City Home, The Famous Artist Is Just 'Tom'KCUR interviewed Steve Sitton about what it is like to live in Thomas Hart Bentons Kansas City home. She was the daughter of an old family friend. Discover Thomas Hart Benton's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. BENTON, Thomas Hart | US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives In 1852 he successfully ran for the United States House of Representatives, but his opposition to the repeal of the Missouri Compromise led to his defeat in 1854. Thomas Hart Benton was born in Neosho, Missouri, the son and grandnephew of a United States congressmen. His grandfather Abner Benton [2] [3] (c. 1720-1770) was born in Worcester, England, and settled in the Province of North Carolina. During a quarrel, Benton came close to shooting another student. https://openlibrary.org/works/OL13528533W/Historical_and_legal_exam Geni requires JavaScript! He never saw combat. He ran for Governor of Missouri in 1856, but lost to Trusten Polk. In addition, he and his brother Jesse became entangled in a quarrel with the Carroll family and Jackson. Thomas Hart Benton spent his career pushing back against the aristocracy, both politics and art, to find himself a champion of mid-western rural America. art renaissance at the turn of the century. [4] His mother was Elizabeth Wise Benton and his father, Colonel Maecenas Benton, was a lawyer and four times elected as U.S. congressman. Copyright 1979-1996 by the University of North Carolina Press. Thomas Hart Benton Thomas H. Benton also studied law at the University of North Carolina[1] where he was a member of the Philanthropic Society, but in 1799 left school to manage the family estate. For personal use and not for further distribution. Many people tried to convince Benton to campaign for president in 1852, but he instead chose to run for the U.S House of Representatives. Despite his strong political background and the encouragment of his congressman father, Benton shunned politics in favor of art school. OrtIOIAL PAP KB OP THE CITE. In the summer of 1806, Benton passed the Tennessee bar exam and began practicing law. His father was Maecenas Benton, a four-term Congressman from the Show Me State with the nickname the "little giant of the Ozarks." In his. Benton's view of the tension between cosmopolitan and agrarian life. Modern Named after his great-uncle, a five-term senator, Thomas Hart Benton was born on April 15, 1889, in Neosho, Missouri. Benton met renowned Mexican muralist, Diego Rivera, whose use of vivid There is no charge for general entry to the museum, which is open Wednesday through Monday but closed on Tuesdays. Although he supported Franklin Pierce for the presidency in 1852, he soon denounced the new president's policies, opposing the Kansas-Nebraska Bill and the administration's designs on Cuba. Bentons most famous artworks are undoubtedly his murals, depicting the life of rural America and providing what Benton viewed as important, truth-driven focuses. Lucas was shot close to the heart and before dying initially told Benton, "I do not or cannot forgive you." Their daughter Jessie was born shortly thereafter. Despite rapidly failing health, he resumed work on a project begun earlier, the sixteen volumes of the Abridgment of the Debates of Congress from 1789 to 1856 [1850], most of which were published posthumously. He gave lectures on slavery, warning listeners of terrible consequences if the North and South did not end their dispute. Two years later a statue of Benton sculpted by Harriet Hosmer was placed at the center of Lafayette Park in St. Louis. With Van Buren in the White House, Benton continued to champion hard-money principles, although he reluctantly supported the administration's Treasury Note legislation, passed in order to meet the financial exigencies caused by the Panic of 1837. Seart results for "Benton, Thomas Hart, 1782-1858" in the Internet Archive: https://archive.org/search.php?query=creator%3A%22Benton%2C+Thomas+Hart%2C+1782-1858%22, Thomas Hart Benton 1782-1858, Bellefontaine Cemetary:http://bellefontainecemetery.org/historical-story/thomas-hart-benton/, Senator Thomas, Hart Benton (1782 - 1858), The State Historical Society of Missouri: http://shs.umsystem.edu/historicmissourians/name/b/bentonsenator/index.html, M-8: Thomas Hart Benton Library, St. Louis Mercantile Collection: http://www.umsl.edu/mercantile/collections/mercantile-library-special-collections/special_collections/slma-008.html. Benton immediately returned to the United States, spending a very short time back in Missouri before convincing his father to allow him to go to New York City. Benton), Benton, Jessie Ann Frmont (born Benton), Sarah McDowell Jacob (born Benton), John Randolph Benton, James McDowell Benton, Susa y" Benton, Jesse Benton Jr, Ann Nancy Benton, Samuel L Benton, Catherine Palmer (born Benton), Nathaniel Benton, and. Thomas Hart Benton (American, born April 15, 1889-died January 19, 1975) was a notable muralist in the Regionalist movement. If there was no slavery in Missouri today, I should oppose its coming in.. Now is summer. The fire, while delaying publication, did not prevent him from completing the work. He was the oldest of four children born to Maecenus Eason (M. E.) and Elizabeth (Wise) Benton. Tom and Rita lived in this home until their deaths in 1975.