Nathaniel Ramsey – Maryland Center for History and Culture

Nathaniel Ramsey

Description

Half-length copy of a portrait of Captain Nathaniel Ramsey (1741-1817) as a young man with short brown hair, wearing a red coat and waistcoat, and white stock. He holds book Laws of Maryland in right hand, with inkpot and two quills shown at right. In 1771, he married Margaret Jane Peale (1743-1788), the sister of Charles Willson Peale (1741-1827). His public service to Maryland includes: Delegate to the Maryland Convention, and the Continental Congress (1775); Captain in Smallwood's Maryland Regiment (1776) and Lieutenant in the 3rd Maryland Regiment, Continental Line; Member of the Continental Congress (1785-1787); Naval Officer of the Baltimore District (1794).

Creator

Colburn, Helen Maria Lockwood (1844-1912)

Date

circa 1883-1888

Contributor(s)

Peale, Charles Willson, 1741-1827

Contributor(s) Notes

Helen Maria Lockwood Colburn after an earlier portrait by Charles Willson Peale. The artist was a granddaughter of the sitter.

Materials

Oil on canvas

Dimensions

30 H x 25 W inches

Object ID

1889.1.1

Resource ID

11751

Notes

An Episcopal priest named Rev. William Francis Brand (1815-1907) wished to commission a painting of Nathaniel Ramsay and donate to the Maryland Historical Society. His wife, Sophia McHenry Hall (1824-1907), was a granddaughter of Nathaniel Ramsay. Before paying for the entire commission himself, he contacted his sister-in-law, and another granddaughter of Ramsey, Anna Eliza Hall Barnard (Mrs. Brig. Gen. John Gross Barnard) (1828-1911), and asked if she would be willing to contribute some funds to have the portrait created. She agreed and actually paid for all of it, so the commission was completed and Rev. Brand arranged for the portrait to go to the Maryland Historical Society. Due to her complete funding of the painting, and Rev. Brand's desire for the gift to be made by one of Ramsey's direct descendants, the donation to the MCHC is credited as "Gift of Mrs. J. G. Barnard."

Credit Line

Gift of Mrs. J.G. Barnard

Digital Publisher

Digital resource provided by the Maryland Center for History and Culture

Rights

This digital image is made available here for private study, scholarship, and research. Commercial and other uses are prohibited without the permission of the Maryland Center for History and Culture. For more information, visit the MCHC’s Reproductions and Permissions web page.