Esther Fairfield Wheatly Campbell portrait. The following is excerpted from “The Records of Oxford” written by Mary deWitt Freedland (1894) regarding the portrait of Esther Fairfield Wheatly Campbell. Page 470, “Biographical Sketches.” A ‘copy’ of her portrait is at the public library in Oxford, MA. Since one picture is in an oval frame and the other is in a rectangular frame (with more vibrant colors), it's unknown which is the original and which the copy, but we suspect the one in oval frame is the original. The quote from Records of Oxford states:
“The original portrait of Madame Esther Campbell, painted when 17 years of age, was in the possession of her son, Capt. William Campbell whose home was ever with his mother. Mrs. Campbell died of the smallpox, March 11, 1777. At his decease it was presented by him to his daughter Sarah, who married Dr. Shaw of Putney, Vt., and at her decease, to her son, Hon. Henry Shaw of Lanesboro, Mass. Through the kindness of Mrs. Shaw a copy was permitted, the only one ever taken. In Madame Campbell’s portrait she is represented in the character of Proserpina, a goddess of harvesting, as was the fashion for ladies in her time to assume a character. It was painted by Cooper, a famed artist in Edinburgh, 1717.”
The original of the painting was owned by William A. Stimson of San Francisco, CA, a descendent of Rev. John." Mr Stimson died in March 2006. The painting of Esther has now gone to his daughter, Alexandra Davis of Lake Forest Park. WA. There is also a letter regarding the provenance of the painting.
“The original portrait of Madame Esther Campbell, painted when 17 years of age, was in the possession of her son, Capt. William Campbell whose home was ever with his mother. Mrs. Campbell died of the smallpox, March 11, 1777. At his decease it was presented by him to his daughter Sarah, who married Dr. Shaw of Putney, Vt., and at her decease, to her son, Hon. Henry Shaw of Lanesboro, Mass. Through the kindness of Mrs. Shaw a copy was permitted, the only one ever taken. In Madame Campbell’s portrait she is represented in the character of Proserpina, a goddess of harvesting, as was the fashion for ladies in her time to assume a character. It was painted by Cooper, a famed artist in Edinburgh, 1717.”
The original of the painting was owned by William A. Stimson of San Francisco, CA, a descendent of Rev. John." Mr Stimson died in March 2006. The painting of Esther has now gone to his daughter, Alexandra Davis of Lake Forest Park. WA. There is also a letter regarding the provenance of the painting.