Portraits

Jane Lyman Holley (1808-1832)

First wife of Alexander Hamilton Holley c. 1830, oil on canvas, 29 1/4” x 34 1/2”

Acquired 1971 from Margaret Holley Williams Estate Painting was found rolled up on a drapery pole in the attic of the Holley-Williams House in 1971. Restored by Josephine Lockwood, Stockbridge, MA. Restoration paid for by Richards Emerson. New frame made by John Pirnak, Falls Village, CT and paid for by Mrs. Faith Campbell.

John Churchill Coffing (1776-1847)

1844, oil on canvas, 30 1/2” x 37 1/4” by Edwin White (1817-1877),

Gift of John Hincks, West Hartford, CT, 1982 On the back, “Birch N. Hincks from Janette A. Reed” John Churchill Coffing formed a partnership with John Milton Holley in 1810, Holley & Coffing, the leading iron masters in region. In 1818, it became the Salisbury Iron Co. Portrait cleaned and conserved in 2010 by Valentine Michalski, and frame restored 2010 by Regina Wenzek, both of Great Barrington, MA

Maria Birch Coffing (1785-1865) with Jane W. Winslow (c 1825-1890), second wife of John Churchill Coffing

oil on canvas, 1844, oil on canvas, 36” x 29” by Edwin D. White (1817-1877)

Gift of Birch Milliken, Simsbury, CT 2012. Professionally relined 1940s or 50’s. Cleaned and conserved in 2012 by Valentine Michalski. Frame restored by Regina Wenzek.

George Coffing (1822-1872), son of John Churchill and Maria Birch Coffing.

1874 (posthumously), oil on canvas, 27” x 22” by Henry A. Loop

Gift of Alden Y. Warner, Jr., Farmington, CT, May 3, 2012 Portrait cleaned and restored by Valentine Michalski, 2012, new frame from Frames on Wheels, February 2012.

John Milton Holley (1777-1836),

1844 (posthumously), oil on canvas, 32 ½” x 26 ½ “ by Edwin White (1817-1877),

Acquired 1971 from Margaret Holley William Estate John Milton Holley was a surveyor and one of expedition party that surveyed the Western Reserve. Partner of John Churchill Coffing in the iron business. John Milton built the 1808 classical revival addition to the Holley-Williams House. Maria Louise Holley made the following diary entry, Tuesday, August 13, 1844, “Mr. White came today and commenced taking Mother’s portrait & a copy of Father’s”. John Milton Holley had died eight years before.

Mary Ann Cogswell Holley (1792-1876), Second wife of John Milton Holley.

1844, oil on canvas, 28 1/4” x 38 1/2” attributed to Edwin White (1817-1877),

Acquired 1971 from Margaret Holley Williams Estate Mary Ann Cogswell Holley’s only surviving child, Maria Louise Holley, married Edwin B. Williams in 1847. Margaret Holley Williams (1882 1971) was Mary Ann’s granddaughter and the last family member to live in the Holley-Williams House – a period that lasted 163 years. Maria Louise Holley made the following diary entry, Tuesday, August 13, 1844, “Mr. White came today and commenced taking Mother’s portrait & a copy of Father’s”. John Milton Holley had died eight years before.

William Holley Williams (1848-1886)

Son of Maria L. Holley and Edwin Brewster Williams, grandson of John Milton and Mary Ann Cogswell Holley and uncle to Margaret Holley Williams c. 1850, oil on canvas, 17 1/2” x 21 ¼, oval gold frame artist unknown

Acquired 1971 from Margaret Holley Williams Estate Cleaned and restored in 2010 by Val Michalski.

Samuel S. Robbins, (1804-1894), son-in-law of John Milton Holley.

1847, oil on canvas, 29 1/2” x 24 1/2” by Edwin White (1817-1877)

Gift of Mrs. Samuel Capron Robbins, 1970. Samuel S. Robbins was a partner with Lee Canfield in the iron business and was one of the founders of the precursor to the Salisbury Bank & Trust. Richard Emerson gave funds to have portrait restored by Josephine D. Rockwood, Richmond, MA.

Sally Porter Holley Robbins, (1811-1907), wife of Samuel S. Robbins and daughter of John Milton Holley and his first wife, Sally Porter.

1847, oil on canvas, 29 1/2” x 24 1/2” by Edwin White (1817-1877),

Gift of Mrs. Samuel Capron Robbins, 1970. Richard Emerson gave funds to have portrait restored in 1978 by Josephine D. Rockwood, Richmond, MA.

Albert Moore (1799-1877)

c. 1855-61, oil on canvas, 35 1/2” x 29 1/2”, attributed to Erastus Salisbury Field

Gift of Harriet Harrison, 1974 Albert Moore was Salisbury Town Treasurer 1833-1846, Judge of Probate 1862-1869, The Homestead was a weekly journal published 1855-61.

Jane Hubbard Moore (1807-1866) First wife of Albert Moore

c. 1835-40, oil on canvas, 35” x 29 14”

Mary Slade Holley (1839-1891) Wife of Alexander Lyman Holley

oil on paper mounted on canvas, probably painted over a photograph, 23” x 18 3/4”, artist unknown

Acquired 1971 from Margaret Holley Williams Estate Painting restored by Valentine Michalski in 2011. Frame restored by Regina Wenzek in 2011.

Ovid Plumb (1787-1856)
Abiah Lawrence Plumb (1788-1876)

c. 1825, 2 jewel cased watercolors on ivory and 2 tintypes on reverse, all within a double sided frame 7” x 8” artist unknown

Gift of Susan Fritz, September 29, 2015

Dr. Ovid Plumb (1787-1856)

watercolor over photographic substrate on paper, c. 1850, 15 3/4” x 13”, artist unknown

Gift of Susan Fritz, September 29, 2015 Ovid Plumb was born May 14, 1787. He studied medicine with his grandfather, Dr. Abraham Peet of Canaan, and married Abiah Lawrence of Canaan on June 25, 1825. They had two children who died young. Ovid died on May 4, 1856. He was considered one of the foremost physicians of New England in his time.

Abiah Lawrence Plumb (1788-1876)

watercolor over photographic substrate on paper, c. 1850, 14 3/4” x 11 1/2”
artist unknown

Gift of Susan Fritz, September 29, 2015
Cleaned and conserved 2016 by Williamstown Art Conservation Center, Inc., Williamstown,
MA. Abiah Lawrence Plumb was born in Canaan, CT on November 28, 1788 and died in
Salisbury on July 11, 1876. She was the daughter of Josiah Lawrence of Canaan. She and
Ovid were married on June 25, 1825 and had two children who died young.

Anna Peet Plumb (1768-1823) or, possibly, Fanny Lemira Camp (Gillette)

undated, oil on canvas, 25” x 30 1/4”
by artist unknown

Gift of Susan Fritz, September 29, 2015

Gift of B.M. Belcher, 1975
Wife of Dr. Frederick Plumb, one of the first doctors in Salisbury, who lived on Twin Lakes in
house first built by Caleb Bingham and later belonging to Williams Miles. Daughter of
Abraham Peet of Canaan. Her two sons were Dr. Ovid Plumb and Frederic Plumb.
Katherine Chilcoat, Salisbury Association’s Curator, believes this portrait was misidentified
and actually is Fanny Lemira Camp (Gillette). Among Katherine Chilcoat’s rationale:
Anna Peet Plumb’s dates are b. 1760, d. 1823
Lynne Bassett, costume historian, says subject’s hairstyle dates from c 1840-45 and
dress from 1820s.
As the subject is obviously a young lady, these dates are contradictory.