Pictures From Our Past - Clarence Best, Lexington Artist

(June 2007)

This first article from a recent issue of the Pantagraph was our inspiration this month.......

Pictures from our past  

Pantagraph.com, Saturday, March 31, 2007

By Bill Steinbacher-Kemp

          BLOOMINGTON - Known as "the farmer who paints and the painter who farms," Alfred Montgomery's exquisitely rendered rustic still lifes of corn tell the story of an unconventional artist who called Bloomington home.

          Though Montgomery occasionally painted other subjects, such as sheep, his standing as a well-known folk artist rests with his ear corn still lifes.

          Painted 100 years ago, these oils ranged from simple compositions featuring one or two ears to more complex arrangements with ears of corn spilling from sacks and baskets, or scattered among boxes, barrels and corn scoops.

          The most striking quality of Montgomery's corn studies is the tactile realism of the kernels, shaped using an expertly turned daub of yellow paint. There were stories, most likely apocryphal, about these works attracting the "nibble of a horse" or the "peck of a hen." Regardless, the uncanny effect was such that Montgomery was once accused of pasting actual kernels onto the canvas, a charge he dismissed with a "disdainful laugh."

          Unfortunately for Montgomery, his hit-and-miss career occurred before folk and other "outsider" artists became the darlings of art world sophisticates. In Montgomery's day, his oils primarily appealed to well-off farmers and businesses linked to the Corn Belt, such as grain dealers, seed companies, banks and livestock exchanges.

          For long stretches of career, Montgomery would be on the road, and when business was slow, he painted for as little as room or board or a train ticket to the next town.

          Given the itinerant nature of his livelihood, he painted on various surfaces, including patched canvas, tin, planed lumber and cigar boxes, and many of his frames were cobbled together from fence rails and barn doors.

          Nonetheless, he was an adept salesman who could wheedle his way into the parlor of a wealthy family or the backroom office of a local implement manufacturer.

          We know more of Montgomery the painter than Montgomery the man.

          He was probably born in Logan County in 1857, but spent part of his youth and early adulthood in Iowa and Kansas, if not elsewhere.

          He lived in Bloomington from about 1893 to 1905, and the self-described farmer-painter and painter-farmer ingratiated himself into the city's elite, selling his paintings to prominent families and businesses.

          Since some of his most creative years were spent in Bloomington, there are Montgomerys scattered throughout Central Illinois, including many in private homes (such as the one shown here). The collection of the McLean County Museum of History includes a Montgomery corn painting, and Bloomington Public Library owns an oil titled "Sheep in Hay" dated 1896.

          Although Montgomery remains the better part of a mystery, there are indications that he struggled to achieve a semblance of order in both his personal and professional lives.

          For instance, in August 1896, the Pantagraph reported that Bloomington authorities had arrested "the alleged artist" Montgomery on a warrant for abandoning his wife, believed to be Esther Waddington, and her four children. As with much of his life, what became of this marriage remains unknown.

          He remarried in 1906, though, and lived much of the remainder of his life in southern California, though he traveled widely, painting and lecturing in Tulsa, Okla., and many other places. He died in Los Angeles in 1922.

          In a 1956 letter to the Pantagraph, George Montgomery, a grandson from the first marriage, said he had known for a long time that his grandfather was a "rascal," an "iconoclast" and "perhaps a bit of a cad."

Alfred Montgomery. 1857-1922. Corn. oil on canvas c.

1890. Initialed lower left; signed on reverse.

18 x 12 inches. $4500.

www.plattfineart.com/artist.php?id=194

 picture of ears of corn

Another website reported that two of

Montgomery’s paintings were recently

sold for almost $10,000 each!

After reading and being intrigued by Alfred Montgomery's story we decided to dig a bit on 

     The Fort’s Mystery Artist: Clarence Best

          In an ancient, small brick building known as “The Fort” in downtown Lexington, Illinois there hangs a huge painting with a wide gilded frame that was rendered in the “finger” painting style by a local fellow many long years ago.  The scene depicts a young woman in fine attire sitting alone as if she is waiting for someone or something to come take her away. 

           Over the years the folks at “The Fort” have lost track of who donated the painting and the circumstances surrounding the acquisition of such an ostentatious work of art for such a matter-of-fact, no-frills, unassuming, gathering place for local genealogists to research dusty old records. 

After reading the Pantagraph story on the “corn painter” we decided to do some digging and find out a little more about our painting and our mystery artist.

One very unique historical feature is that whoever donated the painting many years ago, also sent along a pair of shoes that are supposed to have been the ones the lady is wearing in the painting! 

So we started our search with the picture’s subject…….Someone remembered that the lonely lady was a local girl from a prominent family.  Her father, at one time, was a Lexington postmaster, Mr. William Stickler.

WILLIAM STICKLER, 83, DIES LAST NIGHT

Death Follows Long Illness.  Had Resided Here Many Years.  Funeral Saturday.

From the Lexington Unit-Journal  Friday, April 16, 1931:

          William Stickler, aged 83, a well known and highly honored citizen of Lexington for fifty years, passed away at his home in Lexington last night following an illness of several months duration.

         William Stickler was born at Mount Joy, Pa., September 13, 1847, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Stickler.  The family moved to Illinois when Mr. Stickler was one year old, and this state has since been his home.

          Mr. Stickler was united in marriage to Miss Maria E. Crumbaker on April 16, 1874, and the young couple moved to Lexington in 1882, where they have since resided.  They were the parents of one daughter, Margaret, who died at the age of twenty years, leaving her parents sadly bereft.

          Both Mr. and Mrs. Stickler have been active in the work of the Methodist church for many years.  Mr. Stickler taught in the schools of Lexington and vicinity for a number of years in his young manhood.  He also taught one year at Cooksville.

          Mr.Stickler was appointed postmaster at Lexington in 1898, receiving his appointment from President McKinley.  He filled this office faithfully and well for sixteen years.

          During recent years and until his health failed, Mr. Sticker was agent for The Pantagraph in Lexington.

          Mr. Sticker’s only survivor is his wife.

          Funeral services will be held from the Methodist church at 2 p.m. on Saturday and burial will be made in the Lexington cemetery.

That information led us to his daughter, our painting’s subject.  Here’s what we learned…………..

 From newspaper files at The Fort

CROSSED THE RIVER

Margaret Stickler Succumbed to

Consumption Saturday Morning.

From the Lexington Unit-Journal  Friday, April 16, 1931:

          Margaret E. Sticker died Saturday morning, Feb.1, 1896  after a long illness of consumption lasting over five months; her illness beginning last August. 

Margaret was born near Cropsey, Illinois, Jan. 16, 1875, and was the only child of Mr. and Mrs. William Stickler.  She entered the public schools at Lexington and graduated in 1893 well up in her class.  She was organist for the M.E. church choir for many years.  She accepted Christ and joined the church a week before her death and died firmly believing her happiness in the  great beyond was assured.  She was fully conscious of her condition and made all preparations for her own funeral.  She chose the Rev. Ayling to deliver the oration and as pall bearers the following friends: W.H. Welch, John Hyneman, E.P. Reeder, Milton Goddard, N.E. Franklin and R.M. Jones.

The funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon at 2 o’clock at the M.E. church, which was crowded to its utmost capacity with friends who came to express their friendship and love for the deceased one.  The services were also attended by a number of Margaret’s friends from Fairbury and Chenoa.  The oration was delivered by the Rev. Ayling and it touched the hearts of all present.  The music was furnished by a quartette composed of Misses Margaret Shade and Nelle Davidson and Messrs, A.J. Scrogin and O.T. Hanson with Mrs. Estelle Mowdy and organist. The floral offerings were many and very beautiful.  The Methodist choir gave as a token of love a lyre with a broken chord.  Ideal lodge K. of P. presented a beautiful pillow and many other friends gave floral tributes of sweet significance.  Margaret was taken from a loving home in her sweet young womanhood, when life is dearest and best.  She was a dearly loved one in that peaceful home; fully confiding all her joys and sorrows to her parents.  Her sweet, good nature, her loving friendliness and cheerful, joyous ways so endeared her to her friends that their sorrow is inexpressible.

The remains were interred in the Lexington cemetery west of this city, Tuesday afternoon, Feb. 4, 1896.

So that leads us to believe that the painting was probably done sometime before 1896. 

So who was the talented artist?

Clarence Best, Artist 

          This photo of Clarence Best is believed to be from the time of his graduation from Lexington High School and was sent to “The Fort” by David Claudon who has been able to fill us in a bit on our mystery artist. 

Portrait of young Louise VanDolah by Clarence Best

          David's interest stemmed from this pastel portrait of David’s grandmother (Louise Van Dolah Carnahan) done from a photo of her as a child.  She was born in 1898.  David’s sister has a larger painting that was done for their grandfather, David Hyatt VanDolah.  David and his sister each have pastels that appear to be copies of other works (probably done when Clarence Best was in art school.)

Picture of Louise VanDolah Carnahan with portrait about 1965

In his research David found the following census information:

1870 US Census>Illinois>McLean>Lexington>PO Lexington

231/235  Isaac Harness   60   m  Banker  150,000/50,000 Kentucky

             Elizabeth Harness  54 f  K. House  Ohio

             Arrabell Harness 13 f Illinois

             Ollie Carr  22  f  house servant Ohio

             Infant Carr   2/12 m  (June) Illinois

232   Living next to William H. Kennedy-my gr gr grandfather (38) & family

233   and David H. VanDolah-my gr gr grandfather  (28)   

1880 US Census>Illinois>McLean>Lexington>District 177 

p. 27       7 June 1880

258/260  David H. VanDolah 38 Farmer  Illinois  Pa. Va.

              Britannia VanDolah 39 wife General Debility Indiana NC NC

p. 28      James VanDolah 15 son at home Illinois Illinois Indiana

              Sheridan VanDolah 13 son at home Illinois Illinois Indian

Ollie Carr  28 Servant  Single  HouseKeeper  Ohio Ohio Ohio

Clarence Best 9 son of servant  Illinois  Ohio  Ohio

1890 ?   Clarence would have been 19.  No data found.

1900 US Census>Illinois>Cook>Chicago Ward 24>District 712

             320 North State, 2 June 1900

9/37      Olive C. Best  Head  Dec 1845  54  wd  1 ch  1 liv  Ohio  Ohio  Ohio

            Clawrence (sic) Best son  Mar 1870  30  single  Illinois Illinois Ohio

1910 Census. (Haven’t found him anywhere.  Out of country for TB rehab?)

Note from David:  I once asked my grandmother if Clarence Best was related

to the family and she said, “Well, he certainly was treated like he was.”

  *********************************************************************************

Interesting tidbit about research on the internet:  We googled “Clarence Best” and over a million hits came up! 

Most of them were unrelated to our Clarence Best, but one item proved very interesting.  

Google found one line in an 1898-1911 diary written by Jesse Lowe Smith that referred to Clarence Best! 

Wednesday, October 4, 1911

…..Letter from Tot tells of death of Clarence Best. 

......Had no trace of him for 2 years.

Jesse Lowe Smith (1869-1934) was a man of many interests and

great influence.  He was widely known and respected throughout

Illinois as an innovative educator and avid naturalist and in Highland

Park an educational, cultural, and civic leader. With his mother and sisters,

Jesse came to Lexington, Illinois where he taught from 1893 to 1897

and apparently made acquaintance with Clarence Best.  It's also possible

that he might have known or been a teacher to Margaret Stickler!

***********************************************************************************

LEXINGTON DEAD    from Daily Pantagraph  Thursday, October 5, 1911

Clarence Best, Former Well Known Resident, Expires in Chicago

          Mr. Clarence Best, formerly of Lexington, died in Chicago Monday, after a long illness with TB.  He had a number of friends in this city and in Lexington who will be shocked to hear of his death.  He was a comparatively young man not more than 40 years old, and had lived in Chicago for a number of years.  He was an artist by profession and his pictures brought high prices.  He graduated from Lexington High School.  Mr. Sheridan VanDolah has gone to Chicago to attend his funeral.

Funeral of Clarence Best Was Held Wednesday  Daily Pantagraph Thursday, October 5, 1911

          The body of the late Clarence Best, of Chicago, was brought here (Lexington) on the noon train Wednesday. 

Interment was in Lexington Cemetery.

And so the story ends...unless you, our dear readers, have more to add.

Contact The Fort if you have more clues about our Mystery Artist........

Clarence Best or our special painting.

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