New Brunswick Artist
Anthony Flower
Aunt Bird's third floor flat on Adelaide Street
had not had a change in its decor for many years. Everything appeared to
be very old. It seemed to me she had a wonderful story to go with every item
in the household.
Several paintings hung on the walls of the parlour. My favourite
was of a lady, with two wooden buckets by her side, sitting under tall trees
at the edge of a small brook. The artist had painted on a board instead of
a canvas. I didn't understand why Aunt Bird called this one her anthony flower
painting as it didn't have any flowers in it.
The years have passed and today in New Brunswick there is a lot of interest
in the artist Anthony Flower, who was born in London England on March 4,
1792, the son of Cornelius, a merchant ship owner and Margaret Sargent Flower.
The family later moved to Berkhamsted, Hertsfordshire.
In 1817, twenty-five-year-old Flower immigrated to Canada via the port
of Saint John. The following year he purchased a homestead lot on the Washademoak
Lake at MacDonald's Corner, Queens County, where he farmed 50 acres.
On July 4, 1820 in Wickham, Queens County, New Brunswick, he married Mary
Green, the daughter of Empire Loyalist, Sgt. James Green and Elizabeth Carpenter.
He eventually built a small studio on his property where he painted a large
number of portraits of family and friends, local landscapes and waterscapes.
He also created paintings from images found in the popular publications
of the day.
Anthony and Mary had four children: Cornelius (1822 - 1892); Margaret (1825
- 1895); James (1829 - 1918) and Mary (1835 - 1922), all of whom grew to
adulthood and married.
Anthony Flower died on December 9, 1875 and is buried in the Baptist Church
graveyard at MacDonald's Corner.
The Flower House, situated on the Washademoak Lake at MacDonald's Corner
was recently donated to the Queen's County Historical Society, Gagetown
and was moved on September 17 to the village of Cambridge-Narrows. It will
be restored to appear as it did during Flower's life and will be opened
in 2005 as a House Museum, dedicated to the life and times of Anthony Flower.
The Beaverbrook Art Gallery in Fredericton owns a number of works by Flower
and has undertaken a research project on the artist. Ann Lowe, a volunteer
researcher for the Gallery has been gathering information on his personal
life and documenting his work. She is interested in locating information
on his descendants.
Anthony Flower's eldest son Cornelius Flower (1822 - 1892) who married
Eleanor Gale (born 1836) is buried in Princeton, Maine. Cornelius's eldest
daughter Anna Flower married H. Vance and moved to Michigan. His youngest
daughter Margaret D'Orsey married H. Day and lived in Lincoln, Maine.
Anthony Flower's youngest son James Green Flower (1829 - 1918) who married
Mary Matilda
Clarke (1828 - 1913) lived his entire life at MacDonald's Corner in the
Flower homestead. They had eight children. Information is needed on three
of them: Daughter Elizabeth Close Flower (born 1855) who married Joseph Green
II lived in Waco, Texas and died in Louisville, Kentucky; Daughter Cordelia
Flower (born 1857) married C.D. Lowery, and their daughter Beatrice Lowery
married Henry Stackpole. They lived in Marblehead, Mass; Son Anthony Flower
(born 1860) married Flora Tweed and lived in Walpole, Mass. with children,
Fred L., George E., Ethel, Mabel, Flora, Marjorie, James, Emma, Charles and
Gertrude.
Ann Lowe would be pleased to hear from any reader who may be able to provide
information on Anthony Flower, his paintings and his descendants. Contact
her at The Beaverbrook Art Gallery, 703 Queen Street, P.O. Box 605,
Fredericton, NB, Canada, E3B 1C4. Telephone (506) 458-2024. Fax: (506) 459-7450.
Email to lglenn@beaverbrookartgallery.org.
* * *
Query 1114
Ogden - Fraser: Maria Fraser (Frasier) was born 11 Nov 1822 in Kings
County, New Brunswick and was the oldest of 10 children. She married Stephen
Ogden on the 7 May 1847. I need information on their parents and siblings.
CURT TALBOT
705 So. Third,
Worland,Wyoming, 82401, USA.
E-mail talbotcv@Juno.com.
Query 1115
Ryan - Fewings: I would like to make contact with the children of Christine
(Gus) Ryan Fewings.
MARY J. DRISCOLL,
1 Jerome Street,
Taunton, Mass, 02780, USA.
E-mail dandmjdriscoll@webtv.net.
Query 1116
Davidson - Edwards: Elizabeth Davidson married James W. Wilson in Saint
John in 1819. The newspaper account said Elizabeth was the eldest daughter
of Mrs. Edwards of the City (Saint John). Elizabeth and James had Peter D.
born in Magagaudvic, Helen (Petch & Coughlan), James, Ann, Emma, Frances
(Moore & Wayne) and perhaps John. I would like to contact anyone with
any information on this family.
DOROTHY WILSON GRAHAM,
236-66A Street,
Delta, B.C., Canada, V4L 1M5.
E-mail dorothyg@dccnet.com.
Query 1117
Bloomfield - Conner: Alexander Bloomfield married Mary Ann Conner in
Saint John County on 7 November, 1845. I want to know names of their parents,
siblings and children. Two daughters, Jane 1846 and Nancy 1848, died before
Alexander moved to Maine in 1849.
FRED CRUCKSON,
333 E Second St.,
Fond du Lac, Wisc., 54935, USA.
E-mail happyliontamer@prodigy.net.
