DARTMOUTH COLLEGE ENGRAVINGS
Assistant Librarian of the College
The subject of engravings relating in any way to Dartmouth College is a vast and bewildering one. In a paper of this sort only the more important reproductions of the College can be fully treated.
The earliest known view of the College is entitled "A front View of Dartmouth College, with the Chapel, & Hall." This appears in the issue of the Massachusetts Magazine for February, 1793. This engraving, probably on copper, is approximately 6x4 inches in size and is signed "J. Dunham del S. Hill Set." "J. Dunham," who made the drawing for the engraving, was possibly Josiah Dunham, a Dartmouth graduate.of the class of 1789, and preceptor in Moor's Indian Charity School from 1789 to 1793. He was also for a while, editor of the Dartmouth Eagle, a captain in the United States army, and later founder and editor of the Washingtonian, an important Federalist paper published in Windsor, Vermont, from 1810 to 1815. Little is known of Samuel Hill, who engraved the plate, save that he was engraving in Boston as early as 1789 and made many portraits and views for the MassachusettsMagazine. The Dunham view shows Dartmouth Hall, the Chapel and the Commons, also two smaller buildings, one of which according to Professor J. K Lord, was the homestead of Eleazar Wheelock, Junior, built about 1784 and burned about 1830. This "H" shaped house was known at the Acropolis. Fortunately the engraving as it appears in the MassachusettsMagazine is accompanied by a descriptive sketch of the college which is intensely interesting. We learn that
". . . .ample privileges were granted, and suitable provisions made for the education and instruction of the Indian tribes, in reading, writing, and all. parts of learning which should appear necessary and expedient for civilizing and christianizing the children of Pagans, as well as in all liberal arts and sciences; and also of English youths and any others. Its situation, in a frontier country, exposed it, during the late war, to many inconveniences, which impeded its prosperity. It flourished, however, amidst all its embarrassments; and is now one of the most growing institutions in the United States. .. .The College is furnished with a handsome library and a philosophical apparatus. The new college, which is represented in the plate, is an elegant wooden building, 1 50 feet by 50, and three stories high. It was erected in 1786, and since finished; and contains 36 rooms for students, beside two rooms for the library and apparatus. Its situation is elevated, healthful and pleasant, commanding an extensive prospect to the west. There are three other publick buildings belonging to the college, viz. a chapel, a dining hall, and a building for the grammar school; all of which are elegant and convenient."
This engraving together with the text was reproduced in an edition of 100 copies in 1911 by Mr. Charles. E. Goodspeed of Boston.
The second view of the college is the original drawing by George Ticknor of the class of 1807. This drawing is reproduced in the 1910 general catalogue of the college with the caption "College Buildings in 1790." The date, however, on the drawing, which hangs in the office of the President of the college, is May 1803. Beneath the drawing is the following poem and inscription: "Where late the Savage roam'd in search of prey, Fair science spreads her all enlivening ray, The ancient forest fall'n; its inmates fled; See Seats and Sons of learning in their stead! 'Tis scenes like these, that freedom's pow'r disclose, She makes the desert blossom like the rose. "This view of the principal Buildings of DARTMOUTH UNIVERSITY is humbly inscribed to the Honorable JOHN WHEELOCK, Esquire, L. L. D. President, by George Ticknor Delineator, and Member of the Sophomore Class, aged eleven years. July, 1803."
The Ticknor view is similar to that drawn by Dunham, but contains in addition a picture of the Wheelock Mansion house, now the Howe Library, erected in 1773, near the present site of Reed Hall and removed to its present location in 1838. So far as I know, no early reproductions were made of this interesting view of the college. A photogravure was made, however, not long since by A. W. Elson and Company of Boston.
The second known engraving of any of the college buildings is a small cut on copper entitled "Dartmouth College, Hanover." This view about 4 x 2¾ inches shows simply Dartmouth Hall. An interesting feature is a door opening out of the north end of the building. Whether or not this is imaginary, I have been unable to determine. This engraving is signed "J. F. Dana del—A. Bowen, Sc." There is no J. F. Dana on the roll of the college graduates, but James Freeman Dana, Harvard 1813, was a lecturer in chemistry at Dartmouth 1816-20 and Professor of chemistry and mineralogy, 18201826. As this engraving was published in a "Gazetteer of the State of New Hampshire" by John Farmer and Jacob B. Moore,. 1823, while Professor Dana was connected with the college, it is at least possible that he made the drawing. Abel Bowen was a well known Boston engraver of this period. Farmer and Moore's Gazetteer also contains a woodcut of the "Medical College." "The Gazetteer of Vermont" by Zadock Thompson published in 1824 has an'engraving, "View of Norwich from Prospect Hill," which shows Hanover and a few of the college buildings, but not in detail.
The next dated engraving of the college is found in "The History and Topography of the United States," edited by John Howard Hinton and published in London in two vols, 1830-32. Several editions of this work were published, one of the last appearing in 1869. The engraving in the first edition of this work found opposite page 464 of volume 2 is entitled "Dartmouth College, Hanover, N. H." and is approximately 6x4 inches in size. This engraving shows Wentworth, Dartmouth, Thornton and a bit of the Wheelock Mansion House. The drawing for this view by H. Brown was engraved and printed by Fenner Sears and Company, and published January 2, 1832 by I. T. Hinton & Simpkin & Marshall. I have seen copies of this view dated Feb. 15, 1831. A state of this engraving, without date and without signature of artists, published by J. and F. Tallis, London & New York is also known. In this state are two vignettes beneath the view of the college: "Meeting of the first assembly at Portsmouth 1680" and "Lovewell's FightPecnackett 1725." The same drawing was apparently used for a lithograph entitled "West front of Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire" size 12 x 8 and signed "Pendeltons Lithography Boston." A state of this engraving has been noted signed at the left "Swett del," at the right "Pendletons Lithography Boston." In this state the grass and trees in the immediate foreground are green. A lithographic view of the college entitled simply "Dartmouth College," and signed "Jenkins & Colburn's Lith. Boston," appears on a concert program dated "Dart. Coll. Nov. 1837." This view 7x4 inches, is practically the same as that of the London engraving just described. The program rqads: "The Handel Society of Dartmouth College assisted by Messrs. Kendall, Pushee, and Post, honorary members of the Society— will give a concert of sacred and secular music, at the Meeting House, on Wednesday Evening, Nov. Bth, to commence at 6 1-2 o'clock. An address will be delivered by President Lord." This lithograph was also issued on a letter head, and is signed as above. Another state is signed "B. F. Nutting del." To this period belongs a much larger view, 12 x 8 in size entitled "Dartmouth College, Hanover, N. H. S. W. View." This is signed "A .G. Hoit deF—Pendleton's Lithogs'." Albert Gallatin Hoit, who made the drawing for this view was a native of Sandwich, N. H., and a painter for many years in Boston. No date is given. The first lithographic press in Boston was established by the brothers John and William S. Pendleton in 1825. This establishment was in existence until 1836 when it was sold and managed under another name. John Pendleton also conducted a lithographic business in New York in 1829 and in 1830 was in Philadelphia.
A very crudely drawn view of the college is signed M.P.S.—T. Sinclair's Lith. Phil." This view with the caption "Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshre" is about 12 x 9 and gives a southern view of the college buildings showing a building at the southwest end of the campus which is probably the old hotel, and a high mountain in the distance, presumably Ascutney. The only copy of this that I have seen is owned by Mr. Lee H. Graham, 'IS. Another lithograph, reproduced in Lord's "History of" Dartmouth College, 1815-1909" opposite page 224 with the caption "The College Yard, 18291840" without signature of date, 13 x 18 inches in size shows the old row as usual together with the President's house. Still another view of the college of the same size and of apparently the same origin as the above is often seen. This exists in a plain and colored state. The uncolored state is signed "B. Young del—Lithog. of Stodart & Currier, published by B. O. Tyler." The colored state has the caption "Dartmouth College" and is signed "Currier, N. Y." In these two views the Wheelock mansion house appears just north of Wentworth. In these two also the identical road and fence and trees which in the unsigned lithograph were north of Wentworth appear at the south of Thornton. Apparently these three lithographs have a common origin and some of the features in printing two of them became reversed. In "Echoes from Dartmouth" by H. J. Hapgood and Craven Laycock is reproduced in miniature a lithograph of the college which is almost identical with those just described. This view labelled "Dartmouth College" show's, however, orfly the old row, is colored, is x 11 inches in size and is signed—"lith of D. W. Kellog & Co., Hartford, Ct." A smaller uncolored lithograph (6½ x 4) of the college appeared in 1834. This lithograph showing a view of the old row is signed "A. A. Hoffay delt—Lith. of Pendleton, N. Y." It appeared, I am informed, in The Family Encyclopedia published in New York in 1834. An engraving showing the old row and a part of President Wheelock's home appears in T. Bromm's "Gemalde von Nord Amerika," published in two volumes in Stuttgart in 1842. The drawing for this engraving as may be easily seen from the illustration is extremely crude.
In the late twenties, thirties, and forties woodcut views of the College appeared frequently in various publications. One of the first of these, a very small cut showing the old row, a part of the Wheelock house and a building north of Wentworth Hall appeared in Jesse Olney's "A Practical System of Geography; or a view of the present state of the worldthe seventh edition of which appeared in 1831. The first edition which I have not seen was issued in 1828-29. A similar woodcut of the same size but varying slightly is found in S. G. Goodrich's "Pictorial Geography of the World," published in 1840.
"Atkinson's Casket, or Gems of Literature, Wit and Sentiment" for January 1833 contains a woodcut view of the college on pink paper. This depicts the old row with a bit of the Wheelock Mansion house. Accompanying the view is a brief sketch of the college. Exactly the same view, only slightly larger, appears in "The American Magazine of Useful and Entertaining Knowledge" vol. 1 for 1839. This is reprinted in "The Family Magazine or Monthly Abstract of General Knowledge" for July, 1840. The same view with a brief account of the college again appears in Robert Sear's "New Pictorial Library or Digest of General Knowledge," New York 1847 and copyrighted 1845, and also in Sear's "The Family Instructor or Digest of General Knowledge," New York 1849, copyrighted 1845. These two books bv Sears are undoubtedly one and the same. On each number of the covers as well as on the genera,! title page of volume two of the Dartmouth, published in 1849 appears a woodcut view of the old row and Reed Hall drawn by J. S. Woodman 01 the class of 1842. Still another woodcut view shows the old row, Reed Hall, and a view of the south end of the campus together with the old hotel. This view is signed 'Wade Major sc," and is taken from "Gleason's Pictorial" for 1851. A small woodcut of Dartmouth Hall appears in Duyckincks Cyclopedia of American Litertature for 1856. Still another woodcut signed Bricher Russell, Boston, appears on the first page of each issue of the Aegis from June 1859 to 1867. At this time the Aegis was issued in folio form three times a year. A large woodcut of the college appears on a wall map of Grafton County, published in 1860.
One of the most interesting engravings of the college, an engraving issued for independent sale, is the Meadows engraving. This engraving 12 x 9 in size engraved in 1851 by Christian Meadows, is one of the few larger views that show the south end of the campus, together with the buildings on the east side. The Webster elm appears as a large tree in the foreground. Christian Meadows, the engraver, was a notorious character well known throughout Vermont. He was a famous counterfeiter. A sketch of his life may be found in the "Life and Exploits of the Noted Criminal—Bristol Bill." At the time he made this college engraving he was serving a sentence in the Vermont State Prison at Windsor. He made other engravings, among which are a view of Thetford, (Vermont) Academy, Appleton Academy, New Ipswich, New Hampshire, and North Granville (N. Y.) Female Seminary. In Stauffer's "American Engravers on Copper and Steel" the author states that "this engraver of portraits and buildings was in business in Windsor, Vermont. He was working about 1850-1855." Mr. Stauffer evidently did not realize that Meadows was working under restraint. The following document concerning his Dartmouth engraving has fortunately been preserved in the college archives:
"We the undersigned, members of Dartmouth College, do hereby associate ourselves together in joint copartnership for the purpose of publishing an engraving to be entitled "Dartmouth College" to be executed on copper, and we hereby pledge ourselves to defray all expenses that may be incurred in obtaining, and to share all profits that may accrue from the sale of the same, jointly and.equally. In witness whereof we have this fourteenth day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty-one, set our hands and seals— E. T. Quimby Geo. W. Gardner Charles Caverno" Quimby was a member of the class of 1851, Gardiner of 1852, and Caverno of 1854. Mr. Caverno wrote January 25, 1907 regarding this engraving that it was never satisfactory to him, nor to the others and that he paid $50.00 to be released from his share of the venture. He further states that the contract for the engraving was made with the state prison authorities at Windsor.
The last of the well known engravings of the College is a view of the old row together with Reed Hall and a portion of the Medical Building. This view was "drawn and engraved by J. W. Watts, State Street, Boston" and "published by E. H. Kimball for the students of Dartmouth College." So far as I know its first appearance was in E. H. Charlton's "New Hampshire As It Is" published in Claremont, New Hampshire, 1855. The same engraving also appears as a frontispiece for the "Centennial Celebration at Dartmouth College" published at Hanover in 1870. It was apparently issued also in a separate state and as a letter head.
About ten or fifteen years ago a large etching of Dartmouth Hall showing parts of Wentworth and Thornton was made by Richard Rummell. A large birdseye view of the college, a photogravure copyrighted by W. T. Littig, N. Y., appeared in 1906. The last views of the college to be made are the two sets of etchings by Mr. George T. Plowman. As these etchings were described by Mr. Homer Eaton Keyes in the December 1922 issue of the DARTMOUTH ALUMNI MAGAZINE, it will not be necessary to enumerate them here.
At least two fictitious pictures of the college are known. Both are similar in nature and are entitled "Founding of Dartmouth College." The earlier and smaller woodcut is found in J. W. Barber's "Historical, Poetical and Pictorial American Scenes." It represents President Wheelock and a group of students in the act of devotions. They are standing by a log cabin in the midst of the wilderness. With this cut is a poem on the college signed E. G. B. The second and larger cut is found in J. W. Barber's "The History and Antiquities of New England." New York and New Jersey, published at Worcester in 1841. In this similar view, parts of two log cabins are visible. "The Adventures of a Yankee or the Singular Life of John Ledyard designed for youth," by a Yankee, Boston 1831, contains an imaginary picture of Ledyard in his "sulky" in front of Dartmouth Hall.
Drawings of the college have appeared in several recent books relating in one way or another to Dartmouth. "Through the School" the autobiography of Al Priddy (F. K. Brown '10) contains a drawing of a part of Dartmouth Hall by Frank T. Merrill. "Rambles in Old College Towns" by Hildegarde Hawthorne contains a drawing of "the beautiful old row" by John Albert Seaford. Mr. Seaford also made sixteen drawings for Wilder D. Quint's "The Story of Dartmouth."
There are doubtless other views of the college, especially earlier ones. For instance I have a memorandum regarding a small lithograph by Pendleton dated 1834 but have been unable to locate a copy of this. The college library is making a collection of these views and lacks some of those mentioned in this article. The writer will be glad to receive information about any views of the college, especially any not herein listed.
The Ticknor Drawing.
The College in the thirties and forties.
View of the College from Bromm's Gemalde von Nord Amerika, 1842
The Meadows Engraving, 1851
The College, 1852.
"Founding of Dartmouth College."
Clark's Pond in Dorchester
