"Pickerington Pond"

"Pickerington Pond"

HISTORY OF THE “Pickerington Pond”

William Stevenson, brother of Revolutionary War Captain John Stevenson, and William’s wife, Mary Boone Stevenson, brought their family to central Ohio from Baltimore, Maryland, in about 1805, settling in western Fairfield County which by act of the Ohio Legislature in 1851 became part of Franklin County.  William received a patent deed for 320 acres from President Madison dated May 23, 1810.

The youngest child was Joshua, born in Maryland in 1803, who eventually married and in 1835, having inherited a large tract of what had been his parents’ land, had constructed for his family the two-story brick residence (top of painting), where he lived until his death from a falling tree in 1848.  His widow and two minor children continued in the house until the daughter Minerva Jane, married James Pickering of the Pickering founding family, and years later Joshua’s widow married John Chaney a very prominent businessman, politician, and judge from Canal Winchester.

Having inherited from her father a tract of land, Minerva and her new husband built the brick residence on what is now Wright Road which is presently serving as the Park Office for Pickerington Ponds Metro Park (middle of painting).  The brick residence (bottom of painting) was built by an older son, Alpheus Boone Stevenson; on the land also inherited from his father Joshua Stevenson.

This painting is the artist’s version of the historical  homes, which still exist, and are surrounded by the Pickerington Ponds Metro Park.  The original painting was featured in the Arts Section of The Columbus Dispatch which was described as “delightfully refreshing especially since the work is so well conceived and executed.”  Original Painting -- SOLD.  Limited Edition Signed and Numbered Reproductions and note cards are available.  Reproduction image size: 19" x 26"

A Brief History of Pickerington Ponds Wetland Wildlife Refuge Metro Park

The Pickerington Ponds Wetland Wildlife Refuge includes one of the last remaining glacial kettle lakes in Central Ohio. Formed by Wisconsin glaciation, this preserve consists of marshes, ponds (glacial kettles) and adjacent uplands. A wide variety of plant species are found here, ranging from water and marsh plants, grasses and sedges to upland trees and shrubs.  Wetland habitats like Pickerington Ponds are somewhat rare in Ohio.

A buttonbush swamp is located on the south side of the area near Bowen Road. Pickerington Ponds has been an extremely popular spot for bird watching -- more than 260 different species of birds have been recorded here over the years.

About 95% of Ohio's wetlands have been drained for agriculture.  In the late 1970's, local conservationists observed these wetlands were the last remaining large wetland complex in Franklin County.

"Sunday Morning"

"Sunday Morning"

HISTORY OF “SUNDAY MORNING”

Centered in “Sunday Morning” is the Noah Lehman House built in 1875 and was located on Lehman Road in Canal Winchester Ohio.  Noah was a Civil War veteran and his time in the south is shown in the house he built for his family.

The Lehman’s were of the Mennonite faith and Noah built the house to accommodate church meetings.   The house has two front doors.  The women and young children entered through the right door the men and boys entered through the left door.  This room was extra nice, using   special graceful moldings on the doors and windows and was called the sitting room.  It leads to both the large country kitchen and the dining room to the right.  The stairs are unusual in that they have steps and doors on two sides leading from the sitting room and kitchen, but for a purpose when the meetings were in progress, the speaker could stand on the landing and be heard in all three rooms.  To the west of the house are two large boulders that were used as mounting stones.  The people came in wagons and brought their benches both for riding in the wagon and seating during the meeting.  The benches were used there and later used on Stemen and Diley Roads.  As recently as 1980, they were used at the Bremen Church.  These people were a kneeling, praying people and the benches showed the elbow wear marks.

The basement is under the main house with a four foot crawl space under the kitchen.  Mr. Lehman owned a tile kiln and made use of the bricks.  The basement and foundation are three row brick.  The outside basement doors lead to the produce building where the family sold meat, milk products, and vegetables in season.  It was a one and one half story two room building with a large fireplace used for curing meat and produce.  Some of the strings still hang from the rafters.  Unfortunately, it was almost totally wrecked by the same tornadoes that destroyed the big barn.

The south and west porches are from another house that was moved from Busey Road to Canal Winchester sometime in the early 1900’s.  All around the house is what seems a narrow brick walk but is in fact, a catch basin for rain water.

Other buildings in the painting:  The red barn is located on Long Road in Pickerington, Ohio; the Church and Mail Pouch barn is located in Rio Grande Ohio; and the cows were located in Lithopolis, Ohio.

Original watercolor painting is available. "Sunday Morning" is a limited edition, signed and numbered reproduction, also  note cards are available.

"Livingston House"

 

"Livingston House"

HISTORY OF THE “Livingston House” 

This painting was commissioned by the Historical Society.  The “Livingston House” 1864- 1865 – 1792 Graham Road was accepted into the National Register of Historical places.  Alexander W. Livingston has been known as the “man who developed the tomato.”  His contribution to tomato culture lay in quality and varieties with a specific purpose   He introduced more new, stable varieties of tomato that any other individual or group.  In the Yearbook of the Department of Agriculture, an article calls attention to the fact that of the 40 varieties tomato that had attained a distinct status prior to 1910, one-third were introductions by the Livingston Seed Company.

Mr. Livingston was a well-known as a Sunday school teacher at the Ohio Penitentiary.  He had a seed wagon, built as a Conestoga wagon with wood boxes built in to display seeds.  Under these boxes were open areas where slaves were hidden during the days of the Underground Railroad.  It was called the “ark”.

Mr. Livingston was just as particular about his house as he was his plants.  He paid over $1.50 extra per 1,000 board feet so he could personally select siding free from knots.  He employed Nathan Orcutt, a cabinetmaker by trade, to build his house in 1864-1865.  Orcutt was the finest of workmen, strict about the exactness of fit between two pieces of wood.  When he was done, the house had a “furniture finish”.

The original siding was wide strips and there also remains, built the same, a milk house with stone floors and shake roof.  There were seven bedrooms, a pantry and a kitchen; and on the east, a summer kitchen.  The parlor, a room of great elegance is generously trimmed with molding.  There is a beautiful hand-carved wood staircase with the two banked curves in the oak handrail.  The large windowpanes are mostly original glass, a little wavy with small bubbles in it.  Two small porches provided safety from the rain.

This Victorian style farmhouse is a rich wine color with beige trim.  Its setting is perfect as there is a lot of open space that has preserved the feeling that you are, indeed, in a farm location.

A kitchen garden has been maintained by the Marabar Garden Club.  Some of the plants used in the garden were obtained by a horticulturist from the National Seed Depository and were actual Livingston Seeds.

A floral cutting garden provided a beautiful view from the homes front door and is the second category the home is registered under as a historical site.  It is an authentic 1800 era garden and members of the four Seasons Garden Club, have spent hours maintaining its beauty.  Ohio Association of Garden Club judges have provided expert help.  Many citizens have donated plants from their great grandmother gardens.

The original painting SOLD to Betty Montgomery, who was serving as Ohio Attorney General at the time.  Betty gave the painting as an award to Jo Ann Davidson, while she was holding the position of Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives.

"Livingston House" is a limited edition, signed and numbered reproduction which is almost sold out. 

Image size: 14 1/4" x 18 7/8"  

"Skating Party"

"Skating Party" depicts the good old days of family fun. The big red barn, dating from the mid to late 1800's, stood at Pamela's neighbors house, before it unfortunately collapsed.