Parlor Portraits

   When I was growing up at Maple Lawn my ancestors were a very real Presence. Most of these portraits had hung at Mulberry Grove the home of the Cottens and Dr Godwin Cotten Moore. They were brought to Maple Lawn after Uncle Will's  family moved to Washington D C.

Dr Godwin Cotten Moore  1806-1880

As a young man. He was a physician,  founder of Chowan College & many years chairman of its board of trustees. He was chairman of the Hertford County Court 1857-1861.  About the Portrait---Family tradition is that Thomas Sulley himself did Godwin's face but The experts of Frick Art  Reference Library say Mr James Gibbons was the artist.

Julia M Wheeler  (Mrs. G C Moore) 1814-1887

                                
Family tradition says that Julia's portrait left was painted by her sister in law Ellen Wheeler  the daughter of Thomas Sulley. Uncle Jule said when looking at his mother's portrait at Maple Lawn "Mother had a long neck, but it was not that long"  (photo by Cathy L Spruill.) The painting on right is on wood and Aunt Bessie Pierce who was given it, gave it to her son John Wheeler Pierce.

Esther Cotten (Mrs John Jones) 1782-1854

Mother of 1. Godwin C Moore; 2.Sallie Matilda Moore (Mrs. Turner Westray); 3. Emeline Moore (who married  1st Dr N W Fletcher of Lawrenceville, VA and 2nd  Rev Eugene LeVert of Alabama, brother of Dr Henry B LeVert of Mobile, AL) and  4. Charles Godfrey Jones who moved to Texas.  Esther  married 1800 James Wright Moore & in 1825 John Jones of Lawrenceville, VA. Frick Art Ref. Library photo. (Portrait -Computer restored by smk)

Martha Wheeler (Mrs James Worrell) 1788-1856

Aunt of Julia. She was thrice married first to Richard Johnston in St Johns, New Brunswick; Second to William P Morgan in Alexandria, VA and Third to James Worrell of Maney's Neck in Hertford County, NC. Artist is James Gibbons.  Photo by Cathy L Spruill.  Portrait  owned by Sally Koestler  on display at  Wheeler  Home restored by the Murfrresboro Historical Society in Murfreesboro, NC.

"Tillie" Sarah Matilda Moore (Mrs. Turner Westray)
ca 1812 - 1865

Sister of Dr. Godwin Cotten Moore. This portrait always was in the upstairs hall at Maple Lawn as it had been badly damaged when her nephews horse whipped it when it hung in the front hall near where the buggy whips were stored.
Tillie Westray portrait by James McGibbon after Conservation treatment Nov. 2000 by David Goist of Raleigh, NC
now in the Murfreesboro Historical Assoc. collection

JAN 2001 - The Murfreesboro Historical Association, Inc. has acquired three of the portraits that were at Mulberry Grove and Maple Lawn.  These are the portraits of Esther Cotten Moore and her daughters Emeline and Sarah Matilda and are attributed to the artist, James McGibbon. With the help of a  grant from the Mary Duke Biddle Foundation they have been able to restore the portrait of Sarah Matilda and it has been placed in the Hertford Academy. Perhaps you will make a contribution to this project of restoring these historical paintings. As funds become available, Esther Cotten Moore will next be restored and then the portrait of Emeline.
Please make your tax deductible check payable to the Murfreesboro Historical Assoc; PO Box 3, Murfreesboro, NC, 27855 and do designate your check for the "Historic Paintings Fund."