Grace Hartigan (1922 - 2008)

After studying with Muse, Grace Hartigan and her husband attempted to move to Alaska to pioneer, though they only made it to California, where Hartigan started painting. In 1945 she made the move from California to New York City, where she was a lively participant in the vibrant artistic and literary milieu of the times. […]

Eberhard Anheuser (1806 - 1880)

Businessman. Born in Kreuznach, Germany in 1843, he settled in Cincinnati, Ohio, and was joined shortly thereafter by his family. For the early part of his entrepreneurial career, people associated him with a completely different product, that product was soap. It is unknown whether he trained as a soap manufacturer in Cincinnati, if this training […]

William Hart (1823 - 1894)

Artist. William Hart was brought to America by his parents, James and Marion Robertson Hart, from Scotland in February, 1830.  William Hart began his career as a coach and ornamental painter in Troy, New York.  For several years he traveled throughout Michigan as an itinerant painter doing portraits before going to Europe to study.   […]

Pro Hart (1928 - 2006)

Artist, Order of the British Empire awarded by Queen Elizabeth in 1976 for contribution to the arts. Born Kevin Charles Hart in Broken Hill New South Wales, Pro Hart was raised on his parents sheep property ‘Laloona Station’just outside Menindee. Due to his talent in the arts and his knack for inventing he was nicknamed […]

Thomas Andrews, Jr (1873 - 1970)

Noted Titanic Designer, Builder and Victim. Born in Northern Ireland the son of Right Hon. Thomas Andrews and Eliza (Pirrie), nephew of Lord Pirrie, principal owner of Harland and Wolff, the builders of Titanic. Entering at age 16 as premium apprentice, he gradually worked his way up to became managing director of H&W in charge […]

Joel Tanner Hart (1810 - 1877)

Sculptor and Poet. Born near Winchester, Kentucky. Known for his neo-classic sculpture, he produced busts of such notables as Cassius Marcellus Clay, John J. Crittenden, Robert Wickliffe, Henry Clay and Andrew Jackson. Hart died in Florence, Italy, where he had maintained a residence for a number of years. (bio by: Steve Dunn)  Family links:  Parents: […]

Nathan S. Ancell (1908 - 1999)

Businessman. Born Nathan Ancelowitz, he co-founded the Ethan Allen Furniture Company with his brother-in-law, Thoedore Baumritter. In 1932, the two started a housewares company. They purchased a bankrupt furniture manufacturer in Vermont, and in 1939 introduced an early-American line of furniture under the name Ethan Allen. It became their biggest seller and they changed the […]

James McDougal Hart (1828 - 1901)

Artist. The younger brother of William Hart, James moved with his family from Kilmarnock, Scotland to Albany, NY in 1830.  There he was apprenticed to a sign painter and developed an interest in art.  In 1851 he went to Dusseldorf, Germany to study and remained for three years.  He returned to Albany and opened a […]

James A. Allison (1872 - 1928)

Businessman. Indianapolis Speedway Co-Founder. In 1927, he became the sole owner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and it was he who sold it to World War I Hero Eddie Rickenbacker. Rickenbacker sold the track to Anton Hulman, Jr. in 1946. (bio by: Warrick L. Barrett)  Family links:  Spouse:  Sara Willis Cornelius Allison (1875 – 1938)* […]

Ted Harrison (1926 - 2015)

Artist, Illustrator and Author. Born Edward Hardy Harrison, Ted Harrison was known around the globe for his brightly colored and whimsical depictions of the Canadian North. His parents recognized his artistic talent as a child and sent him to the West Hartlepool School of Art in England. After serving in World War II, he went […]

Edward Phelps Allis (1824 - 1889)

Businessman. Founder of Allis Chalmers.  Entrepreneur and manufacturing innovator of steam engines, agricultural equipment, and heavy machinery.  Graduating from Union College in Schenectady, New York, he moved to Wisconsin in 1846 and married Margaret Watson, eventually having twelve children.  He first started in the leather tannery business in Two Rivers, Wisconsin, and by 1854 had […]

Lawren Harris (1885 - 1970)

Artist. Lawren Harris was one of the original members of the Group of Seven, a group of Canadian landscape painters from 1920 to 1933 that also included of Franklin Carmichael, A. Y. Jackson, Frank Johnston, Arthur Lismer, J. E. H. MacDonald, and Frederick Varley. Born Lawren Stewart Harris in Brantford, Ontario, Canada on October 23, […]

Sir Hugh Andrew Montague Allan (1860 - 1951)

Businessman.  A shipbuilder and avid sportsman,  he established the Allan Cup,  the championship prize of amateur hockey.  He was made a Charter Member of the Hockey Hall of Fame in the Builders Category in 1945.

Edwin Landseer Harris (1970 - 1970)

Artist. Distinguished American painter of landscapes and marine panorama, named after 18th century British artist Edwin Landseer.  (bio by: Mount Hope NY)

Joseph Albert Albertson (1906 - 1993)

Businessman.  Born in Yukon, Oklahoma Territory. He was one of four sons born to Rhoda and Earl Albertson. Before he was three, the family moved to Caldwell, Idaho, in 1909, where Joe grew up. After graduating from Caldwell High School in 1925, Albertson studied business for two years at the College of Idaho in Caldwell. […]

Charley Harper (1922 - 2007)

Artist. For over fifty years, he was known as one of the best wildlife artists in America. His works have been shown in galleries, traveling exhibitions, nature magazines and as posters for conservation organizations. His collections are in the National Park Service Center, Cincinnati Zoo, Cincinnati Nature Center, Cincinnati Art Museum, Hamilton County Park Center […]

William Michael Harnett (1848 - 1892)

Artist. Born in Ireland, he immigrated to the United States with his parents shortly after his birth. Becoming a citizen in 1868, he took night classes at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and later studied at Cooper Union in New York City. He practiced a trompe l’oeil style of realistic painting. His still […]

Persus Foster Eames Albee (1836 - 1914)

Businesswoman. She was known as the “First Avon Lady”. In 1886 became the first saleswoman for the California Perfume Company, a business that eventually became the multi-billion dollar Avon Products, Incorporated. She started selling the company’s products in 1886 door-to-door, and rose to become the chief of sales for the business. It was her idea […]

Hugh Harman (1903 - 1982)

Cartoon Animator. A pioneer in animation, he helped to create ‘Daffy Duck’ and ‘Bugs Bunny’ among other Looney Tune characters. He began his career in 1922 when he got a job working for the Walt Disney, working on the Laugh-o-Gram toons. After Disney went bankrupt he and his partner, Rudolf Ising tried to start a […]

Yoshio Akao (1970 - 1970)

Publisher, Broadcaster. He was the founder of Oubunsha, a cultural enterprise that served as a publisher for high school students. Before World War II, he wrote and published a famous English glossary for preparatory school students called “Akao No Mametan.” He and his family became very wealthy from this endeavor and then began publishing various […]

Fred Harman (1902 - 1982)

Cartoonist, Artist. He is one of the best known American western artists, famous for his comic series ‘Red Ryder and Little Beaver’ as well as his many paintings of the Wild West. He was born in St. Joseph, Missouri and raised on a ranch in Pagosa Springs in Colorado, near the border of New Mexico. […]

Per-Olof Ahl (1919 - 1996)

Businessman, Author. He was the founder of “KappAhl”, one of the leading clothing companies in Scandinavia. he started his successful business in 1953, locating his new firm in a basement in Gothenburg, Sweden, and toured Sweden, selling coats from a bus. His early efforts proved successful, and his business soon grew to one of the […]

Keith Allen Haring (1958 - 1990)

Keith Allen Haring Artist. Born in Reading, Pennsylvania to Allen and Joan Haring. As a child Keith was fascinated by the cartoon art of Walt Disney and Charles Schultz and the illustrations of Dr. Seuss. He spent many hours drawing. After graduating from high school in 1976, Keith briefly attended the Ivy School of Professional […]

Umberto Agnelli (1934 - 2004)

Industrialist. He was the Chairman of Italy’s largest industrial group, Fiat, and one of Italy’s richest men, who lived for years in the shadow of his flamboyant brother, Giovanni (Gianni) Agnelli. Born in Lausanne, Switzerland, he endured a series of tragedies that began with the loss of his father when he was an infant, his […]

Thomas Hardwick, Jr (1970 - 1970)

Noted architect. He was an eminent architect, renowed principally as a church designer and with his son Philip Hardwick (1792-1870), also a noted architect, held the post of surveyor to St Batholomew’s Hospital, London. His father was a master mason turned architect, Thomas Hardwick senior (1725-1798) with whom he worked at Syon House, Middlesex for […]

Giovanni Agnelli (1866 - 1945)

Industrialist. He was the founder of the Fiat automobile company. Born in Villar Perosa, a small town near Pinerolo, Italy, his father, the mayor of Villar Perosa, died at age 40, when Giovanni was just five. He studied at the Collegio San Giuseppe in Turin; then embarked on a military career until 1893 when he […]

Philip Hardwick (1792 - 1870)

Noted Master Architect. He was a well-known architect who specialized in the design of railway stations in London. He was born in London and studied under the tutorship of his father, Thomas junior, master-mason to Robert Adam at Syon House, Middlesex. His grandfather, Thomas senior, was also a successful architect. In 1808 he entered the […]

Lorenz Adlon (1849 - 1921)

Businessman. He built the famous Hotel Adlon in Berlin, Germany in 1907. At one time it was the unofficial residence of Kaiser Wilhelm II, who preferred its comforts to the drafty halls of the Imperial Palace, and over the years it hosted celebrities ranging from Albert Einstein to Louise Brooks. It was an inspiration for […]

Theophilos Hansen (1813 - 1891)

Danish Architect. Many characteristic buildings on Vienna Ring Street were built by him, including the Austrian Parliament, the Vienna Stock Exchange House, Musikverein (music society house).  Inscription:This memorial erected for the atchitect Theophilus Hansen from his sister, his friends, his students and admirers.

Gary Abrahams (1944 - 1992)

Motion Pictures Figure. Along with partner Gary Essert, in 1971 he co-founded “FILMEX,” the Los Angeles Film International Festival. Later, the two created the American Cinematheque in 1981. Both men passed away in 1992 due to the complication of AIDS. (bio by: A.J. Marik)