Description:
Silhouettes were the most expedient and inexpensive form of portraiture available to New Englanders in the early 19th century. Profiles were so cheap, costing about ten cents apiece, that an artist's profit was dependent on making them as quickly as possible. Framed silhouette profile of Caleb Allen (1737-1807) in black silk on paper, inscribed on the back, "Caleb Allen of 'The Bars' Deerfield Father of Lovina Allen. Born 1737 Married Feb. 4, 1768. died Nov. 26, 1807" and "Hid in cornfield at the time of Massacre." In 1768, Caleb Allen, son of Samuel Allen (1702-1746) of the Bars, married Judith Hawks (1745-1819), daughter of Eliezer Hawks (1717-1746) and Margaret Allen (d.1772); they had eight children, the two youngest of whom were Caleb (1781-1814), and Lavina (1786-1864) who married Oliver Allen Starr (1791-1870) in 1821. The silhouette descended through Oliver and Lavina's son, Caleb Allen Starr (b.1822) who moved from Deerfield to Durand, Illinois, in 1855, to Josephine Starr. The Bars Fight occured on August 25, 1746, when an Indian raiding party after captives to sell to the French in Canada attacked a group of Deerfield men and boys who were out haying at the Bars; a number were killed, including Samuel Allen and Eliezer Hawks, and according to George Sheldon, "Caleb Allen escaped by dodging about and hiding in a field of corn."
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https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+77.070 |
