Name/Title
Miniature Portrait on Ivory of Mr. Elisha JohnsonContext
This miniature portrait on ivory in a dark wooden frame depicts Mr. Elisha Johnson, also spelled Johnston, born in 1790 and died in 1846.
The collection of the Neill-Cochran House Museum also houses the miniature portrait of his wife, Mrs. Elisha Johnson (1783-1853) whom he married in 1804. They had 7 children and lived in East Haddon, Connecticut. Elisha Johnson was supposedly in the jewelry business.
It is very likely that the miniatures representing Mrs. And Mr. Elisha Johnson were hung in a private part of their home. Indeed, more than tiny portraits of individuals, miniatures were treasured and intimate items that highlighted the love felt between people. It was common for a husband and wife to exchange miniature portraits amongst themselves.
This portrait and its counterpart, depicting Mrs. Elisha Johnson, were a gift to the NCHM from Mrs. William Foster Gillespie and Miss Ada France Miller from Dallas, Texas.Acquisition
Accession
1992.01Source or Donor
Mrs. W. Foster Gillespie (Gertrude Miller)Acquisition Method
Gift