Charles Lanman
Encyclopedia
Charles Lanman was an author, government official, artist, librarian, and explorer.
, on June 14, 1819, the son of Charles James Lanman, and the grandson of United States Senator James Lanman
. Lanman's early life included newspaper work as editor of the Monroe
Gazette in 1845, associate editor of the Cincinnati
Chronicle in 1846, and as a member of the editorial staff of the New York Express in 1847. He spent 10 years, from 1835 to 1845, at The Hudson River School
in New York
, where he met many artists, including Washington Irving
. Lanman studied art under Asher B. Durand and at 28 became an elected associate of the National Academy of Design
in 1846.
Library; head of the returns office in the U.S. Interior Department; private secretary to Senator Daniel Webster
; American secretary to the Japanese legation; and assistant assessor for the District of Columbia.
. Lanman's published writings include several collections of essays and books, including two biographies, the "Private Life of Daniel Webster
" (New York and London, 1852) and "Life of William Woodbridge
" (Washington, 1867). Written accounts of his own travels and extensive explorations in the United States included "Essays for Summer Hours" (Boston, 1842), "Letters from a Landscape-Painter" (1845), "A Summer in the Wilderness, Embracing a Canoe Voyage Up the Mississippi and Around Lake Superior" (New York, 1847)
, "A Tour of the River Saguenay" (Philadelphia and London, 1848), "Letters from the Alleghany Mountains " (New York, 1849), "Haw-ho-noo, or Records of a Tourist" (Philadelphia: Lippincott, Grambo 1850)"
, "Adventures in the Wilds of the United States and British American Provinces" (2 vols., Philadelphia, 1856, London, 1859)
and "Red Book of Michigan: A Civil, Military and Biographical History" Detroit, 1871)". Additional works included "Resources of America" compiled for the Japanese government (Washington, 1872), " The Japanese in America" (New York and London, 1872), "Biographical Annals of the Civil Government of the United States" (Washington, 1876; 2d ed., revised, New York, 1887), "Life of Octavius Perinehief " (Washington, 1879), "Curious Characters and Pleasant Places" (Edinburgh, 1881), " Leading Men of Japan " (Boston, 1883), "Farthest North " (New York. 1885), and "Haphazard Personalities" (Boston, 1886). He has edited "The Prison Life of Alfred Ely" (New York, 1862), and the "Sermons" of Reg. Octavius Perinchief (2 vols., Washington, 1879).
Lanman frequently exhibited paintings and sketches from nature in oil. He made “sketching trips” to every state east of the Rockies. Many of those early sketches were published in The Illustrated London News and in various American magazines. Among his pictures are "Brookside and Homestead," "Home in the Woods" (1881), and "Frontier Home" (1884). He was called by Washington Irving
"the picturesque explorer of the United States".
Charles Lanman died at Georgetown
, D.C., on March 4, 1895
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/serialset/cdocuments/hd108-222/intro.pdf
Early life and education
Charles Lanman was born at Monroe, MichiganMonroe, Michigan
Monroe is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 20,733 at the 2010 census. It is the largest city and county seat of Monroe County. The city is bordered on the south by Monroe Charter Township, but both are politically independent. The city is located approximately 14 miles ...
, on June 14, 1819, the son of Charles James Lanman, and the grandson of United States Senator James Lanman
James Lanman
James Lanman was an American lawyer and politician from Connecticut who served in the United States Senate.-Early life and education:...
. Lanman's early life included newspaper work as editor of the Monroe
Monroe, Michigan
Monroe is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 20,733 at the 2010 census. It is the largest city and county seat of Monroe County. The city is bordered on the south by Monroe Charter Township, but both are politically independent. The city is located approximately 14 miles ...
Gazette in 1845, associate editor of the Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
Chronicle in 1846, and as a member of the editorial staff of the New York Express in 1847. He spent 10 years, from 1835 to 1845, at The Hudson River School
Hudson River school
The Hudson River School was a mid-19th century American art movement embodied by a group of landscape painters whose aesthetic vision was influenced by romanticism...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, where he met many artists, including Washington Irving
Washington Irving
Washington Irving was an American author, essayist, biographer and historian of the early 19th century. He was best known for his short stories "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van Winkle", both of which appear in his book The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. His historical works...
. Lanman studied art under Asher B. Durand and at 28 became an elected associate of the National Academy of Design
National Academy of Design
The National Academy Museum and School of Fine Arts, founded in New York City as the National Academy of Design – known simply as the "National Academy" – is an honorary association of American artists founded in 1825 by Samuel F. B. Morse, Asher B. Durand, Thomas Cole, Martin E...
in 1846.
Career
Lanman's career included service as librarian for the U.S. War Department, the U.S. House of Representatives, and the City of WashingtonWashington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Library; head of the returns office in the U.S. Interior Department; private secretary to Senator Daniel Webster
Daniel Webster
Daniel Webster was a leading American statesman and senator from Massachusetts during the period leading up to the Civil War. He first rose to regional prominence through his defense of New England shipping interests...
; American secretary to the Japanese legation; and assistant assessor for the District of Columbia.
Literary and Artistic Works
Charles Lanman collected biographies of former and sitting Members of Congress for his Dictionary of the United States Congress, published by J. B. Lippincott & Co. in 1859. This eventually became the Biographical Directory of the United States CongressBiographical Directory of the United States Congress
The Biographical Directory of the United States Congress is a biographical dictionary of all present and former members of the United States Congress as well as its predecessor, the Continental Congress...
. Lanman's published writings include several collections of essays and books, including two biographies, the "Private Life of Daniel Webster
Daniel Webster
Daniel Webster was a leading American statesman and senator from Massachusetts during the period leading up to the Civil War. He first rose to regional prominence through his defense of New England shipping interests...
" (New York and London, 1852) and "Life of William Woodbridge
William Woodbridge
William Woodbridge was a U.S. statesman in the states of Ohio and Michigan and in the Michigan Territory prior to statehood...
" (Washington, 1867). Written accounts of his own travels and extensive explorations in the United States included "Essays for Summer Hours" (Boston, 1842), "Letters from a Landscape-Painter" (1845), "A Summer in the Wilderness, Embracing a Canoe Voyage Up the Mississippi and Around Lake Superior" (New York, 1847)
, "A Tour of the River Saguenay" (Philadelphia and London, 1848), "Letters from the Alleghany Mountains " (New York, 1849), "Haw-ho-noo, or Records of a Tourist" (Philadelphia: Lippincott, Grambo 1850)"
, "Adventures in the Wilds of the United States and British American Provinces" (2 vols., Philadelphia, 1856, London, 1859)
and "Red Book of Michigan: A Civil, Military and Biographical History" Detroit, 1871)". Additional works included "Resources of America" compiled for the Japanese government (Washington, 1872), " The Japanese in America" (New York and London, 1872), "Biographical Annals of the Civil Government of the United States" (Washington, 1876; 2d ed., revised, New York, 1887), "Life of Octavius Perinehief " (Washington, 1879), "Curious Characters and Pleasant Places" (Edinburgh, 1881), " Leading Men of Japan " (Boston, 1883), "Farthest North " (New York. 1885), and "Haphazard Personalities" (Boston, 1886). He has edited "The Prison Life of Alfred Ely" (New York, 1862), and the "Sermons" of Reg. Octavius Perinchief (2 vols., Washington, 1879).
Lanman frequently exhibited paintings and sketches from nature in oil. He made “sketching trips” to every state east of the Rockies. Many of those early sketches were published in The Illustrated London News and in various American magazines. Among his pictures are "Brookside and Homestead," "Home in the Woods" (1881), and "Frontier Home" (1884). He was called by Washington Irving
Washington Irving
Washington Irving was an American author, essayist, biographer and historian of the early 19th century. He was best known for his short stories "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van Winkle", both of which appear in his book The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. His historical works...
"the picturesque explorer of the United States".
Charles Lanman died at Georgetown
Georgetown, Washington, D.C.
Georgetown is a neighborhood located in northwest Washington, D.C., situated along the Potomac River. Founded in 1751, the port of Georgetown predated the establishment of the federal district and the City of Washington by 40 years...
, D.C., on March 4, 1895
Sources
http://whmc.umsystem.edu/invent/3725.htmlhttp://www.gpoaccess.gov/serialset/cdocuments/hd108-222/intro.pdf