Ralph Earl
May 11 1751 – August 16 1801
Ralph Earl was born in Massachusetts in 1751. Growing up he lived with his parents on their Leicester, MA farm. In 1774 he married his second cousin, Mary Gates. His first child, Phebe, was born shortly after their wedding. Through much of the 1770's, Ralph worked as a painter in New Haven, CT. In 1777, his son John was born.
A loyalist during the Revolutionary War, he was forced to flee America in 1778 and traveled to England, leaving behind his wife and children. While in England, Ralph continued to make a living as a portrait painter, and worked closely with fellow American born painter, Benjamin West. . In 1784 or 1785, he married his second wife, Ann Whiteside, despite never formally ending his marriage to Mary Gates. Within the year he returned to America with his new wife.
Upon his return to America, he continued to work as a portrait painter, and was commissioned for portraits of a variety of prominent Americans, including Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton, the wife of Alexander Hamilton. His wife also gave birth to two children, Mary Ann in 1786 and Ralph E.W. in 1785 or 1788. His son Ralph would train under his father and become a notable painter himself.
In 1786, while living in New York City, Ralph was imprisoned for failing to pay debts. There he continued to paint, mostly in order to raise the money to pay off his debts and secure his release. He was released in January 1788, and continued to paint, mainly under the patronage of Dr. Mason Fitch Cogswell. Dr. Cogswell was a Fairfield, CT physician who practiced in New York City, and was the main support for Ralph while he traveled through out southern and western Connecticut as an itinerant portrait painter.
Ralph Earl died in Bolton, CT in 1801, likely due to complications from his alcoholism.
A loyalist during the Revolutionary War, he was forced to flee America in 1778 and traveled to England, leaving behind his wife and children. While in England, Ralph continued to make a living as a portrait painter, and worked closely with fellow American born painter, Benjamin West. . In 1784 or 1785, he married his second wife, Ann Whiteside, despite never formally ending his marriage to Mary Gates. Within the year he returned to America with his new wife.
Upon his return to America, he continued to work as a portrait painter, and was commissioned for portraits of a variety of prominent Americans, including Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton, the wife of Alexander Hamilton. His wife also gave birth to two children, Mary Ann in 1786 and Ralph E.W. in 1785 or 1788. His son Ralph would train under his father and become a notable painter himself.
In 1786, while living in New York City, Ralph was imprisoned for failing to pay debts. There he continued to paint, mostly in order to raise the money to pay off his debts and secure his release. He was released in January 1788, and continued to paint, mainly under the patronage of Dr. Mason Fitch Cogswell. Dr. Cogswell was a Fairfield, CT physician who practiced in New York City, and was the main support for Ralph while he traveled through out southern and western Connecticut as an itinerant portrait painter.
Ralph Earl died in Bolton, CT in 1801, likely due to complications from his alcoholism.
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