Jennie Augusta Brownscombe (1850 - 1936)

Jennie Augusta Brownscombe was actually born in a log cabin in Pennsylvania. Her mother encouraged her to draw, and young Jennie's first award came when she entered the local county fair. When she was 18, her father died so she had to support herself, which she did by teaching and illustrating books and magazines. Over 100 of her watercolors, oil paintings, and etchings were exhibited in a variety of ways, including prints, so she was not only able to earn money but she became very well known.

Her work included pictures of Colonial America (her mother was descended from a Mayflower passenger), other historical scenes, and what was called "sentimental genre" pictures, which appealed to people back then. Between 1882 and 1895, Jennie traveled in France, Rome, and London, where her pictures were exhibited. In addition, her work was shown in major U.S. cities including New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia. She continued to paint, even after having a stroke, until age 81. She died in 1936.