Childhood Home Painting

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Gaynell from Greenville, KY was born in Ohio County in a house that her grandparents previously operated as a hotel and riverboat stop on the Green RiverThey called it The Barnard House. Later, her parents purchased it and turned it into a family home. She has many fond memories of this house including her older brother Fred sneaking out on a tree limb. She has another memory of her parents thinking she fell into the river when she went missing one afternoon only to find her coming up from the watermelon patch. Sadly, the house was destroyed by a great flood in 1937. This painting, done in 1989 from a photograph serves to remind Gaynell of her childhood home and the fond memories her Kentucky family made there. 

Henry Clay was born on a 250-acre farm in Hanover County, VA and lived in the house there until his mother and stepfather moved to Kentucky when he was 14 years old. He then went to Richmond, VA to learn a profession. Clay did not return to the farm until he was 60 years old, by which time the house was unrecognizable. Like Gaynell’s childhood home, Clay’s has long since disappeared and images like this serve to preserve the memory of it. This one was printed and painted on a panel to serve as a cover for fireplace during the warm months when it was not in use. 

To view the image of Henry Clay’s birthplace in our online catalog, click here!

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