Epes Sargent (1690-1762)
Portrait of Epes Sargent (1690-1762) overall: 126.6 x 101.7 cm (49 13/16 x 40 1/16 in.) framed: 144.8 x 118.1 cm (57 x 46 1/2 in.) by John Singleton Copley dated to 1760 (original portrait currently on display at the National Gallery of Art)
Among recent acquisitions to the Foundation from David M. G. Huntington was a ~10x12 inch print of this portrait by John Singleton Copley. Epes Sargent is the Great-Great-Grandfather of Hannah Dane Sargent who married Frederic Dan Huntington in 1843. The Sargent family in this moment ties together two amazing artists in connection with the Porter-Phelps-Huntington Family.
Copley was an American artist located in Boston, and well known for his attention to detail, especially in portraits. In looking at Epes’ portrait, one can see powder from his wig settled on his shoulder, the intricate lines on his hand and face, as well as the smooth detailing in the fabric of his clothing. The addition of the marble pedestal Sargent leans on is also an indication of his well-to-do status. Copley eventually moved to England during the Revolutionary War to further pursue his career in the London Academy.
Epes Sargent was born in Gloucester Mass in 1690- the seventh child to Mary Duncan and William Sargent. A prominent figure in his time, Epes had a wealth of property and a merchant business. He was the principal magistrate for several years, and also acted as representative in Massachusetts’ general court in 1744. During this time he was married to his first wife Esther McCarty. Among their ten children was Epes Sargent II and Winthrop Sargent.
Capt. Epes Sargent, Cephas G. Thompson. c 1820, located PPH Front Hall, oil on canvas.
Following Epes Sargent II line of descendents leads to Hannah Dane Sargent Huntington (1823-1910). Her husband Frederic Dan Huntington, son of Elizabeth Whiting Phelps and Dan Huntington, was a bishop in Syracuse, New York. After his mother passed in 1855, the family mostly used the Porter-Phelps-Huntington House as a summer vacation home. Not only did Hannah’s lineage track back to Epes Sargent, but her father Capt. Epes Sargent’s wife Mary Otis Lincoln, was a descendent of Major General Benjamin Lincoln. Lincoln worked with George Washington during the Revolutionary War and then rooted out Shay’s Rebellion in 1786 as he remained a prominent figure in Massachusetts.
Winthrop Sargent on the other hand is the Great-Great-Grandfather of John Singer Sargent (1856-1925), who is known as one of the most successful portrait painters of his era. Famous for showcasing the personality of his sitters, one of his most well-known works is titled Madame X, painted in 1884.
Frederic Dan Huntington and Hannah Dane Sargent’s marriage brought together this lineage of families, and adds further personal connection and history to the Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum today!
Mary Otis Lincoln, Cephas G Thompson, c 1820, located PPH Front Hall, oil on canvas.