July 6, 1856

The young artist Edward Washbourne wrote a letter to his brother, James Woodward Washbourne, serving up a marvelous account of the nomadic life of a typical American portrait painter: “I am in Sevier Co. where I came to rusticate a little & paint a little. I am staying at Col. Ben Hawkins…painting 6 portraits for Hawkins, 3 boys on one canvas. Col. Hawkins is a perfect Arkansas Gentleman.” In this same letter, Washbourne mentioned for the first time that he had completed what would become his artistic opus, The Arkansas Traveler.