George Hoose's Indian head paintings are thought to be modeled on in-law Samuel Caesar, who claimed to be of native descent and wore a headdress.
DALTON, Mass. — A painting by George Hoose was donated to the Fitch-Hoose House museum last week.
George Hoose died in 1977 at age 80. He was a prolific painter and was known for the "Indian Head" painting on Gulf Road that has long since been painted over and weathered away.
The donated painting is believed similar to that lost artwork.
"[The painting] is just one more wonderful piece that helps us be more connected with the Hoose family. It's very exciting," Historical Commission co-Chair Debora Kovacs said.
The painting of an "Indian Head" was donated by Robert and Kathleen Walsh after hearing of the art month the museum is having through September.
Next year, the Historical Commission wants to host a bigger exhibit so it can display more of Hoose's paintings but needs to find a safe way to do it.
This donated painting may be based on one of the Hoose relatives — Samuel Caesar, who married Algernon Hoose's sister Hannah, Kovacs said.
It is believed that Caesar was half Native American and half African American, she said. He can be seen wearing a headdress in some pictures.
According to the Walshes, George Hoose was a lifelong friend of Robert's grandfather Harold Oles Sr.
Hoose and Oles were boyhood friends and shared similar interests in Native Americans and how it all connected with slavery and the Underground Railroad, Kathy Walsh said.
"I'm really not too sure but I understand that it is almost an exact copy of the Indian that was painted on the rock on Gulf Road," she said. "George Hoose must have gotten his inspiration for this painting from the rock because they used to hike up there all the time."
Hoose and Oles enlisted together in World War I and were separated when called up for active duty.
Oles was sent to France, where he was assigned to the artillery, and Hoose made it as far as Connecticut but was never sent overseas because the armistice was signed.
Upon Oles' return, the duo's friendship was back on track, Walsh said. Hoose gifted the painting to Oles around 1976 and it hung in his house on Park Circle Drive in Dalton until his death on June 7, 1985.
The painting was then moved to the basement by his son Harold Oles Jr. (Robert Walsh's uncle), where it stayed until the son's death on Feb. 9, 2007.
While clearing out the basement, somebody in the family discovered the painting and intended on throwing it away but was saved by the Walshes and it hung in their home for close to 10 years.
Since the museum was renovated in 2014, the commission has brought and continues to bring to life its scattered history, Kovacs said during a previous interview, and the museum has reunited members of the Hoose family with their ancestry.
The Historical Commission hopes that as more light is shined on the history of the Hoose family more residents will step forward with stories or items to share with the museum, Commissioner Thomas Snyder said.
More information on the museum here. Check out our video on the Fitch-Hoose House here.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
Your Comments
iBerkshires.com welcomes critical, respectful dialogue. Name-calling, personal attacks, libel, slander or foul language is not allowed. All comments are reviewed before posting and will be deleted or edited as necessary.
No Comments
Letter: Is the Select Board Listening to Dalton Voters?
Letter to the Editor
To the Editor:
A reasonable expectation by the people of a community is that their Select Board rises above personal preference and represents the collective interests of the community. On Tuesday night [Nov. 12], what occurred is reason for concern that might not be true in Dalton.
This all began when a Select Board member submitted his resignation effective Oct. 1 to the Town Clerk. Wishing to fill the vacated Select Board seat, in good faith I followed the state law, prepared a petition, and collected the required 200-plus signatures of which the Town Clerk certified 223. The Town Manager, who already had a copy of the Select Board member's resignation, was notified of the certified petitions the following day. All required steps had been completed.
Or had they? At the Oct. 9 Select Board meeting when Board members discussed the submitted petition, there was no mention about how they were informed of the petition or that they had not seen the resignation letter. Then a month later at the Nov. 12 Select Board meeting we learn that providing the resignation letter and certified petitions to the Town Manager was insufficient. However, by informing the Town Manager back in October the Select Board had been informed. Thus, the contentions raised at the Nov. 12 meeting by John Boyle seem like a thinly veiled attempt to delay a decision until the end of January deadline to have a special election has passed.
If this is happening with the Special Election, can we realistically hope that the present Board will listen to the call by residents to halt the rapid increases in spending and our taxes that have been occurring the last few years and pass a level-funded budget for next year, or to not harness the taxpayers in town with the majority of the cost for a new police station? I am sure these issues are of concern to many in town. However, to make a change many people need to speak up.
Please reach out to a Select Board member and let them know you are concerned and want the Special Election issue addressed and finalized at their Nov. 25 meeting.
Some residents received an "alarming" notice from the Water Department about the possibility of lead pipes or solder in some homes, but officials assured them not to worry. click for more
The William Stanley Business Park is transforming from grey to greener. Site 9 is nearly completed and funds have been secured to ready Sites 7 and 8 for development. click for more