A. F. Tait, Adirondack Artist; misc. trivia
"Fishing Through The Ice", A. F. Tait, 1854. Collection of Frederick K. Barbour.
Tait's paintings of hunting and fishing scenes were lithographed by
Currier and Ives. Tait painted these two works while he was a guest at the "Lake House" while Jonathan Bellows was proprietor, in 1854 and 1855. (While the date on this print is 1856, I own an old print that clearly shows the date as being 1854! What's up with that??)
The work below, "Arguing the Point", features Jonathan Bellows and his son, Franklin. The little girl is an aunt of Ralph "Cub" Bellows, who lived across the road from me while I was growing up on the lake. The setting for "Arguing the Point" was the Lake House, now known as the Banner House, located next door to my home, on the east side of Lower Chateaugay Lake.
In 1891 the Lake House was sold by Millard Bellows (who built the 'Bellows Boats', of which several are still in existence) to J. S. Kirby, son of Charles A. Kirby, who changed the name to The Banner House. Kirby's wife was Martha Jane Miles, daughter of John D. Miles, my great-great-great grandfather, whose son, William Bell Miles, married J. S. Kirby's sister, Lydia Kirby Miles.
"Arguing the Point", A. F. Tait, 1855.
