1879 Henry Dousa Farmstead Arrives On The Auction Block For The First Time, Real Estate Depicted In Painting To Follow

Written By: Don Johnson

There's an intriguing connection between a 21-acre Mechanicsburg farmstead and a 19th-century folk painting, both scheduled for auction by internationally renowned, Garth's Auctions in Delaware, Ohio. The land, located in Mechanicsburg, Ohio, is anchored by a beautifully maintained Italianate brick home, built around 1853 for a local doctor, and purchased in 1863 by Vincent Hunter, a wealthy grain merchant.
Mr. Hunter later commissioned a painting of his property. That work is an 1879 watercolor by noted American folk artist Henry Dousa. Picturing the house, carriage house, cattle along Little Darby Creek and a horse-drawn buggy on a dirt road the image is complete with a man standing at a gate in the foreground who is said to be Mr. Hunter. Since the day it was delivered, the painting has hung in the exact same place in the home it depicts.

The auction of the farmstead by Garth's on Sept. 25 is in conjunction with Keller Williams Capital Partners Realty, and marks the firm’s entrance into the Ohio real estate marketplace. Along with the sale of the Dousa artwork at Garth's Annual Labor Day Auction on Aug. 29-30, these two important events will mark the first time in seven generations the property and the panting will leave the family's hands.
Each of the two events offers a unique opportunity for buyers.

Amelia Jeffers, co-owner of Garth's, and the firm’s lead Realtor/Auctioneer, describes the brick house on the edge of Mechanicsburg as something special. "The Hunter House was built for comfortable, luxurious living," she said. “This was not about simple sustenance. The quality and lifestyle created on this property is timeless.”
With 4,861 square feet, the house features four bedrooms and two and a half baths. However, a number of unique characteristics, such as a spiral staircase rising to the attic on the third floor, set it apart from other properties. Even the attic is distinctive. Fully finished and suitable as a living area, it features a fake wall, which encourages suspicion that the home might have been used on the Underground Railroad; speculation boosted by the fact that Vincent Hunter and his family were avid supporters of the local Abolitionist church.

"It's totally undocumented that it was on the Underground Railroad, but I can see very well that it may have been," said Barbara Ward, the great, great granddaughter of Vincent Hunter.
An 1895 remodel of the home added desirable features that remain untouched more than a century later, including hand-painted walls and ceilings with a stylized heart and foliate design next to the ceiling, cast-plaster molding, unique neoclassical motifs in tile and metalwork surrounding each of the four fireplaces, and the addition of stained glass windows.
Also passing the test of time are the climate control systems used over the years. "It's about green living," said Mrs. Jeffers. "Here is a very well-built home that has withstood one hundred and fifty-six years of Ohio weather." Hot-water piped to ornate cast-iron radiators offers an economic heating method, while cooling is accomplished by ample shade and construction designed to take advantage of summer breezes.
The surrounding 21 acres, in addition to well-preserved features such as the carriage house, summer kitchen and a privy, offer rolling meadows and woods. The property is crossed by Little Darby Creek. "The setting is beautiful with the creek," recalled Mrs. Ward. "I always enjoyed playing there as a child."

The property was a gathering place for generations of the Hunter family, according to Mrs. Ward, who spoke of elaborate family dinners. Another mainstay, she noted, was the Dousa painting, which hung in the first-floor library. "It was always in the same place, ever since it was painted," she added.
Although Garth's has sold Dousa paintings in the past, the Hunter farmstead is special. "We are thrilled about the Hunter because of the provenance – it really does not get any better than this," said Jeffers. “We sent a photographer over to capture the property as it sits – the spirit of the house and land is nearly identical to Dousa’s work, 129 years later. Simply amazing today.”

Described as a somewhat enigmatic folk artist with no formal training, Dousa was born in France around 1845 and immigrated to the United States in 1869. His paintings of livestock, people and farmsteads in Indiana and Ohio date to the fourth quarter of the 19th century. He is said to have died obscure and indigent in Lafayette, Ind.
The folkish characteristics of Dousa's art are highly regarded by many collectors. Sold by Garth's in May, a portrait of five cows realized $10,869. An oil painting of a farmhouse in Apple Creek, Ohio, attributed to Dousa, brought $78,000 at a Sotheby's sale in 2006.

Jeffers voiced high expectations for the Hunter farmstead, noting that it was attracting the attention of collectors of American folk art. "We feel confident that it's going to go strong," she said. "If it's going to sell somewhere, it's selling in the right place."
For more information, phone Garth's at (740) 362-4771 or visit www.Garths.com or www.GarthsRealEstate.com.