Samuel Woodson Price facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Samuel Woodson Price
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Colonel Samuel Woodson Price, ca. 1863
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| Born | August 5, 1828 Jessamine County, Kentucky |
| Died | January 22, 1918 (aged 89) St. Louis, Missouri |
| Place of burial | |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/ |
Kentucky State Guard Union Army |
| Years of service | 1861–1865 |
| Rank |  Colonel Brevet Brigadier General |
| Commands held | 21st Kentucky Infantry Regiment |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
| Other work | portrait artist, postmaster of Lexington, Kentucky |
Samuel Woodson Price (August 5, 1828–January 22, 1918) was a talented portrait artist, an author, and an officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He is remembered for his paintings of important people and his bravery in battle.
Contents
Early Life and Artistic Beginnings
Samuel Woodson Price was born on August 5, 1828, near Nicholasville, Kentucky. His parents were Daniel Branch and Elizabeth Price. From a young age, Samuel showed a strong talent for art. By the time he was just 14 years old, he had already set up his own art studio in a hotel in Nicholasville.
He attended Nicholasville Academy and later the Kentucky Military Institute near Frankfort, Kentucky. While he was a student there, he even taught drawing to other students. This showed how skilled he was even at a young age.
Becoming a Portrait Artist
Samuel Price continued to study art to improve his skills. He learned portrait painting from William Reading in Louisville, Kentucky, and later from Oliver Frazer in Lexington, Kentucky. In 1849, he traveled to New York City to study at the School of Design for five months.
After his studies, Price returned to Kentucky. He reopened his art studio in Lexington in 1850. A year later, he moved to Louisville at the suggestion of a well-known citizen. One of his most famous students was Thomas Satterwhite Noble, who studied with him in 1852.
In 1853, Samuel Price married Mary Frances Thompson. They had a son and two daughters. Throughout the 1850s, Price traveled a lot across Kentucky, Tennessee, and other states. He painted portraits of many important people during this time. In 1859, he moved back to Lexington. While living there, he became a captain and leader of a state guard unit called "The Old Infantry."
Serving in the Civil War
When the American Civil War began, many state guard units in Kentucky joined the Confederacy. However, Samuel Price and his unit, "The Old Infantry," chose to support the Union. They helped create the 21st Regiment Kentucky Volunteer Infantry. Price started as a corporal, which is a low rank, but he quickly became a captain.
On February 26, 1862, he was promoted to colonel. He then led his regiment through many important battles in the western part of the war. Price was injured during the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain on June 27, 1864. His regiment bravely captured and held an important road, even though they were greatly outnumbered.
After he recovered from his wound, Price was put in charge of the military post in Lexington. He stayed in this position until the war ended. Price officially left the U.S. volunteers on December 9, 1865. Because of his excellent service, especially his leadership at Kennesaw Mountain, he was later recognized as a brevet brigadier general. A "brevet" rank is an honorary promotion given for brave service, but it doesn't always come with higher pay or command.
Life After the War
After the Civil War, Samuel Price moved to Washington, D.C.. There, he was asked to paint portraits of famous generals like George H. Thomas and William S. Rosecrans. In 1869, he was appointed postmaster of Lexington. This meant he was in charge of the local post office. He often used the upper floor of the post office building as his art studio. He held this job until April 1876.
Facing money problems, Price moved back to Louisville in 1878. He opened a new art studio in the building of the Louisville Courier-Journal newspaper. Two years later, he began to lose his eyesight. By 1881, he was completely blind in both eyes.
Even though he could no longer see, Price continued to work. In 1882, he dictated a history of the 21st Kentucky Infantry, which was published later. He also wrote other books, including The Old Masters of the Bluegrass in 1902 and Biographical Sketch of Colonel Joseph Crockett in 1909.
His wife passed away in 1892. Samuel Price then lived with his son, Robert Coleman Price, in Louisville and later in St. Louis, Missouri. Samuel Woodson Price died in St. Louis on January 22, 1918, at the age of 89. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery, a special place where many military heroes are laid to rest.
