Thomas McIlworth facts for kids
Thomas McIlworth was a talented artist who lived a long time ago, around the 1700s. He was a 'portraitist,' which means he specialized in painting pictures of people. Most of his work was done in places like Schenectady and other parts of New York when America was still a group of colonies ruled by Britain.
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Who Was Thomas McIlworth?
His Early Life and Family
Thomas McIlworth was born in Scotland around the year 1720. His father, Andrew McIlwraith, was also a painter. His mother, Anne, came from a family of artists too; her father, William Mosman, was a portrait painter.
It's not clear exactly when Thomas moved to America. We know he was in New York City by 1757. He started advertising his painting services in local newspapers in 1758.
Moving to New York and Schenectady
After living in New York City for about five years, Thomas McIlworth moved to find more people who wanted their portraits painted. He settled in Schenectady, New York. There, he painted many important people from Schenectady and also from nearby Albany.
In October 1760, he married Anna Statia Willet from New Jersey. They are thought to have lived in Westchester County, New York, for some time. They had several children together before Anna passed away in 1766.
Later Life and Legacy
Thomas McIlworth was reportedly chosen as the first town clerk of Schenectady in 1765. He is believed to have left Schenectady two years later. The last record of him is from 1767, when he was in Montreal, Canada. It is thought that he died around 1769, still in Canada.
Thomas McIlworth's painting style might have influenced another artist from colonial New York named John Mare. However, we don't know exactly how they were connected.
