Unknown Artist, Maria Akin Elston, c. 1840s, oil on canvas
Maria Elston was born in 1805 in Quaker Hills, New York to a Quaker father, Jas Akin and a hellion mother, Sylvia Arnold. Maria moved with her mother at a young age to Vincennes, Indiana only to find Maria’s father scalped by Indians. The mother and daughter then moved to Terre Haute, Indiana. While in Terre Haute, Maria eventually met Isaac Elston, a young merchant, banker, and land developer, who she married in 1823. Maria was an extremely beautiful 17-year-old, while Elston was a successful 29-year-old. The painting does a poor job of portraying Maria’s beauty. This is an indication of the lack of portraiture talent in Indiana for much of the 19th Century.
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Gage Ulery