OXFORD – Village and Town Historian, Charlotte Stafford recently acquired a pair of watercolor portraits, estimated to be from c.1820, of Polly Knapp and Samuel Balcom, for the Oxford Historical Society Museum. This rare and treasurable pair of paintings, complete with provenance on the frame backs, was advertised on eBay from Central Point, OR. How they made the journey all the way to the coast from New York may remain a mystery, but the main thing is their importance to Oxford and that they’re back.
The portrait of Polly Knapp was the more important painting of the two, as she was the first “white” child in Oxford. (She appears to be around 40 years old in the painting.) Her husband was a deacon and a colonel, Samuel Balcom, the subject of the other portrait. He built the Stone House Farm and was one of the founders of the Oxford Baptist Church. Polly’s portrait is marked with the name, “George N. Cobb,” a famous Civil War photographer. He may simply have matted the painting or may even have painted them. It hasn’t been determined yet.  Both paintings have complete detailed histories hand-written on the back of the frames.
Polly’s inscription reads: “Polly Knapp, who married Samuel Balcom – (Samuel her husband was born Dec 31 of 1772 – and died Aug, 27th – 1847, aged 75 years). Polly Knapp Balcom was the mother of Lyman Balcom of Painted Post. The grandmother of Samuel Balcom of Bath, N.Y. and the great-grandmother of Lillian Lynn Lyman lt. Balcom of Bath, N.Y.”
There is a connection to the famous mural in the Oxford Post Office. That mural depicts Polly, as an 11 year-old child, arriving on Clark Island, with the Blackman family in 1791. The Blackman’s had adopted her. The Oxford Post Office’s mural description can be found at the OxfordNY.com website’s page - oxfordny.com/community/postoffice . The seller first got in touch with the site’s webmaster, Roy Petersen of Woollybear Web, to get some interest in their Oxford antiques. The information was passed along to Stafford, but she had to win two separate eBay auctions for them. Even with the experienced help of her friend, Vicky House, only Samuel’s painting was won. It was important that the paintings stay as a pair, so House contacted the seller – “it was both, or nothing!” As it turned out, the winner of the “Polly” painting wanted it to go back to Oxford where it belongs, and they rescinded their bid. Stafford got them both!
After thorough examination and documentation, the portraits will be on display at the Oxford Historical Society’s Depot-Museum. This pair of watercolors is considered one of the greatest additions to the Museum’s collection in ages.