A Grand Learning Experience

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Several months ago, the president of the Timothy Demonbreun Heritage Society (TDHS) told our group about an opportunity at the Hermitage, home of Andrew Jackson. We could have an education booth at an event commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Marquis de Lafayette’s visit there in 1825 during Lafayette’s grand tour of America. Having years of experience of setting up booths at homeschool conferences, I volunteered to help. I soon had the idea of painting a portrait of Timothy Demonbreun to be part of our display.

Initially, I thought that I could complete the painting during my Wednesday afternoon art classes. That way the project wouldn’t take any extra time. This idea worked well until we learned that Ray would be having heart surgery on April 1. That meant that I would need to miss some classes. The idea of painting on my own without my teacher’s watchful eye and helpful guidance was scary. Still, if I was going to complete the painting by the day of the Lafayette event on May 3, I had no choice. While I attended all of the art classes I could, I also began painting at home. I persevered and received many blessings.

• I moved my easel into the library. I painted while Ray and I watched some of our favorite movies. He watched while resting on the couch, and my eyes alternated between the screen and the canvas.
• My artist friend Nancy gave me wonderful pointers, a couple of mini art lessons, and much encouragement.
• If I didn’t like the results of something I tried, I became unafraid to paint over it and try something new.
• I already knew that I liked painting very much. Now I know that I love painting! It was so much fun.

Ray and I went out of town last Wednesday evening to enjoy an activity on Thursday with one set of grandchildren and another activity on Friday with a different set of grandchildren, so I had to be finished with the painting by the end of my Wednesday afternoon class. I did it—without a moment to spare.

My art teacher, Miss Judy, and me

I had the frame in our loaded car, ready to pop in the canvas as soon as it was good and dry.

A portion of the TDHS display in the Big Cabin by the Spring at the Hermitage, Saturday, May 3, 2025

From the beginning, I knew that I wanted to create a portrait that told a story. I decided to paint Timothy working at his desk at home. On the desk and on the wall behind him would be objects related to various phases of his life. I would create a small flyer to hand out at our booth that would explain the meaning of the elements in the painting.

Though we have access to many documents that tell us about Timothy’s life, we do not have a painting, photograph, or even a reliable description of his appearance. I knew that Alan LeQuire, the sculptor who created the statue of Timothy in downtown Nashville and his bust at the Nashville Public Library, had looked at Timothy’s descendants for inspiration. I decided to base the portrait on our son John. I figured that John has as many of Timothy’s genes as anyone else living today and perhaps more since both of my paternal grandfather’s paternal grandparents were Timothy’s descendants.

Here is my description from the flyer:

About the Painting

Long Rifle – While living in Kaskasia in Illinois Country, Timothy Demonbreun began coming to the French Salt Lick to hunt for furs which he transported to New Orleans for sale.

Fort – Timothy served with Brigadier General George Rogers Clark during the American Revolution and was once a prisoner of war at Fork Sackville in what is now Vincennes, Indiana.

Map – Timothy served as lieutenant governor of Illinois Country and lived at Kaskasia, Illinois’ first capital.

Flag – Timothy was born in Boucherville, Quebec, seigneury of his great-grandfather, who came to New France as a child with his family in 1634 or 1635. Timothy moved south and lived among other French Canadians who settled along the Mississippi River after the French and Indian War when Great Britain conquered New France.

Family Crest – Family crest of Pierre Boucher de Boucherville. Boucher was Timothy’s great-grandfather. Boucher was an early hero in New France and was ennobled by King Louis XIV. Another of Boucher’s great-grandchildren was Sainte Marguerite D’Youville, who became the first native-born Canadian to be canonized by the Roman Catholic Church.

Rosary – Timothy was a lifelong Catholic. He hosted the first mass held in Tennessee at his home in Nashville in 1821. Bishop Flaget conducted the mass.

Ledger – After resigning as lieutenant governor of Illinois Country, Timothy became a permanent resident of Nashville in 1790. He operated a store and a tavern. Demonbreun Street was named for this early resident while Timothy was still living.

I look back on the hours and hours I spent on this project with feelings of great joy. It was a precious experience to paint our son’s face. It felt wonderful to honor the family of my daddy’s daddy. A Nashville newspaper article reporting on a banquet held in Lafayette’s honor told of Timothy Demonbreun being at the banquet and mentioned that he was wearing old-fashioned knee breeches. It was fun to research French Canadian men’s dress clothing from the late 1700s in order to paint Timothy’s attire.

I love to do research, so that aspect was very rewarding. I had help from others, too. John found a picture of a French long rifle for me. Our TDHS historian sent me a picture of a painting of Fort Sackville, and I also looked at a painting on the George Rogers Clark National Historical Park website.

I was very excited when I finally discovered a 1788 map of Illinois Country. It worked well to illustrate Timothy’s service as lieutenant governor there. The map I found had a different title, so I based my lettering of “Illinois Country” on styles I saw in early Illinois documents.

The modern Quebec flag has a similar fleur-de-lis and blue cross design as the one seen in the painting. However, when Timothy was born there, the flag also included a wreath of leaves and the “Sacred Heart of Jesus.”

I based the family crest on a photo I took of it while Ray and I visited Boucherville, Quebec, in 2017.

I looked at pictures of French rosaries from the time period. Our eleven-year-old grandson, who is a gifted painter, suggested that I use a fan brush on the quill. That was just the touch it needed. Painting a ledger to represent Timothy’s store in Nashville seemed a simple enough idea at first, but I painted that ledger three times before I finally got a color that looked right to me.

I see several significant homeschool concepts related to this project:

• Art can be a great way to learn.
• When our plan doesn’t work out the way we think it will, we can switch gears and find a new way.
• Sometimes we need a teacher; sometimes we can learn on our own.
• Overcoming fear and trying something new can open up new joys for our lives.
• We can learn from both younger helpers and older ones.
• Doing things all by ourselves is sometimes the best way; being willing to get help from others is essential, too.

Without consultation, plans are frustrated,
But with many counselors they succeed.
Proverbs 15:22

 

 

 

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