John Prentiss Benson Collection, 1889-1976 – MS091
Provenance: Given to the Portsmouth Athenaeum by Nicholas J. Baker in 2009.
Citation: John Prentiss Benson Collection (MS091), Manuscript Collections, Portsmouth Athenaeum
Size: 1 linear foot
Access: No restrictions
Scope and Content
Sketches, photographs, correspondence, records, newspaper clippings and memorabilia showing the life and work of architect and artist John Prentiss Benson (1865-1947), brother of artist Frank Benson. After a career as an architect in New York, Benson moved to Kittery Point and became a successful marine artist.
Folder List
Box 1
Box 1 FF01: Military service, 1918-1919
Box 1 FF02: Correspondence, business — 1929-1930
Box 1 FF03: Correspondence, business — 1934
Box 1 FF04: Correspondence, business — 1936
Box 1 FF05: Correspondence, business — 1937
Box 1 FF06: Correspondence, business — 1938
Box 1 FF07: Correspondence, business — 1940-1941
Box 1 FF08: Correspondence, business — 1943-1945
Box 1 FF09: Correspondence, business — 1946
Box 1 FF10: Correspondence, business — 1947
Box 1 FF11: Correspondence, business — 1968
Box 1 FF12: Correspondence, business — undated
Box 1 FF13: Correspondence, social — 1886
Box 1 FF14: Cartoon letters to Kitty — 1913-1915
Box 1 FF15: Correspondence, social — 1902-1929
Box 1 FF16: Correspondence, social — 1930-1939
Box 1 FF17: Correspondence, social — 1940-1950
Box 1 FF18: Correspondence, social — 1976
Box 1 FF19: Correspondence, social — undated
Box 1 FF20: Poem: Barnacle Bill — 1905-1910
Box 1 FF21: Program Cover: Salem Pageant — 1913
Box 1 FF22: Sketch and cards from France — 1918
Box 1 FF23: Yearbook of Dutch Treat Club — 1921
Box 1 FF24: Trip to England with Bessie — 1922
Box 1 FF25: Program cover: Pirates of Penzance, Plattsburg, NY 1929
Box 1 FF26: List of paintings for Providence Bank & Savings — 1929
Box 1 FF27: Kittery pamphlet and description of Willowbank — 1931
Box 1 FF28: J.P. Benson’s diary — 1938-1941
Box 1 FF29: Digressionist booklet — 1940-1941
Box 1 FF30: Pamphlet: J.P. Benson, American Artist — 1947
Box 1 FF31: Pamphlet: Kittery 300th Anniversary — 1947
Box 1 FF32: The Woozlebeasts
Box 1 FF33: The Woozlebeasts
Box 2
Box 2 FF01: Collection of Photographs by J.P. Benson — 1880s
Box 2 FF02: Sketchbook: Travels in Europe with Josselyn — 1889
Box 2 FF03: Benson’s Watercolor Class — 1889
Box 2 FF04: Sketches — ca. 1910
Box 2 FF05: Photographs of Benson’s paintings — ca. 1930
Box 2 FF06: Cartoons, place cards (nd) and beer label (ca. 1933)
Box 2 FF07: Pen and ink drawings, n.d.
Box 2 FF08: Large scrapbook
Box 2 FF09: Small scrapbook
Box 2 FF10: Other models for artwork
Box 2 FF11: Benson’s paintings for Am. Museum of Natural History
Box 2 FF12: J.P. Benson’s logbook #1 (photocopy)
Box 2 FF13: J.P. Benson’s logbook #2 (photocopy)
Box 2 FF14: J.P. Benson’s logbook #1 (original was part of 2019 addition)
Box 2 FF15: J.P. Benson’s logbook #2 (original was part of 2019 addition)
Box 2 FF16: J.P. Benson’s logbook #3 (original was part of 2019 addition)
Box 2 FF17: J.P. Benson’s logbook #4 Part I (photocopy)
Box 2 FF18: J.P. Benson’s logbook #4 Part II (photocopy)
Box 2 FF19: Miscellaneous
Box 3 F1:: Book of photographs by J.P. Benson, 1880s
Box 3 F2: Sketch, Leicester Hospital, Warwick, 1907
Box 3 F3: J.P. Benson exhibit at Portsmouth Athenaeum, 2004
(see also P42)
Box 3 F4: Benson Family Diary, by all the siblings,1881-2 (photocopy) Box 3 F5: Harry Benson’s Journal, Sept.-Dec., 1882
Box 3 F6: Harry Benson’s Journal, Jan.-April, 1883
Box 3 F7: Harry Benson’s Journal, April-July, 1883
*Box 4 F1: John Prentiss Benson Paintings in Logbook Volume 4 (unpublished book – printouts from website only – original photographs have been cataloged in photo collection)
*Box 4 F2: Exhibitions General Notes and Correspondence
*Box 4 F3: Exhibitions 1912 and 1917
*Box 4 F4: Exhibitions 1920-1929
*Box 4 F5: Exhibitions 1930-1937
*Box 4 F6: Exhibitions 1938-1947
*Box 4 F7: Exhibitions 1965
*Box 4 F8: Exhibitions 1968
*Box 4 F9: Exhibitions 1978
*Box 4 F10: Exhibitions 1987
*Box 4 F11: Exhibitions 2004
*Box 4 F12: Exhibitions 2006
*2019 donation from Margaret M. Betts and the family of Nicholas J. Benson (2019.0112):
Flat box 8: Sketch: Frari, Venice, Italy, July 17, 1889.
Additional donations made by John B. Seamans (2014.0191) are as follows:
PS2651.131: Photo of John P. Benson and the Camouflage Section, 1918
MS091, B1,F19A: Correspondence, 1886,1925 & nd
MS091, B1, F20: Poem, Barnacle Bill, n.d.
MS091, B3, F8: The Woozlebeasts with original sketches
Flat Box 8: Pre-pub cartoons of Woozlebeasts with limericks on pasteboard.
Oversize pages of cartoons on pasteboard are in Large Manuscript Oversize Box 4 Folder 5.
Flat Box 8: Pre-pub format of The Woozlebeasts, pages glued on linen.