He Made "New Hampshire Beautiful:" Rev. Wallace W. Nutting, D.D. (1861-1941)

“The people of New Hampshire possess greater breadth of view and broader sympathy than most other rural people, owing to their contact for generations with the world at large as it comes

Rev. Wallace W. Nutting, D.D. (1861-1941). Photograph from “Nutting Genealogy: A Record of Some Descendants of John Nutting of Groton Massachusetts,” by John Keep Nutting, 1908, C.W. Bardeen Publisher, Syracuse, N.Y., page 166

to visit them….To live in New Hampshire and not to breathe deeply, think strongly, love truly, is a crime against the landscape. For ever, amid the glories of the outer world, we look for stronger men and fairer women, for growth and power and invention and dignity in character of the people, and we do not look in vain.”

Wallace Nutting penned these words about 1923, in his book, “New Hampshire Beautiful.” Perhaps no other person is more responsible for the idealized perception of New Hampshire’s people, wonders and its historic heritage through the publication of his photographs and books.

Wallace Nutting was born in 1861 in Massachusetts, and died 19 July 1941 at Framingham MA. He was buried in Augusta, Maine. He graduated from Augusta Maine high school, and from Philips-Exeter Academy.  He went on to graduate from Harvard College, and Hartford and Union Seminary. He received his degree from Whitman College. He was pastor of churches at several locations including Newark, New Jersey, St. Paul MN, Seattle Washington, Providence Rhode Island.  Reportedly when his health failed his physician recommended outdoor activities, and he turned to art photography as a livelihood.

He purchased 400 acres in Pomperaug, near Southbury CT, using it as a “Photographer’s Farm,” and calling it “Nuttinghame.” Reportedly Dr. Nutting also lived for three years in New Hampshire, however I have not yet been able to verify this, nor the location. He married  Mrs. Marietta “Mariet” (Griswold) Caswell, dau of Josiah and Ellen A. Griswold (her 2nd marriage), but had no children.

New Hampshire (magazine) recently reported that the Pontine Theatre in Portsmouth NH will explore Nutting’s life in a new production, “Wallace Nutting’s Old America,” from April 27 through May 13th, 2008.

Janice

Photograph of Wallace Nutting above taken from “Nutting Genealogy: A Record of Some Descendants of John Nutting of Groton Massachusetts,” by John Keep Nutting, 1908, C.W. Bardeen Publisher, Syracuse, N.Y., page 166

**Additional Reading**

– Wallace Nutting’s Biography, by Wallace Nutting, 1936 (Internet Archive)

– Wallace Nutting Windsors: correct Windsor Furniture, by Wallace Nutting, 1918.

– Wallace Nutting Burial Place –  Find-A-Grave

–Nutting Genealogy–

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**FAMILY TREE OF WALLACE NUTTING**
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John Nutting, son of John & Elizabeth (Rawlings) Nutting, was b. abt 1625 in Suffolk, England and d. 13 March 1676/77 in Groton, Middlesex Co MA.  He m. 28 Aug 1650 in Woburn, Middlesex Co MA to Sarah Eggleton, dau of Stephen & Elizabeth (Bennett) Eggleton. She b. abt 1630 in Biddenden, Kent Co. England. Wallace Nutting wrote of this ancestor “he was killed (by Indians) when the town was burned in King Philip’s War…” and his head was put on a pole by the Indians to discourage others from settling in the area.
Children of John & Sarah (Eggleton) Nutting:
1. +John Nutting, b. 25 Aug 1651 Woburn MA
2. James Nutting, b. abt 4 March 1652/53 prob Chelmsford MA
3. Mary Nutting, b. 10 Jan 1655/56 Chelsmford MA
4. Josiah Nutting, b. 10 June 1658 Chelmsford MA
5. Sarah Nutting, b. 7 Jan 1659/60 Chelsmford MA
6. Sarah Nutting 2nd, b. 29 March 1663 Groton, Middlesex Co MA [per Groton recs]
7. *Ebenezer Nutting, b. 23  1666 Groton MA [per Groton recs]; settled at Cambridge MA, was first a blacksmith and later a “skillful Physician and surgeon.”
7. Jonathan Nutting, b. 17 Oct 1668 Groton, MA. Settled at Cambridge and was a “very skillful smith, to work in Iron and brass.”
8. Josiah Nutting, died in infancy
9. Sarah Nutting, died in infancy

John Nutting, son of John & Sarah (Eggleton) Nutting was b. 25 Aug 1651 in Woburn MA and d. after 2 Dec 1731 poss Groton MA. He was baptized 3 Aug 1656 in Chelmsford MA. He m. 11 Dec 1674 in Woburn MA to Mary Lakin, dau of William & Lydia (Brown) Lakin. She b. 16 Feb 1652/53 in Reading, Middlesex Co. MA. He removed to Chelmsford and even later Groton. He lived at Concord MA for a time after the burning of Groton MA, but returned to Groton before 1693, and lived near Captain Parker, prob at the old home of his father. His death is not recorded, but he was living in April 1717, as witness an account between him and his son Jonathan in “Jonathan Nutting’s Accompt [sic Account] Book.” In later life after his wife Mary died, he married 2nd Mrs. Maria Parker. All of his children were by his first wife. He was a member of the church at Groton MA.
Children of John & Mary (Lakin) Nutting:
1. John Nutting, b. abt 1678 Groton MA
2. Abigail Nutting, b. abt 1680 Groton MA
3. Lydia Nutting, b abt 1682 Groton MA
4. Richard Nutting, b. abt 1684 Groton MA
5. Ebenezer Nutting, b. 20 Nov 1686 Groton MA
6. Jonathan Nutting, b. 7 July 1689 Groton MA
7. +Daniel Nutting, b. abt 1691 Groton MA
8. Deliverance Nutting, b. abt 1693 Groton MA
9. Eleazer Nutting, b. abt 1698 Groton MA

Daniel Nutting, son of John & Mary (Lakin) Nutting; b abt 1691 Groton MA; m. Hannah — before 1714.
Children of Daniel & Hannah (?) Nutting:
1. Hannah Nutting, b. 28 May 1714 Groton MA; m. Amos Woods in 1733
2. +Daniel Nutting, b. 10 July 1716 Groton, Middlesex Co., MA
3. Betty Nutting, b. 20 March 1718 Groton MA; m. 2 Apr 1740 to Benjamin Hazen as his 2nd wife, had ch: Betty, Mary, Benjamin, John, David and Eunice, in addition to his children by 1st wife.
4. Eunice Nutting, b. 23 Feb 1719 Groton MA
5. Ezekiel Nutting, b. 13 Feb 1721 Groton MA
6. Samuel Nutting, b. 27 Feb 1722 Groton MA

Daniel Nutting, son of Daniel & Hannah Nutting, was b. 10 July 1716 in Groton, Middlesex Co MA and d. 25 Feb 1765 in Groton MA. He m. before 1747 to Elizabeth Corey.
Children of Daniel & Elizabeth (Corey) Nutting:
1. Simeon Nutting, b. 6 July 1747 Groton MA; the NEHGS Register 157:134 details this family.
2. Mary Nutting, b. 10 Apr 1749 Groton MA
3. Elizabeth Nutting, b. 3 March 1852 Groton MA
4. Eunice Nutting, b. 7 May 1754 Groton MA
5. Daniel Nutting, b. 23 May 1756 Groton MA
6. +Abel Nutting, b. 13 Sep 1758 in Groton, Middlesex Co. MA

Abel Nutting, son of Daniel & Elizabeth (Corey) Nutting, was b. 13 Sep 1758 in Groton, Middlesex Co MA and d. 18 Jan 1828 in Lisbon, Androscoggin Co. ME. He was know as “the musketeer of Lisbon ME; the Nutting genealogy states that after the Indian wars he settled in Bath ME working for the Coombs family as a shoemaker apprentice, and marrying the family daughter, Rhoda Coombs, on 12 Aug 1785 in Bath, Sagadahoc Co., Maine. She was born abt 1768 and “lived to her hundredth year, but did not quite complete it.”  They later removed to Lisbon ME, where he was a farmer, and a miller.
Children of Abel & Rhoda (Coombs) Nutting:
1. Aaron Nutting, b. 18 June 1786 Lisbon ME; m. Eunice –; res Lisbon ME; had issue
2. Eunice Nutting, b. 1 March 1788 Lisbon ME
3. Rebekah/Rebecca Nutting, b. 7 Apr 1790 Lisbon ME
4. Joshua Nutting, b 5 Apr 1792 Lisbon ME; m. Lydia –; res. Lisbon ME; had issue
5. Peggy Nutting, b. 25 Aug 1794 Lisbon ME
6. Abel Nutting Jr., b. 2 Aug 1796 Lisbon ME
7. Abner Nutting, b. 13 Sep 1798 Lisbon ME; m. Rebecca –; res. Lisbon ME; had issue
8. Betsy Nutting, b. 4 July 1800 Lisbon ME
9. Deliverance “Delia” Nutting, b. 15 May 1802 Lisbon ME
10. Rhoda Nutting, b. 26 March 1804 Lisbon ME
11. +Seth Nutting, b. 9 Apr 1806 Lisbon ME
12. Irene Nutting, b. 9 May 1808 Lisbon ME;
13. James Jordan Nutting, b. 5 Nov 1810 Lisbon ME; m. Abigail Hutchins, had issue.

Seth Nutting, son of Abel & Rhoda (Coombs) Nutting, was born 9 Apr 1806 in Lisbon, Androscoggin, Co, Maine and d. 24 March 1885 in Augusta, Maine. He married 5 Apr 1827 at Durham, Androscoggin Maine to Diana / Diantha Whitney, dau of Benjamin & Mary/Polly (Varnum) Whitney. She was b. 26 Jan 1807 in Bowdoin, Sagadahoc, Maine [another source says Topsham ME]. In 1888, Diantha, widow of Seth, lived at Mt. Vernon road, near Coombs mill road in the vicinity of Augusta ME. She died 5 Feb 1890. (Maine Vital Records to the year 1892, NEGHS: “Diana, Feb. 5, 1890, a. 82. [w. of Seth, a. 82 y. 10 d. gy. 2.]” and [Seth, March 24, 1885, a. 77 y. 9 m. 19 d. gy. 2.]
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Census > U.S. Census > 1850 United States Federal Census > Maine > Kennebec > Augusta
Seth Nutting 43 M Laborer 250 ME
Diana Nutting 42 F ME
Albion Nutting 22 M Shoemaker ME
Franklin Nutting 18 M Carpenter ME
Matilda Nutting 19 F ME
James Nutting 15 M ME
Roscoe Nutting 12 M ME
Catherine Nutting 10 F ME
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Children of Seth & Dianetha/Dianna (Whitney) Nutting:
1. +Albion Nutting, b. 30 Jan 1828 Lisbon, Maine
2. Matilda Nutting, b 29 Sep 1829 Lisbon, Maine; m. 10 Jul 1856 in Augusta Maine to Henry Burns.
3. Franklin Nutting, b. 29 Oct 1831 in Lisbon Maine; d. 13 May 1909 in Boston MA. He married Mary G. –.  She was born July 1833 in Maine. They had 4 children, 3 survived to adulthood including a daughter Addie F. Nutting, born Sept 1861 in Maine who married Clarence A. Pendleton.
4. James/Jane Nutting, b 28 Oct 1834 in Lisbon Maine
5. Roscoe G. Nutting, b. 15 Sep 1836 in Lisbon Maine, d. 14 May 1901 in Augusta, Maine; in 1882 living in Augusta ME area on Coombs mill road south, a machinist. In 1870 census living in Augusta ME with wife Louise H. (age 28 b ME) and son Harry Hale [aka Harry C.] (age 2, b. Maine). Marriage intentions files 30 Sep 1865 between Roscoe G. Nutting of Boston and Louisa H. Craig.
6. Catherine Nutting, b 15 April 1840 Lisbon Maine; d. 17 Feb 1907 Augusta Maine.

Albion Nutting, son of Seth-6 Nutting [Albion-7, Seth-6, Abel-5, Daniel-4,3, John-2, -1] was b. 30 January 1828 in Lisbon ME and d. 14 Oct 1864 in Washington DC [one source says August] of disease, while in service with the Union army during the Civil War. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery. He was an inventor and sewing-machine manufacturer. He married 1 Jul 1854 in Saugus MA to  Elvira/Elizabeth/Eliza A. Sanborn Fifield, dau of John F. & Margaret (Hall) Fifield (she was “Elvira” on her marriage record, “Elizabeth” per son Wallace’s marriage record, “Eliza” per daughter Edith’s birth record). Eliza was b. c 1827/28 in Chester NH, and d. 13 Feb 1902. She is buried at Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Augusta ME; His occupation was gardener, shoemaker and machinist.
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NEHGS Online Birth record — Eliza G. Nutting, dau of Albion & Eliza. Father b. Lisbon ME, mother born Chester NH. Born 20 Sep 1859 in Marlborough MA
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Census > U.S. Census > 1890 Veterans Schedules > Maine > Kennebec > Hallowell
Eliza A. Nutting widow of Albion Nutting. Private, Company A., age 39, b. Mass; enlisted July 1862, disc 14 Oct 1864, served 2 years 3 months // Hallowell, Kennebec Co. Me
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U.S. Census > 1860 United States Federal Census > Massachusetts > Middlesex > Marlborough
Albion Nutting 33 M Gardener 1400/100 Maine
Eliza G. Nutting 33 F NH
Edith Nutting 1 F Mass
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Obituary: Wallace Nutting, Antiquarian Died
Author-Illustrator, Retired Congregational Clergyman was 80–Authority on American Antiques, Springfield Republican, Springfield MA published Sunday 20 July 1941
[Framingham, July 19 – (AP)- Dr. Wallace Nutting, internationally known author-illustrator, antiquarian and retired clergyman died today at his home> He was 80 years old. He was the author o the widely-read “Beautiful Series” of books devoted largely to pictorial presentation of landscapes of American and European life, and was considered one of the nation’s leading experts on American antiques.
Ordained a Congregational Minister in 1888, he held pastorates in Newark, NJ, St. Paul  Minn., Seatlle Wash., and Providence RI before retiring in 1906 on account of ill health. He had since devoted his time largely to presenting the pictorial publications which include a series on early American furniture. He was a lecturer on early American homes and their furnishings and president of the Wallace Nutting, Inc. Memorial Metropolitan Museum, New York. He was graduated from Harvard in 1886 and prepared for the ministry at Harvard and Union Theological seminaries. Whitman college, Washington, conferred the degree of doctor of divinity upon him in 1893 and he received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Washington and Jefferson in 1938.  He leaves his widow, Mariet Griswold Nutting.
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Children of Albion & Elizabeth/Eliza A. (Fifield) Nutting:
1. Edith Nutting, b 20 Sep 1859 Marlborough MA, d. 1 July 1878, age 18, buried with her parents at Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Augusta, Maine.
2. +Wallace Nutting, b. 17 Nov 1861 in Marlborough MA [per his marriage record], d. 19 July 1941 in Framingham MA ; m. 5 June 1888 to Mrs. Marietta “Mariet,” “Maria Etta”(Griswold) Caswell, dau of Josiah and Ellen/Eliza Ann (Davis) Griswold. She b. Buckland, Franklin Co. MA on 29 Sep 1853, and d. 30 August 1944 in Framingham, Middlesex Co. MA.  She had married 1st) 10 Oct 1876 in Buckland MA to Albert M. Caswell. She had no children by either marriage.

Updated March 2013