Amos Doolittle

Illustrations

A Display of the United States of America

A Display of the United States of America

Amos Doolittle (May 18, 1754–January 30, 1832) was an American engraver and silversmith, known as "The Revere of Connecticut."

Life and work

Born in Cheshire, Connecticut, Doolittle became skilled in copper engraving through self-teaching and apprenticeship.[3] His first published experiment with the medium began when he enlisted in the New Haven company of the Governor's Guards in 1775. Under the leadership of Captain Benedict Arnold, the company arrived in Cambridge, Massachusetts ten days after the Battles of Lexington and Concord at the start of the Revolutionary War.[1] Upon arriving in Cambridge, Doolittle took leave to inspect the site of the battle accompanied by Ralph Earl. Doolittle interviewed colonial militants and residents to establish the scene while Earl surveyed the site and made drawings.[4] From these drawings, Doolittle made at least four engraved copper prints of the battle, which were advertised for sale in the December 1775 Connecticut Journal.[4]

The success of these prints marked the beginning of Doolittle's artistic career. He was sought out by many early Americans eager to learn the art of engraving, including James Wilson. Doolittle established a shop in New Haven, Connecticut, on the present-day site of Yale University's Old Campus, from where he created portraits, maps, and bookplates.[1] He is buried in the Grove Street Cemetery in New Haven.[2]

References

Beardsley, William A. (1914). "An Old New Haven Engraver and His Work: Amos Doolittle". Papers of the New Haven Colony Historical Society 8. New Haven: Tuttle, Morehouse & Taylor.
"A Chronicle of Eminent People buried in Grove Street Cemetery". Grove Street Cemetery. Friends of the Grove Street Cemetery.
Beardsley notes some learning from silversmith Eliakim Hitchcock of Cheshire.

Ryan, D. Michael (June–July 1999). "Doolittle Engraves April 19th for Posterity". Concord Magazine. Retrieved 14 April 2014.

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