This content discusses the friendship between two congressmen, Henry Bedinger and Alexander “Alec” Boteler, who both had a love for art. Before becoming the U.S. ambassador to Denmark for most of the 1850s, Henry met and fell in love with Caroline (“Carrie”) Lawrence, the daughter of a fellow congressmen. Meanwhile, Alec sparked an interest in drawing and painting as a student at Princeton, often sketching his surroundings and people. Once married, both Bedinger and Boteler would get together with their families for creative fun. However, Boteler’s business miscalculation forced him into politics, serving in Bedinger’s old congressional seat from early 1859 until just before the war broke out. Boteler would also create a cartoon of Charles Harper’s home with the ominous words from Henry VI added as its caption. After serving as U.S. ambassador to Denmark for several years, Bedinger finally returned home to his family in November 1858. Caroline and the children marveled at the newly introduced Christmas tree custom they brought back from Europe. Bedinger would also write about his homesickness while serving as ambassador.
Posted by Jim Surkamp on 2015-03-26 12:49:07