Hermon A. MacNeil

“Eversince it first appeared in circulation in January 1917, the Standing Liberty quarter (SLQ) has been considered among the most beautiful U.S. coins ever produced. Its historically symbolic and sculptural design played a vital role in elevating the artistry of U.S. silver coinage.

Hermon A. MacNeil Commemorative sketched by Artist Charles D. Daughtrey as the seventh work in his Series of Coin Designers is available at http://www.cdaughtrey.com/

Crafted by American sculptor Hermon Atkins MacNeil (1866-1947), this iconic image of Liberty was the winning entry in a contest that drew upward of 50 submissions. An artist of some renown, MacNeil designed the east pediment of the United States Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C., and sculpted a rendering of General George Washington for the Washington Square Arch in New York’s Greenwich Village. MacNeil’s Liberty spoke to the movement in American numismatics initiated in 1904 by President Theodore Roosevelt and preeminent sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens. In the spirit of Saint-Gaudens’ double eagle (gold $20)and

Victor D. Brenner’s Lincoln cent designs, – the quarter found its renaissance, boasting a style hearkening back to antiquity that intertwined artisan form with transactional function

At a time when most of Europe was actively engaged in the First World War, President Woodrow Wilson, elected on a peace platform in 1916, was biding our country’s time before directly involving the United States militarily. It was against this backdrop that the Standing Liberty quarter was unveiled to an eager public.

Robert W Wollery, Director of US Mint 1915-1916

The design fittingly reflected America’s increasing global involvement, epitomized by Miss Liberty’s confident, forward movement, holding a shield in her left hand for protection and an olive branch in her right for peace. Our nation, for the most part, desired peace but was prepared to defend itself and its way of life. In the words of Mint Director Robert W. Woolley in July 1916, the design seemed to typify “the awakening interest of the country in its own protection.”

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To be Continued … Come back for MORE ….

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SOURCES used by Van Orden for his article:

Benford, Timothy B., Jr. “MacNeil’s Liberty: Art or Obscenity?” The Numismatist (December 2003).

Brothers, Eric. “New York City: Mecca of Numis- matic Artistry.” The Numismatist (November 2013). Cline, J.H. Standing Liberty Quarters, 3rd edition.

Palm Harbour, FL: author, 1997.
Dolnick, Michael M. “Design Changes on the Lib-

erty Standing Quarter.” The Numismatist (Septem- ber 1954).

Doyle, Al. “Class of 1916, Part 2.” The Numismatist (October 2016).

____. “MacNeil’s Standing Liberty Quarter among Most Artistic.” Coin World’s Coin Values (November 2004).

Duffield, Frank G. “Slight Change in the Die of Quarter Dollars.” The Numismatist (June 1926).

Kelman, Keith N. Standing Liberty Quarters. Nashua, NH: International Numismatica Corporation, 1976. (ANA Library Catalog No. GB24.K4) .

LaMarre, Tom. “MacNeil’s Standing Liberty Remains a Favorite.” Coins magazine (September 30, 2009).

Lange, David W. “The Coinage of 1921.” The Numismatist (December 2003).

____. “Collecting Standing Liberty Quarters.” The Numismatist (December 2003).

____. “The Impossible Dream.” The Numismatist (October 2005).

____. “1923-S Coinage, Part 2.” The Numismatist (September 2011).

____. “The Standing Liberty Quarter.” The Nu- mismatist (July 2016).

Moran, Michael F. Striking Change: The Great Artistic Collaboration of Theodore Roosevelt Augus- tus Saint-Gaudens. Atlanta: Whitman Publishing, 2008. (GB40.M6s)

Sieber, Arlyn G. “Images of Liberty.” The Numis- matist (July 2016).

Woolley, Robert W. “Symbolism of the New Coins of 1916.” Report of the Director of the Mint (July 15, 1916).

Categories : Coins and Medals, College Point, Standing Liberty Quarter, Washington D.C.

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Feb

Happy Birthday “Leaplings” Feb. 29, 2020 !!!! From leapster Tom Henry McNeil born Feb 29, 1860

By Dan Leininger, Webmaster · Comments (0)

Happy Birthday to all you “Leaplings” out there. It’s Leap Day.

It only comes once every four years or 1,460 days, if you’re counting. Today is just another Leap Day to 99.73% of us. But to you Leapsters, it is another long-awaited actual birthday – a full 24 hour birthday. Congratulations. Celebrate being alive! Today, we will join in with you from afar.

There are approximately 187,000 of you leaplings in the U.S, and about 4 million Leaplings in the entire world. Since your actual birthdate only comes once in 1,461 days, we will give you 4 exclamation points after the usual greeting today. So “Happy Birthday, Leaplings!!!!”

Thomas Henry McNeil in 1894

My grandfather, Tom Henry McNeil, was a Leapling (or a Leapster, if you prefer), born on February 29, 1860. He was quite a man. His Wikipedia page at Thomas H. McNeil states in part:

“Thomas H. McNeil (February 29, 1860 – October 1, 1932) was an American football player and lawyer. He was the first University of Michigan football player to be the starting quarterback in consecutive years. He led the Michigan football team to undefeated seasons in 1884 and 1885. He later became a lawyer practicing in Missouri”

Yes, today is special. It’s Leap Day. But it is also special because it is another day to live. A great truth of life is that every day is special. Every day is a day for us to be truly live. “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” Psalm 90:12. – a verse from Sunday School. It’s sort of a prayer, asking God to: “Teach us how short our life is, so that we may become wise.”

Oh, wise! Growing old comes kind of naturally. Growing wise takes a bit more help. It really helps to be taught that we have a heart and a soul, to be loved into growing as a human being. And to learn to listen to both and apply our hearts to becoming wiser than we used to be.

“Number Your Days” and Become Wise.

“Happy Birthday” ~ All You Leapsters!

February 29, 2020

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Categories : Clan MacNeil, Hermon A. MacNeil bio, In Search of "Uncle Hermon", Location, MacNeil Month

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Feb

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY” Hermon & Tom Henry MacNeil ~~ MacNeil Month – Two Birthday’s

By Dan Leininger, Webmaster · Comments (0)

Why do we celebrate MacNeil Month each February? Two reasons:

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY” Hermon MacNeil.
Hermon A. MacNeil Commemorative sketched by Artist Charles D. Daughtrey as the seventh work in his Series of Coin Designers is available at http://www.cdaughtrey.com/

Hermon Atkins MacNeil about the time of his Standing Liberty works.
1. February 27 is the 154th anniversary of the birth of Hermon A. MacNeil, born in 1866. Hermon is the patron-sculptor whose work and life are celebrated at this website – HermonAtkinsMacNeil.com.
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY” Tom Henry McNeil, My grandfather ~ And the older cousin of Hermon MacNeil.
Thomas (Tom) Henry McNeil (b. 1860 – d. 1932)
1. February 29 is the Anniversary of the birth of Thomas (Tom) Henry McNeil (my grandfather) born in 1860, one-hundred and sixty years ago.
2. Tom told his daughters to address “Hermon” as “Uncle Hermon.” “Uncle” was the title of respect bestowed on their first-cousin-twice-removed.

Categories : Clan MacNeil, Hermon A. MacNeil bio, In Search of "Uncle Hermon", Location, MacNeil Month

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Feb

2020 MacNeil Month ~ “Pat and Jim” at Patten Gym ~ Northwestern University ~ “They are still There” ~~ Also PHILADELPHIA and ALBANY, New York

By Dan Leininger, Webmaster · Comments (0)

When the Students of Northwestern University saw MacNeil’s Female and Male statues in front of Patten Gym, they re-named them “Pat and Jim”

“Pat” or “Intellectual Development” is half of the pair of MacNeil creations that have graced the Northwestern campus for over 100 years.

“Jim” or “Physical Development” is the left-hand piece of the MacNeil pair placed in front of “Patten Gym” in 1919.

A bit of Sophmoric humor, perhaps, sure! But “Pat & Jim” are leading Northwestern into a 2nd century of campus smiles.

“Pat” bears a striking resemblance to another MacNeil lady, namely, “Prosperity” of the McKinley grouping. Perhaps they are related? At least creations of the same creator.

WELCOME TO MacNEIL MONTH !

“Pat” of Patten Gym bears a resemblance to “Prosperity” of the McKinley Monument grouping.

“Prosperity” and her daughter “Peace” are bookends of the McKinley Monument.

“They are still there” celebrates MacNeil works visited in 2019.

This pair of Beaux Arts pieces are just two of hundreds of the works of Hermon Atkins MacNeil.

This years featured visits include:

“The Sun Vow” in New York City and Monmouth, New Jersey.
“William McKinley” statue in Columbus, Ohio.
The Patten Gym at Northwestern University ~ “Intellectual Development” and “Emotional Development”
“The Soldiers and Sailors Monument” in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

SOLDIERS AND SAILORS MONUMENT Philadelphia

Philadelphia – Hermon MacNeil – “Soldiers And Sailors Monument” – South pylon or Sailors side – Being photographed by Dan Leininger, webmaster).

Categories : Evanston, Location, MacNeil Month, Monuments, Ohio, Sculptures, Statue

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Feb

Presidents Day 2020 MacNeil Month Wm. McKinley Abe Lincoln Geo. Washington “THEY ARE ALL THERE” — H.A MacNeil’s Sculptures of 3 Presidents

By Dan Leininger, Webmaster · Comments (0)

“They are still there” celebrates several re-visits and discoveries of MacNeil works made in 2019. This Presidents Day we look again at:

“William McKinley” statue in Columbus, Ohio.
The Statue of Wm. McKinley stands in front of Ohio Capitol looking out over the city of Columbus. I always marvel at MacNeil’s works all over the U.S. of A.
The “Lincoln Lawyer” of Illinois
Image from the Re-dedication Day of Lincoln Hall at University of Illinois in Champagne-Urbana in 2012.

This Lincoln Hall image was on the Tee Shirts worn by student-guides on Feb 12, 2012 for the re-opening of the renovated Hall
Washington Square in New York City.
General George Washington with Flags (U.S. and POW/MIA) ~ Washington Arch Greenwich, NYC (Photo courtesy of: Gibson Shell – 2011)

In NYC MacNeil’s likeness of General Washington guards the rear flanks of the Washington Arch.

President McKinley was assassinated at the 1902 Pan American Exposition in Buffalo, NY. MacNeil was an exhibitor and sculpted the Award medal for that Worlds Fair. He later was awarded the commission for this McKinley Monument at the Ohio Capitol Square in Columbus.

McKinley detail ~ foot of “Industry” – a Blacksmith.

Industry and and his youthful student – allegorical figures in the McKinley grouping.

McKinley quote after taking office in 1900.

“Prosperity” and her her understudy, “Peace”

Here are three old Photos of the McKinley Monument

Early 1900s Postcard of McKinley Monument.

McKinley grouping in front of Ohio Capitol.

MacNeil’s 1915 “Lincoln” in Lincoln Hall

The restored East Foyer of Lincoln Hall with its gilted vaulted ceiling and columns makes a dramatic setting for Hermon A. MacNeil’s bust of Abrabam Lincoln as the famed prairie lawyer who left Illinois to lead the nation through the War to preserve the Union and the succession South states.

Another of Hermon MacNeil’s “Lincoln Lawyer” was found at the Rushville (Illinois) Public Library. The happy webmaster was pleased to see it and meet the Library staff. I am sure you recognize Abe Lincoln. Well the guy smilin’ on the right is me, Dan Leininger [the “happy webmaster of HAM (https://hermonatkinsmacneil.com/)

MacNeil of Barra tartan

Categories : 1901 Pan-American Exposition ~Buffalo NY, Illinois, Location, MacNeil Month, Monuments, New York, New York City, Ohio, Sculptures, Statue, University of Illinois, Urbana

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Feb

“Sun Vow” ~~ (Part 2) MacNeil Month 2020 ~ “They’re Still There!”

By Dan Leininger, Webmaster · Comments (0)

I had the privilege of visiting the MAM site this week and will post a larger story soon. For now, here’s a quick shot of MacNeil’s “Sun Vow”.

In August, news arrived from Monclair, NJ, expressing community concern about the 117 year-old “Sun Vow” at Monclair Art Museum’ being relocated (without a specific plan for its future).

https://hermonatkinsmacneil.com/?s=montclair

The statue was a gift of the co-founder, William T. Evans. It has been welcoming patrons to the front door for over a century after William Evans (the donor and co-founder) commissioned it in 1903, and placed it there in 1914.

Son Vow – Opinion ‘Respecting ‘The Sun Vow’ Regarding the Montclair Art Museum’s landscape re development proposal for the Planning Board Meeting Monday August 26 at 7:30 PM