Born Ruth Whittier, she collaborated with her physician husband,
Samuel A. Shute, in creating portraits of small-town residents between 1827 to 1831. Their double signature appeared on portraits dated from February 18,1832 to March 25,1833. He painted fifteen portraits and she painted ten.
Born in Dover NH, she was of Quaker heritage, and was a cousin to the poet, John Greenleaf Whittier. They traveled from one place to another, remaining until the painting commissions ran out. They resided in Peterborough, Weare, and other locations in New Hampshire, in addition to Massachusetts. Samuel’s family had lived in Concord NH for several generations. They advertised in local newspapers that they were available to paint portraits. Their painting medium included watercolor, pencil, gilt-foil, pastel and gouache.
Following Samuel’s death, Ruth returned to Concord NH where Samuel was buried. In 1840 she remarried Alpha Tarbell and lived in Kentucky until her death on 26 September 1882. Her last portrait is dated 1839. See the genealogies below for details on their families.
A New York Times articles states, ” But to compare the one life-size full-face image painted by him with the joint efforts is to suspect that Ruth was the more proficient of the couple, since in these the faces are very likely modeled in pencil in a very un-folk way. The Shutes have been in the folk art pantheon for some time.”
Their portraits can be found in many of the best museums in the United States, and one not far away…. The Currier Art Gallery of Manchester NH listing includes: “Girl Holding Blossom and Basket of Roses (circa 1832), Portrait of Sarah Whitmarsh (1833), Portrait of A Boy with a Dog (1833), and “Portrait of Mary Winch) (1835). None of these are currently on view. Contact the gallery to inquire when their next public viewing will be available.
Janice
**Additional Reading**
-Askart: Biography of Ruth Shute-
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**GENEALOGY OF RUTH WHITTIER FAMILY**
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Richard Whittier(1585-1608) & Mary Rolfe (1582-1625)
Thomas Whittier(1620-1696) & Ruth Green (1626-1710)
Joseph Whittier(1669-1739) & Mary Peaslee (1672-1739)
Joseph Whittier, son of Joseph & Mary (Peaslee) Whittier, b. 21 March 1717 in Haverhill, Essex Co MA, and d. 10 Oct 1796 in Haverhill MA. He married 12 July 1739 in Haverhill MA to Sarah Greenleaf. She was b. 5 March 1721 in Newbury MA and d. 17 March 1807 in Haverhill MA
Children of Joseph & Sarah (Greenleaf) Whittier: [all b. in Haverhill, Essex Co MA]
1. Stephen Whittier, b. 6 Apr 1740, d. 1740
2. Thomas Whittier, b. 29 July 1742, d. 1742
3. Ruth Whittier, b. 26 Dec 1743, d. 1743
4. Mary Whittier, b. 2 Feb 1747, d. 1802
5. Joseph Whittier, b. 14 Sep 1750, d. 1754
6. Nathaniel Whittier, b. 13 July 1753, d. 1839 Hollis ME
7. +Obadiah Whittier, b. 2 Sep 1758
8. John Whittier, b. 22 Nov 1760; m. Abigail Hussey; father of poet, John Greenleaf Whittier
9. Moses Whittier, b. 20 Dec 1762; m. Merriam Goodwin, had issue.
Obadiah Whittier, son of Joseph & Sarah (Greenleaf) Whittier was b. 2 Sep 1758 in Haverhill, Essex Co NH and d. 29 July 1814 in Dover, Strafford Co NH. He married 7 Dec 1786 in Dover NH to Sarah Austin, dau of Moses and Phebe (Hussey) Austin. She b. 9 July 1765 in Rochester, Strafford Co NH and d. 11 Aug 1844 in Dover, NH.
Children of Obadiah & Sarah (Austin) Whittier: [all born in Dover, Strafford Co NH except John]
1. Anna Whittier, b. 26 Sep 1787; m. Isaac Wendell
2. Moses Whittier, b. 19 May 1789; m1) Gertrude Frye; m2) Sarah Hacker Jones; m3) Deborah Burnham
3. Sarah Whittier, b. 7 July 1791; m. George D. Varney
4. Joseph Whittier, b. 10 Dec 1793; m. Nancy Locke
5. John Whittier, b. 9 Dec 1795 in Berwick, York Co ME; m. Hannah Hanson
7. Phoebe Austin Whittier, b. 11 March 1798; m. Edmund Johnson
8. Mary Whittier, b. 14 July 1800; m. Gideon C. Smith
9. +Ruth Whittier, b. 28 Oct 1802
10. Lydia Whittier, b. 14 July 1807; m. Leonard Smith
Ruth Whittier, dau of Obadiah & Sarah (Austin) Whittier, was b. 28 Oct 1802 in Dover, Strafford Co NH and d. in Middletown, Jefferson County, Kentucky. She married abt 1798 to Samuel Addison Shute. After his death, in 1840 she married 2nd) Alpha Tarbell, a school teacher. They removed to Kentucky where the Tarbells had two daughters. Ruth continued to paint, mainly family portraits and a few Civil War scenes from accounts of major battles such as Gettsysburg. During this time, her style evolved from primitive folk art to paintings that clearly resembled their subjects. Ruth died on September 26,1882, and is buried in the Middletown Cemetery. Their home on Shelbyville Road in Middletown Kentucky is on the National Register of Historic Places. [ALSO SEE SHUTE GENEALOGY BELOW]
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1860 United States Federal Census > Kentucky > Jefferson > Louisville Ward 2
A Tarbell 56 M Stock Dealer 5000/2000 VT [b abt 1804]
Ruth Tarbell 50 F NH
Mary Tarbell 17 F KY [b abt 1843]
Ruth Tarbell 13 F KY [b abt 1847]
Adaline Shute 24 F NH [b abt 1836]
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U.S. Census > 1870 United States Federal Census > Kentucky > Jefferson > Middletown
Tarbell, Ruth 60 F W keeps house 9000/400 NH
Eggington, M. 27 F W at home 1000 KY
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Children of Samuel Addison & Ruth (Whittier) Shute:
1. Adelaide Montgomery Shute, b. March 4, 1829, who was an invalid and unmarried
2. Maria Antoinette Shute, died Feb 4, 1831, aged 9 days.
3. Adaline Shute, b. abt 1836; living with mother in KY in 1860
Children of Alpha & Ruth (Whittier) Tarbell:
1. Mary Tarbell, b. abt 1843 in Kentucky; m. — Eggington.
2. Ruth Tarbell, b. abt 1847 in Kentucky
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**GENEALOGY OF SAMUEL ADDISON SHUTE FAMILY**
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JACOB SHUTE, was the ancestor of the Shute family in Concord [NH]. There is a tradition in the family that his father was a French Protestant, or Hugeunot, who formerly resided in Paris, but on revocation of the edict of Nantz, fled to Ireland to escape persecution. Jacob was born about 1702, and was apprenticed by his father to a stocking-wever in Dublin. Disliking the trade, at about the age of seventeen he left, in company with one Dawen, and took secret passage in the hold of a ship for this country. They remained concealed until driven out by hunger. Arriving at Newburyport the captain demanded pay for their passage, but as they had nothing it was necessary to sell themselves–that is, their service–for a time, in order ot meet the demand. They were both bought by Capt. Ebenezer Eastman of Haverhill, and served him until twenty-one years of age. Before he bought them, Eastman asked Dawen”if he would be a good boy and work well, provided he would pay the passage?” Dawen said, “Yes; the Lord bless him!” He then asked Shute; he said, “No–he wouldn’t do anything.” On trial, however, Shute proved an industrious, faithful hand, while Dawen was indolent and deceitful. [Dawen settled in Pembroke NH, and lived and died there.]* Shute, is said to have been the first person who drove a team through the wildnerness to the present Concord NH, drove Eastman’s team from Haverhill to Penacook in the fall of 1727; the first that ever came into town. Here Mr. Shute settled. He married Sarah George of Haverhill. She b. 2 Jan 1706 in Amesbury MA, dau of William Francis & Sarah (Hadlock) George. (m. 16 Feb 1731 in Haverhill MA) who had a daughter Sarah, born there, and John and Elizabeth born in Penacook. His wife Sarah died in January 1745, and, as appears from Mr. Walker’s journal, was buried January 16. May 16, 1749, Mr. Walker says: “Abigail, second wife of Jacob Shute, admitted to full communion. She was widow Evans, mother of John.” By his second wife he had two daughters, both of whom died young. Mr. Shute died February 16, 1794, aged 94 years. In 1732 he was chosen Field Driver, and in 1733 and 1739 a hog reeve in “Pennycook” NH. He held several other township positions. In April of 1776, he signed the Association Test in Concord NH.
Children of Jacob & Sarah (George) Shute:
1. Sarah Shute, b July 1732 in Haverhill MA; m. 2 Jan 1755 to Austin George. He b. 25 June 1732. Children, Austin, Abigail, Mary, Jonathan, Jonathan 2d, and Sarah.
2. +John Shute, b. Penacook NH m. Anna Colby
3. Elizabeth Shute, b. Penacook NH
JOHN SHUTE, son of Jacob & Sarah (George) Shute, was born abt 1731 in Penacook (now Concord) NH; He married Anna Colby, dau of Lot and Anne (Walker) Colby). She b. 9 Sep 1742 in Concord NH and d. June 1812 in Concord NH, age 70. John Shute belonged to Roger’s Rangers, and served through the French & Indian War. He volunteered for the hazardous enterprise of delivering dispatches between Crown Point and Quebec; After the war he was accustomed to go on hunting excursions to the northern parts of NH and Maine accompanied only by his dog. He settled on the homestead of his father, and became a steady, industrious and useful citizen. At the age of about seventy he united with the church under Dr. McFarland, and maintained a consistent Christian life. Constant at meeting on the Sabbath, he usually sat in the “old men’s seat;” and when upwards of ninety years of age he would be seen tripping along, with the agility of a young man–commonly passing others on foot, on their return from meeting. He spent the last years of his life in the family of his son, Isaac, at the lower end of Main Street. He retained his faculties and physical powers till the close of his life, and died February 1829, at the age of 96, or perhaps, as stated on his grave-stone, at 98. April 12, 1776 in Concord NH he signed the Association Test.
Children of John & Anna (Colby) Shute:
1. +John Shute Jr., b. March 4, 1763, d. Dec 1, 1822; m. Abigail Kelley in 1784
2. Mary Shute, b. May 13, 1765
3. Jacob Shute, b. Aug 10, 1767; m. Sally Houston of Bedford NH; probably the Jacob Shute who d. March 25, 1826 age 59 years, buried in Old North Cemetery, Concord, Merrimack Co NH
4. Moses Shute, b. Feb 9, 1771
5. Anna Shute, b. June 15, 1773
6. Isaac Shute, b. Aug 20, 1775
7. Samuel Colby Shute, b. July 20, 1778
8. +Aaron Shute, b. March 20, 1781
9. Jeremiah Shute, b. Dec 27 1783.
John Shute Junior, son of John & (Anna) Colby Shute, was b. March 4, 1763 and d. 1 Dec 1822. He married abt 1784 Abigail Kelley, dau of Thomas & Mary (Edgerly) Kelley. She b. 22 March 1761/63 and d. 17 July 1840.
Children of John & Abigail (Kelley) Shute:
1. William Shute, b. March 22, 1785
2. Ruth Shute, b. Nov 19, 1787, d. Feb 26, 1824; m. Jeremiah Page; children: William, John, Clara (m. Albert Ordway and had ch. Charles and Harriet Elizabeth)
3. +Moses Shute, b. Nov 26, 1789
4. Isaac Shute, b. Nov 16, 1792, d. Apr 1824; m. Sally Alls; had dau. Laura, b. 1812
5. Mary Shute, b. Feb 27, 1795
6. Susan “Sukey” Shute, b. Dec 11, 1797, d. Aug 15, 1803
7. Walter Shute, b. Jan 1802, died young
8. Walter Shute 2d, b. 1805, d. Jan 1806
Aaron SHUTE, son of John and Anna (Colby) Shute, b. 20 March 1781 in Concord NH, married 15 Dec 1802 in Rowley MA to Betsey POOR, dau of Benjamin Poor. She b. 22 February 1786 in Haverhill MA. He was a shoemaker and when about nineteen years of age went down to Newbury MA and worked in Byfield Parish with Dea. Benjamin Coleman, one of the early wholesale shoe manufacturers; while there he found his wife, bought a residence on Warren Street where their children were born, sold to his father-in-law Poor in 1827, returned to Concord NH, bought a place about two miles west of the capital now called Millville, and where Saint Paul’s School is located. Sold out that place in 1860 and removed to Concord village and resided with their daughter until his decease. Betsey died March 7, 1861, and Aaron died 22 Feb 1874. Both Aaron’s father and grandfather lived to be over nine years of age.
Children of Aaron & Betsey (Poore) Shute:
1. +Samuel Addison Shute, b. 24 Sep 1803
2. Julia Ann Addison Shute, b. 29 January 1812, m. 30 Aug 1829, Samuel Lewis Currier, son of Samuel & Sally (Lewis) Currier. He was b 31 March 1810 in Concord NH. They resided in Concord NH and in 1870 bought No. 45 Spring Street and in 1877 were residing there. He was in the stone business. Children: Samuel Addison (1841), Mary Sophronia (1843-1859), Ellen Frances (1845-1865), Julia Adelaide (1850-1852), Aaron Shute (1851), Julia Adelaide (1854-1877).
SAMUEL ADDISON SHUTE, son of Aaron & Betsey (Poor) Shute, b. Sep 24, 1803; m. 16 Oct 1827, Ruth Whittier of Dover NH, b. Oct 28, 1803. He was a physician in Weare NH and other places and died after an illness of several years in Champlain NY Jan. 30, 1836. He is buried in Concord NH. She later married since a man by the name of Alpha Tarbell, by whom she has had two daughters, and resided in the state of Kentucky.
Children of Samuel Addison & Ruth (Whittier) Tarbell:
1. Adelaide Montgomery Shute, b. March 4, 1829, who was an invalid and unmarried
2. Maria Antoinette, died Feb 4, 1831, aged 9 days.
3. Adaline Shute, b. abt 1836; living with mother in KY in 1860
[SEE RUTH WHITTIER ANCESTRY FOR HER ADDITIONAL CHILDREN]
Moses Shute, son of John & Abigail (Kelley) Shute, b. Nov 26, 1789; he married 1st) 17 Dec 1812 to Sally Farnum. She was b. July 12, 1783 and d. Oct. 15, 1844. He married 2d) June 11, 1846 to sophia W. Duncklee
Children of Moses & Sally (Farnum) Shute:
1. Cynthia M. Shute, b. Dec 16, 1813; m. Joseph L. Jackson; children, George W (b 1836, m. Jesse Dun), Loring F. (b&d 1840), Moses F. (b 1841) and Evelina (b&d 1843).
2. Clara A. Shute, b. March 23, 1816, m. John Brown; two children, one Clara F.
3. Lucretia Shute, b. Jan 12, 1821
Some Sources:
1. A memoir and genealogy of John Poore : ten generations, 1615-1880 : including the posterity of numerous daughters whereby pedigrees of many other families, extending through from three to six or more generations, are given, Alfred Poor; Salem, Mass.: Printed for the author, 1881page 162-163
2. The history of Concord : from its first grant in 1725, to the organization of the city government in 1853, with a history of the ancient Penacooks : the whole interspersed with numerous interesting incidents and anecdotes, down to the present period, by Nathaniel Bouton; 1855; Concord N.H.: B.W. Sanborn
3. A memoir and genealogy of John Poore : ten generations, 1615-1880 : including the posterity of numerous daughters whereby pedigrees of many other families, extending through from three to six or more generations, are given, Alfred Poor; Salem, Mass.: Printed for the author, 1881; page 162-163
4. U.S. Census
