The most famous person ever to come from Newtown Square?

In preparation for Historic Newtown Square Day next Saturday, June 7th, I met today at the Square Tavern with "Benjamin West" - the father of American painting.  Actually, I met Terry Jones, local sculptor and artist, who is again portraying Benjamin West, at his boyhood home at the Tavern.  Terry will be painting "Penn's Treaty with the Indians" at the Tavern, and also will speak on West's life, work, and his significance to American art.  

West was born in Springfield, Pennsylvania, in a house that is now in the borough of Swarthmore, the tenth child of innkeeper John West and Sarah Pearson. The family later moved to Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, where his father was the proprietor of the Square Tavern, at the intersection of Goshen Road and Newtown Street Road (Rt 252). West told his biographer that, when he was a child, Native Americans showed him how to make paint by mixing some clay from the river bank with bear grease in a pot.

West left the area to study in Italy, stopped at London on his return trip, and never left.  He opened up a studio there, and found great success as a painter of historical works.  In 1772, he was named historical painter to the court of King George II, a position he retained through the American Revolution.  West founded the Royal Academy of Arts in London with Sir Joshua Reynolds, and served as the second president of the Royal Academy from 1792 until his death in 1820. His London studio attracted every young American painter with talent to study under him, including Charles Willson Peale, Rembrandt Peale, Gilbert Stuart, John Trumbull, and Thomas Sully.  

Come out and learn about the most famous person ever to come from Newtown Square - on Saturday June 7th from 10:00-4:00.  And then visit all of the other historic sites of Newtown Square open that day.  Check back here for more on each site in the upcoming days.