Question

Does anyone know a Bill Shearer, artist in Ludington Michigan, 1920's?

Answer 1

Possibly one of these?

 

https://familysearch.org/search/records/index#count=20&query=%2Bgivenname%3Awilliam~%20%2Bsurname%3Ashearer~%20%2Bresidence_place%3A%22luddington%2C%20Michigan%22~%20%2Bresidence_year%3A1900-1940~

William Shearer

birth:     1921 Michigan

census:  1930 Ludington,​ Mason,​ Michigan

parents:  William F Shearer,​ Ida Shearer

William F Shearer

birth:         1881 Michigan

residence:  1910 Ludington Ward 2,​ Mason,​ Michigan

spouse:  Ida Shearer

child:    Ida E Shearer

William F Shearer

birth:         1880 Michigan

residence:  1920 ,​ Mason,​ Michigan

spouse:    Ida E Shearer

children:  Ida E Shearer,​ Ruth M Shearer

William T Shears

birth:         May 1850  Scotland

residence:  1900    ED 51 Ludington city Ward 3,​ Mason,​ Michigan,​ United States

children:  William F Shears,​ Harry M Shears...

William F Shears

birth:         Apr 1879   Michigan

residence:  1900    ED 51 Ludington city Ward 3,​ Mason,​ Michigan,​ United States

parents:  William T Shears

                                                                                                                                    

Answer 2

He was my great grandfather.  Who's asking???

Comments

Hello. My name is Cheryl. I live in western Canada. My husband grew up in Michigan and he has a framed charcoal sketch of the Lake Michigan(?) shoreline sand dunes. It is signed "Shearer 1927. We found it in a shop in Ludington in the 1980's. It reminds my husband of the many happy summers spent in the Ludington/Pentwater area. We were curious to know if the artist was a local resident, what the location of the sketch might have been, and if Bill Shearer had created a body of work in the great lakes region. That's all!

---

Yes, he was born and raised in Ludington.  He did many nature paintings/sketches of the general Ludington area.  I'm not sure about specific areas, just that they are around Ludington. He also has some still life pieces that I have seen.  There are many pieces of his art still within our family, but I'm sure there are many out there that we don't know about!  I'm glad that you are enjoying your picture.  Does it by chance have a detailed frame that has gold tones in it?  Many of the pictures I have seen have quite elaborate frames that I am quite certain he also created.  Hope this helps a bit :).

---

In fact, the narrow 3/4" frame is gold toned with many small parallel moldings, also highlighted in gold. It appears to be about the same age as the print. The print is framed by an old yellowed (aged) matt about 1 3/4" wide.  Does the Shearer family still reside in Ludington? Many in my husband's family were also born there. Thank you for your detailed reply. Sounds like your great grandfather was a prolific artist.