George Peter Alexander Healy (1813 - 1894)

Born 15 Jul 1813 in Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Husband of Louisa Phipps — married 23 Jul 1839 in Middlesex, England

Descendants

Died 24 Jun 1894 at age 80 in Chicago, Illinois, United States

Biography

George Peter Alexander Healy (July 15, 1813 – June 24, 1894) was an American portrait painter and a founder of the Art Institute of Chicago.

He was born in Boston, Massachusetts. He was the eldest of five of seven children who survived to adulthood of an Irish captain in the merchant marine, William Healy (1784-1834).

William Healy left his native Dublin, Ireland as a boy together with two brothers and their father in 1798 as a result of the “ruin” of their father by the rebellion of that year. In London, William Healy became a midshipman with the East India Company. Afterwards, in Boston, he became the captain of a “merchant vessel.” While in that city, he met the young Mary Hicks (c.1798-1836), a Boston native of English descent. William Healy was married to Mary Hicks in the Catholic church of Boston on June 22, 1812, by the Rev. Francis A. Matignon.

Their first child, George Peter Alexander Healy, was born on July 15, 1813. He was one of seven children—five of whom survived infancy. Healy later wrote that he was baptized by Rev. Cheverus. Not long after George’s birth, the family moved to Albany, New York, where William worked in the “Intelligence Office,” and as a “grocer.” In Albany, five children were born: William Jr. (1815-1815); John Reynolds (1816-1842); Ann Elizabeth (Agnes) (January 1818-1902); Thomas Cantwell (12/7/1820-12/10/1889); and William H. Birmingham (1822-1/7/1876). The family moved back to Boston where their last child, Samuel, was born and died in the same year, 1824.

Having been left fatherless at a young age, Healy helped to support his mother. His father died of consumption on May 5, 1834. He was 50 years old, and was buried on May 6 in the “South Boston Cemetery, R.C.” His mother died of consumption on February 13, 1836, and was buried on February 16 in the “South Burial Ground, no. 50” in Boston.

In England, married Louisa Phipps, 1839. Louisa, who was Protestant at the time, refused to be married in a Catholic Church, so the couple was married in Saint Pancras Parish Church, on Euston Road, in the County of Middlesex, England on July 23, 1839. James and Mary Ann Hanley—Louisa’s brother-in-law and sister—stood as witnesses.

In London, their first child, Arthur Faulkner was born in March, 1840. He was named after Sir Arthur Faulkner, who, together with his wife, “promised to stand as godparents.” A second child, Agnes—named after his sister—was born in London, on February 16, 1842. On December 8, 1843, their third child, Mary, was born in Paris. Healy’s fourth child, George, was born, possibly early in 1846, in Versailles, while Healy was in the United States. The couple had planned to be in the United States or about a year, but stayed a few months longer, until June of 1848. The extended stay was probably due to the birth of their fifth child.

At the end of 1850. Both sons died: first George, the youngest, of scarlet fever, then Arthur. The eleven year old Arthur Faulkner died on November 4, after a fall at school in Paris. Another daughter, Maria, was born on July 1, 1851. A daughter, Emily, was born to them, on November 18, 1853, in Versailles. While Healy was in Chicago, his son, George Louis was born on December 29, 1855, in Paris. The Healy’s ninth and last child, Kathleen, was born on June 27, 1858, at Cottage Hill.

During the summer of 1867, the Healy’s eldest daughter, Agnes, was married in St. Cloud, near Paris, to Tiburce de Mare, a childhood friend from Versailles. On February 14, 1874, Healy’s second eldest daughter, Mary, was married to Charles Bigot, a writer, journalist, critic and teacher, whom she had met in Rome. In 1880, Healy’s son George Louis, and his son’s friend, Louis J. Millet (1856-1923) opened a decorating business called, Healy & Millet, in Chicago. In early August 1883, he attended the wedding of his son, George Louis in Chicago.

Also in 1884, Raphael et La Farnesine, a collaborative book by Healy’s two sons-in-law, was published. Charles Bigot wrote the text and Tiburce de Mare provided the engravings. The book was dedicated to George Healy. Mary wrote the English translation for the book, which was published as, Raphael and the Villa Farnesina. In October 1886, Healy decided that George de Mare, one of his grandsons who showed artistic talent, should enter the Julien Académie for further training.

On June 24, 1894, at 2:30 a.m., he died at home, of “exhaustion, brought on by the hot weather.” The seven children surviving Healy included George Louis, two daughters, Agnes and Mary, each married and living in Paris, two daughters who were nuns, Marie, at a convent in England, and Emily, superior of a convent in Michigan, and two daughters living at home, Edith and Kathleen. Edith was in Europe with her sister, Mary (whose husband, Charles Bigot had died the previous year) when word arrived of Healy’s illness and “peaceful death.” Edith returned home to Elmhurst, where the family was spending the summer. She cared for her mother for the next ten years.

Beginning in 1900, George Louis lived with his mother and sister, Edith, on Ontario Street. Edith married Judge Hill in 1904. The couple lived with Louisa until her death of pneumonia on February 7, 1905. Louisa’s funeral was held at Holy Name Cathedral. She was buried near her husband in Calvary Cemetery.

He is buried together with Louisa, his loyal wife of fifty-five years, near the eastern gate of the scenic lakeside Calvary Cemetery, located just north of Chicago. Engraved on the bronze plaque fitted into the couple’s stone is the following:

"George P.A. Healy, born in Boston, Massachusetts, July 15, 1813, died in Chicago, Illinois, June 24, 1894, and his wife, Louisa Phipps Healy, born in London, England, February 10, 1818, died in Chicago, Illinois, February 7, 1905.”

Sources

• Wikipedia - George Peter Alexander Healy
• Smithsonian American Art Museum - George Peter Alexander Healy
• Illinois Historical Art Project - George Peter Alexander Healy