Frederick C. Gordon, Brockville Artist

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Frederick C. Gordon was a young artist whose discovered works seem to be limited to black and white lithographs used to illustrate scenes in the Brockville area. These drawings were published in a couple of business booklets published in the 1890s.

Gordon did not seem to live in Brockville for very long, but he did advertised his services as an artist here in 1886, and was involved in education as the superintendent of the Art Dept. at the Brockville Business College. The college was first located on King St. W. in the Halladay Block, east of John St.

I would be interested if anyone has any more information about him, or has discovered any of his paintings.

Fred Gordon liked to show himself in his artwork. Here he is sitting on a rock, sketchbook in hand, out at Fernbank Point.

“Smuggler’s Cove” on the St. Lawrence River, west of Brockville as drawn by Fred Gordon.

Sketch by Fred Gordon of “Highbury Brewery“, at the Willows, west of Brockville.

William Buell House, drawn by Fred Gordon in 1887. This was actually William Buell’s third house. The drawing was was made by Gordon for James G. Findlay, a dentist who was married to Eliza Wilkinson. Dr. Findlay (1864-1951) was the son of Martha Ann (Buell) Findlay (1828-1887), William Buell’s youngest child. The claim to be Brockville’s oldest stone building was a mistake on their part. It is known that the Nehemiah Seaman House at King and Perth St. was built in 1816.

Fred Gordon’s drawing shows “Idlewilde“, which overlooks the river at 77 Hartley St. in Brockville. This house was designed by architect, James P. Johnston (1841-1893) of Ogdensburg and built in 1880-81 for Henry A. Field. Field was the owner, in partnership with his brother, of a successful hardware business on the main street. At the time of the drawing the house was owned by industrialist, William R. Gardner.

This drawing shows the location of the Brockville Business College at 4 Court House Ave. in Brockville.The college rented the top 2 floors of the north end of the Fulford Block. Fred Gordon worked in this well-known business school as the Art Teacher during his period in Brockville.

 

 

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Filed under Artists, Biography, Drawing

Tags: 1880s, artist, Brockville, drawings, sketches