American Art Collaborative

The subject of this portrait by Miller is Mrs. Jesse Hare (Catherine H. Welch) (ca. 1790-1874). She was born in Lynchburg, Virginia and also died there. On 11 October 1810 she married Jesse Hare (1789-1861) in Baltimore. Hare was an extremely wealthy tobacco manufacturer. She lived with her daughter, Eliza Credilla Hare, who, on her married in 1847 became Mrs. Decatur Howard Miller and sister-in-law to the artist. On 1 September 1848 A.J. Miller recieved a hundred dollars from his brother for his mother-in-law's portrait. Miller also painted the portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Howard Miller, which are now also owned by the museum (see WAM 37.2557 and WAM 37.2558).