Cornelius Hankins

Cornelius Hankins (1863-1946) was an American painter. He painted agrarian landscapes of Tennessee and portraits of Confederate veterans and politicians.

Cornelius Hankins
Born
Cornelius Haley Hankins

July 12, 1863
Itawamba County, Mississippi, U.S.
DiedMay 12, 1946
Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Resting placeMount Olivet Cemetery
OccupationPainter
Spouse(s)Maude McGehee
ChildrenHank Fort
Parent(s)Edward Locke Hankins
Annie Mary McFadden
Portrait of Leonidas Polk by Cornelius Hankins, c.1905

Early life

Cornelius Hankins was born on July 12, 1863 in Itawamba County, Mississippi.[1] His father was Edward Locke Hankins and his mother, Annie Mary McFadden.[1]

Career

Hankins moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where he was taught painting by Edwin M. Gardner, an art teacher and painter.[1] By 1897, he taught at the Richmond Art Club in Richmond, Virginia.[2] Meanwhile, he began exhibiting his work. By March 1902, his paintings were exhibited at the University Club in Nashville.[3] A decade later, in November 1912, they were exhibited at the Centennial Club.[4]

Hankins painted a portrait of Sumner Archibald Cunningham, the founder of the Confederate Veteran.[5] He also painted a portrait of Caroline Meriwether Goodlett, the founding president of the United Daughters of the Confederacy.[6] Additionally, he painted a portrait of Confederate General Robert E. Lee for the Tennessee General Assembly in 1901.[1] He also did 15 portraits for the Shelby County Courthouse in Memphis, Tennessee.[1] He went on to do portraits of Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest, Admiral Albert Gleaves, Senator William B. Bate, Governor Albert H. Roberts and Governor Benton McMillin.[1]

Some of Hankins's portraits were donated by Confederate veteran or university alumni groups to public and private institutions. For example, Hankins painted a portrait of Confederate General Benjamin F. Cheatham for the Frank Cheatham Bivouac of the Association of Confederate Soldiers, who unveiled it in the Tennessee State Chamber and placed it in the Tennessee State Library in 1904.[7] He also painted a portrait of Julia A. Sears, a founding faculty member of the Peabody College for Teachers (now part of Vanderbilt University), which was placed in the chapel in 1904.[8] Additionally, Hankins painted a portrait of William Lofland Dudley, the founding dean of the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine; it was donated by local alumni to Vanderbilt University in 1915.[9]

According to the Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture, "At the time of his death, nine of his portraits were hanging in the Tennessee State Capitol, six in the Alabama State Capitol, two in the Mississippi State Capitol, and one in the Louisiana State Capitol."[1]

Personal life

Hankins married Maude McGehee.[10] They had two daughters, Eleanor Hankins, known professionally as Hank Fort, who became a renowned singer,[10] and Dorothy Churchill Hankins Wood.

Death

Hankins died on May 12, 1946 in Nashville, Tennessee. He was buried at the Mount Olivet Cemetery.

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References
  1. Kelly, James C. (December 25, 2009). "Cornelius Haly Hankins". The Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture. Tennessee Historical Society and University of Tennessee Press. Retrieved December 25, 2015.
  2. "Art Club's Exhibit Will Be A Fine One. This Year's Exhibition to Be Best Yet Given. Good Work Being Done. Market Progress Being Made by Richmond Students. Club Gaining In Strength. Is Exercising an Uplifting Influence in the Community--Many Distinguished Artists Have Works on Exhibition Here Next Week". The Times. Richmond, Virginia. May 4, 1902. p. 11. Retrieved December 24, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. "University Club Exhibition". The Tennessean. Nashville, Tennessee. March 6, 1902. p. 8. Retrieved December 24, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Announcements". The Tennessean. Nashville, Tennessee. November 2, 1912. p. 5. Retrieved December 24, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. Evans, Josephine King (Winter 1989). "Nostalgia for a Nickel: The "Confederate Veteran"". Tennessee Historical Quarterly. 48 (4): 238. JSTOR 42626824.
  6. "U.D.C. Golden Jubilee Reported By Local Delegate Yesterday". The Bee. Danville, Virginia. December 6, 1944. p. 1. Retrieved December 24, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Cheatham Portrait. Painting of Famous Soldier is Unveiled by Bivouac Bearing His Name. Placed in State Library". The Tennessean. Nashville, Tennessee. November 5, 1904. p. 4. Retrieved December 24, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. "Interesting Occasion. Portrait of Miss Sears Unveiled At Peabody College for Teachers". The Tennessean. Nashville, Tennessee. December 9, 1904. p. 8. Retrieved December 25, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. "Present Portrait of Dr. W.L. Dudley. Local Alumni Make Gift To Vanderbilt Faculty--Work of Cornelius Hankins". The Tennessean. Nashville, Tennessee. March 16, 1915. p. 6. Retrieved December 24, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. "Hank Fort, Songstress". The Tennessean. Nashville, Tennessee. July 23, 1954. p. 25. Retrieved December 24, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
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