AMERICAN SCHOOL, 18TH / 19TH C.

Portrait of a Gentleman

Unsigned, oil on canvas, framed. 22 1/4 in. x 27 1/2 in. (lined, restoration). Note: A file accompaning the portrait identifies the sitter as Ebenezer Hazard (1745-1817) . Hazard was born in Long Island and graduated from the College of New Jersey, now Princeton. He served as surveyor General of the Post Office during the Revolution and Postmaster General of the United States from 1782 until 1789. Hazard was a pioneer in the collection and publication of original records concerning early American history. He published the two volume "Historical Collections (1792-1794)" in Philadelphia and "Remarks on a Report Concerning Western Indians".