Many of the people who lived and worked at New York State Historic Sites had pets who brought them friendship and joy.
The State Parks collections include numerous paintings and photographs of these beloved pets. Here are a few:
John Jay Homestead
There is a long art history tradition of portraits with animals. The portrait above of Eleanor Kingsland Field with her pet Italian greyhound was painted in Rome when she was around fourteen years old.
Eleanor’s family traveled to Italy frequently during her childhood and this portrait was commissioned during one of her trips.
In adulthood, Eleanor married John Jay II, grandson of the famous first Supreme Court Justice, and lived in the family home in Katonah that is now John Jay Homestead.
Olana’s Goldfish
Frederic E. Church and his family lived at Olana outside of Hudson, NY. They had numerous pets at the family estate, including dogs, a donkey and likely some goldfish. Two large goldfish bowls have survived in the site’s collection.
Though this painting is of a goldfish pond, it is believed that Church painted one of the family goldfish from the bowl and created the natural environment around the fish.
The painting now hangs in the corridor at Olana’s main house leading to Church’s studio. The family was also pictured with many of their dogs, both inside and outside the house.
Lorenzo’s Cherished Pets
The collection at Lorenzo State Historic Site in Cazenovia, NY also includes mementos of cherished pets. Mickey was the dog of Carver 
Remington, the brother of Eliphelet Remington, one of the owners of Lorenzo in the 20th century.
There is a lovely formal portrait of Mickey in profile, painted by central New York artist Dwight Williams.
There are also informal renderings of family pets, like a drawing of Carlo. He was the pet of Ledyard Lincklaen, owner of Lorenzo from 1847 until his death in 1864.
Carlo was a Newfoundland and shepherd mix. We know Carlo’s breed because he was lost and Lincklaen placed an ad in the Cazenovia Republican offering “a suitable reward paid for his recover.”
Thankfully, Carlo was recovered since the drawing adds “Obit April ? 1860,” marking the date of Carlo’s death.
Clermont’s Childhood Pets
Janet and Honoria Livingston grew up at Clermont State Historic Site in Germantown, one of the Livingston family ancestral homes. Their early 20th century childhood was captured in many family photo albums and their pets were frequently included.
Their English bloodhound, Rufus, was especially treasured, and features in many photographs. The family also had horses, a pony, rabbits and a peacock named Solomon.
Read more about pets in New York State.
A version of this article by Bureau of Historic Sites Senior Curator Amanda Massie first appeared in the New York State Parks & Historic Sites Blog. You can see more photos of former State Parks’ pets here.
Illustrations, from above: Portrait of Eleanor Kingsland Field and her dog by Giovanni Battista Canevari, ca. 1833 (John Jay Homestead); “Goldfish Pond” by Frederic E. Church, ca. 1875-1880 (Olana State Historic Site); “Mickey” by Dwight Williams, ca, 1886 (Lorenzo State Historic Site); and Janet and Honoria Livingston with their rabbits, detail from a ca. 1915 photo (Clermont State Historic Site).
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