Sir Richard Saltonstall, (sculpture).

Sir Richard Saltonstall, (sculpture).

Kitson, Henry Hudson, 1863-1947, sculptor.

Kitson, Theo Alice Ruggles, 1871-1932, sculptor.

Gorham Manufacturing Company, founder.

Sir Richard Saltonstall, (sculpture).

Memorial to the Founders of Watertown, (sculpture).

Copyrighted 1931. Dedicated Nov. 11, 1931.

Digital Reference:

Sculpture: bronze; Relief: bronze; Base: Stony Creek granite.

Sculpture: approx. 9 ft. x 4 ft. x 3 ft. 2 in.; Base: approx. 7 ft. 6 in. x 4 ft. x 2 ft. 3 in.

Henry H. Kitson Fecit 1931 (On front of sculpture near base:) SIR RICHARD SALTONSTALL (Along lower edge of left relief:) THE LANDING OF ROGER CLAP AND THE DORCHESTER MEN MAY 1630 THE FRIENDLY EXCHANGE OF A BISCUIT FOR A BASS (Along lower edge of right relief:) "IT IS NOT SAFE TO PAY MONEYS AFTER THIS SORT LEST WE BRING OURSELVES AND OUR POSTERITY UNTO BONDAGE" GEORGE PHILLIPS

(On the front of base, center section of exedra:) TO THE FOUNDERS OF/WATERTOWN/WHOSE PROTEST AGAINST/TAXATION WITHOUT REPRE-/SENTATION STRUCK THE/FIRST NOTE OF CIVIL LIBERTY/HEARD IN THIS WILDERNESS/"I HOPE YOU DO NOT ASSUME TO/YOURSELVES IN FALLIBILITIE(sic) OF/JUDGEMENT WHEN THE MOST LEARNED/OF THE APOSTLES CONFESSETH/THAT HE KNEW BUT IN PARTE(sic) AND SAW/BUT DARKELY(sic) AS THROUGH A GLASS"/"THAT THE LORD WOULD GIVE YOU/MEEKE(sic) AND HUMBLE SPIRITS, NOT TO/STRYVE(sic) SO MUCH FOR UNIFORMITY AS/TO KEEP THE UNITY OF THE SPIRIT IN/THE BOND OF PEACE/SIR RICHARD SALTONSTALL TO/MR. WILSON AND MR. COTTON (On the front of the base, at either end of the exedra are the incised names of the founders) signed

The memorial consists of a standing bronze portrait of Sir Richard Saltonstall installed atop a pink granite base in the center of a pink granite exedra. Saltonstall stands in front of a tree stump and holds the Charter of Saltonstall Plantation in his raised proper right hand. He is dressed in a long cape and holds his hat in his lowered proper left hand. Flanking the base of the sculpture are two bronze reliefs attached to front exedra walls. The relief on the left depicts the May 1660 scene of Roger Clap and his men from Dorchester, England greeting the Native Americans. Roger Clap offers a large biscuit with his proper left hand and reaches out to accept a fish from a Native American walking toward him. The relief on the right depicts the Reverend George Phillips and Elder Richard Brown addressing a group of Watertown Pilgrims on the subject of no taxation without representation.

Portrait male -- Saltonstall, Richard -- Full length

Occupation -- Other -- Colonizer

History -- United States -- Colonization

Portrait male -- Phillips, George -- Full length

Portrait male -- Brown, Richard -- Full length

Occupation -- Religion -- Clergy

Occupation -- Religion -- Elder

Ethnic -- Indian

Religion -- Puritan

Occupation -- Other -- Colonist

Dress -- Historic -- Pilgrim Dress

Dress -- Ethnic -- Indian Dress

Outdoor Sculpture -- Massachusetts -- Watertown

Administered by Town of Watertown, Department of Public Works, Orchard Street, Watertown, Massachusetts 02172

Located Watertown Square, Charlesbank Road, Watertown, Massachusetts

This memorial serves as a commemoration of both the founding of Watertown and the influence of Sir Richard Saltonstall on the area's development. Richard Saltonstall was the founder of Saltonstall Plantation, which later became Watertown. The memorial was funded through public subscription and donations from the Saltonstall family. The installation of the memorial was delayed by about a year due to the Depression. IAS files contain a list of the Watertown founder names that are inscribed on the walls of the exedra. IAS files also contain newspaper articles from the Watertown Sun, Nov. 13, 1930, pg. 1 and Nov. 12, 1931, pg. 1; and excerpts from Maud DeLeigh Hodges, "Crossroads on the Charles: A History of Watertown, Massachusetts," Phoenix Publications, 1980, pg. 8, 11, 20. The Hodges publication includes images of the exedra reliefs, but only the model for the Saltonstall sculpture. Since no portraits of Rev. Phillips exist, the artist created an imaginary image for his exedra relief.

Carlock, Marty, "A Guide to Public Art in Greater Boston," Boston: Harvard Common Press, 1988.

Save Outdoor Sculpture, Massachusetts survey, 1994.

SOS Assessment Award, 2001.

Hodges, Maud DeLeigh, "Crossroads on the Charles: A History of Watertown, Massachusetts," Phoenix Publications, 1980, pg. 8, 20.

The information provided about this artwork was compiled as part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture database, designed to provide descriptive and location information on artworks by American artists in public and private collections worldwide.

Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture, Smithsonian American Art Museum, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 970, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012

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