Sometimes there is beauty that transcends many generations. It is created and enjoyed by many and continues to collect admirers as another generation follows. It is today that I write about just such an occurrence over in the Hillsboro and Hopkinton area of New Hampshire.

This beautiful art that I refer to is only enhanced by the mystery that surrounds it, a story that grasps at the inquisitive minds, especially the individuals who enjoy fine artistic renderings. Travel back with me to the little towns of Hillsboro and Hopkinton, the early 1800s.

Norman Fletcher purchased an old house out on East Washington Road. A house that was originally constructed by James Craig around the year 1800. After Craig built this house on East Washington Road the ownership eventually passed to Jonathan Craine and his family. The Craine family raised there children there during the 1800s and made this house their home. It was the center of their lives and they enjoyed the house immensely until the time came when their children grew up and moved away.

In time Jonathan Craine passed away too and the house was left empty to the cold New Hampshire winters and hot summers. There were many sunsets and sunrises as the empty house was affectionately called the old Craine house. It was in fact destined to be empty for a period of 25 years. Empty that is until Norman Fletcher decided to purchase the old house out on East Washington Road.

Norman Fletcher worked on the old house and restored it to its former beauty. He once again made this house a home in the early 1950s. Fletcher was a veteran and appreciated the value of this old house as well as the history that accompanied it. There were some very interesting characteristics that were bequeathed to the new owner, intricately painted ceilings and door panels. Works of art that had survived since the early 1800s shortly after the home was constructed by James Craig himself.

Though Fletcher appreciated the primitive art that decorated the house he was renovating over seventy years ago he was not aware of the origin. Nobody in the village was aware, until that is, Minnie Babb started talking. Minnie Babb was aware of the origin of the mysterious beautiful paintings out on East Washington Road. In fact, she knew the story about the house and other old houses that were located about in both the Hillsboro and Henniker areas.

Minnie told her story over seventy years ago and enjoyed sharing the origin of the mysterious murals that were decorating the interiors of local homes. Minnie told her story back in 1950 but the story evolved many years earlier when an unknown artist walked the back roads of Henniker, Hopkinton and Warner too. The artist remained unknown for many years, until Minnie shared a story that was passed down to her by her ancestors.

The artist that walked the lonely roads carried his canvas sack of paintbrushes, colors, pigments and such. All the tools he needed to paint his beautiful scenes in these quaint New England villages two hundred years ago. His name was H. C. Fern and he worked to survive.

Another starving artist in search of his next meal, a warm bed on a cold winter day. He would barter with homeowners offering his unique talent as a painter in exchange for his room and board. He was known in the area and walked from house to house for many years. His murals were unique, pulling images from his past he painted many nautical scenes with mermaids, fish and assorted ships. There were ocean scenes that depicted his early adventurous years. Years when his younger self sailed from port to port, perhaps a sailor, a merchant or even a pirate.

The East Washington Road home boasted an eagle on the ceiling of the large front room, it was very old and darkened when Norman Fletcher was restoring the house in the early 1950s. Some other homes portrayed fish with Chinese and Japanese influence in an eccentric way. Admired by many H. C. Fern was welcome at any home he visited and he was invited to paint in exchange for a hot meal and warm bed.

It is interesting to note that H. C. Fern did not appreciate an audience 200 ago. He would negotiate with the homeowners and wait until everyone had retired to bed for the evening. It was only at that time that he would set up his staging, open his colorful paints and fan out his many artistic paintbrushes. He would light a kerosene lantern in the old houses and proceed to paint during the night.

Perhaps it was the solitude that inspired him, he never discussed the topics of his murals and the homeowners would view their newly acquired works of art when they woke in the morning.

In this day when homes are produced in quantity with similarities, I find it truly nostalgic to think about the traveling artist H. C. Fern. Yes, a bit excentric but truly a talented man. His story is as captivating as his art. A man traveling with his canvas satchel from town to town two centuries ago.