Featured Article: Elmo Alfred Brulé

Elmo Alfred "Al" Brulé Jr., an American artist working primarily with oil and water colors, was born in Sacramento, California in 1917, the son of attorney Elmo Alfred Brulé Sr. and Sophie Theresa Bexen Brulé. While living in Sacramento, at age 12, he was already working outside the home. Brulé had a strong artistic talent which lead him to his first showing at age 14 at the Northern California Artists Annual Show held at Crocker Art Gallery in Sacramento. His schooling in California at the University of California, Chouinard Art Institute, Otis Art Institute and California College of Arts and Crafts, made it possible for him to move quickly into employment with Disney and Warner Brothers Studios, Hollywood, from 1937-1938.

In 1964, the artist moved to South Berwick, Maine, to further his career in fine art painting. During this period, he focused on painting "the disappearing America". Brulé captured images that were quickly fading from the landscape. He taught many students in South Berwick in several locations: the Counting House, Berwick Academy, the building to the right of the Odd Fellows Block, Bishop's shop (which was at the corner of Main Street and Sewall Road) and from his home on Main Street. He was invited to paint the Shakers at Canterbury, New Hampshire, the only artist ever allowed to paint them and their way of living. In May 1972, Brulé had a one-man show in Rockland, Maine at the Farnsworth Art Museum.

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News and Announcements

5/6/2017 - "Brulé in Maine: An Artist's Journey", in which artworks from the Chase-Jellison collection feature prominently, will be running from May 19th to August 27th at the Sarah Orne Jewett House Museum and Visitor's Center. The guest curator for the show is our own Richard Stevens. Registration for the opening gala, to be held on May 20th, is now open at Historic New England's website: http://shop.historicnewengland.org/SOJ-RECEPTION-10286/.

11/19/2016 - The Chase-Jellison Homestead will be lending several items of artwork and ephemera from its collection to an upcoming exhibition of painter Al Brulé's work, as proposed to Historic New England by our current director, Richard Stevens.

11/12/2016 - We are delighted to announce the Homestead's acquisition of the Gladys Hasty Carrol Dunnybrook Collection. Over the coming weeks we will be reviewing the contents of the collection, with intent to make publicly available online the entirety of the collection's catalogue.

08/16/2016 - This summer Danny Bottino continued his internship. He was diligent in his work and the goal was to complete the transcribing of Sarah Hodgdon's diary. He was just shy of 11 pages before having to return to Yale. Thank you Danny for all your help this season.

10/26/2015 - Photos of the Chase Jellison Homestead were submitted to the Maine Historical Society to enter into their exhibit entitled "Home". This exhibit features photos of homes past and present. For directions to submit your images copy this link https://mainehistory.wordpress.com/2014/06/16/your-home-past-present/. To connect to Maine Historical Society web site copy this link https://www.mainehistory.org/museum_current.shtml .

09/17/2015 - Today we were excited to receive documents and two newspaper pages from Anne McGlincey, prior owner of the Chase Jellison Homestead. She gave us South Berwick tax bills from September 30, 1993 through March 31, 1995 for the property. We also received a psychologist's report regarding guardianship for Frank Chase Boston, prior owner, dated June 24, 1992 together with a letter of guardianship from the York County Probate Court awarding Anne C. McGlincey guardianship of Frank Chase Boston dated August 26, 1992. She gave us Frank Chase Boston's Death Certificate and the funeral bill from McIntire McCooey Funeral Home, both dated October 28, 1992. The final items are two Sunday July 9, 1995 pages from the Minneapolis Star Tribune featuring an article on Richard Avedon's photographs exhibited at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. What is so special about this exhibit and the newspaper pages is that Lois Clark, prior owner and sister of Frank Chase Boston, is one of Avedon's subjects in his photo titled "The Generals of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Washington, D.C., October 15, 1963".

09/07/2015 - Johnny Lamantia and his helper Travis removed moss and lichens from the north side of these areas of the house roof: the dormer of the main cape, the roof of the back three bedrooms and the kitchen roof.

09/01/2015 - The town painted double yellow lines on the road in front of the Chase-Jellison Homestead today.

08/31/2015 - Chain Saw Steve from Wells, Maine removed branches from the large old elm tree which were touching the cupola and the roof of the attached barn. The birch tree which was leaning over the lawn on the east side of the house was also removed and chipped into his truck. He did a great job cleaning up.

08/17/2015 - Danny Bottino finished his internship today for this summer. He has been instrumental in transcribing the news paper obituary clippings of Sarah Hodgdon. The town of South Berwick worked more today on the road in from of the Chase Jellison homestead completing the paving.

08/09/2015 - Today we purchased the book "Old Kittery and Her Families" from the Friends of the South Berwick Library. This book was donated to the Friends by Debbie Blouin and was from her father, Maurice F. Blouin's, collection. It is a 1970 reprint by the Old Berwick Historical Society, South Berwick, Maine and printed by The New Hampshire Publishing Company, Somersworth, New Hampshire. Affixed to the inside cover of this copy is an "Ex Libris" label that bears the legend, "Mr. and Mrs. Burton W. Trafton, Sr. loaned their first edition for reprinting purposes. Mr. Burton W. F. Trafton, Jr. conceived the idea of this new volume".

06/25/2015 - The Town of South Berwick is working on Emery's Bridge Road. They are hot topping sections of the road. Today they hot topped from the west side of Arnold and Virginia Boston's old house to Ruth Perschy's house. I would say approximately a half mile.

06/24/2015 - Pat Laska graciously gave us Yucca plants today. They came from her garden on Knights Pond Road. It is a long tradition in these parts for gardeners to share their plants with friends. This type of plant was originally part of the landscape here at the Chase Jellison Homestead. We are thrilled to have the Yuccas back in our gardens. Thank you, Pat.

06/09/2015 - Received today the August 2, 1952 Collier's magazine featuring illustration art by Al Brule.

06/08/2015 - This summer Tufts graduate Danny Bottino will be joining us for the third year in a row. He has started transcribing the Sarah Hodgdon news paper clipping collection of obituaries. We are thrilled to have him working with us again and would like to congratulate him on his acceptance to Yale this fall.

05/25/2015 - Recently, three 1947 F. Verrill Perkins Revolutionary War Ship calenders were purchased on line. Mr. Perkins was in the insurance and real estate business at 207 Main Street, South Berwick for many years.

05/24/2015 - We are happy to announce the purchase of an 1891 Scientific American magazine that contains an article on a South Berwick man that invented a method to propel carriages published in it.

05/05/2015 - Rick Boston gave us a 4x6 photo of his grandmother Pearl Boston taken in the early 70's.

05/04/2015 - We received a gift from Gillian Cusack of a large framed 1918 Camp Fire Girls group photo. Lois Boston Clark of South Berwick is standing to the right.

04/28/2015 - We would like to thank Debbie Littlefield for her generous donation of 2 photos. One of them is approximately 8"x 11" group photo which includes John McGlincey. The other photo is approximately 3"x 4" and is of Bill McGlincey, Catherine Stevens and Anne McGlincey. Thank you for thinking of us. They will be scanned and entered into our data base with a catalogue number, then placed in an archival sleeve and boxed for protection.

04/25/2015 - Today we purchased the book MAINE MEDICAL ASSOCIATION 1869-70 Published by Stephen Berry, Printer. Portland 1870 1st Edition with 341 pages. Original brown cloth hard cover binding has wear to spine ends else tight and in good condition. Text is in very good condition. There are two articles by T. H. Jewett father of Sarah Orne Jewett.

04/22/2015 - We had the opportunity to purchase 2 identical 1880's, 1890's trade cards today. The front shows a picture of an ocean with a healed shoe in the form of a sail boat with 2 children sailing it. It states "Presented with the compliments and good wishes of A. R. Gilman, Main St. South Berwick, Me.". The reverse states " When you come this way Please Call: and we will show you the finest kid boots for ladies there is in the market. It is made of the very finest American kid, by wise and cooper. For style and fit it has no equal and has the appearance of fine French kid. We have them plain toes and with tip. in two widths. We also have all the Leading Styles in Tennis, Bicycle and Wigwam Shoes and Slippers, For Men, Women and Children. A. R. GILMAN, Main Street, South Berwick, ME."

04/13/2015 - Today we purchased an original folded card measures 4 3/4 x 6 inches opened, inside it is describing CHEVIOT SHEEP available from WILLIAM CUMMINGS, S.BERWICK MAINE, A BERWICK FLOCK, on the back it shows the sheep and the men handlers, interesting and very good condition.

11/26/2014 - The homestead is delighted to announce the acquisition of 18th century Berwick and York County deeds related to or signed by members of the Chase-Jellison Homestead families. We have stored them in archival sleeves and boxed them in our archival storage boxes, and will be cataloging them in due course.

05/15/2014 - We are happy to welcome back Danny Bottino as an intern for this summer. He will continue to transcribe original deeds dating back to as early as 1673 pertaining to the property, and family letters from Mary Boston to her daughter Lois.

03/26/2014 - Dorothy Aubertine has generously donated a framed photo portrait of Forrest Eugene Hodgdon Jr. as well as the diary of his mother Sarah Hodgdon (dating 1905-1975).

01/30/2014 - We have just received a generous donation of archival storage boxes and archival sleeves, which will help preserve a number of new photos, news clippings, deeds, and textiles recently added to the collection. Thank you, Richard.

12/30/2013 - The homestead is pleased to announce the acquisition of 19th century CDV photos, cabinet cards and other documents from the Perkins family collection. We will be identifying, numbering and cataloging this collection in the coming weeks.

5/15/2013 - We are pleased to announce that we will be welcoming Tufts University student Danny Bottino as an intern this summer. He is currently studying History and Psychology, with a minor in Film Studies. He has been interested in history since elementary school, when he avidly read multiple books on the classical Greco-Persian wars. Danny has previously worked as an historical interpreter at the Museums of Old York in York, Maine.

3/17/2013 - May 1st This season's Old Berwick Historical Society summer exhibit will be on the Odd Fellows lodge of South Berwick, Maine at its Counting House Museum. The Chase-Jellison Homestead will be loaning items from its collection to supplement those of OBHS. Ceremonial robes and other artifacts, as well as biographies of featured members of the "Homestead" family will be on view.

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