KAVANAUGH, John J.

KAVANAUGH, John J. (Dubuque, IA, 1857--Los Angeles, CA, June 30, 1937). Kavanaugh, the son of Thomas KAVANAUGH, studied painting at Columbia University with George Inness and Francis Murphy according to Michael D. GIBSON. Kavanaugh moved to California sometime after 1917 as he was listed in the Iowa census as living at home in 1860, 1870, and 1880. The 1909 and 1916-1917 Dubuque City Directory located this person at 122 9th. He represented the First Ward in Democratic County Convention of 1892. (1) In 1894 a large oil painting of Julien Dubuque's grave was displayed in the window of the BOSTON ONE PRICE CLOTHIERS. The picture was on temporary display by Charles E. WALES before being moved to the HOTEL JULIEN room. (2)

Gary Germaine, a well-known Dubuque art and antique collector, restored a Kavanaugh painting prior to it being given to the DUBUQUE STAR BREWING COMPANY by Charles Rhomberg, a descendant of the family that operated the brewery through the early 1970s. (3) In 2022 Germain announced that he would sell a 1919 painting of HORSESHOE BLUFF done by Kavanaugh. (4) Germain had purchased the painting from a woman in New Jersey who found the print in a frame she had purchased on the Internet. In 2003 the DUBUQUE MUSEUM OF ART planned a summer exhibit including a 1904 oil painting of "Eagle Point" by Kavanaugh. (5) Another painting, "Forest Landscape," and inscribed on the reverse :"Recv from John J. Kavanaugh/July 4, 1919/at Gerrytown, Iowa" was auctioned in 2011.

According to the 1883 Dubuque City Directory, this business was located at 1086 Southern Avenue.

The 1884-1885 through 1890-91 Dubuque City Directory gave the northeast corner of 8th and Main as the address.

The 1911-1912 Dubuque City Directory through 1918 Dubuque Classified Business Directory listed 122 9th as the address.

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Source:

1. "The Delegates," The Herald, May 1, 1892, p. 8

2. "Municipal Molecules," The Herald, November 10, 1894, p. 4

3. Gallo, Matt. "Star Collector Makes Room for Latest Memorabilia," Telegraph Herald, December 9, 1988

4. Nevans-Pederson, Mary. "New Jersey!?! AWOL Painting Back Home," Telegraph Herald, Jan. 21, 2011

5. Voight, Sandye, "Call of the River," Telegraph Herald, July 24, 2003, p. 11

J. J. Kavanaugh Artist-Dubuque. http://boards.ancestry.co.uk/thread.aspx?mv=flat&m=3892&p=localities.northam.usa.states.iowa.counties.dubuque