Posted on Mon, May. 25, 2009

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Artist's illustrations promoted Kansas

The Wichita Eagle

This is one in a series of vignettes celebrating Kansas history. The series' name comes from the state motto, Ad astra per aspera: "To the stars through difficulties."

BY BECCY TANNER

Artist. Designer. Composer. Musician. Writer. There were few things Henry Worrall didn't do.

Worrall, one of best known Kansans in the late 19th century, drew illustrations that are credited with promoting the early settlement of Kansas.

One of his images, titled "Drouthy Kansas," portrayed the state as a place where men climbed ladders and used hatchets to cut the ears off corn; with watermelons so big men could easily stand on them; and with sweet potatoes so gargantuan a derrick was needed to lift them from the ground.

That illustration, which first appeared in the November 1869 issue of Kansas Farmer, was published throughout the world and in handbooks to attract settlers to Kansas.

Other drawings by Worrall appeared in leading magazines of the day, including "Harper's Weekly," and "Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper."

Worrall was born in Liverpool, England, on April 14, 1825, and immigrated with his family to America when he was 10. As a young man, he was a glass cutter and studied music in Cincinnati, Ohio. He learned to play more than 20 musical instruments.

In 1855, he composed a guitar piece called "Sevastopol" and sold the copyright for $15. It became one of the most popular songs of the 19th century. He also had a hit in 1866 with "Spanish Fandango."

In 1868, at 43, Worrall left Ohio and moved to Kansas for health reasons. He settled in Topeka, where he planted one of the first vineyards in Shawnee County.

Despite no formal training, Worrall developed a reputation as an artist.

He was hired by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railroad to illustrate its magazine, Rocky Mountain Tourist. He traveled throughout Kansas, the New Mexico Territory and Colorado.

He made a large wood carving of the seal of Kansas surrounded by products of the state, which was exhibited at the Centennial exposition at Philadelphia in 1876.

In 1901, Worrall suffered a stroke. He died June 20, 1902, at his home in Topeka.

Although he was a popular artist during his lifetime, much of his fame came afterward with the development and popularity of ragtime and jazz music. Worrall's musical compositions continued to be played by generations of performers of fingerstyle guitar and American roots music.

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