William Eugene McCown

1898 - 1966  (67 years)

• Name	William Eugene McCown
  		About William Eugene McCown
  		Portrait: William Eugene McCown by Man Ray
  Birth	27 Jul 1898	El Dorado Springs, Cedar, Missouri, USA   [1, 2, 3]
  Education	1914	Kansas City, Jackson, Missouri, USA (Age 15 years)   [4, 5]
  	Central High School
  		McCown, William Eugene - Central High School Yearbook Kansas City, Missouri 1914
  Education	1917	Kansas City, Jackson, Missouri, USA (Age 18 years)   [6, 7]
  	University of Missouri-Columbia (1917-1919)
  		McCown, William Eugene - University of Missouri Yearbook Columbia, Missouri 1918
  Education	1919	New York, New York, USA (Age 20 years)   [3]
  	"Modern Art School"
  Immigration	Jan 1920	San Juan, Puerto Rico, USA (Age 21 years)   [2]
  Travel	17 Jan 1920	West Indies (Age 21 years)   [3, 8]
  	Eugene toured the West Indies with John Blomshield (b.31 May 1897 Bay City, MI), the artist of the Hemingway portrait that appears on the dust jacket of "The Sun Also Rises", 1st ed.
  Occupation	1922	Paris, Île-de-France, France   [9]
  Artist by day...Jazz pianist at "Le Bœuf" by night.
  	Le Bœuf sur le toit
  Artwork	1923	Paris, Île-de-France, France (Age 24 years)   [10]
  	An oil painting of Nancy Cunard
  Artwork	1924	Paris, Île-de-France, France (Age 25 years)   [11]
  	The frontispiece to René Crevel's book,"Détours"
  		Frontispiece by Eugene MacCown for René Crevel's "Détours"
  Exhibit	1925	Paris, Île-de-France, France (Age 26 years)
  	Galerie de L'Effort Moderne, Léonce Rosenberg
  Letter	1925	Paris, France (Age 26 years)
  		Letter - McCown, William Eugene to Jane Kemp
  Periodical	Mar 1925	New York, New York, USA (Age 26 years)   [12, 13]
  	"The Little Review" (Source includes letters to Jane Kemp and a few of Eugene's paintings published in this issue). Included an article about Eugene by Rene Crevel.
  Exhibit	15 Mar 1930	New York, New York, USA (Age 31 years)   [14, 15]
  		Eugene MacCown Exhibit, March 15-27 ( Marie Sterner Galleries) Marie Sterner Galleries (March 15-27)
  		Portfolio: "Paintings - Drawings - Gouaches" by Eugene MacCown
  		Portfolio: "Paintings - Drawings - Gouaches" by Eugene MacCown (Intro)
  Article about Eugene McCown	14 May 1930	Sedalia, Pettis, Missouri, USA (Age 31 years)   [16]
  		Newspapers.com - The Sedalia Democrat - 14 May 1930 The Sedalia Democrat - 14 May 1930
  Travel	Abt 1932	Antwerpen, Belgium (Age 33 years)   [17]
  Letter	20 Nov 1934	New York, New York, USA (Age 36 years)
  		Letter - McCown, William Eugene to Andrew Dasburg A letter written by Eugene from his residence at the Chelsea Hotel to Andrew Dasburg in Taos, NM. He asks Andrew if he can pull any strings in securing him a Guggenheim Fellowship award and because he is in dire straits financially, if Andrew could help with selling his paintings. (Source: Smithsonian Archives of American Art. Andrew Dasburg Collection)
  Exhibit	23 Feb 1937	New York, New York, USA (Age 38 years)   [18, 19]
  	Federal Art Project Gallery (7 East 38th St.)
  		Exhibition of WPA Painters at Federal Art Project Gallery (1937)
  		Poster - W.P.A Federal Art Project Exhibition (1937)
  Exhibit	2 Nov 1938	New York, New York, USA (Age 40 years)   [20]
  	Whitney Museum of American Art (10 West 8th St.)
  		Whitney Museum to Open Its Annual Show
  Military	16 Feb 1942	New York, New York, USA (Age 43 years)
  		McCown, William Eugene - WWII Draft Registration Card
  Occupation	22 Sep 1945	Utica, Oneida, New York, USA
  Touring Army and Navy Hospitals for the USO Camp Shows...this one at Rhodes Hospital
  	News - McCown, William Eugene - Artist Will Visit Rhoads Syracuse NY Journal
  Author	1950	New York, New York, USA (Age 51 years)   [21]
  	"Siege of Innocence"
  		Book - Siege of Innocence by William Eugene McCown
  Death	23 Apr 1966	Manhattan, Kings, New York, USA   [22, 23]
  	Cause: Pneumonia
  	Per my phone conversation with Jérome Kagan 03/03/2021: Eugene tried to commit suicide on March 20th, 1966 by ingesting a number of pills and alcohol. He was found on the floor the next day by a friend of his, Gabriel Oriol, who took him to the hospital. Eugene survived for one month before he ultimately died of pneumonia. Mr. Kagan received this information (and more) from a gentleman who knew Eugene. Additional information can be found in Mr Kagan's book: Eugene McCown: Démon des années folles
  Burial	Eugene's place of burial has not yet been found. Eugene was destitute and starving at the time before his death. It's possible he was buried in Potter's Field in New York. Or maybe taken home to Missouri? We may never know.
  Person ID	I345	Discovering My Ancestors
  Last Modified	30 Jan 2023

  
  

  Father	William Henry McCown           b. 7 Aug 1870, Henry County, Missouri, USA           d. 28 Mar 1961, Noblesville, Hamilton, Indiana, USA (Age 90 years)
  Mother	Inez Boyer           b. 24 Apr 1877, Indiana, USA           d. 26 Jan 1909, Deepwater, Henry, Missouri, USA (Age 31 years)
  Marriage	Feb 1896	Henry County, Missouri, USA
  Children	2 children
  1. William Eugene McCown           b. 27 Jul 1898, El Dorado Springs, Cedar, Missouri, USA           d. 23 Apr 1966, Manhattan, Kings, New York, USA
  2. Laurayne Inez McCown           b. 10 Aug 1904, Deepwater, Henry, Missouri, USA           d. 19 Oct 2001, Baxter County, Arkansas, USA
  Family ID	F70	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map

  Letter - 1925 - Paris, France  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Photos » Slide Show		"Les deux nus a cheval" by Eugene McCown
  		McCown, William Eugene - "Si Jeunesse Savait" Original painting is in the Detroit Institute of Arts
  		Painting by Eugene McCown from the periodical "The Little Review"
  		Painting by Eugene McCown from the periodical "The Little Review"
  		Painting by Eugene McCown from the periodical "The Little Review"
  		McCown, William Eugene - "Les deux nues au lapin"
  		Portrait of unknown woman by Eugene McCown
  		"Les deux nus a cheval" by Eugene McCown
  		McCown, William Eugene - "L'espagnole"
  		Portrait of Nancy Cunard by Eugene McCown

  
  

• Sources

  [S272] U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, (Registration Date: 09 Sep 1918. Place: Henry, Missouri). Birth: 27 Jul 1898 Nearest Relative: William H. McCown; Address: Dee pwater, MO [S299] Puerto Rico, Passenger and Crew Lists, 1901-1962, Year: 1920. [S622] U.S. Passport Applications, 1795-1925, (Issued: 17 Jan 1920, Passport # 160056). "I, William Eugene McCown,...solemnly swear that I was born i n Eldorado Springs in the state of Missouri on the 27th day of July, 1 898, that my father, William H. McCown was born in Windsor, Missouri a nd is now residing at 501 Green Street, Clinton, Missouri. My permanen t residence being at New York City, NY where I follow the occupation o f artist...I desire a passport to visit the following countries: Guada lupe, Dominica, Trinidad, Barbados, Jamaica...I intend to leave the U S from the port of New York City sailing on board Ponce on January 17t h, 1920." Height: 5' 10 1/2" | Eyes: Gray- green | Hair: dark brown [S624] U.S., School Yearbooks, 1880-2012, (1914-2). [S624] U.S., School Yearbooks, 1880-2012, (1914). [S624] U.S., School Yearbooks, 1880-2012, (1917). [S624] U.S., School Yearbooks, 1880-2012, (1918). [S319] New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957, (Departed: 10 Jun 1920). Departure date: 10 Jun 1920 Departure place: La Guaira (On Board A t Curacse) Arrival date: 18 Jun 1920 Arrival place: New York City [S98] Virgil Thomson: Composer on the Aisle, pg.100. "He plays jazz on the piano nights (10 till 2) at Le Boeuf, w hich is the rendezvous of Jean Cocteau, Les Six, and les snobs intelle ctuals--a not unassuming place frequented by English upper-class, bohe mians, wealthy Americans, French aristocrats...He plays remarkably wel l and is the talk as well as the toast of Paris. He paints afternoon s and has recently had a sudden access of financial success.... I tak e my social life vicariously now…thru Eugene." [S89] University of Texas at Austin, Islands of Order: A Decade of Collecting. [S97] Détours. [S91] Bulletin de L'Effort moderne, p.16. [S212] Little Review Records, 1914-1964, Box 8, Folder 19 and Box 10, Folder 31. [S95] Newspaper - New York Times, A Round of Galleries - Eugene MacCown Invites His Titles (1930). "As for titles," says Eugene MacCown, "I never though t of them"; and so the artist has asked his friends to baptize th e pictures for him. Each name becomes, therefore, at least a persona l criticism--at most, a personal response. Clive Bell, Jean Cocteau, N orman Douglas, André Gide--all have made their comments.... [S200] Peter Harrington (bookseller), "Paintings - Drawings - Gouaches" by Eugene MacCown (Catalogue 64, #182). Oblong octavo. 10 leaves plus 4 plates (18 pictures total). Printed o n verge de Rives. At Eugene's request, each artwork was given a t itle by the following authors: Clive Bell, Jean Cocteau, Bernard Fay , André Gide, Norman Douglas, and Raymond Mortimer. [S684] Newspapers.com - The Sedalia Democrat - 14 May 1930, 14 May 1930. [S319] New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957, (Arrived: 27 Nov 1933). [S93] Archives of American Art, Federal Art Project, Photographic Division (Box: 15, Folder: 35, Reel: 1168). [S95] Newspaper - New York Times, Works of Federal Art Project Painters at Unit's Gallery Have Varied Interest (1937). ...exhibition at the Federal Art Project Gallery, 7 East Thirty-Eight h Street, may be seen through March 23 the third exhibition of work b y artists of the WPA easel painting department...Each of the artists i n the WPA show is represented by one canvas. [S95] Newspaper - New York Times, Whitney Museum to Open its Annual Show (1938). Paintings by more than 100 artists, representing sixteen States, wil l be on show next Wednesday when the 1938 Annual Exhibition of Contemp orary American Art is opened to the public at the Whitney Museum of Am erican Art, 10 West Eighth Street. This year's exhibition, like those in the past, has been assembled thr ough the non-jury method...The museum picked the 109 artists who wer e invited to the show, but left to each the choice of what work he wis hed to represent him. Each artist contributed one painting... [S94] Siege of Innocence: A Romantic Comedy Of Paris & Venice in the Twentie s. [S211] New York City volumes of Death Notices, Death Certificate #: 9170. MacCown, Eugene Age 67 Died April 23, 1966 in the Borough of Manhatt an Death Certificate #: 9170 [S92] Horizon Chasers: The lives and adventures of Richard Halliburton and P aul Mooney, Notes for Chapter 4 (pg 253, #7).