One of the nicest features of the Archives Collections at the ACSM are the many tributes and articles written by unnamed folk about their favorite neighbors and friends. One of these pieces, by an unknown friend, provides a beautiful portrait of Jimmie Ware. The writer details Jimmie’s many accomplishments and her special qualities. Among these are Jimmie’s reputation as a Gardener Extraordinaire. She is remembered in her straw garden hat who could “… coax the most recalcitrant of plants to accept a home in her garden.” The author continues with memories of Jimmie’s strong black coffee served at community breakfasts, of her participation in theater and music activities, her involvement in many political causes, and the loss of her son James during World War II. All these qualities provide a picture of a most remarkable individual.
Jimmie Ware, 1950s-1960s, ACSM00990
Prior to arriving in Arden, she was a student at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art in Philadelphia. Her Mother, Marian Von Wattenburg was reported to have been a member of several professional acting groups, so the younger woman’s interest in the theater probably came from an early age. Just what drew her to the Ardens is not known, but her life in the community mirrors the lives of so many who made the villages the special places they are today.
Jimmie Von Wattenburg, 1907, ACSM02410 Edith “Jimmie” Ware arrived in Arden in 1906 – almost at the very beginning of the communities now known as the Ardens. Very little seems to be known about the origin of her very boyish nickname, but the woman herself was an admired artist and a valued friend and neighbor. She was only 18 when she moved to Arden and was soon involved in the weekly Shakespeare performances that took place in the Field Theatre. In 1917, she married Hamilton D. “Buzz” Ware. According to her 1983 obituary, “…the pair became outstanding leaders in the comprehensive cultural development of the village…” The wedding must have been a grand Arden celebration – among the gifts they received was a set of silver teaspoons and a silver mug, made by village silversmith Margaret Wood. The family grew to include daughter Joan in March 1919 and twins James and John in December 1924.
Notwithstanding all her activities, as well as raising a family; Ware found time to paint. In a review of her show at the Warehouse Gallery in 1968, Betty Burroughs (a newspaper columnist who also lived in Arden) wrote that many of Ward’s watercolors showed her love of the nature. There were pansies, pussy willows, and apple blossoms; as well as seascapes from Maine. The column also quotes Joan Ware Colgan, Ware’s daughter, discussing the abstract paintings that appear in the show. Colgan explained that her Mother disliked the early abstract work when she first saw it and framed her color-splattered paint cloth as a rebuff to those artists. Burroughs reported that even Ware’s abstracts found acceptance due to her “…fine sense of color.” Ware’s work continues to be treasured in many homes in the Ardens.
Jimmie Ware, far right, painting at the Warehouse Gallery, ACSM04117
It is not easy to sum up the work of a lifetime, but there are many more stories to tell about Jimmie Ware. Her work was featured in a show at the Delaware Art Museum in the early 1960’s. She was an early proponent of women’s suffrage. With her husband, Buzz, she was part of every village activity and worked hard to maintain and grow the life of the community. Ware was a primary founder of the Arden Club’s Gardener’s Gild. It seems best to return to the piece written by the unknown Ardenite to provide the closing for this story about Jimmie Ware. The author writes “…Jimmie was part of that original group which struggled to create the special qualities of our community that are so dear to most of us and is struggling still to preserve its integrity.” We are indebted to Jimmie Ware for a life well lived which continues to inspire us today.
Jimmie Ware in costume, 1914, ACSM00074
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