Edgar Paxson (1852-1919)

Charles M. Russell was a friend of Edgar Paxson, and although they did not meet often, they admired each other and relished their time together. Along with John L. Clarke, Earl Heikka, and O.C. Seltzer, they are Montana’s most noted artists. Born on April 25, 1852 near Buffalo, New York, Paxson grew up reading dime novels about the West. He was fascinated with the Indian. His only schooling was one year in a Quaker schoolhouse—Friends Institute in East Hamburg, New York. In fact, he had no formal art training, but learned on the job from his father who was a sign painter.

Close to the same time the Nez Perce and Chief Joseph were fleeing from the U.S. cavalry, in 1878 Paxson hired on with Montana ranch...