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Henry Worrall

Henry Worrall was an early Kansas artist who lived in Topeka, Shawnee County, Kansas. An inscription on the back of the photograph reads as follows: "Prof. Henry Worrall, born Liverpool, England. Most expert wood carver, artist - designer, guitarist, composer of Sebastopol, Violet Waltzes, Etc., resided in [XXXXXXXX], Ohio & Topeka, Kansas, U. S. A."

Pappan's Ferry in Topeka, Kansas Territory

Worrall, Henry, 1825-1902

This is a drawing depicting Pappan's Ferry on the Kansas River in Topeka, Kansas Territory.

Capretio

Worrall, Henry, 1825-1902

A manuscript copy of a guitar solo titled "Capretio" by Henry Worrall. Worrall published his solo guitar instrumental "Capretio on a Mexican Air" about 1866 with Oliver Ditson & Co. of Boston, Massachusetts. The copyright of this piece was credited to J.L. Peters and Bro. of St. Louis, Missouri. Worrall's manuscript copy of his "Capretio" [presented here] may date from an earlier or later period. In the early twentieth century, Worrall's popular guitar instrumentals played a key role in the development of the guitar styles of southern rural folk musicians and country and blues musical idioms. Worrall moved to Topeka, Kansas, in 1868 where he died in 1902.

Drouthy Kansas

Worrall, Henry

This painting by Henry Worrall, completed in 1878, challenges the assumption that Kansas was part of the "Great American Desert." Although there had, indeed, been a severe drought during 1860, Worrall believed that Kansas did not deserve this harsh reputation. In the foreground, his painting depicts the bountiful harvests of grain, watermelon, and potatoes, while the background includes rain showers and a rainbow stretching across the horizon. Although Worrall was a very productive artist, "Drouthy Kansas" quickly became his most famous work.

Worrall's select melodies

Worrall, Henry, 1825-1902

A guitar instrumental by Henry Worrall is included here within a series of solo guitar pieces published by J.L. Peters & Bro. of St. Louis, Missouri. Worrall's select melodies include "Prince William's Gallop" and "Princes Henrietta's Waltz." In the early twentieth century, Worrall's popular guitar instrumentals played a key role in the development of the guitar styles of southern rural folk musicians and country and blues musical idioms. Worrall moved to Topeka, Kansas, in 1868 where he died in 1902.

Henry Worrall with his guitar

Grigs, A. D.

Guitarist and artist Henry Worrall moved to Topeka, Kansas, in 1868 and died there in 1902. This photograph shows a youthful Worrall standing with his guitar. The photo was probably taken during Worrall's residence in Ohio in the 1850s or 1860s and reproduced later in Topeka by A. D. Grigs, as the border bears his imprint. Worrall's celebrated solo guitar instrumentals "Sebastopol" and "Violet Waltz" enjoyed great popularity in the nineteenth century. In the early twentieth century, Worrall's popular solo guitar pieces played a key role in the development of the guitar styles of southern rural folk musicians and country and blues musical idioms.

Col. O.W. Wheeler's cattle herd

Baker-Co

View of Col. O. W. Wheeler's herd en route to the Kansas Pacific Railway in 1867. The illustration was copied from "Historic Sketches of the Cattle Trade" by Joseph McCoy published in 1874. The illustrator is Henry Worrall.

Henry and Mary Worrall playing guitars

Guitarist and artist Henry Worrall of Topeka, Kansas, plays music with his wife, Mary Elizabeth Harvey Worrall. Henry and Mary frequently performed together in Cincinnati, Ohio, before moving to Topeka, Kansas, in 1868. Worrall's celebrated solo guitar instrumentals "Sebastopol" and "Spanish Fandango" enjoyed great popularity in the nineteenth century. In the early twentieth century, Worrall's popular solo guitar pieces played a key role in the development of the guitar styles of southern rural folk musicians and country and blues musical idioms. Henry Worrall died in Topeka in 1902. Mary Worrall died in Topeka in 1915.

Harper's Weekly newspaper page

Henry Worrall

Illustrations from Harper's Weekly magazine depicting Exodusters. As life in the South worsened for Blacks after the Civil War, many left for more promising lands. Thousands came to Kansas in a great exodus (hence the name "Exodusters") during the 1870s, attracted by the state's free-state reputation established during the territorial era. These three illustrations are captioned, "The Colored Exodus - - Scenes at Topeka, Kansas - - From Sketches by H. Worrall." Henry Worrall was an early Kansas artist.

Sebastopol

Worrall, Henry, 1825-1902

A manuscript version of guitarist Henry Worrall's celebrated guitar instrumental "Sebastopol." Worrall initially published "Sebastopol" in the 1850s with W. C. Peters and Sons of Cincinnati, Ohio. Included among Worrall's surviving music manuscripts are these manuscript editions of the introduction and finale to "Sebastopol." In the early twentieth century, Worrall's popular guitar instrumentals played a key role in the development of the guitar styles of southern rural folk musicians and country and blues musical idioms. Worrall moved to Topeka, Kansas, in 1868 where he died in 1902.