Today in Wheeling History: May 15—John Joseph "J.J." Owens, renowned artist and illustrator, was born in Wheeling (1887).
John Joseph Owens was born on May 15, 1887, in Wheeling, West Virginia, to Irish immigrants Thomas and Anna Owens. He grew up in Wheeling, attending parochial grade school and later graduating from Cathedral High School, now known as Central Catholic High School. His childhood home was located at 92-14th Street, across from the Scottish Rite Cathedral.
Owens pursued his passion for art at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, completing a four-year course in painting and drawing. Upon returning to Wheeling, he worked as a staff artist for the Wheeling Register newspaper and later established his own artist’s studio, gaining recognition for his portrait paintings.
During World War I, Owens enlisted in the U.S. Army Medical Service Corps, serving as a surgical illustrator at a base hospital in Paris. His anatomical drawings earned him the rank of Sergeant First Class. After the war, he remained in Paris for six months to study at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière.
Back in Wheeling, Owens became a prominent figure in the local art scene, founding the Art Club of Wheeling in 1928 and teaching art at Oglebay’s Art Colonies for Young People. He painted portraits of influential leaders, including members of the Fort Henry Club. Owens traveled extensively, working on commissions in Spain, Italy, and France, earning international recognition.
Tragically, Owens passed away on August 14, 1931, at the age of 44 due to appendicitis with peritonitis. He was buried at Mount Calvary Cemetery in Wheeling. His legacy lives on through his paintings, many of which are displayed at the Ohio County Public Library.
To learn more: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV (https://tinyurl.com/mrayd7ts) (https://tinyurl.com/2nc6wncx); Find a Grave (https://tinyurl.com/y5uupyek)
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; Find a Grave, Google Maps
John Joseph Owens was born on May 15, 1887, in Wheeling, West Virginia, to Irish immigrants Thomas and Anna Owens. He grew up in Wheeling, attending parochial grade school and later graduating from Cathedral High School, now known as Central Catholic High School. His childhood home was located at 92-14th Street, across from the Scottish Rite Cathedral.
Owens pursued his passion for art at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, completing a four-year course in painting and drawing. Upon returning to Wheeling, he worked as a staff artist for the Wheeling Register newspaper and later established his own artist’s studio, gaining recognition for his portrait paintings.
During World War I, Owens enlisted in the U.S. Army Medical Service Corps, serving as a surgical illustrator at a base hospital in Paris. His anatomical drawings earned him the rank of Sergeant First Class. After the war, he remained in Paris for six months to study at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière.
Back in Wheeling, Owens became a prominent figure in the local art scene, founding the Art Club of Wheeling in 1928 and teaching art at Oglebay’s Art Colonies for Young People. He painted portraits of influential leaders, including members of the Fort Henry Club. Owens traveled extensively, working on commissions in Spain, Italy, and France, earning international recognition.
Tragically, Owens passed away on August 14, 1931, at the age of 44 due to appendicitis with peritonitis. He was buried at Mount Calvary Cemetery in Wheeling. His legacy lives on through his paintings, many of which are displayed at the Ohio County Public Library.
To learn more: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV (https://tinyurl.com/mrayd7ts) (https://tinyurl.com/2nc6wncx); Find a Grave (https://tinyurl.com/y5uupyek)
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; Find a Grave, Google Maps
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