FRUIT HEIGHTS—Local artist LeConte Stewart was well known for his landscapes but when his granddaughter Anne Stewart was going through her parents’ belongings after they died, she found a painting of a white haired couple. There is no note or information about who the couple is or when he painted it. Now Anne is trying to find those who might be related to or know the couple so she can get it into the family’s hands.

“There is no date on it but it is probably 60 years or older,” Stewart said. “It’s precious and I want to locate a family member because they would probably love to have a painting of their ancestors.”

LeConte was known as the Utah landscape artist but his art was recognized across the country, said Stewart. “Until his passing people would come out to the nursing home to interview him.”

His mother and siblings passed away when he was about 12, she said. “He was the only surviving child. His father passed away two or three years later. He went to live with his uncle and went back east to Woodstock, New York to study under the artists there.”

LeConte’s love of paintingstarted when he was young, said Stewart. He saved up and bought a paint set from the Sears Roebuck catalog and when it came he just ran his hands across the paints and brushes.

He came back from New York and taught at Ogden High School for about 10-12 years, she said. “He was a University of Utah professor and chairman of the art department there. There were art open houses held by the U of U and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He would always comment that he felt honored to be recognized in his lifetime and not posthumously.”

LeConte’s wife Zipporah Layton Stewart was the granddaughter of Christopher Layton who settled Layton.

For years he painted out of his home, said Stewart. “My grandmother opened up a gift shop in Kaysville to sell his paintings. My parents took it over so it lasted for 70 years.”

He loved teaching students, she said. “He said it was a privilege to earn a living doing something he loved. It is estimated that he created 10,000 pieces in his lifetime.”

Stewart said when she was at Kaysville Elementary, her grandfather was her show and tell. “He would paint for the class and all of the other teachers would come in to watch him paint.”

LeConte was very, very humble, she said. “He was a wonderful, generous man. If his neighbors were having trouble paying their medical bills or something he would knock on their door and hand them a painting and say ‘here, go sell this painting.’ He was very well to do but he didn’t care about money – he just wanted to paint.”

The paintingof the couple is unusual because LeConte didn’t usually paint portraits, said Stewart. “I’ve never seen it before. I just want to try to find their relatives.”

Anyone who has information about the painting please email [email protected].