This is one of several American portraits acquired by the donor at the sale of the Peale Museum's collection in Philadelphia in 1854.

Sarah Wendell, daughter of Capt. Johannes Wendell of Albany, was married to Jacob Glen of Scotia, New York, in 1717. The portrait of Mrs. Glen is not by the same artist who painted her husband about the same time, although the dimensions and painted oval format suggest that the two were meant to be companion portraits. There is a record that both paintings originally hung in Glen-Sanders Hall in Scotia, the mansion built by Colonel Glen's father in 1713.

Colonel Glen, the son of Major John Alexander Glen, inherited his father's estate at Scotia, New York, and during his lifetime increased his landholdings to become one of the largest landowners in the area. He was a surveyor and an agriculturist, and was at one time commander of all the militia west of Albany.

The subject was a lieutenant in the U.S. navy during the Civil War. He became senior vice-commander, commandery of the State of New York, and later was promoted to the rank of admiral. His portrait was a gift to the Society from his daughter.

Gilman, a native of Thomaston, Maine, graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1856 and served with distinction in the Civil War. Although he retired from the military in 1895 he was promoted to full colonel nine years later. He died in Brooklyn, August 26, 1909. When this portrait was given to the Society it was called only "Colonel Gilman." Identification of the subject is based on comparison with a photograph in the National Cyclopedia of American Biography, vol. 24 (1935).

A native of Ireland, Gilliland enlisted as a young man in the British army. By 1754 he was already in the Colonies, serving in the French and Indian Wars. A few years later he established himself as a merchant in New York and began to purchase real estate, acquiring enormous acreage in Vermont where he established a settlement called Milltown. This portrait was painted in New York presumably while the artist was in debtor's prison.

Giles was born in New York, the son of John and Joanna (Young) Giles. He was a member of the Volunteer Fire Dept. of New York and was treasurer of the Exempt Firemen's Association for forty-four years. His portrait was a gift to the Society from his daughter.