Ethan Allen Greenwood

Ethan Allen Greenwood (1779–1856) was an American lawyer,[1] portrait painter, and entrepreneurial museum proprietor in Boston, Massachusetts, in the early 19th century.

[3] After the deaths of his parents he built a large house on their land and he became active in the public and business affairs of Hubbardston.

[5] Entries from 1824 capture the details of Greenwood's life as a museum director: "June 1st, 1824.

Artillery Election good run of business & in the eve a 'Glorious House' $342.75.

Greenwood also established museum branches in Portland, Maine, and Providence, Rhode Island.

However, around 1834–1839 he experienced financial difficulties and, as a result, "his assignees conveyed the collections [of the New England Museum] to Moses Kimball.

"[4] Kimball would then found the Boston Museum and Gallery of Fine Arts, a theatre and exhibit hall, featuring a portion of Greenwood's collection; Kimball sold the other portion of Greenwood's collection to a museum effort in Lowell, Massachusetts, in 1840.