Researching John Oakes

He was born at Sproston House, near Middlewich, Cheshire, which had been in the possession of his family for several generations. He was educated in Liverpool, and studied art under John Bishop in the school attached to the Liverpool Mechanics' Institution. His earliest works were fruit-pieces. These he exhibited in 1839 and the following years at the Liverpool Academy, of which he became a member, and afterwards honorary secretary for several years.

About 1843 Oakes began painting landscapes from nature, and in 1847 the first picture exhibited by him in London, 'Nant Frangcon, Carnarvonshire,' appeared at the British Institution, and was followed in 1848 by 'On the River Greta, Keswick,' at the Royal Academy. He continued to send pictures, chiefly of Welsh mountain, moorland, and coast scenery, to these exhibitions, as well as to the Society of British Artists, Dudley Gallery, Portland Gallery, and elsewhere, and in 1859 came to reside in London.

He painted also in water-colours, and in 1874 was elected an associate of the Institute of Painters in Water-Colours, but resigned this position in 1875. He was elected an associate of the Royal Academy in 1876, and an honorary member of the Royal Scottish Academy in 1883. During the last six years of his life ill-health greatly interfered with the practice of his art. He still, however, exhibited annually at the Royal Academy, where a picture entitled 'The Warren' appeared the year after his death. Among his best works were 'A Carnarvonshire Glen,' 'A Solitary Pool,' 'Glen Derry,' 'Malldraeth Sands,' 'Aberffraw Bay,' 'Marchlyn Mawr,' 'Linn of Muick,' 'Dunnottar Castle,' 'The Bass Rock,' 'The Fallow Field,' 'The Border Countrie,' 'The Dee Sands,' and 'Dirty Weather on the East Coast.'

Oakes died at his residence, Leam House, Addison Road, Kensington, and was buried in Brompton Cemetery.

As of 1894, the South Kensington Museum had an oil painting by him entitled 'Disturbed,' an effect of early spring twilight. 'A North Devon Glen' was in the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, and 'Early Spring' in the Glasgow Corporation galleries.

Born in Galveston, Texas, Oakes was a 1928 graduate of the United States Military Academy. A career field artillery officer, he served as executive officer of the XIII Corps Artillery at Fort Dix and Fort Bragg and then in France, Holland and Germany during World War II. After the war, Oakes was sent to study at the Army Command and General Staff College in 1945, graduating in 1946. In the summer of 1948, he was assigned to an advisory mission in Greece during the Greek Civil War. After this, Oakes was sent to study at the National War College in 1950, graduating in 1951.

Promoted to brigadier general in 1952, Oakes commanded the 25th Infantry Division Artillery in the Korean War from October 1953 to July 1954. He also served as acting division commander while Halley G. Maddox served as interim I Corps commander. This was followed by an assignment as Eighth Army chief of staff in Korea. Oakes next served as assistant chief of staff for operations, U.S. Army Europe and then as Seventh Army chief of staff.

Promoted to major general on 19 July 1957, Oakes served as deputy commanding general of the Seventh Army and then as Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Military Operations at the Pentagon. Promoted to lieutenant general on 1 November 1959, he served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Military Operations until 19 January 1961. Oakes later served as VII Corps and Seventh Army commander. After suffering a heart attack, he retired from active duty in 1963.