Career
He is best known for painting The Arkansas Traveler. Washburn died in Little Rock, Arkansas only 9 days after the death of his father. He is buried in historic Mount Holly Cemetery in downtown Little Rock.
(1858) depicts an encounter between a wealthy traveler and a family of squatters.
The painting was created just south of the town of Russellville, Arkansas at the Washburn family homestead site. The Washburn cemetery, near the homestead site, still exists today.
The painting was widely distributed and printed as a Currier & Ives lithograph. lieutenant was inspired by the humorous song of the same name by Colonel Sanford "Sandy" Faulkner.