William Houghton Sprague Pearce also known as W.H.S. Pearce (August 5, 1864 – April 15, 1935), an American artist, was born in Boston to Mary Anna Sprague Pearce and Shadrach Houghton Pearce. His father ran a successful Chinese importing business. He was descended from many of Massachusetts's founding and historical figures. His grandfather was Charles Sprague, an early American poet known as the "". His great grandfather, , was a Patriot of the Revolutionary period and a participant in the Boston Tea Party who served under George Washington. He also is descended from Richard Warren, a Mayflower passenger and signer of the Mayflower Compact and The Rev. Peter Hobart of Hingham.