INSIDE

Frankly SpeakingHighlights of

Walter Isaacson’s talk on Ben Franklin

You Gotta’ Have Art!A review of Jayne Warman’s

Art-to-Art Talk

Up the Lazy River Enjoying the best of the historic Hudson

Lost TreasuresSearching for missing art

Chief Gramatanis on a roll!

Civil War Expert set to speak

at 2005 Brendan Gill Lecture

PLUS...

In Loving Memory

Looking for New Project Ideas

Letter to the Editor

FALL 2004

The Chronicle

Homeward Bound.

Join us for the 2004Historic House Tour.

ot just one but two grand houses and two of Bronxville's most noted

architects are on the program for this fall'shistoric house tour set for Sunday,November 7th.

The membership tour will begin at 4:00p.m. at the splendid stone neo-Tudorhouse at 935 Kimball Road built by LewisBowman in 1924 for financier Roy C.Graham -- better known today as thehome of the president of Sarah LawrenceCollege. Unfortunately, the 1929 stockmarket crash made it necessary forBowman to buy back his creation fromthe impoverished owner, which lead tothe greatly diminished fortunes ofBowman as well.

Across Kimball and nestled in the cen-ter of the campus, "Westlands," the brickand timber home of Sarah and WilliamVan Duzer Lawrence, was built by WilliamBates and his partner Kenneth How in1917. Although altered over the years tobetter serve the needs of the college,many of the fine original details still existtoday and can be viewed and enjoyedbeginning at 5:00 p.m. during the recep-tion and business meeting portion of thetour. Any questions, please call CarolynMartin at 664-3051.

A Publication of

The Bronxville Historical Conservancy

Bronxville’s Founding Father,WILLIAM VAN DUZER LAWRENCE.

Members are invited to tour his magnificent home at the 2004 Historic House Tour.

Bronxville, New York

N

President’s House, Sarah Lawrence College

BY CAROLYN MARTIN

Frankly Speaking,Walter Isaacson

was terrific!

“Can you believe he spoke without notes and answered eachand every question extemporaneously? Not only is he extremelytalented as a writer and lecturer with an incredible mind, but heis also a really nice man!” Bunny Almy

An admiring audience and full

house atthe 2004

Brendan GillLecture held March 5th at

Concordia College.

ithout a single note, former CNN and Time Magazine executive Walter Isaacson

captivated an expectant crowd at the 6th annualBrendan Gill Lecture with the wit and wisdom gainedfrom years of researching the life of Benjamin Franklin.The former Cedar Knolls resident spoke of Franklin’sbelief in civic-minded virtue -- a trait that ConservancyCo-chair Bob Riggs believes the people of Bronxvilleexemplify. Isaacson noted that Franklin wouldundoubtedly concur.

W

Liz and Paul Murphy

Gay Reetz and son, Gary ReetzDale Walker

Bunny Almy

Walter Isaacson

reasured art is coming home, thanks to the efforts of the Bronxville Historical Conservancy.

On May 16th, Art Historian Jayne Warman drew apacked crowd at the Yeager Community Room asshe presented works of art the Conservancy hasacquired as a part of its effort to bring the cre-ations of early Bronxville artists back to our commu-nity. The paintings will be displayed in the newly-renovated Village Hall so that Bronxville's artisticlegacy can be appreciated by many viewers.

Ms. Warman noted that the Conservancy has focused on bringingback works by artists that are not represented in the Bronxville Libraryart collection and shared insights into each early artist’s life. Amongthe works presented were two winter scenes by Sheldon Parsons whocaptured the beauty of the Bronx River and surrounding woods as wellas a spring landscape by Walter Clark that reflects this artist's enthusi-asm for painting the local scenery, particularly the woodlands alongthe Bronx River. Warman noted that a beautifully painted watercolorby Will Hicok Low epitomizes his mastery of allegorical subjects. Acharming scene of toy sail boats on the Bronxville pond bought inmemory Jean Bartlett was painted by Will Low's wife, Mary FairchildLow, who presented it as a wedding gift to Fanny Ellsworth andRobert Scannell, a noted village architect, in 1925. A large andsplashy still life of peonies by Spencer Baird Nichols departs from thelandscape subjects that are a large part of the Conservancy's grow-ing collection. Also on exhibit: an allegorical scene donated byCharles Hinton, Jr., painted by his father and given to him as a wedding gift.

The most recentacquisition was astriking portrait ofWilliam Van DuzerLawrence given tothe Conservancy byBob and SarahUnderhill. Bob is thegreat-great grand-son of this Bronxville founding father.

The Conservancy's spring event also included a small loanexhibition of works by Bronxville artists and a lovely reception.

You gotta’ have art...

Jayne Warman

Bob Underhill next to portrait of his great-greatgrandfather, William Van Duzer Lawrence

Photo Shop: Art for the Future?Mary Civiello, captured at the lecture

Lydia Maria Petrosino points out her painting of “The Bronxville Trolley” to Victoria Manley and Carl d'Angio

Cheryne McBride

“Yes! He is my great-greatgrandfather. My grandmother,Lucia Meigs Andrews, wasWilliam and Sarah’s granddaughter.” Bob Underhill

T

Up a laz

hen the Bronxville Historical Conservancy

embarked on its September trip to historic

Montgomery Place in Annandale-on-

Hudson, a glorious Sunday afternoon was

served up for the occasion. One hundred enthusiastic mem-

bers departed the Yonkers pier, eager for the two-hour cruise

north. On the river the Sea Streak fast ferry encountered sails

galore, a B-17 bomber overhead and lighthouses in the stream

as the history buffs made their way to the Kingston Roundout dock.

Montgomery Place did not disappoint our members either. Managed by

Historic Hudson Valley, the estate’s

docents and horticultural experts

guided us in three groups through the

estate’s 434 acres of rolling lawns,

woodlands along the Sawkill

cataracts and the outstanding 1920s

planned garden, a creation of land-

Bob Dobbin

Bob Dohrenwend and George Unis

Mary Thaler and Patty Dohrenwend

Bob and Linda Shearer George McKinnis, Nanc

Enjoying an historic day on the H

“What struck me about Montgomery Plafamily lived, was how human and 'everydamidst of their wealth relative to the rest of important role in the early history of this nthey, too, had to ‘put their pants on one leships of ordinary living in the early days o

BY PATTY DOH

W

zy river...

scape architect A.J. Downing. The mansion that is the

centerpiece of the estate exhibits not only the mark of the

great 19th-century architect A.J. Davis, but also the familial

tastes of the Livingstons during their 200 years of residency

(1804-1985). Whether it is the dining room’s unique enamel

morning glory chandelier or the comfort of the open veran-

da, the home clearly recalls gracious living from eras past.

The group then fast forwarded in time as we drove through the

Bard College campus for a “quick look” at the gleaming Frank

Gehry-designed Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts.

Only recently completed in 2003, the building is already touted

as a Hudson valley landmark.

Our Sunday travelers enjoyed

drinks, good food and chatter all the

way home – making the Hudson

River Trip a repeat treat for so many

members.

cy Hand and Bill Murphy

Marcia Lee

Schatze Thorp and Ellen Seabring

Peter and Bea Herrick

Co-chairs, Marilynn Wood Hill and Bob Riggs

Hudson and visit to a grand estate.

ace, where generations of the Livingstonay' their living quarters were, even in the the populace. The family played such annation and New York State, and, yet,eg at a time’ when it came to the hard-of this country.” Marcia Lee

HRENWEND

ctober was Local History Month in Westchester County. To help celebrate, County Executive Andy Spano named 15 Westchester County Bee-Line

buses in honor of our county’s rich history and heritage. You will be pleased tosee that our "Chief Gramatan" is one of the first new buses on the road, with theimage used on the car card and pamphlet having been taken from the collection in the Bronxville Public Library.

A little history: When Henry Hudson came to Westchester in 1609, the areawas populated with several tribes of Algonquin-speaking Indians. The Siwanoyslived along the shore of Long Island Sound and inland as far as White Plains.Chief Gramatan, a courageous and friendly Native American, was amongthose who deeded the lands of the Siwanoy to Thomas Pell in 1666.

A full monthly calendar of events was pulled together by the WestchesterCounty Historical Society and includes activities from many of our neighboringhistorical societies, sites and museums. Patty Dohrenwend says you can findmore information about the month-long celebration on the Internet at:

http://www.westchestergov.com/currentnews/2004pr/busnames.htm

He’s on a roll.

he Conservancy has become increasingly conscious of the village’s artistic legacy and has recently taken on themission of searching for some of its lost treasures. One notable example is a mural painted by Will Hicok Low, given to the Bronxville School in a grand and moving ceremony attended by more than 100 guests in 1932. It depicts

Low’s interpretation of a poem on youth by Ralph Waldo Emerson, and it was completed, according to the local press, justhours before his death. The picture was to “be permanently hung in the Bronxville Schools,” specifically the Library. It is notknown where this painting is today.

Several years later, four panels by Low were acquired for the school, a gift from the Class of 1933. They were preliminarystudies of murals, painted between 1914-1918, that decorated the rotunda of the State Education Building in Albany. Thepanels represented “Astronomy and Geography,” “Theseus, the Pathfinder,” “Icarus, the Sky-Soarer,” and “Medicine andChemistry.” They were to be hung “in the main foyer of the school.”The locations of these paintings, too, are unknown, although pho-tographs of the murals from Low’s papers exist in the Local HistoryRoom.

Another canvas, by cattle painter William H. Howe, was presentedby the artist to the Village of Bronxville and hung in the TrusteesRoom of the old Village Hall that was demolished in 1942. It musthave been quite large because the local paper declared “there isno other public building in the village to accommodate it…It coversthe full width of the wall.” All that is presently known about the largecanvas is that it was a “landscape scene” and that it is missing.

One can only hope that these gifts to village residents are squir-reled away in a dark recess of the school,Village Hall or elsewhere,just waiting to be discovered. Anyone with any information about the works, please contact Jayne Warman at JSWarman51@aol.com.

Chief GramatanA leader of the Siwanoy Indians

in the 17th century.

Look for Chief Gramatan on a Westchester Bus!

Lost Treasures Valued paintings were given to the village and school...where are they now?

BY JAYNE WARMAN

T

O

Honest, Abe...this event will be the talk of the town in February!

“Abraham Lincoln is known to history as savior of the Union,the Great Emancipator, authorof the Gettysburg Address, andmartyr to an assassin's bullet.Less well known is his role ascommander in chief of the armedforces, which absorbed more ofhis time and energy than any-thing else. This lecture will dis-cuss his active role in the formu-lation and execution of Unionnational and military strategy.” James McPherson

Civilities.

Professor James McPherson

In Loving Memory

With heavy hearts, we note the passing

of dear friends and members of the

Bronxville Historical Conservancy.

FIELDING BOWMAN

DON CAMERON

JANE ELLIOTT

WAYNE FREDERICKS

PRISCILLA HAWKINS

JOHN WILSON

and

GEORGE PLIMPTON2000 Brendan Gill Lecturer

May their spirits rest in peace.Their memories will be in our

hearts and minds forever.

Princeton Professor of Historyand Civil War Expert

JAMES MCPHERSONwill be the

featured speaker at the

7th Annual Brendan Gill Lecture

"Lincoln as Commander in Chief"

Friday, February 25, 2005 8:00 p.m.

Concordia College Sommer Center

Five years. Within that short time span the BronxvilleHistorical Conservancy’s annual program of eventshas become a “must” for many of our members. TheSeptember Hudson River visits to historic residences,the winter Brendan Gill lecture series, the annual housetour, and our Sunday afternoon Lawrence Park artists’lecture series are well known to our membership.

Less well known is the current effort to expand ourcollection of paintings from the Lawrence Park era foreventual display in the renovated Village Hall, theConservancy’s grants for projects associated with theLocal History Room at the Library, and our researchinto producing additional street sign frames & posts ifthe village requires them in the future.

However, your board would welcome suggestionsfor a more visible project, which would be of serviceto the village, similar to the restoration of the AvonRoad lanterns that was completed last year. Anyideas? Drop a note to the Bronxville HistoricalConservancy, P.O. Box 989, Bronxville, N.Y. 10708 orsend an e-mail to rmwdds@aol.com. We wouldappreciate hearing from you.

What’s up, Doc?Board Member and Project Chair,Dr. Robert Wein wants your ideas!

The ChroniclePublished by the

Bronxville Historical Conservancy© Fall 2004

Designed & Edited by Nancy VittoriniSubmissions welcome!

The Bronxville Historical Conservancy was

founded in 1998 to further the understanding and

appreciation of the history and current life of the

Village of Bronxville, New York.

The Conservancy furthers its mission through the

presentation of programs, publications, lectures and

special events that foster an awareness of the

village’s architectural, artistic and cultural heritage

and lends its support for projects designed to

strengthen and preserve those legacies.

The BronxvilleHistorical Conservancy

P. O. Box 989Bronxville, NY 10708

Mark your Calendar!James McPherson is our noted speaker for the

7th Annual Brendan Gill Lecture.February 25, 2005

Opining from Ohio Hello Nancy,Here are a few pictures of a Bronxville, N.Y. stamped pocket knife that I retrieved froma local antique shop. I believe this to be an extremely rare piece, not only because of itscondition (it's absolutely mint, untouched, in its original leather purse), but also due tothe fact that three of the four blades are stamped "MILLER BROS.," and the fourthstamped "BRONXVILLE-NEW YORK". What makes that rare is the fact that MILLERBROS. was a firm that started in the mid 1800s that was located in Meriden, Conn.,and the only cutlery company that I know of in Bronxville, N.Y. was "J. Ward" circa1860s. That is according to numerous reference books on cutlery that I have researched.This knife has not been altered in any way. I thought you would find this of some interest and possibly share it with others from the Historical Society. If anyone has anyinformation to offer about either of these firms, or know of any other links, it would begreatly appreciated. Sincerely, Gary Pasko

GARY PASKO17167 MISTY LAKE DRIVESTRONGSVILLE, OHIO 44136

Our very first!

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dear Gary,Perhaps the knife was crafted at theOld Saw Mill (pictured above) nearthe Bronx River on Pondfield RoadWest. At the time depicted in thissketch, the mill housed the cutleryfactory of James Swain. It laterbecame the J. Ward factory.Yours truly,Nancy

We’d love to hear from you!Send your questions or

photographs or bits of history to share

to The Chronicle,vitt@optonline.net

Note that on Gary’s knife, one blade isstamped “Bronxville” -- the other, “Miller Bros.”