old-houses- 0634 - Old Houses of the North Country

-No. 634
Old Houses of the North Country
—Photo and Caption by David F. Lane
R. J. W. MORGAN HOUSE AT HENDERSON HARBOR
Houses of the cup-and-saucer type are extremely rare
In 1883 he located at Henderson Harbor and in 1888
in northern New York. That of Miss Alice Austin at Hen- remodeled a schooner into the steam barge William Gilderson Harbor is not only a fine specimen of this style of
bert. He built a dock, warehouses and engaged in the coal,
dwelling, but it is a large, dignified and especially attrac- flour, feed, salt, lumber, shingle and water lime trade. In
tive house.
1853 he married Elizabeth, daughter of Esquire and
F r o m its hillside location high above the main street
Phena Washburn Ellis of Ellisburg, and had two sons
it commands a view of picturesque Henderson bay. Preand a daughter.
sumably the house was built by Remembrance J. W .
On Oct. 24, 1903, Capt. William Gilbert conveyed his
Morgan about 105 years ago. Almost nothing is known
about Remembrance J. W. Morgan, who began buying Henderson Harbor properties to his son, Grant A. Gilbert,
land in Henderson township Dec. 1, 1839, transferred his * of Adams who, Nov. 25, 1904, sold to Fred Hamm and
Nelson Hovey of the Henderson Harbor firm of Hamm
interests to Henderson Harbor Nov. 27, 1848, and bought
& Hovey, coal and feed dealers. On March 11, 1918, Fred
parcels of land in this house locale as late as March 5,
and Nellie Hamm, Nelson and Leona Hovey sold the
1849.
property to the Adams Coal company, of which O. D.
The fact that there was a captain's walk atop the cup
Greene was the head, and the Hoveys shortly removed to
or second story of the house, and that the front and side
Idaho.
On May 3, 1921, the Adams Coal company in turn
verandahs were very narrow would indicate that Morgan
sold the house and its site of .33 of an acre plus a fourwas a Great Lakes sailor, probably a ship's captain to
foot right-of-way at the rear to Miss Austin, present ownjudge from the spaciousness of his fine house. Perhaps
er who, with her mother, Mrs. John J. Austin, occupy the
he was also a shipbuilder. Some of his Henderson Harbor
place summers.
land was bought from George Eggleston, some from EdMiss Austin, teacher in the Geneseo State University
win Burnham.
Teachers' college, was graduated from the Adams High
Apparently he died in straightened circumstances late
school in 1930 and from Syracuse university in 1936,
in 1873 for on Jan. 19, 1874, his widow, Deborah, and
There she majored in drama and minored in English.
James Pettingill, administrators of his estate, sold his
housm and shorefro»i~jwopertie«,^wd on A|JTll -f^rtr-IstJT- Sfrt^rrw-TrmcmbCT-of Thcta Phi Alpha, Zcta Phi women's
professional society, Boar's Head, English club, Tamraine farm interests to pay up his indebtedness.
bourine and Bones club. In 1937 she went to Port JefferThe 1.12-acre parcel containing his house and small
son High school to teach public speaking and dramatics.
barn went to 'William Pitt Davis and Arthur J. ArmLater she coached dramatics, taught English and was listrong, and a 2.55-acre parcel with no buildings to Alden
brarian at the Henderson school. This summer she headC. Stevens. Davis acquired his partner's share in the first
ed the Henderson Harbor Yacht club entertainment staff.
parcel and sold it to Stevens April 1, 1878. Stevens and
Her father brought his family from New York to Henwife, Mary, disposed of both parcels to Capt. William
derson Harbor in 1921 when he became assistant manGilbert, Ellisburg, Dec. 1, 1883.
ager and purchasing agent for the General Electric comCapt. William Gilbert, native of Ellisburg, was the son
of Peter Gilbert, who was born on Long Island in 1794. pany at Association Island. He held that position until his
death eleven years ago.
Peter settled at the mouth of Sandy creek and learned
the ship carpenter's trade. William 'Gilbert was- the son
Miss Austin's attractive old cup-and-saucer house is of
of Peter by his second wife, Elizabeth Ann Skelton, sister
unique construction. Its foundation walls are about 30
of Peter's first wife, Polly.
inches thick. The exterior walls are bricked up. An attracCapt. William born in 1827, at 13 shipped as cook
tive balustrade borders the first story and cornices are
aboard the schooner William L. Marcy. He sailed the
supported by artistic brackets. The narrow front veranlakes until 1848, then built and captained a schooner five
dah has been deepened. Sidewall paneling upstairs opens
years, sailed other ships and, in 1863 with William Mcinto storage caches. The interior woodwork of the house
Lean built the 140-ton schooner Billow. Later he bought
is handcrafted and stained brown. The wide pine boards
and sailed other ships. In 1879 hejbuilt the schooner Gilof the original floors are now Veneered with modern