Why sooo many artifacts? Well, what started out as urban flight (Goodbye, Manhattan!) and Adirondack Coast escapism (Hello, Essex!) soon morphed into an all-consuming avocation: resuscitating Rosslyn (an endless, painstaking historic rehabilitation I’ve dubbed “rehab ad infinitum“). A bit like amateur archeologists poking through ancient midden heaps, we’ve tried to decipher the relevance and context of rotting lineament bottles, wallpaper shards, yellowing postcards, vintage photographs, and all manner of miscellaneous relics/esoterica. Our burgeoning collection of Rosslyn, Essex, Lake Champlain, and Adirondack artifacts comprises a veritable “digital museum” of curated collectibles all directly or indirectly related to the historic William Daniel Ross home in Essex, New York.
Envelope from the Essex Horse Nail Co., Limited in Essex, New York.
I spied this intriguing artifact in an eBay auction. It’s a canceled envelope for a letter, invoice, something… sent from the Essex Horse Nail Co., Limited in Essex, New York on August 16, 1898 (year cited in eBay auction, though I’m unable to verify) to Mr. D. J. Payne in Wadhams Mills, New York. It’s a somewhat unremarkable artifact, detritus really, the “wrapper” from correspondence between the village where I live now and the village where I grew up, from the village where the Essex Horse Nail Co. no longer stands (and Rosslyn still does), to the village where “Homeport” still presides over the Boquet River just upstream from a hydroelectric power plant (resurrected on the site of the original Wadhams Mill). Unremarkable, yes, and yet nostalgic. A bridge across almost twelve decades, a dusty handshake between two geographically poignant reference points in my personal journey. Nothing more. Nothing less.
Envelope (back) from the Essex Horse Nail Co., Limited in Essex, New York.
Moody Rosslyn boathouse award!?!? I believe that Santa Fe native, Terrell White, may well have painted the most unique and evocative portrait of Rosslyn’s boathouse ever. Ben White, a former student from my brief tenure as a teacher and coach at Santa Fe Preparatory School (1996-9) reached out to me a while ago — how in the world does time slip-slide so swiftly downstream? — with this moody painting inspired by our historic dock house located just north of the Essex ferry dock.
My dad paints a few times a week. He’s always looking for inspiration, and I showed him a picture of your boathouse. Think it came out pretty good! ~ Ben White
The uncanny overlap between my various worlds and life phases tickled me. And the stunning image thrilled me!
Quite a few years have whooshed past since I last connected with Ben’s father. Life happened. Friendly follow-up slipped into the morass of busyness. Years came. Years went.
Until today. Something triggered the memory of this painting. I’ve managed to dug it up. And now it’s yours to enjoy. Let’s raise a cup full of fermented cheer to Terrell White for inventing the moodiest (and the most cinematographic) rendering of Rosslyn’s dock house to ever flit across my radar. I would love to capture a higher resolution photograph or scan of this singular painting, but until then, this curiously cropped digital will do.
Now it’s time to dig through old address books to see if I can reconnect with Terrell White. Stay tuned…
It’s always a treat to discover Rosslyn artifacts. Can you just barely spy our boathouse beyond the moored boats?
This intriguing photograph was received from part-time Essex neighbor, Christine Herrmann. This generous Sandy Beach friend has allowed us to traverse her Lake Champlain waterfront with our tractor to rebuild and maintain our seawall during autumn’s low-water levels. And – as if that weren’t enough to qualify her for neighbor superstardom — she periodically shares patinaed glimpses into the sometimes recent, sometimes distant history of our home, waterfront, and village.
“Here’s another photo I found of a long ago summer. Not sure what year but probably early 1950’s. I’m pretty sure it’s of the Essex Regatta, but I do not know any of the boats. Maybe someone will know more.” ~ Christine Herrmann
I am long fond of vintage boats and especially keen on vintage photographs of the summer celebrations that drew boaters and spectators from many miles away to the north shore of Essex Village half a century ago. Although I never experienced the Essex Regattas, I can almost summon up the excited cheers, the starting horns, the healing sailboats, the grinning water skiers, and the roaring speedboats from photographs and newsclippings. I keep hoping that I will stumble across an old home movie if the Essex Regattas, but until then imagination and the generosity of others will serve me well.
Rosslyn Boathouse, Circa 1907 (Source: vintage postcard with note)
It’s time travel Tuesday! Gazing through the time-hazed patina of this vintage postcard I’m unable to resist the seductive pull of bygone days. Whoosh!
I tumble backward through a sepia wormhole, settling into the first decade of the 20th century. It’s 1907 according to the postal stamp on the rear of this postcard.
Back of Rosslyn Boathouse Postcard
Eleven decades ago a man rowed a boat past Rosslyn’s boathouse, from north to south, through waves larger than ripples and smaller than white caps. It was a sunny day in mid-to-late summer, judging by the shoreline water level. A photographer, hooded beneath a dark cloth focusing hood, leans over behind his wooden tripod, adjusting pleated leather bellows, focus, framing. And just as the rower slumps slightly, pausing to catch his breath, the shutter clicks and the moment is captured.
Perhaps this is the photographer who memorialized Rosslyn boathouse more than a century ago?
Albumen print of a photographer with Conley Folding Camera circa 1900. (Source: Antique and Classic Cameras)
There’s so much to admire in this photograph-turned-postcard. Rosslyn boathouse stands plumb, level, and proud. Probably almost two decades had elapsed since her construction, but she looks like an unrumpled debutante. In fact, aside from the pier, coal bin, and gangway, Rosslyn boathouse looks almost identical today. Remarkable for a structure perched in the flood zone, ice flow zone, etc.
I’m also fond of the sailboat drifting just south of Rosslyn boathouse. Raised a sailor, one my greatest joys in recent years has been owning and sailing a 31′ sloop named Errant that spends the summer moored just slightly north of its forebear recorded in this photo.
Although the pier and the massive coal bin in front of the boathouse are no longer there, they offer a nod to Samuel Keyser‘s stately ship, the Kestrel, for many summers associated with Rosslyn boathouse.
Kestrel at Rosslyn boathouse in Essex, NY
Other intriguing details in this 1907 photo postcard of Rosslyn boathouse include the large white sign mounted on the shore north of the boathouse (what important message adorned this billboard?); the presence of a bathhouse upslope and north of the boathouse (today known as the Green Frog and located on Whallons Bay); and the slightly smudged marginalia referring to a small white skiff pulled ashore slightly south of the boathouse (what is the back story?).
This faded photograph kindles nostalgia and wonder, revealing a glimpse into the history of Rosslyn boathouse while dangling further mysteries to compell me deeper into the narrative of our home. Kindred sleuths are welcome!
I present to you a rather well captured (and equally well preserved) photograph of The Ross Mansion (aka Hickory Hill) circa 1910. It’s always a joy to come across another Essex photo postcard, especially when there’s a direct connection to Rosslyn. In this case, the link is that the Ross Mansion in the photograph above was originally built for, and owned by, William Daniel Ross’s brother, Henry Howard Ross.
This relationship was clarified for me six years ago by Tilly Close, Henry Howard Ross’s great granddaughter.
H.H. Ross [Henry Howard Ross] who built Hickory Hill was the son of Daniel Ross (who was married to Gilliland’s daughter Elizabeth). Henry’s brother, William D. Ross… built your home. — Tilly Close (Source: Hickory Hill and Homeport » Rosslyn Redux)
I touched on this relationship here as well:
I recently happened on this antique postcard of the Ross Mansion (aka Hickory Hill) which was built by the brother of W.D. Ross, Rosslyn’s original owner in the early 1820s. Hickory Hill still presides handsomely at the intersection of Elm Street and Church Street. (Source: Hickory Hill and Rosslyn » Rosslyn Redux)
In the case above, “recently” was sometime around May 19, 2011 when I published the post, “Hickory Hill and Rosslyn“.
And lest I conclude without giving you a glimpse of the pristine back side of the postcard above, here’s the clean but unfortunately information-free reverse of The Ross Mansion postcard at the top of this post.
Rear side of “The Ross Mansion” postcard
And the description, notable primarily for the approximate publication date.
CAPTION: THE ROSS MANSION, Essex, New York.
DATE: Not dated but circa 1910.
SIZE: 3 1/2 x 5 3/8″. Both sides are shown enlarged in the scans.
CONDITION: This real photo postcard is in good condition with wear at the corners. The reverse is age toned, as expected. (Source: ebay.com)
If you’ve come across interesting photographs of The Ross Mansion (likely titled Hickory Hill), Rosslyn (aka The Sherwood Inn, Hyde Gate, W.D. Ross Mansion, etc.), or any other vintage/antique Essex, New York artifacts, please let me know. I’d love to see what you’ve found. Thanks.
W. D. Ross Artifact Discovered by Scott Brayden on July 15, 2017
That black-and-white photograph was a personal possession of, W. D. Ross, the man who owned and built Rosslyn almost exactly two centuries ago. And it was somewhat miraculously excavated from our yard by a remarkable man who good fortune brought into our path almost a decade ago.
It’s no exaggeration to claim Scott [Brayden] as one of the MVP sleuths of Rosslyn and Essex area history. In addition to an extraordinary gift for disinterring artifacts with his metal detector, smarts, and soothing patience, Scott has also mined digital archives with remarkable luck. (Source: Favored by Fortune: Sherwood Inn Flashback)
Yes, that Scott Brayden. True to his reputation, on July 15, 2017 Scott discovered a personal accessory belonging to our home’s namesake (and in no small measure one of the founding fathers of our village.) And while I didn’t manage to transform his unlikely find into a public post at the time (no doubt entertaining family, sailing, waterskiing, or all three…) this historic bridge is now yours to enjoy. So I’d like to wrap up this August workweek with the backstory for this remarkable W. D. Ross artifact. And consistent with presenting artifacts as testaments on their own, I’m going to include my communications with Scott before and after this momentous relic was revealed.
W. D. Ross Artifact Backstory
Cue the flashback machine. Hit rewind. Stop. Here’s the adventure as it unfolded.
From: Scott Brayden Date: July 14, 2017, at 3:58 PM
Mind if I stop by to look around sometime this weekend? I have a feeling the rain we’ve been getting will be helpful in bringing out some good signals. I don’t want to get in the way if you have company over or anything like that. Let me know, thanks!
·•·
From: Geo Davis Date: July 14, 2017 9:15 PM
Thumbs up. Not sure if I’ll be there when you arrive or not… Good luck!
·•·
From: Scott Brayden Date: July 15, 2017, at 1:15 PM
I just found something in the side yard that you will likely find extremely interesting. Let me know when you are back in town, I’d love to show it to you.
·•·
From: Geo Davis Date: July 15, 2017 1:57 PM
What is it? You’ve piqued my interest… 🙂 We’re in Shelburne now, and I anticipate that we’ll get back to Essex in about two hours. How long are you around?
·•·
From: Scott Brayden Date: July 15, 2017, at 2:18 PM
I’m around til tomorrow. I can swing by later in the afternoon if you have time. I honestly don’t know what it is exactly, but it is tied to the history of your house, and I think you’ll really like it. Shoot me an email or feel free to call when you are back
·•·
From: Geo Davis Date: July 15, 2017 4:48 PM
Just got home. Would love to see what you found.
·•·
From: Scott Brayden Date: July 15, 2017 at 5:04 PM
I’ll be over shortly
W. D. Ross Artifact Reveal
Here are the initial snapshots of the W. D. Ross artifact that Scott Brayden located with his metal detector and carefully unearthed.
W. D. Ross Artifact Discovered at Rosslyn by Scott Brayden on July 15, 2017
W. D. Ross Artifact Discovered at Rosslyn by Scott Brayden on July 15, 2017
Needless to say, I was gobsmacked. It’s difficult to overstate the thrill of holding in your hand a personal possession of the man who imagined our home into existence several approximately six decades after the Revolutionary War and four decades prior to the Civil War. There’s something at once surreal and intimate, a true bridge across time.
W. D. Ross Artifact Reflection
My followup communication with Scott is also interesting, so I include it here (with limited redactions).
From: Geo Davis Date: July 17, 2017
It was a pleasure to catch up with you. I’m over the moon about the engraved “shield” you unearthed. What a find!
I’m going to start working on a blog post, and I’d love to include your impression. What do you think it is? Why? Etc.
It strikes me as a good opportunity to include the fact that you’ve searched the same area in the past and found nothing. It seems useful to remind readers that conditions change (i.e. moisture in soil after extensive rain); technology advances (i.e. better metal detectors); and serendipity/luck is fickle and unpredictable. Basically, these are all things that you talked about with me, but I’d love to have you describe in your own words. Perhaps this will inspire other neighbors to reach out to you.
·•·
From: Scott Brayden Date: JulyJuly 17, 2017
It was great seeing and talking with you again, too. As I mentioned I was also quite excited about that find. I have never found anything that can be directly attributed to a person who lived (let alone built) the house I was hunting.
Although I’m still not sure exactly what the artifact is, I believe it is related to one of the following:
1. Belt buckle. As we discussed, it’s possible, but I find this to be unlikely because of the fact that it has the town name on it. Seeing how it says Essex on it, I think it’s more probable that it was attached to something that could be traced back to Mr. Ross should it get lost.
2. Identifying plate off a trunk or other luggage. This seems feasible especially considering he was a merchant. He likely had a lot of goods that had to be stored and/or shipped somewhere. Even if it’s not business-related it could be an identification plate for his everyday luggage should it ever get lost in transit. I found a few examples of engraved plates for luggage, but they were not as large as this one and were typically small, rectangular, and thin.
3. When I posted this on a metal detecting forum, someone suggested it could be what’s called a bridal rosette. These were decorative objects attached to a horse’s bridle. I have found these before, but from my experience they were typically decorative rather than informative. It seems possible that this might have been attached to horse tack in order to identify it’s owner should it get lost. The ones I’ve seen ( and found) were typically circular, not oval-shaped. The fact that the one I found is heavy-duty and probably was filled with lead at some point indicates it might have had more of a utilitarian purpose that could stand up to everyday use.
4. Someone also suggested that it could have been from the male version of a pocketbook/purse that were common in those times. I did some searching and it seems possible but I haven’t found any examples of personalized ones such as the one I found.
5. My last thought is that it could have been from a cartridge pouch, which were small leather bags used to carry ammunition. I attached an example of one from the Civil War. Again, this is just speculation. I have never seen or found one that has been personalized. But the lead-filled construction is a perfect match to those on the civil war pouches seen here.
I will continue searching for a positive identification. The fact that William D Ross had money leads me to believe that he was able to have things made, such as this plate, that the majority of the general population did not have. That’s probably why there are so few examples of similar artifacts online, and why I’m having such a hard time identifying it.
As to why I was able to find this, among other things in an area I’ve definitely walked over before….
First, the metal detector technology I’m using now is a lot better than what I have previously used at your house. I find things deeper than I did with other machines, and as I indicated, the separation and ability to easily pick out desirable sounding targets within a sea of iron is much easier with this machine. At old houses such as yours there is iron everywhere. With older machines, if there was a nail in the same hole or immediately adjacent to the desirable target it would “disguise” the good sound and there would be a higher likelihood of me skipping over the object.
Related, familiarity with one’s metal detector plays a huge role in the success of finding desirable targets. I realized I had in fact used that same machine at the end of last summer at your house and I’m pretty sure I covered that area. However, at that point, I had only used the machine a few times and was still relatively inexperienced with understanding what exactly it was “telling” me every time it beeped. Since then, I have had ample opportunities to hunt historic properties and gain a better understanding of this particular metal detector. People just assume that if I swing over something, I hear a beep, dig the hole, and find an old coin or artifact. That’s not always the case. Of course a coin 2 inches down in a grassy lawn with no surrounding iron will sound beautiful in my ears – I would have absolutely no hesitation in digging it. But if you scan over that same coin, and lets say it’s on edge, with a nail in the same hole, and 9 inches below the surface, it will sound much different. So different to the point that I may choose not to attempt extracting it. So, in short, a large degree of interpretation is required in understanding the sounds your metal detector is making. Having about a year to hunt with different programs, different settings, and under different ground conditions has allowed me to gain a deep understanding for what my machine is trying to tell me every time it sounds off.
Weather and soil conditions also could have played a role. The fact that it had just rained could have helped the sound of this particular artifact “pop” more than it otherwise would have under drier conditions. I believe it has to do with the fact that water causes the ground to have a higher conductivity, thus allowing you to hear signals more clearly, especially those that are deep. Unrelated, I love detecting after a hard rain because it makes digging much easier and lessens the chance I destroy anyone’s lawn.
The thawing and unthawing of the ground during winter months also can affect the ability to find a target. As the ground freezes and unfreezes it shifts things around to the point where they may move closer to the surface one year and further away other years.
In general, I think a lot of it comes down to the fact that I may have just missed it in the past. If you think about it I’m sweeping a relatively small coil over a large tract of land looking for small objects. I try to overlap my swings as best as possible but sometimes all it takes is my swing being just an inch or two too far in one direction and I’ve missed the target. Who knows… maybe last time I walked over that area I was frustrated I hadn’t found anything, or tired, and therefore sloppy… I could have simply walked over it without actually passing my coil over it. That’s why I always go back numerous times to places I’ve hunted before, with the hopes that being a bit slower and more methodical can help me find things I’ve previously missed.
And that, my friends, is a wrap. For now. There’s a reason I’ve resurfaced this drafted but unfinished post from in my blog “orphans” bins. But that for another time…
Beekeeper Rendezvous 1924 (Source: Lake Placid News, August 29, 1924)
Almost 100 years ago Rosslyn (a.k.a. Hyde Gate Farm) hosted a beekeeper rendezvous. Or, to be more precise Professor Wilson, from Cornell’s Dept. of Agriculture, and Mr. Rae, New York State’s “chief inspector” (of apiaries?), hosted a gathering of beekeepers at Rosslyn.
Now & Then
Although any Rosslyn artifact piques my interest, this news clip served as a reminder that
I’ve intended to learn the art and science of beekeeping and honey production for quite some time,
I supported a crowdfunding campaign for Flow Hives 5-6 years ago (or even longer ago?!?!),
I received my beehive and related apparatus from Flow Hive almost as long ago, and
I’ve neglected this goal for a long time. Too long!
Ever since I began planting Rosslyn’s orchard I started daydreaming about bees pollinating our fruit trees and rendering delicious honey in the process. But, “a dream without a plan is just a wish”, right? And today we are still reliant on nature’s own supply of honeybees, butterflies, hummingbirds, etc. to ensure the fertilization of our apples, pears, stone fruit, mulberries, and persimmon. If only I could teleport back to August 29, 1924 and learn the ropes from this probably well experienced cohort. So often I feel this history distorting nostalgia for knowledge buried in Rosslyn’s long line of yesterdays. And as often I’ve recognized the unlikely chance of time travel and settled for a patchwork quilt of now-and-thens.
Beekeeper Rendezvous 1924
Contemporary contextualizing aside, there are a couple of intriguing tidbits that I can’t resist the temptation to explore before letting this sepia snippet from an ooold newspaper fall back into the kindling box.
Let’s look at the full classified notice.
FIELD DAY FOR BEE MEN A field day at Hyde Gate Farm, Essex, for Essex County beekeepers is on this afternoon. Prof. Wilson of the department of agriculture at Cornell is present as is also Mr. Rae, chief inspector for the state of New York. Luncheon served free of charge to all beekeepers and their families. (Lake Placid News, August 29, 1924, page 12)
The title alone is evocative. It conjures a cinematographic scene with gentlemen farmers and at least a couple of officious types gathering in the high grass somewhere west of Rosslyn’s carriage barn. At the time there would have been several barns — the present day carriage barn with a lean-to barn running along the southern facade, a smaller barn conjoined to the west facade, a freestanding barn southwest of the carriage barn, the present day icehouse, and a dovecote (i.e. dovehouse / pigeon house) located just east of the icehouse — so a panoramic view of the gents huddling around hives in a sun soaked meadow would have required a slightly circuitous amble to the north or south of the barns, perhaps through the gardens where the beekeepers’ families were conversing in twos and threes while sipping lemonade, eagerly awaiting the complementary luncheon… Can you see it?
You’ll note that I’ve specified men learning in earnest, listening to a presenter gesticulating toward the hives, everyone acting relaxed but secretly a little edgy about the number of been coming and going in the increasingly hot mid-day temperature. Men and not women. Not children. I’m taking a leap, but it seems to be likely, especially given the linguistic tilt of the title which invites “bee men” in particular rather than beekeepers as referenced in the first sentence of the listing. Perhaps I reach too far. It’s compelling to envision a couple of female beekeepers among the gentlemen farmers, poised and confident month the buzzing swarm.
Also intriguing is the reference to Hyde Gate Farm. I’m familiar with the years that Rosslyn was known as Hyde Gate House, but this little shift in nomenclature intrigues me.
A family named Walmsley of New Orleans, La. then became owners and later Mrs. Caleb J. Coatsworth bought the house. (about 1907 or 1908) When Mrs. Coatsworth died, her daughter, Mrs. Howard Hill, fell heir to the property.(1912) During ownership of the Hill family the place was named Hyde Gate House.
In 1937 Essex county assumed ownership, but sold to Richard R. Williams in 1941. Mr. Williams in turn, sold Hyde Gate House to Sloane E. Miller in 1942, who disposed of the property in 1945 to Mr. and Mrs. W. Sherwood, the present owners and occupants. (Source: Favored by Fortune: Sherwood Inn Flashback)
So it would seem that starting with Mrs. C.J. Coatsworth or Mrs. Howard Hill the property became known as Hyde Gate House and Hyde Gate Farm. I admit finding a certain pleasure in recognizing Rosslyn’s agricultural DNA since the property is mostly associated with its mercantile forbears and later it’s incarnation as The Sherwood Inn. I like to think of the +/-60 acres that we’ve been fortunate enough to gradually aggregate as a farm once again, Rosslyn Farms.
But I’m off on a self indulgent tangent, so I’d best return to the newspaper.
The reference to Cornell also draws my attention as it highlights the extensive history that today’s Cornell Cooperative Extension has invested in this region. And I’ll close this peripatetic post with two final editorial asides.
First, I draw your attention to the subtle enticement (free food for the whole family!) luring beekeepers away from their chores and homes. A tried and true formula that reminds me of a memory shared by a friend. During his college years a rock-and-roll band went by the peculiar name, Free Beer, and their performances emblazoned across bulletin boards across campus never failed to draw a capacity crowd.
My final aside may simply highlight a technicality, but it nevertheless brought a curious eyebrow lift when I read it. The listing suggests that the event is happening on the day that the paper was printed. In order for the notice to be of use, newspapers would need to be purchased and read first thing in the morning. Perhaps this is one of several successive notices. Or perhaps the promo team dropped the ball and waited to the last minute (ergo free lunch!). Most intriguing of all is the real time relevance of the newspaper for people living a long time prior to our 24×7 information age where messaging is virtually instantaneous and the plugged in population might occasionally dismiss prior generations as being a little disconnected, etc. Far from it. Read the paper over breakfast, change up the days plans, pack the family into your Model T, and head over to Hyde Gate Farm for a beekeeping field day and luncheon!
Beekeeper Rendezvous 1924 (Source: Lake Placid News, August 29, 1924)
Room keys from the days when our home was an inn, a restaurant, a tavern, and a waterfront travel destination. We inherited these Sherwood Inn room keys (along with so many other cool artifacts) when we purchased Rosslyn. And, despite their practical irrelevance today, it’s hard to throw them away.
Drop in any mailbox. We guarantee postage.
It’s fun to see the “Drop in any mailbox…” message on these vintage key fobs. Remember when that was a pretty common detail for hotel room keys? Of course, that’s when accommodations still handed out real keys. Nowadays virtually everything including room keys has switched over to digital. But a plastic card with a msg strip has a totally different vibe yo an imprinted fob and room key. Especially a skeleton key!
I don’t remember ever needing to mail a key back to a hotel, but it’s a super practical idea. I wonder if it’d still work… Modern key cards probably find their way into trash cans a lot more often than these old school forebears.
