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.
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.
