1956.03.01 _ Pride and Joy of "Uncle Coleridge" Disappearing at Hands of Wreckers
Dublin Core
Title
1956.03.01 _ Pride and Joy of "Uncle Coleridge" Disappearing at Hands of Wreckers
Creator
Wolfinger, Florence
Source
"John C. Hart Memorial Library Historical News Clippings" Binder, Volume 1, 1919 - 1970
Publisher
Yorktown Herald
Date
1956-03-01
Contributor
(Photographer) Litchfield
Rights
This item is made available for research and educational purposes by the John C. Hart Memorial Library. Rights status is not evaluated.
Format
PDF, 3 Pages
Language
English
Type
Text
Coverage
Yorktown (N.Y. : Town)
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
(PHOTO) SHRUB OAK LIBRARY BARN: This picture was taken several weeks ago after workman had first started tearing down the 110-year-old structure.
Shrub Oak- Only a shell remains, and soon that too wiil be gone, of the barn and carriage house that was the pride and joy of John Coleridge Hart, for whom the Shrub Oak Library was named.
The building, which stood 110 years, was willed to the town in 1919, along with the main house and some 40 acres, facing Route 6 and running up Piano Mountain. Mr. Hart's daughter, Catherine, wife of Dr. George Dresser, left it to the town with the stipulation that the property be used for library purposes, in memory of her father, Otherwise, the property became, the inheritance of her newphew, Jack Travis.
A small group of citizens, lead by the late Mrs. Charles Hendee, a grand-niece of Mr. Hart, persuaded the town to take the property, and in 1920, amid much opposition, a charter was granted.
"It was a mistake to call it the John C. Hart Memorial Library" said Mrs William Odell, sister of Mrs. Hendee, "We never called him anything but Uncle Coleridge, and his name J. Coleridge Hart,"
He was one of the 10 children of Anna Racke and James B. Hart, a veteran of the Revolunionary War. He was born in 1822 and at the age of 16 went to New York where he worked in a drug store. He became a partner in the drug firm Wheeler and Hart and eventually bought Mr. Wheeler's share and rang the business until he retired in 1868.
When he was 21, he married his cousin, Mary Ann Allen, a neighbor and wealthy widow, the daughter of a former New York mayor.
Proud of Home
Mr. Hart died in 1871. "a morose old man at 49" according to the neighbors. He was inordinately proud of his Shrub Oak home, a 10-room house built for his parents, which he used summers until he retired. He supervised the planting of more than 50 varieties of trees. There is still a stand of Norway spruce which he imported and seedlings almost 100 years ago, a yellow-wood tree, a cucumber tree of immense height, and an oriental Ginkgo tree, rare in the country. Some good specimens of hemlock remin along the drive, Many old trees were damaged or destroyes durning the 1948 hurricane.
Mr. Hart's sister and brother-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. John Hyatt, occupied the home of Mr. and Mrs. Roland Tompkins. His brother, Henry Hart, lived across the street, in the house occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Priestley. Henry's son, the late Dr. Hickson Field Hart practiced there for many years. A cousin, William Roake, owned the propoerty next to our library, owned by Herman Herst Jr.
Another brother-in-law, Lewis Purdy, was postmaster and lived in the oldest house in Shrub Oak, built in 1769 by John Roake. Mrs. Odell, grand-niece of Mr. Hart lives there now.
The bequest of the homestead was a family concern. Mrs. Hendee, aided by her sister, Mrs. Odell; her cousins, Miss Phebe Roake, Mrs. Dell Hyatt and Mrs. Genevieve Marthes; Mrs. Dresser's brother-in-law, Charles Carpenter, William Leadbetter Sr., and Dr. George Kunz, asked James Strang, town supervisor to call a special meeting at Mohegan Military Academy to defend what some people called a "white elephant."
(...) they were told that they were on their own to find funds needed to repair the building and to build and stock the shelves.
"Long Meadow", a tract of land on James Avenue, also included in the bequest, was sold, and the money used to install a second-hand heating plant, furniture and shelves for one room. Some books were there and donations of other 'sets", mostly leather-bound classics, followed, including substantial collections from John C. Travis of New York, Mr. Hart's grandson.
A charter was granted in 1920 and $500 was raised by taxation to purchase new books and supplies. Mr. Carpenter was the first president of the Board of Trustees.
Librarian Hired
Arrangement were made for a librarian who would live in and in return for living quarters, would staff the desk, her husband serving as caretaker. Mrs. Leslie Purdy has held the position for the past 23 years.
In 1948 the first supervising librarian was hired. Her services were supplied intermittently until April, 1953, when they were increased to 10 hours a week.
The library building, neglected since the turn of the century, was always in need of repairs. The turstees, after exhausting every other possible means of raising funds often dug into their own pockets to meet expenses or closed their eyes to less obvious needs.
So, the barn deteriorated, although Mrs. Purdy said her husband tried to repair leaks in the roof.
About three years ago, when the Library Board found itself in funds from an arrangement made with the former firm of the Dean and Octaviano to take gravel from the mountain, the building was completely renovated, Suggestions that it would be cheaper to tear the old building down and build a new one met strong oppostion.
It was decided something should be done about the barn, but it was too late. According to an estimate of a contractor, it would have take $1,000, or more to repair it.
The huge, hand-hewn beams were mostly oak, but even these would not withstand unlimited exposure to weather. The gutters were gone and shingles and walls were rotting away.
Board members were reluctant to have it destroyed, but it was dangerous to school children who were using one wing of the library for classes.
The building, three stories high with an enormous loft, was bull on two levels, and ran down almosst to the brook. It was about 75 feet long and almost square. Its foundation is of brick an fieldstone mortared, four feet think in the rear where the loft was kept, and 30 inches thick on the sides. Far up under the eaver a fan-light window in a spider web design, sparkled when the morning sun hit it.
The present roof, added when Mr. Hart;s daughter inherited the place, concealed the original roof which was modeled on the lines of the house. The barn was mortise and pegged tobether, the great beams still showing the marks of the carpeter;s adze and scribe.
As early as 1930, there was talk of organizing a branch library in Yorktown Heights, and with the assistance of the Yorktown Women's Club, a deposit station was set up in the Grange Hall in 1931. In 1950, it became a full branch, although the quarters were unsatisfactory. The former Charles Fowler house was purchased, and opened in May.
Mrs. Maude Moseman, branch librarian, is on duty Tuesday and Thursday afternoons and Saturday mornings from nine until noon. Members of the Yorktown Business and Professinal Women's Club staff it Wednesday evenings.
The Women's Club, which equipped the kitchen, meets there and the second floor is rented to the County Health Department.
Many Uses
Since 1947, rooms in the Shrub Oak Library have been used by the public school for classes and Naturaliss Workshop meetings. For the past three summers, an art exhibit has been held there, featuring picutres by local artists.
A beautiful carrara mable status of a woman and dog, which stands at the foot of the staris, is said to be from Mayor Allen's New York home. In 1954, the library received a large etching of a Shrub Oak water scene from Horance McIlhenney, done by his father, a well-known artist and former resident. The book collection has grown to about 18,000 volumes. The Shrub Oak and Yorktown libraries together list 1,033 borro(...).
Last year, $4,890 (...) in the town budget (...) supplies, repairs on (...). Total expenses amounted to $7,972, of which $1,000 was spent on new books. This included a state grant of @200.
The library board consists of Mrs. Arthur Lee, chairman, a great-grandniece of John C. Hart; Miss Gertrude Hyatt, secretary; Miss Mildred Strang, E. Munsor Frost and Jesse Barger, Supervisor; John H. Downing, treasurer officio, handles the funds.
Mrs. Donald Weirman is the new supervising librarian. When a vacancy occurs on the board (...) remaining trustees recommending replacement to the town board.
In 1951, the building and ground were appraised at $48,000 with the books and contents valued a $32,000. Culturally, it may be said its value has been proved many times over, but who can truly (...)mate the worth of the private word or the foresight of trust who endowed and struggled perserve his heritage?
Shrub Oak- Only a shell remains, and soon that too wiil be gone, of the barn and carriage house that was the pride and joy of John Coleridge Hart, for whom the Shrub Oak Library was named.
The building, which stood 110 years, was willed to the town in 1919, along with the main house and some 40 acres, facing Route 6 and running up Piano Mountain. Mr. Hart's daughter, Catherine, wife of Dr. George Dresser, left it to the town with the stipulation that the property be used for library purposes, in memory of her father, Otherwise, the property became, the inheritance of her newphew, Jack Travis.
A small group of citizens, lead by the late Mrs. Charles Hendee, a grand-niece of Mr. Hart, persuaded the town to take the property, and in 1920, amid much opposition, a charter was granted.
"It was a mistake to call it the John C. Hart Memorial Library" said Mrs William Odell, sister of Mrs. Hendee, "We never called him anything but Uncle Coleridge, and his name J. Coleridge Hart,"
He was one of the 10 children of Anna Racke and James B. Hart, a veteran of the Revolunionary War. He was born in 1822 and at the age of 16 went to New York where he worked in a drug store. He became a partner in the drug firm Wheeler and Hart and eventually bought Mr. Wheeler's share and rang the business until he retired in 1868.
When he was 21, he married his cousin, Mary Ann Allen, a neighbor and wealthy widow, the daughter of a former New York mayor.
Proud of Home
Mr. Hart died in 1871. "a morose old man at 49" according to the neighbors. He was inordinately proud of his Shrub Oak home, a 10-room house built for his parents, which he used summers until he retired. He supervised the planting of more than 50 varieties of trees. There is still a stand of Norway spruce which he imported and seedlings almost 100 years ago, a yellow-wood tree, a cucumber tree of immense height, and an oriental Ginkgo tree, rare in the country. Some good specimens of hemlock remin along the drive, Many old trees were damaged or destroyes durning the 1948 hurricane.
Mr. Hart's sister and brother-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. John Hyatt, occupied the home of Mr. and Mrs. Roland Tompkins. His brother, Henry Hart, lived across the street, in the house occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Priestley. Henry's son, the late Dr. Hickson Field Hart practiced there for many years. A cousin, William Roake, owned the propoerty next to our library, owned by Herman Herst Jr.
Another brother-in-law, Lewis Purdy, was postmaster and lived in the oldest house in Shrub Oak, built in 1769 by John Roake. Mrs. Odell, grand-niece of Mr. Hart lives there now.
The bequest of the homestead was a family concern. Mrs. Hendee, aided by her sister, Mrs. Odell; her cousins, Miss Phebe Roake, Mrs. Dell Hyatt and Mrs. Genevieve Marthes; Mrs. Dresser's brother-in-law, Charles Carpenter, William Leadbetter Sr., and Dr. George Kunz, asked James Strang, town supervisor to call a special meeting at Mohegan Military Academy to defend what some people called a "white elephant."
(...) they were told that they were on their own to find funds needed to repair the building and to build and stock the shelves.
"Long Meadow", a tract of land on James Avenue, also included in the bequest, was sold, and the money used to install a second-hand heating plant, furniture and shelves for one room. Some books were there and donations of other 'sets", mostly leather-bound classics, followed, including substantial collections from John C. Travis of New York, Mr. Hart's grandson.
A charter was granted in 1920 and $500 was raised by taxation to purchase new books and supplies. Mr. Carpenter was the first president of the Board of Trustees.
Librarian Hired
Arrangement were made for a librarian who would live in and in return for living quarters, would staff the desk, her husband serving as caretaker. Mrs. Leslie Purdy has held the position for the past 23 years.
In 1948 the first supervising librarian was hired. Her services were supplied intermittently until April, 1953, when they were increased to 10 hours a week.
The library building, neglected since the turn of the century, was always in need of repairs. The turstees, after exhausting every other possible means of raising funds often dug into their own pockets to meet expenses or closed their eyes to less obvious needs.
So, the barn deteriorated, although Mrs. Purdy said her husband tried to repair leaks in the roof.
About three years ago, when the Library Board found itself in funds from an arrangement made with the former firm of the Dean and Octaviano to take gravel from the mountain, the building was completely renovated, Suggestions that it would be cheaper to tear the old building down and build a new one met strong oppostion.
It was decided something should be done about the barn, but it was too late. According to an estimate of a contractor, it would have take $1,000, or more to repair it.
The huge, hand-hewn beams were mostly oak, but even these would not withstand unlimited exposure to weather. The gutters were gone and shingles and walls were rotting away.
Board members were reluctant to have it destroyed, but it was dangerous to school children who were using one wing of the library for classes.
The building, three stories high with an enormous loft, was bull on two levels, and ran down almosst to the brook. It was about 75 feet long and almost square. Its foundation is of brick an fieldstone mortared, four feet think in the rear where the loft was kept, and 30 inches thick on the sides. Far up under the eaver a fan-light window in a spider web design, sparkled when the morning sun hit it.
The present roof, added when Mr. Hart;s daughter inherited the place, concealed the original roof which was modeled on the lines of the house. The barn was mortise and pegged tobether, the great beams still showing the marks of the carpeter;s adze and scribe.
As early as 1930, there was talk of organizing a branch library in Yorktown Heights, and with the assistance of the Yorktown Women's Club, a deposit station was set up in the Grange Hall in 1931. In 1950, it became a full branch, although the quarters were unsatisfactory. The former Charles Fowler house was purchased, and opened in May.
Mrs. Maude Moseman, branch librarian, is on duty Tuesday and Thursday afternoons and Saturday mornings from nine until noon. Members of the Yorktown Business and Professinal Women's Club staff it Wednesday evenings.
The Women's Club, which equipped the kitchen, meets there and the second floor is rented to the County Health Department.
Many Uses
Since 1947, rooms in the Shrub Oak Library have been used by the public school for classes and Naturaliss Workshop meetings. For the past three summers, an art exhibit has been held there, featuring picutres by local artists.
A beautiful carrara mable status of a woman and dog, which stands at the foot of the staris, is said to be from Mayor Allen's New York home. In 1954, the library received a large etching of a Shrub Oak water scene from Horance McIlhenney, done by his father, a well-known artist and former resident. The book collection has grown to about 18,000 volumes. The Shrub Oak and Yorktown libraries together list 1,033 borro(...).
Last year, $4,890 (...) in the town budget (...) supplies, repairs on (...). Total expenses amounted to $7,972, of which $1,000 was spent on new books. This included a state grant of @200.
The library board consists of Mrs. Arthur Lee, chairman, a great-grandniece of John C. Hart; Miss Gertrude Hyatt, secretary; Miss Mildred Strang, E. Munsor Frost and Jesse Barger, Supervisor; John H. Downing, treasurer officio, handles the funds.
Mrs. Donald Weirman is the new supervising librarian. When a vacancy occurs on the board (...) remaining trustees recommending replacement to the town board.
In 1951, the building and ground were appraised at $48,000 with the books and contents valued a $32,000. Culturally, it may be said its value has been proved many times over, but who can truly (...)mate the worth of the private word or the foresight of trust who endowed and struggled perserve his heritage?
Original Format
News Clippings
Files
Citation
Wolfinger, Florence, “1956.03.01 _ Pride and Joy of "Uncle Coleridge" Disappearing at Hands of Wreckers,” John C Hart Library Archive, accessed May 16, 2024, https://hartarchive.omeka.net/items/show/61.