If the Walls Could Talk

Tags

Betsey Delord, Henry Delord, History, Plattsburgh (NY), war of 1812

 The past couple years have produced a flurry of renovations (restoration of the signature fence and a fresh coat of paint covering the house– so far) as the Kent-Delord House Museum gets ready to commemorate a momentous occasion—the Bicentennial of the Battle of Plattsburgh (1814-2014). The house and its residents had played significant roles in the history of Plattsburgh throughout the 19^th century.   In his book, Henry Delord and His Family, Allan S. Everest describes the house as “one of the most imposing dwellings in town.” In many of the newspaper articles of the time, the house is referred to as the Delord Mansion.

It was in this house that Henry and Betsey Delord hosted many dinner parties for family, friends, and prominent people of the day. Just after moving into the newly expanded house in 1811, the Delords hosted the wedding of Betsey’s niece, Maria Averill, to Reuben Walworth who would later be elected to the House of Representatives and then become a prominent judge in northern New York. From this time on the Delord Mansion became the “social center” of Plattsburgh. During the War of 1812, with the strong military presence in the region, the military leaders (and their wives) were frequently entertained at the house.  

            “…their hospitality became proverbial. Among the acquaintances, and sometimes lasting friendships, that they made were the military engineers, Lieutenant-Colonel Joseph Totten and Colonel Josiah Snelling, naval commander Lieutenant Thomas Macdonough, military commanders Colonel Zebulon Pike and Generals George Izard and Alexander Macomb, and the President, James Monroe, whom they entertained for tea in 1817.”*                                                                                         *(Everest p.26)

 

 Dining table set as it might have been for Pres. Monroe’s visit 

The hospitality in the Delord house continued even after Henry Delord’s death in 1825. Betsey’s marriage to William Swetland in 1829 brought in the financial resources to repair the long neglected structure. The merging of the two families also introduced a new flurry of social activity, as Swetland was a prominent lawyer and civic leader. Betsey not only made the house the center of family gatherings, but also assumed the role of community hostess for many visiting politicians and dignitaries.   One of Betsey’s letters to her granddaughter Fannie in 1851 describes her efforts to entertain the visiting N.Y. Governor and wife who had arrived in Plattsburgh on short notice.

                                                                                             Plattsburgh Saturday August 30 [1851]

My dear Frances,

“I have only a few moments to inform you what has transpired since you left. Just as I was about getting into bed Mr. Swetland came home and said Gov. [Washington] Hunt & lady arrived in the evening boat, that some gentlemen called, and they were to accompany them to next day to the state prison [at Dannemora]. Quite a party of ladies were to go and we must invite them to tea. I felt as if I could not undertake it on so short a notice. It lay between Mr. Myers and us, the only prominent Whigs. I found I must do it. So Lucy Ann turned in to help me. Mrs. Kirkland came over and Mrs. Myers offered to make ice cream. We wished you was here to help us. We sent out invitations and we had quite a large number and every one seemed to enjoy themselves very much. Gov. Hunt and lady were very pleasant. I introduced all the ladies to Mrs. Hunt. Capt Wallen sang for us. Hetty and Cousin Caleb Averill gave us music with flute and piano. I was glad I had consented. Both the gov. and lady seemed pleased…”

 

The pianoforte in the Gold Parlor

Throughout the letters Betsey wrote to her beloved granddaughter, Fannie, are the descriptions of many family gatherings at the Delord house. Betsey’s details of the people, food, and entertainment were to ensure that Fannie would feel that she was also a part of the festivities.  

                                                                                                                      Plattsburgh Dec. 11, 1855

My beloved child,

“Thanksgiving Day I had all Mr. Coit’s (the minister of Trinity Episcopal Church) family but Henry Coit and Lucy Ann’s family to dinner, ten besides your grand father and myself. We had a large roast turkey, a boiled turkey with oyster sauce, fricassee chicken with toast and white gravy, a variety of vegetables, apple and pumpkin pie. Snow Ball apples & grapes; to finish off, a strong cup of coffee. I wish you had been here. They seemed to enjoy it…”

 Fannie and husband, Frank had moved to Plattsburgh for good in 1863 and settled in the house to care for her ailing grandparents. With Betsey’s death in 1870, the Delord house now belonged solely to Fannie.   While there still were the social activities for family and friends that her grandmother cultivated, the focus of the house changed. Fannie became more involved in temperance activities and medical causes as well as other social activism. The addition on the back of the house became the Cumberland Bay Works where Fannie’s patented ointment Fanoline was produced. Fannie conducted her medical practice for the poor from the house and periodically soups and stews were prepared for the poor from the kitchen.

In 1969 Mrs. John B. Kelley wrote an account of pleasant evenings spent in Fannie’s home during the early part of the century:

“Catherine helped serve and Mrs. Hall told her to set the tea tray and silver service which had been buried in the garden before the British arrived. After the main course was served, the table was crumbed and two kinds of pie brought in. We were urged to take a piece of each! Then those plates were removed, and the table crumbed again and a mound of ice cream brought in! It was flavored by vanilla beans, not extract. Needless to say we suffered and warned our guest of the desserts each time we were invited for dinner.”

 

The Delord silver tea set

 After Fannie’s death in 1913, the house was bequeathed to Physician’s Hospital. However the hospital didn’t have the means to maintain the property nor a buyer to take it off their hands. Luckily for Plattsburgh, several women carefully cared for the property until they could convince someone to recognize it’s historic value.

 First there was Fannie’s faithful housekeeper, Catherine Dowling, who would continue to take care of the house for the next decade. Some say she would charge curious visitors 25¢ to show them the historic artifacts!

 Then there was Ada Beers, the executrix of Fannie’s will. Aware of the historical significance of the contents of Fannie’s estate, she went to court and succeeded in getting many of the provisions of the will overturned. Fannie had stated she wanted all the portraits, except that of her grandfather, and all the documents to be burned. Also all the “relics and curios” in the house were to be placed in the museum in Albany if Plattsburgh had not established a local museum within three years of her death.

 Finally there was Jeannette Brookings Tuttle. The Regent of the Saranac Chapter of the D.A.R. and historian, Jeannette worked tirelessly to alert the community of the value of the Delord house. She brought visiting doctors from the local hospitals to see Fannie’s medical books (especially a valuable copy of Dr. William Beaumont’s Medical Journal) and evidence of her medical practice. Local college and high school students were brought to the house to “see” the history of the area, including the officer’s mess chest from the Battle of Plattsburgh. Jeannette was dogged in her quest to get philanthropist, William Miner, to purchase the house and invest money in its restoration. Miner set up a Board of Trustees who then received a charter from the New York State Board of Regents. The Delord Mansion became the Kent-Delord House Museum in 1928.

 Thanks to these far-sighted individuals, the Delord house continues to be a centerpiece in Plattsburgh today. The hospitality and social awareness continues with the Museum’s mission to preserve and promote the historic and cultural contributions of the structure and the three generations of Delords, as well as the myriad of friends and visitors who passed through the front (and back) door. The stories are fascinating, funny, and sometimes tragic. I’m sure there are still more that we haven’t uncovered yet.

 Ahh, if only the walls could talk!!

 

The Kent-Delord House Museum – 2014

 

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Brrr!

Tags

Betsey Delord, History, Plattsburgh

“If you don’t like the weather in New England now, just wait a few minutes.”               ― Mark Twain

 Well, Mr. Twain, I’ve been waiting but we seem to be stuck in a rut!  But then I guess I could say that going from cold to colder is a change.  You would think that people living in the North Country would come to expect, even embrace the cold winters.  Most do!  The others either head south for the next few months or hunker down and gripe about it.  After all it is a great topic for conversation!

We all have heard the stories from our parents and grandparents about having to walk to school/work in a blinding snowstorm through four (six, eight…) feet of snow uphill both ways.  We walk away laughing at their expanding exaggeration of the past.  But how exaggerated is it?

After her granddaughter, Fannie, went to live with her father’s family in Hartford, CT, Betsey wrote often to keep her updated on what was happening in Plattsburgh.  These letters give us a detailed description of the lives of family, friends and neighbors, and the community.  Also, we see how the weather impacted those events.

Betsey loved her plants.  Her house and garden was always full of them.  You can feel her desolation when she writes to Fannie about losing many of them in the winter of 1851:

Feb. 11, 1851

My beloved Child,

This being your birthday, your mother and you, my Frances, have been much on my mind, all the trying scenes of 17 years ago.  Both of us have been spared while many that are near and dear have been taken and only God knows why.  Last Saturday was by far the coldest this winter.  In the night the wind blew from the south a freezing gale and for the first time in twenty years has Frost touched my flowers.  It entered the hall upstairs and the adjoining room and cut down all plants I had been saving with so much care for years.  I had some which I kept in the front room [downstairs] that did not get hurt.  How sad it made me to see my pets so cut down.  I shall no longer try plants that take so long to arrive at perfection.  I hope you will write me all the particulars of Mr. Matson’s very suddend death.  How sad one so young cut off so soon. Goodnight, my dear child.  May God bless and keep you.

                                            Your affectionate g.mother, E.S.

 A letter in 1857 finds Betsey griping that the winter in too mild!  It almost seems like nothing satisfied her.

Plattsburgh Dec. 8, 1857

My beloved child,

We have an open winter.  So far the weather has been like September, only an occasional cold day. Our little bay was only frozen over Thanksgiving Day.  It was black with boys and girls skating, a fine sport. Next day all open and still continues open and raining today. I had rather have cold weather and snow…

We are all fixed for winter, but killing our pigs and making sausage. With the poor help I had and not being well enough, I gave up asking Rev. Coit’s family for dinner Thanksgiving, as we always had them. I told Mr. Coit so, but as the time approached, I felt so bad about it I finally concluded to have them and do the best I could.  We had a room full and made out a very nice dinner and all seemed to enjoy it.  Since you left many friends calling and enquiring after you.

Your own loveing g.mother, E. Swetland

 In 1862, Betsey writes to tell Fannie about a major snow storm in the North Country.  It makes me start to think that those stories I heard as a child may not have been so exaggerated!

Plattsburgh Feb. 27 [1862] Thursday eve

My beloved child

Oh! What a storm of wind and snow since I wrote you on Monday. It was snowing hard while writing. About 4 o’clock it Commenced blowing a perfect gale. It continued all night. I never in my long life experienced such an awful storm. I mentioned the rehearsal [for an upcoming concert] was to meet here that night. I did not think it possible any could come, but many did.  We had work to keep comfortable. Had a great fire in the Hall stove and my bedroom with the door open in the parlor. Dared not keep much fire in the Front room. It seemed as if the Chimney must blow down and the fire board forced out. It smoked grandfather out of his room into mine.  The Company left about ten and g.father returned to bed. Wrapt him up in hot blankets. But poor I was going from one place to another to try and keep comfortable. We found the plants must freeze in the green room, the wind north west and cold.  Hatty Coit was obliged to stay all night, and she with Ellen [a servant] helped me bring all the flowers out of the green house in this room. Those trained we covered up with sheets.  And thankful was I in the morning to find them saved. I sat up very late and just took off my outer dress and lay down, but I could not sleep—such a rattling and shakeing. I was fearful we should be blown down and hearing such noises I was up and down until nearly day light. It never ceased until morning.  It was a curiosity to look out, such banks and piles of snow in every direction. Perfectly Blockaded, no Comeing in nor getting out of the village.  No southern mail yet, but Burlington paper by stage. No cars [train] since Saturday.  Our cars are perfectly dammed up.  They have drifts 15 feet high to cut through.  We had hoped they might get in tonight but I fear not.  It is getting late and I must go in and see to Grandpa.  With love to all.

Your devoted G.mother, E.S.

 

Well, no matter what time period, we can see that Mother Nature will do what she pleases. All we can do is deal with it.  So either put on those skis/skates or snuggle up with a good book/video and in a few months it will be Spring!!

Over the River and Through the Woods, to Dannermora Prison We Go

Tags

Betsey Delord, History

There was a time where the prison in Dannemora was all the rage in Plattsburgh. People went to visit it and the ore beds all the time. When I first read about this in Betsey Delord’s letters I thought it was hilarious. I thought that only in the North Country would people find entertainment from visiting a high security prison. However, I did a little research and it was not just a North Country phenomenon. In fact, many prisons were hotspots for tourism because of the new penal system called the Auburn System, also referred to as the New York System that started in the 1820s.

The Auburn System refers to a prison in Auburn, New York that was the first prison to use labor as a form of rehabilitation. This prison system completely changed the game for the United States penitentiary system. Before, prisons were mainly used as confinement for prisoners before trials and sentencing. Most of the time, punishments were executions or penance of some kind. It was not common to have prisons filled with people with long sentences because it was only a matter of waiting for your sentence to get the punishment.

However, Quakers were not supportive of this type of violence. Instead, they believed that incarcerating prisoners to solitary confinement and constant silence was a better alternative than the violence found in executions and public penance. The Auburn System tweaks the Quaker idea slightly. The Auburn System also utilized solitary confinement and constant silence to punish the convicted, but also started a labor program as a way for prisons to make money to sustain them and as a way to rehabilitate prisoners.

The Auburn System marks when the penitentiary system in the United States transitioned from punishment to rehabilitation. The idea behind having prisoners work was to provide them skills to utilize after they were done serving their sentence, and as a way for the state to cut costs. The Quaker system was more about reforming what was deemed bad behavior which is evident by the Bible that were given to prisoners under this system. The system taught prisoners the importance of hard labor, but many viewed the system as a way to exploit free labor.

The stereotypical view of prisoners is an image of men dressed in black and white striped uniforms, chain-linked together while performing some sort of activity having to do with dirt. At least, that is what I see in my mind based off old movies. While today it is hardly common to see black and white striped uniforms, it was during the Auburn System that these uniforms began. It was also common during this time for visitors to prisons to pay for admission to watch the spectacle of the black and white uniformed men working. Having visitors walking through the prisons was another form of punishment: humiliation. What prisoner would want to be seen working in such a demeaning way? That was the point. However, my personal question is why anyone would want to visit a prison to watch them labor.

This is where the Delords come in. It was common for people of the Whig Party (this was a political party that preceded the Republican Party) to support the Auburn System. The Delords, well actually it was the Swetlands at this point because Betsey had remarried after Henry’s death, were prominent Whigs in the community and supported the prison system. Betsey writes in a letter to her granddaughter Fannie on March 6, 1847,

“It is quite the rage here to ride out to the new State Prison and ore beds at Dannemora.”

What Betsey is referring to is how the new state prison in Dannemora was using the prisoners to mine the ore beds.

Another letter to her granddaughter indicates that Betsey had to entertain the Governor of New York Washington Hunt while he was in the area to visit the prison at Dannemora. Her letter, dated August 30, 1851 reads,

“Just as I was about getting into bed Mr. Swetland [her husband] came home and said Gov. [Washington] Hunt & lady arrived in the evening boat, that some gentleman called, and they were to accompany them the next day to the state prison [at Dannemora]. Quite the party of ladies were to go and we must invite them to tea. I felt as if I could not undertake it on so short a notice. It lay between Mr. Myers and us, the only prominent Whigs. I found I must do it…we sent out invitations and we had quite a large number and every one seemed to enjoy themselves very much. Gov. Hunt and lady were very pleasant…Both the gov. And lady seemed pleased. They had a delightful excursion to Dannemora.”

This innovative way to run prisons was so popular it brought the Governor of New York to the area to witness it.  For them, visiting the prison was even delightful! That is definitely not the word I would use to describe it. In fact, I try to avoid being near that prison. What baffles me was the party of ladies who came on the trip to visit the prison. It is hard for me to understand the appeal, but that just indicates that we live in different world.

So, the next time you are bored in town because there is nothing to do in Plattsburgh (this moment happened to me too often during my adolescence, especially since we do not even have mini-golf anymore) be thankful it is still not all the rage to visit the Dannemora Prison.

National Women’s Equality Day

Tags

Betsey Delord, Fanny Hall, Frances Henrietta, History, Women

National Women’s Equality Day is this Sunday August 26^th in celebration of the 19^th amendment’s certification. In 1920, the 19^th amendment granted women the right to vote on this day.

It is a shame that many do not realize there is a holiday that celebrates such a monumental time in American History. The holiday started in 1971- so it is not something relatively new. I discovered the holiday in a calendar that marked pretty much all national holidays. Otherwise, it would be a day just like any other. But, now that I am in the know, I like to take some time to remember how much women struggled to gain the right to vote.

I am not a stranger to the suffrage movement. In fact, I have spent a fair amount of my time studying the movement. My Honors Thesis was about the suffrage movement in the Finger Lakes region because of two extremely important individuals (this might be an opinionated statement). Elizabeth Smith Miller partnered with her daughter Anne Fitzhugh Miller to start a Political Equality Club in Geneva, New York. Elizabeth was the second cousin of Elizabeth Cady Stanton so she knew a few people in the movement. Elizabeth was also the woman who started wearing bloomers in the public sphere. I digress, but the Miller women were key to the New York State suffrage movement. Besides lobbying in Albany and sometimes in Washington, D.C., they were one of the largest political equality clubs in the state, and also had the most male involvement in all clubs of the state. However, the most important part of the Miller story I believe are the suffrage scrapbooks they left behind. There are numerous volumes of scrapbooks located at the Library of Congress, but are conveniently available online.

So, what does this all have to do with the Kent-Delord House Museum? Well, for one, the Museum is also not a stranger to the suffrage movement. Fanny Hall was actively involved in the Women’s Christian Temperance Union. Fanny attended many state and national conventions, and we have her ribbons from the conventions in our collection. Fanny first served as secretary of the Plattsburgh chapter starting in 1875, and later served as President of the County Union.

One important aspect of the women’s suffrage movement was how women became empowered and involved in activism. The most famous names in suffrage history like Lucretia Mott, Lucy Stone, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton started their activism in the abolitionist movement. Susan B. Anthony started her activism work in the temperance movement. Through temperance, Fanny became familiar with Susan B. Anthony and the issue of women’s suffrage.

While the Kent-Delord House Museum is not directly tied to women’s suffrage, that is not what National Women’s Equality Day is all about. It is about women’s equality. Many of the Delord women and Plattsburgh women worked for women’s equality in their own ways, leaving behind their legacies of strong, independent women.

Betsey Delord was known for being business savvy. While Henry was away, she had to maintain the store. In a letter that she wrote to Henry while he was away on business, she says,

“I have sent you, Mr. Delord, two as good loads as ever pack’d together. You cant conceive what a woman of Business I am when no one interferes to perplex me. I was u this morning soon after daylight and have every thing ready for a start in Good season….one of the best wives in the world, B.D.”

Betsey was not the first woman in her family to show such independence in the business world. Her mother was able to support her three daughters after her husband died by opening a bakery shop in Plattsburgh. It is no surprise that Betsey was able to flourish in the business world.

Betsey’s daughter Frances Henrietta unfortunately led a short life. But, what is important about Frances’ story is her education. Frances attended boarding school in Champlain, New York. This was during a time where women were not expected to get an education. By getting an education, Frances was asserting herself as equal to men. During a trip to the Albany area, Frances even met Emma Willard, who was a pioneer in women’s education. Emma Willard opened the Troy Female Seminary which was later named the Emma Willard School in her honor. You might recognize a graduate from there- Elizabeth Cady Stanton! Through her education and through the people she met, Frances Henrietta was still working toward female equality, even if she was not aware of it!

Fanny also worked for female equality in her own way. Besides the Women’s Christian Temperance Movement, Fanny was also an inventor. Fanny created Fanoline which was an ointment that could be used to cure basic human ailments from chapped lips to hemorrhoids. After patenting Fanoline, Fanny even started her own company with stock shares called Cumberland Bay Works. It was not a huge moneymaker, but not many women had the opportunity or power to start their own companies or to patent their own inventions. Fanny was also a philanthropist- she was active at the Home for Friendless Children, an orphanage in Plattsburgh, and also studied nursing on her own to treat patients that could not afford to see a doctor. Fanny established through her actions that women are just as capable as men, and what is not worth celebrating about that?

There were other Plattsburgh women who established themselves outside the home. The neighbors of the Delords Lucretia and Margaret Davidson were famous poets lauded by Washington Irving. This was during a time when some women were afraid to publish books under their own name and used male pennames instead.

I wanted to also take this time to add a humorous anecdote. While I was browsing through the Miller suffrage scrapbooks, I found a little bit of information about Plattsburgh. It turns out that Plattsburgh was one of the cities in New York, before women’s suffrage was added to the state constitution, which allowed for female taxpayers to vote on tax issues. When suffragists were lobbying in Albany to extend these rights throughout the state, anti-suffrage women from Plattsburgh were there to protest the issue without realizing Plattsburgh already granted women these rights.

While celebrating National Women’s Equality Day, it is important to remember all women who left the domestic sphere and took a chance in the public sphere- from receiving an education to opening and operating a business- these are all important when it comes to equality. Women who opposed suffrage are also important to remember because they remind us how far women have come.

Attack on Fort Cassin: Important Lake Champlain Events during the War of 1812

Tags

Battle of Plattsburgh, Fort Cassin, History, Lake Champlain Maritime Musem, Lake Champlain Mart

The Battle of Plattsburgh is a big event in the North Country, and a big event for the Kent-Delord House Museum. During the battle, the British utilized the Kent-Delord House as their headquarters. If you take the time to visit the Museum, you will find evidence of British occupancy, including a soldier’s tea chest.  However, the Battle of Plattsburgh was not the only important War of 1812 event that occurred on Lake Champlain. Lake Champlain was an important water highway for trade and commerce during this time period because it led to Canada, and consequently it was a haven for smuggling in those years. So it is no surprise that there were other skirmishes between the Americans and the British during the War of 1812.

One significant skirmish was the attack on Fort Cassin in Vermont. It was the May of 1814 when the British started an expedition from their forts in Quebec on the Richelieu River. Captain Thomas Macdonough was located at Fort Cassin, not a fort at the time of the battle but the location where Macdonough was building a navy to protect Lake Champlain in 1813 at the mouth of Otter Creek into Lake Champlain. When Captain Macdonough heard about the British traveling down Lake Champlain, he set up a fortification on the spot to defend his ships. This fortification is later called Fort Cassin after Lieut. Stephen Cassin who helped drive the British away. Captain Macdonough, with Lieut. Cassin, some sailors, and Captain Thornton’s company of artillery who were sent from Burlington, Vermont, were able to protect Fort Cassin and the naval fleet that would later defeat the British at Plattsburgh in September 1814. This skirmish was important in the overall War of 1812 because it prevented the British from completing their expedition, and preserved the naval fleet used in the Battle of Plattsburgh, which was named the most important naval battle of the War of 1812 and gave the Americans a negotiating position when it came to the Treaty of Ghent.

This weekend (August 18^th and 19^th) at the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum in Vergennes, Vermont is hosting a Rabble in Arms event. The event is a reenactment of the attack on Fort Cassin and there are numerous activities planned throughout the weekend including a talk titled “The Search for Macdonough’s Shipyard,” a look into the archaeological search for his fleet, and ongoing demonstrations of 19^th century military camp and cooking. For more information, check out their Facebook event, or their website.

The Kent-Delord House Museum believes it is important to celebrate all parts of local history. Stop by the Rabble in Arms Weekend and learn more about the War of 1812 in the Champlain Valley and the events leading up to the Battle of Plattsburgh. I know you will not be disappointed.

After checking out Fort Cassin, don’t forget about the Battle of Plattsburgh Commemoration Weekend from September 7^th-9^th and learn more about the most important naval battle of the War of 1812! For a schedule of events, click here.

Henry Delord Finds His Family

Tags

Betsey Delord, France, Frances Henrietta, Henry Delord, History

When I ended the first part of the Delord family history, I stopped after the War of 1812 and the Battle of Plattsburgh. At this time, the Delords were happily living in Plattsburgh, still trying to receive money back from the government without success, and it was a quiet time in the North Country. Industry was increasing because of the openings of the Erie Canal in 1825 and the Champlain Canal that connected Lake Champlain to the Hudson River in 1819, along with an increase in the use of steamships. Traveling was starting to get a little bit easier, and with that came more trade and commerce. The North Country was still a small community, but growing.

During this moment of peace in Plattsburgh, Henry decided to contact people in France to inquire about the whereabouts of his family. Henry had not heard from his family in 31 years because of the French Revolution of 1789. On December 20, 1819 Henry wrote a letter to the Mayor of his birthplace at Nismes, France for help in finding his family. In May of 1820, Henry heard back from his sister Julia Delord. Sadly, in Julia’s letter, Henry learned that Julia and he were the only living members left of the family.

After the 1820 letter, Henry shipped portraits of himself, Betsey and Frances to his sister. Henry was painted at the age of 54, Betsey at 34, and Frances at 6. The portraits hang in the Gold Parlor at the Kent-Delord House Museum and were painted by Abraham G.D. Tuthill when he worked in Plattsburgh in 1818. My favorite part of the story of these portraits is the kind words Henry said of Betsey that he wrote to his sister when he shipped the paintings. Henry said,

The portraits of Betsey and Henry

“These portraits have been panted two years ago- people say they are not perfect as possible- the ones of my wife and of Franciose [Frances], which I can vouch, are of exact likeness and strikingly natural. My wife since that time gained weight- she is a very beautiful and elegant woman well bred and educated and I may say quite truthfully and without flattery that her virtues even surpass her beauty.”

These words give you context of the time period. For one, Henry is trying to prove to his sister that he married a woman of higher class and worthy of the Delord name. Saying that she is well bred and educated means that she is of the privileged few, especially as a woman, to receive an education and well bred means she comes from more genteel families. Also, these portraits served as a way for Henry’s sister to see what he and his family looked like. At that time there were not any cameras or computers and the only way to capture and image of something was to paint it. But my favorite part of what Henry said about the portraits is the compliments to Betsey’s virtues and her beauty. Even though Betsey married at 15, she did find a great partner who adored her and cherished her for her mind, beauty and attributes. For me, his love comes alive.

By 1824, Henry desperately wished to be reunited with his sister in France. At this time, Henry decided to appeal to leaders in Washington, D.C. including Senator Martin Van Buren and the Secretary of War John C. Calhoun about receiving a consulship in southern France. Henry’s efforts failed, only hearing back from Secretary Calhoun promising him he would bring the matter up with the President. Lieutenant G.F. Lindsey promised Henry passage on the ship sent to bring Lafayette to the United States, but that failed too. What Henry probably did not realize was how he was not the most opportune candidate for a consulship. In 1824, Henry was 60 years old, meaning it was unlikely that he had that much time left on the planet. The government would wish to have someone younger to serve this position because it is more likely he would live longer.

In 1825, the Delords were preparing to move to France regardless of the failed attempt to get a consulship. Unfortunately, Henry’s health began to decline in the beginning of March, and he died a few weeks later at the age of 61 on March 29^th.

In the letter Betsey sent to Julia regretfully informing her of her brother’s death she writes,

“You cannot form any idea how tenderly he loved you. He seldom spoke of you but with tears in his eyes.”

That is true family love- a love many of the North Country can relate to.

Traveling, Delord Style

Tags

History, Steamboats, Transportation

Today, from Rouses Point, New York to the Kent-Delord House Museum, it took me about 25 minutes to get to work. That’s traveling about 27 miles.  As I was giving a tour today, I was reminded that it took three hours for Henry Delord to travel from the Peru Quaker Union to Plattsburgh. Peru is half the distance from Plattsburgh as Rouses Point. So, it took three hours to travel about 12 miles back in the early 19^th century. This got me to thinking about transportation back in the day and how thankful I am to have my car (even if it is 20 years old, decorated with duct tape and the radio doesn’t like to work).

Back when the Delords were making the trek from Peru to Plattsburgh, they were using horses and wagons to travel around. That means you could only travel as fast as the horse could take you. Just imagine trying to travel by horse nowadays. There were not smooth, paved roads, half the road we use today were nonexistent including interstates and the roads available were not always reliable and were often very bumpy rides. Today people complain if roads are too bumpy and if there is construction that causes delays. Thinking about traveling by horse is so unfathomable in today’s world that you have to sit back and wonder what it would be like. You would not have the luxury of air conditioning (not that I have that right now anyway) or heating to keep you comfortable, or really any rain or wind protection, and most of all you would have to ride and own a horse. I get a sore bum from trail rides with horses; imagine traveling for three hours on a horse for business? The Delords were used to this type of lifestyle and it did not bother them of course. However, I just like to think back and wonder what it would be like if I lived back then.

You would have ridden in something like this bad boy

So, if it took three hours to travel WITHIN your own county, how long did it take to travel long distances? Well, the Delords provide us with great details about traveling within the state. Betsey wrote letters from her trip to New York City and Washington, D.C. Also, Fanny Hall often had to travel back and forth from Albany and Hartford to Plattsburgh after visiting her father and his family. Just yesterday I was reading about Betsey traveling to Washington, D.C. She writes about horrendous stage coaches traveling at rapid speeds, steamboats that take her down Lake Champlain to make the trip much easier, and traveling over recently frozen rivers. To answer my question as to how long it took to travel across the state, the answer would be DAYS. Here is an excerpt from a letter Betsey wrote to Henry while she was traveling from New York State to Washington, D.C.

On Wednesday morning at six oclock [sic]we went on board the steam boat and were detained about two hours breaking the ice which obliged us to travel until late at night. When we arrived at Philadelphia it was eleven o’clock. We left there yesterday about eight in the mail coach. Had not travell’d far before we broke down and were obliged to sit in the carriage an hour and a half before the driver could get a larger waggon [sic] to take on to Chester about five miles.

Betsey continues to tell her the story of traveling where she was detained another three hours, and then had to cross risky ice on the Susquehanna. This is also after the woman who traveled with her, since women were not allowed to travel alone, lost her trunk on the stagecoach on the way to New York City from Yonkers. Betsey mentions in her letters she prefers to travel by steamboat, and wishes to wait for Lake Champlain to thaw to travel home. After reading about all the difficulties with wagon travel, I do not blame her.

 Image of the Vermont, the first steamboat on Lake Champlain

So the next time you decide to travel long distances and think driving the 9 hours to visit family is a burden, or when you are peeved that the airline lost your luggage, remember that there was a time where you had to travel by horse, ship, or wagon and it was indeed a rocky ride.

In the News: The Grave of Loyal Servant of the Kent-Delord House is Located

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Catherine Dowling, History, In the News

Catherine Dowling lived in the Kent-Delord House from 1864 to 1923, and was one of the longest residents of the house behind Betsey Delord. Dowling was Fannie Hall’s personal servant, and she even lived in the house for ten years after Fannie’s death in 1913 to serve as the caretaker. It was thanks to Dowling and Maggie Shanks that the house was maintained after Fannie’s death, who was the last of the Delord line, and all of Fannie’s possessions were saved. Many of Fannie’s possessions were inherited from her and her husband Frank’s family, and she wished for them to be preserved in a museum. In 1924, William T. Miner, a local Railroad inventor who became rich off his inventions, bought the house to make it into a Museum. Thanks to Catherine Dowling, everything in the house that Fannie wanted to be preserved is still here today.

However, where Dowling was buried remained a mystery until Marlene Waite, a docent at the Museum, decided to investigate the matter. Marlene, along with her husband Irv Waite, knew that other servants of the Kent-Delord House had been buried in the Riverside Cemetery in Plattsburgh, New York. With the help of Riverside Cemetery Superintendent Ed Bourgois Waite was able to locate Dowling’s grave in one of the oldest sections of the cemetery. There, Waite discovered that Dowling was also buried with another servant named Alice Farryer.

Marlene Waite at the Dowling Gravestone. Photo is from the Press Republican

Finding Dowling’s grave is not the only time Waite has been involved in finding graves at the Riverside Cemetery. Starting in 1999, Waite became interested in the cemetery after attending a lecture at the Plattsburgh Public Library about Rev. Francis Bloodgood Hall. Waite was able to find Hall’s marker in the cemetery by using the background of a slide from the lecture. At this time, Waite discovered that Hall’s gravestone had been vandalized. With a donation from Plattsburgh Memorials, Hall’s stone was able to be repaired, along with the stones of Frances Delord Webb Hall and Henry Delord.

What is amazing about this story is the efforts and passion of Marlene Waite. Waite has been a volunteer at the Kent-Delord House Museum since 1995, and she says it is very easy to get wrapped up in the people and their lives. Waite is also quick to point out that servants are often overlooked in family histories. Waite is thankful that the Museum has folders on all of the servants, and enjoyed reading about them.

Marlene Waite has a strong point. Many servants are overlooked in larger histories. When you learn about history growing up, you never focus on the people who were the loyal servants. You do not read about all the servants in the white house, and the servants who served small families right here in Plattsburgh. Now, with the discovery of Catherine Dowling’s gravestone, Waite has helped to tell a different story in the Kent-Delord House’s history, a story of devotion that led to this Museum.

Next mystery that needs to be solved- where in the world is Betsey Delord’s gravestone?

For the Press Republican article, click here.

Historical Cultural Differences

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Culture, History

When you read about history, sometimes a bit gets lost in translation. We live in a different time with cars, computers, cell phones, TV, internet, etc. and it is difficult to imagine a life where it took 3 hours to travel 20 miles. While reading about the Delords, one might find it appalling that a 35 year old man married a 15 year old girl. One might also find it appalling that Henry Delord owned slaves. However, we must remember that we do live in a different time that is much more progressive than the early 19^th century.

For one, during this time period the only people who truly had rights in this country were property owning males. To vote you had to own property and to get your voice heard, you needed to be able to vote. Later these restrictions were lifted; however it did not change the power structure. The people who held the most power in the United States were white men, meaning women, African slaves, freed blacks, and Native Americans did not have civil rights. It was not until the 1960s did the white male hierarchy started to truly be lifted with the Civil Rights Movement and the Women’s Rights Movement and many other minority movements in the United States. Until then, African Americans were not treated justly, and women were thought to belong in the home.

It was not until the Progressive Era in the late 19^th century and early 20^th century did children start to gain some rights. During this time, child labor laws were passed. Discussions on sexuality also began and that was the beginning of the American public believing that child marriage was wrong. Since then, legal age of consent has been passed state by state, ranging from 15 to 18. In New York State, the legal age of consent is 17 so if Henry Delord tried to marry Betsey in 2012, he legally would to be able to. It is common belief now that once you turn 18 you are an adult, have finished school, and now can think for yourself. Back when the Delords lived in the North Country, this was not the case. Many started their lives at younger ages because the average life span was not very long because of the lack of medical knowledge available. Many did live to be in their 80s because of the clean fresh air, but many died in their 30s because of the lack of antiseptics and knowledge about the human body. Women died often during childbirth or complications from childbirth, including Henry and Betsey’s daughter Frances. Children were also not mandated by law to go to school until they are 16, and many never received a proper education. So marrying at 15 was not viewed as so young because Betsey was in her child bearing years, she did not have a High School education to finish, and frankly, she might not live to be much older. Today it is just unthinkable in American culture that someone so young would be married. I am almost 23 and people I know from High School are starting to get engaged and married. This fact freaks me out a bit. Marriage seems so far to me, but back in the day, I would be viewed as a spinster for not being married by now.

However, not all cultures are on the same page as American culture. Child marriage does occur in other countries, especially in Muslim countries. I recently read a memoir titled, I am Nujood, Aged 10 and Divorced by Nujood Ali, about this young girl from Yemen that was forced into an abusive marriage before the age of ten. Under the marriage contract, which Nujood was not present for nor did she have a say while they were negotiating, Nujood was not supposed to have sexual relations with her husband until she started menstruating, which is a law in Yemen. Unfortunately, her husband did not wait until she menstruated. Divorce is not common in Yemen either, and she had to find a special women’s rights lawyer to help her win her case. After Nujood’s divorce, it set a precedent in Yemen and other young women started getting divorces to abusive marriages that they did not consent to. However, it is a common belief that child marriage is okay on Muslim cultures, using Muhammad as an example because his wife was very young when he married her. These types of patriarchal societies are not uncommon across the globe, but it is important to know that there are people who are speaking up to change it.

Any time that you encounter history, it is important to analyze it through the culture that existed at that time. It seems strange in 2012 that a 15 year old young lady is married, that slavery once existed, but it is important to remember that these were common practices in early American History.  Take the time to learn more about how people lived back in the day, and learn about the brave men and women who worked so hard to stand up for social justice.

Who Were the Kent-Delords? Part One

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Betsey Delord, Henry Delord, History

Settling in the North Country

When I applied for the Program Coordinator position at the Kent-Delord House Museum, the knowledge I had about the Kent-Delord House came from the War of 1812. I knew that Henry Delord and his wife, Betsy, lived in this nice little house near the mouth of the Saranac River right in Plattsburgh with a fantastic view of Plattsburgh Bay on Lake Champlain. I also knew that Henry Delord was a merchant in Plattsburgh. During the War of 1812, General Alexander Macomb asked Henry Delord to allow the army men based in Plattsburgh who were not being paid to buy goods on credit at his Red Store in Plattsburgh. Then, when the Battle of Plattsburgh started in September 1814, the Delords fled their home and the house was used by the British for their headquarters. Besides learning that Henry Delord was never repaid what he sold on credit to the soldiers, I knew very little about the Delord family and their history.

Image from Battle of Plattsbugh Reenactment

During my first day of work at the Kent-Delord House Museum, I was bombarded with the Delord history as I was given my first tour by a young female docent named Marlee (even though I have museum experience, docent was not a term I was familiar with. The best way to describe a docent would be an informed volunteer, someone who is trained to give tours to visitors and answer any questions about the Museum). I quickly learned that there were so many interesting facts to learn about the Delords, their patriotism, and their philanthropy. Everything about the Delord history describes the community values that exist in the North Country; a tradition of giving back and helping your neighbor is prominent in their lives.

However, you might first be confused about the Kent-Delord name in this House Museum, especially as I only discuss a Delord family. Well, this gets a bit complicated but I think I can break it down for you quite simply. Kent is the name of the family that owned the house when Henry Delord decided to buy it in 1810. The Kent’s did not build the house, nor ever live in it. The house was built by local merchant William Bailey in 1797. Bailey had a few stores, and he decided to sell his Plattsburgh house so he could move closer to his store in Chateaugay, New York, northwest of Plattsburgh. Bailey sold the house to his father, Colonel John Bailey of Dutchess County, New York. Colonel Bailey then deeded the house to his daughter Elizabeth Kent, who was married to the prominent lawyer James Kent in Albany. The Kent-Delord House received its name from the deed that sold Henry the house, although there is no evidence that any Kents ever resided here. A more accurate name of the house would be Bailey-Delord House.  However, after using Kent-Delord House as a title for almost a century, it will stay as the Kent-Delord House Museum.

Ourgoal at the Kent-Delord House Museum is to focus on the people who once lived here, the Delords and their descendants. But there is a lot more to the story than just how Henry Delord purchased the house in 1810. In fact, like many Americans Henry Delord started out his life in the United States as an immigrant, coming from the islands of Martinique and St. Lucia in the French West Indies during a very conflicted time of the French Revolution, which killed most of his family in France. Henry Delord, who was actually Henri until he “Americanized” his name, was born in France on July 15, 1764 and moved to the French West Indies at the age of twenty in 1784 to work with his Uncle at a sugar plantation. During his time in the Caribbean, Henry learned how to run a business, and became involved in the Masonic Lodge, serving as the first secretary and one of the charter members of the Masonic Lodge in Micoud, St. Lucia. Both business and masonry would help in Henry’s success in the United States. However, before he finally left the French West Indies, he was detained more than once by the British government. But after all these hard times, Henry Delord immigrated to the United States in 1796.

First stop, New York City! Henry Delord arrived in New York City after leaving St. Lucia in October of 1796, at the age of 32. There in New York City, he started planning for his life in the United States. It is difficult to know exactly what he did to settle in America because he did not leave any documentation behind that explicitly states his experience, but our best guess is he utilized business contacts he made in the business world of the French West Indies, and utilized contacts through his Masonic membership. Just after a few weeks in the city, Henry started his trip to Northern New York to work for a prosperous merchant and fellow Mason, Bernardus Swartout, as a land agent. Remember, traveling in 1796 was no easy feat and took days to venture up north from New York City. By the end of 1796, Henry Delord found himself settling in the Quaker Union of Peru, New York.

Portrait of Henry Delord

I graduated from Peru High School, located in Peru, New York and my 4^th grade teacher covered the history of the Quaker Union quite extensively. Our unit in our Social Studies class was complete with a walking tour of Peru, going down the old Goshen road ok the Quaker Union on the Little Ausable River. The fact that I remember this field trip so well can be attributed to a job well done to my teacher who worked endlessly to make us at least like history if not love it. I was one who loved it. One of the most enjoyable aspects of reading about the Delords was the connection to the Peru Quaker Union and my fond memories as a ten year old eating up history.

When Henry moved to the Quaker Union at the end of 1796, he most likely rented a building to open a store. Because of alien laws at that time, Henry was unable to own property until his name was cleared through legislative acts which often cleared immigrants individually. The act that included Mr. Delord was passed on April 3, 1797. With this act, Henry was able to buy the store, expand it into a tavern, and create a large farm. In the forthcoming years Henry expanded his business and became involved in the community. Mr. Delord served as the postmaster of Peru and established the post office in his store. His political career started with postmaster, and throughout his time in the area he was active in Republican politics, even serving on boards for the state, along with serving as one of the county supervisors. In 1800 Henry was appointed Justice of Peace, a position he held until he moved away from Peru. His biggest honor was serving as one of the three judges of County Court of Common Pleas, a position he held in all years between 1804-1815, except in 1807. Leading up to 1810, Henry was saving money from his business, renting his property, and property investments while rising as a one of Clinton County’s prominent citizens.

What is surprising to most people from the Northeast is that Henry Delord owned slaves. When I learned about the Civil War, slavery and abolition, I remember believing that slavery only existed in the south. It was not until I was in High School taking AP U.S. History did my teacher reveal to me that slavery did exist in the north in the beginning of our nation’s history. Then I learned about abolition’s true history, starting in the north, and ultimately leading up to the Civil War. My teacher was always adamant about how there were registered slaves in Clinton and Essex County, where we live. Mr. Delord was one of the men owning slaves in Clinton County. According to the U.S. Census, Henry owned 3 slaves. Eventually Henry got rid of his slaves, years prior to a mandate for gradual emancipation and after years of living in an Abolitionist Quaker Society. However, Henry Delord did own many indentured servants, taking advantage of that source of cheap labor.

Mr. Delord was quite the bachelor in the North Country, complete with his French accent. It took three years for him to get married; in December of 1799, Henry Delord married Elizabeth Ketchum. Elizabeth Ketchum was only 15 while Delord was 35, however it was during different times (if you wish to read more about cultural differences, click here). She was born in Red Hook, New York in 1784, and settled in Plattsburgh with the first settlers who came as veterans of the Revolutionary War in 1785 with her father who was a veteran. It is most likely that Betsey, as she was called, met Henry while she was visiting her sister who had married and moved to the Peru Quaker Union. Until 1810, Betsey and Henry made their home in Peru, when they decided to move to Plattsburgh after getting tired of the constant 3 hour trek to Plattsburgh for business and political duties.

Portrait of Betsey Delord

The Delords departed Peru to start living in Plattsburgh. After buying the house from Mr. Bailey, the Delords decided to renovate it to their taste, making the house more symmetrical and more suitable for the Federalist style that was popular at the time. The renovations included adding a new parlor, new bedrooms upstairs and downstairs, and a dining room. Around 1812 the house was complete and the Delords were officially residents of Plattsburgh. While the Delords did sell most of their property in Peru, they did continue to rent out property in the Quaker Union while living in Plattsburgh.

While in Plattsburgh, the Delords were lucky enough to have their first and only child. Frances Delord was born in October 1813. Unfortunately for Frances, she was born into a very chaotic time in the Champlain Valley during the War of 1812. During her first year, the Delords had to flee their house twice. The first time was during Murray’s Raid  of 1813 when the British traveled down the coast of Lake Champlain from Canada, burning and looting all along the way in retaliation of a misguided attack by American troops in Quebec. The other time they fled their home was during the Battle of Plattsburgh in 1814. Both times the family fled to Peru. However, there is an old tale passed on for decades about how Betsey buried the family’s silver before fleeing to Peru. There is no documentation that supports this, but it is a living legend in the North Country.

It is unfortunate that the Delords moved to Plattsburg at such a troublesome time. As I mentioned before, Henry Delord was one of the only merchants who had enough patriotism to allow the soldiers based in Plattsburgh to buy supplies on credit. Delord never was repaid for this act of kindness, and in fact had to sell his house to pay off his debts. Thankfully it was a family friend who purchased his house and allowed the Delords to still live there and even deeded the house to Betsey eventually. Although the Delords faced hard times while in Plattsburgh, they are an important aspect to the local history in this area. I find this type of history fascinating, especially because it connects so much to my day to day life living in this great community. Just the other day when I was driving home I passed a Delord Street that I did not even know existed. Now I know how the Delords came to be a North Country neighbor and a legacy of patriotism for Northern New York.