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DanielC · 04-20-2015, 08:13 PM

(04-20-2015 07:01 PM)Eva Elisabeth Wrote: Roger, this is a very hot guess. I am sorry to say it is not Thurlow Weed either, but you almost got it!

Hi Eva,

Is it Horace Greeley?

Best,

Eva Elisabeth · (This post was last modified: 04-20-2015 10:03 PM by Eva Elisabeth.)

Hi Daniel,
Kudos, that is correct!!! The source of this unknown artist's sketch of Horace Greeley arriving in New York in 1831 is James Parton: "Life of Horace Greeley" (1855).

I've always wanted to know - what/who is your avatar (and hope it's not a too stupid question...)?

You win an ever green tribute to the city that Greely posthomously might agree on:
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xMfz1jlyQrw
Enjoy!

Rogerm · 04-20-2015, 10:50 PM

I regret that I didn't answer Eva's question correctly. For several years, I lived in the city in Colorado (Greeley) that is named for him. Horace Greeley apparently visited there one time around 1870 or 1871.

Eva Elisabeth · (This post was last modified: 04-20-2015 11:22 PM by Eva Elisabeth.)

You came so close to the answer with your last guess, I feel you should receive a prize, too. What about a bag of Color-Rado?

Rogerm · 04-20-2015, 11:33 PM

Vielen Dank, Eva!! Es sieht sehr gut aus. It looks really good. The manufacturer (Haribo) claims their product will make both children and adults happy. I will take their word for it. lol

DanielC · 04-21-2015, 11:08 AM

(04-20-2015 10:02 PM)Eva Elisabeth Wrote: Hi Daniel,
Kudos, that is correct!!! The source of this unknown artist's sketch of Horace Greeley arriving in New York in 1831 is James Parton: "Life of Horace Greeley" (1855).

I've always wanted to know - what/who is your avatar (and hope it's not a too stupid question...)?

You win an ever green tribute to the city that Greely posthomously might agree on:
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xMfz1jlyQrw
Enjoy!

All right!!! Thank you for the video. Being from Boston, and a Red Sox fan hearing "Old Blue Eyes" dedicate the song to the City that never sleeps and to the ball team that LOST. I'm assuming he was alluding to the N.Y. Yankees. Now that truly is "music to my ears" Smile

Eva Elisabeth · 04-21-2015, 04:18 PM

I am glad you liked it, Dan!

RJNorton · 06-21-2015, 05:16 PM

(04-10-2015 04:19 AM)RJNorton Wrote: This person has been discussed frequently on this board. He was born in this building. Who is he?

(04-11-2015 12:41 PM)Angela Wrote: Is this the Seward home?

Our newest forum member, Roger Dowd, is the president of the The Seward/Mapes Homestead Restoration Committee in Florida, NY. Welcome, Roger!

http://sewardhomestead.org/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Willi...017143905#

L Verge · 06-21-2015, 05:47 PM

What a wonderful project, Mr. Dowd. We welcome you to this forum with open arms. Historic preservation is so important to the future of the U.S.

Eva Elisabeth · 06-23-2015, 08:53 AM

I agree - a wonderful project! Welcome, Mr. Dowd!

Gene C · 06-23-2015, 09:38 AM

What a great project and good luck.
If you look at the facebook link Roger posted, there is a fairly recent photo and it looks like at some time the building has been used for storage, with what looks like a garage door on the side.

Anita · 06-25-2015, 06:05 PM

Welcome Mr. Dowd and thank you for taking up this most worthwhile challenge. I read an article about the restoration where you are quoted as saying " volunteers recently lifted what they thought were walkway flagstones only to learn they were "badly inscribed" tombstones that could be hundreds of years old." - See more at: http://tinyurl.com/p8hews2

I bet you will uncover many more surprises in the months ahead. Please keep us posted!

RogerD · (This post was last modified: 06-26-2015 07:53 AM by RogerD.)

(06-21-2015 05:47 PM)L Verge Wrote: What a wonderful project, Mr. Dowd. We welcome you to this forum with open arms. Historic preservation is so important to the future of the U.S.

Thank you very much for your warm welcome! I am sorry about my late reply. Restoring the Seward birthplace is quite a challenge, as you can appreciate. It will be quite a while before we open the building to the public, but, we hope to be an educational partner in the community by hosting lectures and re-enactments.

(06-23-2015 08:53 AM)Eva Elisabeth Wrote: I agree - a wonderful project! Welcome, Mr. Dowd!

Thank you for your kind thoughts. We are in our fourth year and have a long way to go. It has been quite an education. The local high school - the S. S. Seward Institute - was founded by its namesake, Samuel Sweezey Seward. It is right next door to the homestead and is an indispensable partner in our efforts.

(06-25-2015 06:05 PM)Anita Wrote: Welcome Mr. Dowd and thank you for taking up this most worthwhile challenge. I read an article about the restoration where you are quoted as saying " volunteers recently lifted what they thought were walkway flagstones only to learn they were "badly inscribed" tombstones that could be hundreds of years old." - See more at: http://tinyurl.com/p8hews2

I bet you will uncover many more surprises in the months ahead. Please keep us posted!

I am amazed that you found that article. Yes. No doubt we will encounter many surprises. We still need to do forensics and archeology on the site. As it turned out, The Mapes house in the front portion of the homestead served as a funeral parlor into the early 70's. The headstones/flagstones may have been old vandalized headstones taken from a nearby cemetery. We just don't know. The Seward birthplace was actually used by the funeral home as a garage for limos. The bottom floor west section of the house was used as an embalming room. We have our work cut out for us. We can only hope our surprises aren't gruesome ones.

(06-23-2015 09:38 AM)Gene C Wrote: What a great project and good luck.
If you look at the facebook link Roger posted, there is a fairly recent photo and it looks like at some time the building has been used for storage, with what looks like a garage door on the side.

Thank you, Gene. As I mentioned in another post, what is left of Seward's birthplace was once used by a funeral parlor as a limo garage. But, the doors you mention were there since the early 1900's when the building was re-purposed as a barn. Our biggest challenge is determining how much of our restoration can be an actual restoration and how much of it will be interpretative. Working with state certified restoration architects and archeologists will help us there. One striking point of interest is "the kitchen", which is now a dilapidated outbuilding sitting on the grounds that may contain remnants of the slaves' quarters. Later this summer we hope to start the forensics on it.

Anita · (This post was last modified: 06-26-2015 02:20 PM by Anita.)

Roger, thanks for posting the amazing information on what you've discovered and "uncovered" so far. Fascinating history. I would so love to be a volunteer but will be content with following your progress. I started my college career at SUNY Stonybrook studying to become an Archaeologist. Have you contacted Archeology Magazine? They write about projects such as yours and have a wonderful website.

RogerD · 06-26-2015, 01:47 PM

Thank you, Anita. Our group just had a meeting last night to brainstorm on finding the right expertise. The Greater Hudson Heritage Network is one of the resources I need to look into. As you can well understand, we've got to get things right. So you studied Archeology? I'm afraid I don't have the patience for that kind of painstaking study. I admire those who do. I will definitely look into Archeology Magazine. Thank you!