THE FRIENDS OF MOUNT HOPE CEMEI'ERY 28

THILLMAN P. J. FABRY even more glaring. Thillman Peter Jacob Union Telegraph Company fame, com­ (1851-1926) Fabry, almost forgotten tOday, was such a missioned Fabry to provide the architec­ craftsman, who also, in his day, was recog­ tural details in St. Paul's Church without WOOD AND PLASTER nized nationally as a fine artist. the involvement of an architect. Sibley SCULPTOR said to Fabry, "You are architect enough Fabry was responsible for the grand for me." That gave Fabry the freedom and By Richard 0. Reisem main staircase and decora­ initiative to create all of the charming and tive plaster ceilings in the interesting carvings in the church. (1 was assisted in preparing George Eastman House. this article with information pro­ The architect who designed In the Baptist Temple Building, lJided by Thillman Fabry's grand­ the staircase was Charles downtown at Main and Franklin streets, daughter, Pamela Benham Erwin, McKim of the New York Fabry produced a richly carved choir loft and great granddaughter, Linda City firm of McKim, Mead in Gorhic Revival style that decorates the Bloom Rossie, as well as by Tom & White, but it was Fabry former sanctuary. At Blessed Sacrament Petrillo and Bill Reamy, who live who carved the remarkable Church, Monroe Avenue at Rutgers in Fabry's house at 101 Southern staircase. Fabry also created Street, Fabry carved an elaborate altarpiece Parkway in Rochester. J also the decorative wall elements with five full-size figures in ornately received assistance from Vincent of the main hall in the carved gothic niches. The central figure is Lenti, author of"For the Eastman School ofMusic. Virgin Mary holding her baby Jesus. Enrichment ofCommunity Life: He carved the wooden Mary's left hand and a portion of the The Opening ofthe Eastman Kilbourn Hall ticket office. sculpture are unfinished, because Fabry Theatre 1922".) The carved proscenium died while still working on the altar. The arch and walls in Kilbourn church decided to leave it unfinished as a When we look at Thillman P. j. Fabry, renowned Hall are also Fabry's work. tribute to the artist. Many other churches, beautiful buildings with carver in plaster and wood. including First Methodist and Central

Fabry plasterwork in the Monroe County Office Building atrium. handsome and intricate architectural St. Paul's Episcopal Church on East Presbyterian, also contained the highly details, we tend to credit the building's Avenue at Vick Park B contains myriad prized work ofThillman Fabry. architect wirh their creation. But the wood sculptures by Fabry: most notably, architect did nor apply chisels to the the pulpit, the lectern, and the figures on The Monroe County Office wood, trowels to the plaster, and gilding the ends of the hammer beams of the ceil­ Building, originally the county court­ to the decorations to fashion those ing. On the hammer beams, seven differ­ house, was designed by Rochester archi­ remarkable details. It was the work of a ent angels blow horns, wave palm leaves, tect, J. Foster Warner, and built in 1894­ craftsman, whose name is often lost to sniff lilies, press hands in prayer, and 1896. It was the first example ofItalian history. And when the craftsman excels engage in other activities. Hiram W Renaissance Revival style in western New not only in the production of the details, Sibley, son of Hiram Sibley ofWestern York. On the fourth floor of the atrium, but contributes to their design, the loss is 100 feet above the main floor, there is an brick mansion in 1910. It was a couple of mantel also bears Fabry's special carving explosion of Italian Renaissance plaster­ years before federal income tax, so costs skills. The Jacobean ceiling is constructed work created by Thillman Fabry. It is a were not a problem. The two-year remod­ of parget work-that is, molded decora­ tour de force composed of intricate floral eling of the structure was designed by tive hard plaster in bas relief. Fabry creat­ garlands, scallop shells, shields, lions' Rochester architect Edwin S. Gordon with ed a Tudor rose motif in the ceiling plas­ heads, and circular grates, all in plaster interior design by Isaac Scrantom, presi- terwork and repeated the design in the and bronze. fireplace mantel. The pipes for an Aeolian organ are hidden behind an elaborately Fabry also created ornamental work carved wooden screen by Fabry. Fabry's in the New York State capitol in Albany, woodcarving skills are also evident in the where his architectural details are especial­ intricate design of the main staircase. ly fine in the Senate chamber. The Hiram Columns, moldings, mantels, and arches Sibley Building (I925), 311 Alexander in the solarium, dining room, hall, and Street at East Avenue, was designed by the other rooms present handsome architec­ Boston architectural firm of Shepley, tural details by Fabry.

Plasterwork by Thillman Fabry in Rochester Academy ofMedicine living room. Detail ofceiling plaster design incorporating Bulfinch, and Abbot, who engaged Fabry a Tudor rose motif to carve interior architectural details. Some of Fabry's work has been destroyed because of demolition, such as Piccadilly Theater, which became Paramount Theater. And his charming work in the EPITAPH Eastman Dental Dispensary on Main Published quarterly by the Friends of Street is now largely stolen or vandalized. Mount Hope Cemetery, Rochester, Also gone are his carved-wood and plaster New York 14620, a nonprofit member contributions to Whistle's and Scrantom's organization founded in 1980. retail stores, restaurants, and other com­ Carved pilaster in wood-paneled living room ofthe © 2008 The Friends of Mount Hope Cemetery mercial establishments. Rochester Academy ofMedicine. Richard 0. Reisem, Editor jan Wyland, Associate Editor In addition to the George Eastman dent of Hayden Furniture Company. The Frank A. Gillespie, Photographer Dan Malczewski, Art Director House, many other residential structures living room was designed after a room at Lucille Malczewski, Editorial Assistant display the genius ofThillman Fabry. One Knole House in Sevenoaks, Kent, Basic annual membership is $20. Call (585) of them is the Edmund Lyon House, now England. (Knole House, one of England's 461-3494for afree pocket guide to Mount the Rochester Academy ofMedicine at great country houses, has 365 rooms and Hope Cemetery and a membership applica­ 1441 East Avenue. Lyon acquired the 52 staircases.) So there is a definite tion. See our colorful and informative house when his father, Harrison A. Lyon, Jacobean architectural style to Lyon's liv­ web site: wwwfomh.org died. Edmund decided to rebuild the ing room, which has paneled wood walls existing Italianate frame house, changing of quarter-sawn white oak with detailed it dramatically into a grand, 33-room carving in the pilasters. The fireplace Another house that was decorated by and grapes. Dolphins represent hospitality but not delivered. Eastman felt that light Fabry plaster and wood carving is the because they would greet sailors at sea. fixtures were needed for the grand open­ Thomas W Finucane House at 20 Grapes, of course, suggest wine and con­ ing. The contractor quickly turned to Portsmouth Terrace. Finucane was one of viviality. English Tudor roses are carved Thillman Fabry, who bought a pair of the leading building contractors in west­ into the newel posts. In the long horizon­ metal washtubs, added some decorative ern New York. He was also a banker, an tal panels below the balustrade are carved metal elements like tin leaves at the upper owner of gold and silver mines, the bundled tobacco leaves, which symbolize rim of the washtubs, metal roping around founder and president of a telephone good fortune. Above the niche on the stair the base of the tubs, and a classical company, the head of a large real estate landing, there is a representation of the pineapple pendant hanging from the mid­ firm, and a political and religious leader in god of the sea, Neptune. Stained-glass dle of the tub bottom. He then gilded the the community. So when he built the windows show family crests and hobbies, ensemble, creating attractive elegance Colonial Revival style house at 20 among other motifs. In the major rooms, from humble materials. The pair of light Portsmouth Terrace in 1894, money was Fabry created wonderful fireplace mantels fIXtures were fitted with electric bulbs, not a problem. But he did not want the and in the dining room, a large built-in, wired, and hung ftom metal chains, pro­ exterior of his house to appear ostenta- leaded-glass-fronted, wood-carved cabinet viding the light that Eastman requested.

Carved plaster ceiling in the entrance hall 0/20 Portsmouth Terrace. tious, thereby advertising his enormous wealth and lofty position. So the house The carved-wood staircase at 20 Portsmouth Terrace The chandeliers, although considered by has a modest exterior appearance, has a large niche at the first landing. the architects to be temporary, were although it does display considerable bulk attractive enough to everyone else so that in order to provide 8,000 square feet of that looks like a separate piece of furniture the order for the undelivered chandeliers living space inside. But Finucane wanted with legs. was canceled. When the Eastman Theatre to enjoy something entirely different underwent a renovation in the 1970s, the inside and lavished money on an opulent George Eastman built one of the fate of the washtub chandeliers was debat­ mtenor. most beautiful and largest theaters in the ed, and the designers decided not to U.S. in 1922. It was designed by McKim, replace them with professionally manufac­ Finucane turned to Fabry to create Mead & White, America's most famous tured pieces, so they still hang proudly in that opulence. It begins in the spacious architects of the time. The Eastman the Eastman Theatre today. entrance hall. The dramatic ceiling reflects Theatre is elegant and dignified in every Fabry's genius at plaster relief in geometric aspect, except perhaps for fwO washtub Fifty years later, the name of the designs. The staircase incorporates design chandeliers. When George Eastman made washtub chandelier artist was forgotten. motifs typical of a 17th-century English a last-minute inspection of the new the­ An article in "Rochester Review," Summer country house. Because Finucane was an ater a few days before the grand opening, 1980, published by the University of avid sailor, there are several sea motifs in he noted that it was particularly dark at Rochester, stated that "the fwO metal this staircase that travels in three direc­ the rear of the mezzanine. Electrical wires washtubs were metamorphosed into light tions with fwO landings before reaching dangled from the ceiling, but there were fixtures by 'an ingenious artisan"'. In the the second floor. The carved panels in the no chandeliers attached to them. He was "Letters" section of the "Rochester balustrade include depictions ofdolphins told that the chandeliers had been ordered Review", Winter 1980-81, Marion Fleck Fabry '25 responded: "That ingenious sands of Indian warriors. Custer and his While stationed in the Midwest, artisan was my father-in-law, Thillman F. central unit of 260 soldiers were killed to Fabry spent his spare time carving pieces J. Fabry. Our family has always relished the last man.) The story of Custer inspired ofalabaster, which he found in the rock the tale of the tubs as he related it to us." Fabry and, seeking adventure as well as outcroppings. It was the beginning of his food and "a roof over my head", he enlist- nonmilitary career as a sculptor. In his day, Fabry's artistry was in high demand, not only in Rochester, but also by notable architects like McKim, Mead & White in New York City, and promi­ nent architects in Boston, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and Chicago. For 40 years, Fabry operat­ ed from a studio at 48 North Water Street. In addition to architectural elements like mantels, stair­ cases, moldings, and ceil­ ings, Fabry carved chairs, tables, benches, mirror frames, lamps, and plaques. At one time, he had as many as 20 assistants work­ ing in his studio. From Fabry's large family, his son, Fabry built a home for his family at 101 Southern Parkway, Rochester. Fred, and daughter, Maude, both worked in his carv­ ing and plaster molding business.

Thillman P. J. Fabry was born in Treves, Germany on November 22, 1857. He emigrated to America in 1871 at the age of 14 years. He was brought to this One ofa pair ofwashtub chandeliers in the mezzanine ofEastman Theatre. country by a rela­ tive ofhis stepfa- ther. He first settled in Providence, Rhode ed in the U.S. Army. Island, where he was engaged in carving He was sent to the Fabry's classical carved-plaster ceiling at 101 Southern Parkway. furniture for a furniture manufacturer. Black Hills in South Dakota, then known In 1876, Fabry read about "Custer's as the Dakota Territory, where he served Fabry was promoted to corporal in Last Stand". (General George Armstrong in Indian warfare. He fought the Sioux 1879 and was discharged from the army Custer, a West Point graduate who served and the Apaches, and in peaceful times in 1881. He maintained that his time in with distinction throughout the Civil War, studied their culture and customs and the U.S. Army were the happiest days of lead the 7th Cavalry in an attack against became a friend of many Indians. He was his life, and all through the years after an alliance of Cheyenne and Sioux appointed the regiment's hunter and sent military service, he regaled his friends Indians on June 25, 1876. Custer pitted out to kill buffalo and other game animals with srories of his adventures in Dakota his regiment of 647 men against thou- to supply the commissary. Territory, Texas, and New Mexico. THE OLD located on an Indian trail-an old the southwesr corner ofWest Main and CHAPEL/CREMATORY Iroquois path leading from Lake Ontario The people of Rochester were Fitzhugh to Indian villages along the Genesee. The streets. H. Searle and Son moved to by Stmd()r vegh area was partially swampland and had to Washington D.C. in 1865 and had an be drained-a monumental engineering illustrious career there, which included a Throughout my life I have come to task undertaken by Silas Cornell, creating plan for completion of the Washington appreciate and love Mount Hope a tunnel through the Indian trail esker Monument, which had been designed by Cemetery and what it has to offer. .As a (a glacial ridge left behind Robert Mills but delayed because of the youth growing up in Rochester, I would from the last ice age). Civil War. Although Searle's plan was not frequent it often, marveling at the stones used in the Washington Monument, it sprouting out of the rolling hills. The brought him much recognition. In cemetery has become a place ofperpetu­ al mystery for me. With every visit I Washington he was also known for learn and experience something new. designing a Howard University building. What secret have you around the corner In 1879, he moved to New York City for me today? Many years have passed where he again gained acclaim as an and the cemetery still promises me acoustician through his development and something new. One of the biggest patterning of highly original designs for secrets for me is the old chapel/cremato­ the control of sound in assembly halls and rium. It is that gothic building you see other public areas. Among these commis­ at the north entrance of the cemetery sions are the Senate Chamber in the state just behind the fountain. You can't help capitol in Albany and the Union League but appreciate its presence. It has a Club in New York City. Henry Searle's medieval feel with gray, menacing gothic son, Henry Robinson Searle died quite spires piercing the sky. At the same time, young at the age of46 years in New York you can sense the building's City in 1882 from tuberculosis, which character-solid, enduring, a reflection was prevalent in those days, especially in of bygone times. That's just the outside. New York. Searle, Sr., died in 1892 and If it could speak what secrets both his and his son's body are buried in would it tell? Mount Hope Cemetety, Section A, Lot 81. The Story of the chapel is the story of Rochester itself. To get a better under­ The old chapel was built in 1862from a Gothic style Construction of the chapel began in standing, we need to turn back the clock. design by H. Searle & Son. the spring of 1861 and was completed at In 1862, Abraham Lincoln was in the the end of that year. The cost of construc­ White House; the country was going tion was covered by funds from the through some of its darkest hours as a The people of Rochester were proud Mount Hope Fund, which was raised nation divided. Although the Union was of their Victorian cemetery and wanted to through the sale of lots. The total cost for in jeopardy, Rochester was still experienc­ erect a chapel and vault that reflected the the structure was $10,500. The building ing record growth. It was the nation's first city's prominence and wealth. But first, itself was a prime example of its kind and boomtown. Just 24 years old, the ceme­ the ambitious engineering project to drain was well received in an article from tery was growing at a phenomenal the swamp area where the chapel was to June 20, 1861: rate-not only from current burials, but sit was commenced. City surveyor Silas also in land acquisition to accommodate Cornell supervised the job. A 500-foot "Plans and drawings for these works the relocation of burials from other city tunnel was dug from the north entrance were made by H. Searle & Son, architects, cemeteries that were being abandoned. through Indian Trail esker to Genesee after a minute inspection of all the struc­ The public cemeteries at East Avenue and River. This tunnel was located just to the tures of this kind of any note in the coun­ Gibbs Street, Alexander Street and left of the chapel. try. A glance at the drawings and specifi­ Monroe Avenue (site of the current cations is enough to assure us that we are Monroe high schoo1), and Buffalo Street, Henry Searle, of H. Searle and Son, to have something at Mount Hope that to name a few. With expansion on the was chosen to design the chapel. Henry will excel in everything but outlay of minds of these Victorians, it became Searle was a reputable architect based in money, anything of the kind in the apparent that Mount Hope was in desper­ Rochester. He designed many buildings in United States." ate need of a chapel. 19th-century Monroe County, such as the Monroe Rochesterians took great pride in their County workhouse, city hospital, and The construction of the chapel vault town and cemetery, vowing it would have Corinthian Hall. He added a third story was begun in 1861. It was warmly no equal in America. The site itself is to the original Rochester Savings Bank on received by the city, as is reflected by the Moving to Rochester after the army, he old local architect, Carl R. Traver, to work ly exquisitely detailed with lions' heads pursued his artistic leanings and became a with him in designing one of the more peering from the shelf brackets. member of the Alembic Club, a group of unusual houses on Southern Parkway. The artists, journalists, and other professionals. house, with its decorative half-timbered The present owners of 101 Southern Many of his Indian war stories were recit­ second floor over the entrance projection Parkway, Tom Petrillo and Bill Reamy, ed at Alembic Club meetings, where and the shallow-pointed arch of the maintain all of these wonderful sculptural Fabry would get rapt attention. He was entrance itself, signal American Tudor works ofThillman Fabry in pristine con­ also a member of the Corner Club, the style. There is stucco cladding over con­ dition. Rochester Art Club, and the Masons. crete walls and a red tile roof, so this is a solidly built, fireproof structure. Above the stone surround of the entrance, there is a trapezoid­ shaped plaque that was hand-carved by Fabry. Above that is a vergeboard attached to the gable. It, too, was carved by Fabry.

In the vestibule, Fabry created a plaster ceiling in a floral pattern. The hall ceiling is also decorated with a geomet­ ric plaster design. And in Thillman Fabry died on The carved-oak fireplace mantel incorporates the living room, the ceil­ August 6, 1926at age 68 classical design motifi. ing reminds you of the years. He is buried in Range 3. ceiling in the George

Detail ofmantel shows a carved lion's head in the shelfbracket. Staircase balustrade shows typical design motifi from Fabry's native country, Germany.

In 1912, when he was 54 years old, Eastman House. In the barrel-vaulted ceil­ Thillman Fabry died on August 6, Fabry bought the second lot sold in the ing of the dining room, Fabry created 1926 at age 68 years. His wife, Eva, six newly opened Home Acres in Brighton. bands of decorative plaster in low relief. daughters, three sons, and five grandchil­ Before moving, the Fabry family lived at The staircase in the front hall is a tour de dren, survived him. He is buried in 128 Conkey Avenue. His lot was located force-all carved in heavy, dramatically Mount Hope Cemetery in Range 3. His on Southern Parkway at No. 101. By this detailed, Germanic style, reminiscent of gravestone is along the south side of Oak time, he was nationally famous as a wood staircases in his native country. The fire­ Avenue near Woodland Avenue. and plaster sculptor. He hired a 22-year- place mantel in the living room is similar- Union and Advertiser on June 30,1861: The chapel gained recognition not war itself led to many bodies being cre­ "The chapel is gothic in style. This style only for being one of the first Victorian mated. The idea of cremation continued came out of medieval Europe and was chapels in the United States but also for to gain popularity until present. George very popular throughout Victorian times. whom it was utilized. Along with the Eastman, one of the most famous It was known for its vaulted ceilings, but­ Civil War dead, the bodies of famous Rochesterians, was cremated in the Mount tresses, and arched doorways. The chapel Rochesterians Susan B. Anthony and Hope crematory. George Eastman's ashes was completed and opened in the spring Frederick Douglass were held briefly in were moved from Mount Hope to Kodak of 1862. It was quickly put to use. The the chapel. Park where they reside today at a memori­ vault was designed to house bodies in al in the entrance on Lake Avenue. Many wimer when the ground was frozen and it Aside from a minor improvement to people choose cremation over casket buri­ was difficult to dig graves. Record num­ the turrets above the entrance door, which als in the ground and elaborate mau­ bers of bodies accumulated in the holding were completed by Andrew J. Warner, soleums. On Saturday, March 1, 1913, vault because of the war. The vault itself father ofJ. Foster Warner and comempo­ the retorts received their first client at a was dug imo the Indian Trail esker. It is in rary of Henry Searle, no major additions cost of $35. That year, 53 people were cre­ mated. By the time of its closing on June 18, 1974, 12,905 people had been cre­ mated there.

The chapel/crematory was closed in 1974 due to environmental concerns. The crematory no longer met clean-air stan­ dards. (A new crematory was built con­ tiguous to the cemetery office at the south entrance to Mount Hope.) Over the years since then a few attempts have been made to tenovate the building, including a notable try at restoration by Paul Knoke. Paul's plan was to convert the building into an antique musical instrument repair shop and performance hall, but he lacked funding and the project never Hellry Searle and son, Henry Robinson Searle, j. Foster Warner, designer ofthe crematory got off the ground. are buried in Section A, Lot 81. addition, is buried in Section C, Lot 107. For many decades, the chapel repre­ the back ofthe chapel, accessed through were made to the chapel until 1912, when sented a sense of achievement and pride as an enclosed hallway. The crypt is built in a crematory was added and the chapel was one of the first of its kind. In more recent Romanesque style with rounded arches renovated. times, the chapel has become a symbol of sitting on solid square columns. The style what once was. One can only hope that of the vault is far more primitive than that J. Foster Warner was chosen as the the architecturally significant structure, of the chapel. It appears to be much older architect for the crematory. He had a long now in a state of abeyance, can one day be than the chapel, which is an intended successful career. He was the first presi­ restored and put to new uses. In the effect. It is as if the chapel was built upon dem of the Rochester Architectural efforts to revitalize our community, we the remains ofan ancient catacomb. Society. Some of his notable works include should not forget those who lie in Mount the Granite Building in 1890-1893, the Hope Cemetery and their contribution to The importance ofclassical architec­ Monroe County Courthouse in 1891­ our city. It would be a shame to see this ture was not lost on the Victorians. The 1896, Omario County Courthouse in unique window into the past vanish from cemetery itself served as more than a 1910, Rochester's East and West High the landscape of our children. It is, after repository for the dead. It was an impor­ Schools, Aquinas Institute, bank buildings all, our responsibility to preserve it. tam social center, as is reflected in an arti­ and a number of elegant residences. The cle in the Union and Advertiser dated style of the crematory was consistent with (Editor's note: The author, Sandor vegh, June 1, 1862. It announced that 58 young the chapel, namely, Gothic Revival. who, at age 37years, is going back to school ladies attended by seven young gentlemen Extensive renovation was done to the studying anthropology. He grew up in were to have a picnic dinner at Mount inside of the chapel when the crematory Rochester and today works as an artist and is Hope. And the newspaper saw no impro­ was added. Warner is buried in Mount also a musician.) priety in the event and thought that any­ Hope Cemetery in Section C, Lot 107. one who might be upset by the announce­ ment was unjustified. Cremation started to become popu­ lar around the time of the Civil War. The CEMETERY BLUEBIRD TRAIL REPORT

By Shnyl M Grncewski We were also delighted to find a Last spring, the bluebirds were red-tailed hawk nest and observed it the first to arrive and rwo pairs start­ as the chicks grew. We found one ed building nests in the cemetery flicker cavity, but suspected many birdhouses in mid-April. These blue­ more by the numbers of flickers seen bird pairs had rwo successful broods in Mount Hope Cemetery. apiece with a total of up to 19 fledg­ lings. We supplied the bluebirds with At the end of the season, we some mealworms for the first brood, removed an old box that will be even though it was not excessively replaced by a new box before this cold. One of the bluebird pairs had spring. We decided that the last old laid five eggs that disappeared in box along Elmwood Avenue is still in berween the rwo successful broods. A good condition, so we will continue third bluebird pair nested in one box, to monitor it. There was very little perhaps after nesting elsewhere first, vandalism, only owl graffiti on one but their brood of four chicks was box and some slight shifting of some destroyed when they were just six of the boxes. days old, probably by wrens. (Editor's Note: The Friends of The chickadees arrived at the Mount Hope Cemetery provide finan­ end ofApril. There were originally six cial support for the bluebird trail proj­ chickadee nests in boxes, but when ect, which is managed by our volun­ wrens arrived early in May, they teers. Ifmembers ofthe Friends are destroyed all but rwo chickadee nests, interested in participating in monitor­ including some with eggs. The wrens ing the boxes, call 461-3494 and leave occupied up to nine of the boxes at a message. The bluebird is the official One ofnearly two dozen bluebird houses in Mount one time. There were two successful Hope Cemetery. This box is on Grove Avenue. bird ofNew J0rk State.) chickadee broods and probably 14 successful wren broods. Surprisingly, there were no house sparrows interested in the boxes.

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