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Emily Sibley Watson, Founder of the Memorial Art Gallery

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Emily Sibley Watson, Founder of the Memorial Art Gallery Emily Sibley as a young person. Emily Sibley Watson as an elderly lady. EMILY SIBLEY WATSON, he was discussing with czarist officials the possibility of a trans-Siberian telegraph FOUNDER OF THE connecting Europe and America. However, MEMORIAL ART GALLERY the Atlantic cable, laid in 1868, made this unnecessary. Later in life, Emily traveled By Christina Palis extensively in Europe, evidenced by her correspondence from Paris and London, and Emily Sibley Watson (1855-1945) she and her second husband took frequent Hiram Sibley (1807-1888), father cruises in their yacht. At the outbreak of James G. Averell (1877-1904), son World War I, they were in the Baltic Sea on and other family members. the way to Russia, and they were marooned in Helsinki for an extended period. Description of the life and accomplishments of Emily Sibley Watson, including the The profit that the Sibley family gained from establishment of the Memorial Art Gallery in the great success of the telegraph allowed memory of her son James G. Averell, them to be generous to charitable initiating the Hochstein School of Music, organizations and higher education, as well and the Sibley family founding of the as generous patrons of the arts. Emily’s Genesee Hospital. Emily Sibley Averell and her son, James. father, Hiram Sibley, was one of the incorporators of Cornell University, endowing the Sibley College of Mechanic In Rochester, New York, the Memorial Art of these integral parts of providing Arts. Emily’s brother Hiram Watson Sibley Gallery contains more than 12,000 works of healthcare, art, and music to the city of founded the Sibley Music Library, housed in art in a collection renowned for its quality Rochester are indebted to an incredible the University of Rochester’s Sibley Hall. and scope, spanning more than 5,000 years woman: Emily Sibley Watson. The Eastman School of Music opened in of art history. The Genesee Hospital 1921, and in January of 1922, the collection provided healthcare to the Rochester Emily was educated in Rochester and in of music scores and books in the Sibley community for 112 years. The Hochstein Europe. She and her brother Hiram Watson Music Library were moved to the Eastman School of Music gives vibrant and diverse Sibley both attended boarding schools in School of Music. This library remains to this music and dance instruction as well as Heidelberg, Germany. Emily and her mother day both a community music library as well music therapy to children and adults of all also accompanied her father to Russia when as a vast music library for the Eastman ages, backgrounds, and financial means. All Hiram Sibley, father of Emily, and founder of Western Union Telegraph Company. Young James Averell playing his violin. School of Music. It is the largest university her daughter, the poet Adelaide Crapsey, at the The gallery was dedicated on October 8, 1913 music library in the United States. age of thirty-six. In a letter two years later to and was placed in the custody of the Adelaide, Emily again wrote, “But life is full University of Rochester, maintaining that it Emily’s mother, Elizabeth Sibley, was also a of loss, inexplicable to us. There must be an remain “a means alike of pleasure and of generous benefactor; she conceived of the explanation beyond, surely we shall sometime education for all the citizens of Rochester”. Homeopathic Hospital in the winter of 1887 know and understand and be satisfied. With Emily had sent 748 invitations to the when she witnessed a woman slipping on icy my love that stretches back into our early dedication, and by the following Sunday, a pavement outside her home. The only hospital years when our little children were all with thousand more visitors had come to see the available to the woman was on the other side us…” The tragedy of James’ early death is exhibition. At the dedication ceremony of the of town, and from that moment Elizabeth reiterated in a letter received by Emily from art gallery, Robert de Forest, vice-president of vowed to found a hospital that would serve Hermann Dossenbach, conductor of the the Metropolitan Museum of Art, said, “[The the residents of Rochester on the east side. Rochester Orchestra and James’ violin teacher Rochester Art Club] dreamed dreams, but I The hospital opened in 1889 on Monroe as a child: “However I am living that sorrow doubt if they ever dreamed so beautiful a Avenue, later moving to Alexander Street. In with you, as is everyone that knew J. G. for to dream as Mrs. Watson has turned into reality.” 1926, the hospital changed its name to know him was to love him.” Genesee Hospital, and it would remain such Later in the ceremony, president of the until it closed in 2001. The death of her dear son prompted Emily to University of Rochester, Rush Rhees, found the Memorial Art Gallery in his honor. declared, “Over these galleries there hovers Emily’s first marriage was to Isaac Seymour The original building was based on a sketch perpetually a spirit––as of the young man who Averell, a banker, on April 27, 1876. The that James had drawn of the Malatesta Temple loved life and beauty and honor––whose circumstances regarding their split are in Rimini, Italy during his postgraduate work memory has led his mother to give this unclear, but Averell went to Denver in 1884 there. The gallery was also a fulfillment of the building to the cause of the spiritual culture of and did not return. Emily and Isaac had two dream of Emily’s father, Hiram Sibley, to the whole community through the ministries children together, Louise and James. Louise have the art collections he had assembled of fine art.” Certainly James’ spirit permeated died at the age of seven from diphtheria. during his trips to Europe on view in an art the building with his initials carved into the gallery to be admired by the public. stone wreaths and the statue Memory by “We must believe that somewhere there must Additionally, the renowned architect Claude William Ordway Partridge inside the entrance. be compensation for our griefs and losses and Bragdon, who designed James’ tombstone in A second wing was added in 1926, doubling that our dear children are happy and are living Mount Hope Cemetery and later would design the size of the original building. Throughout fuller lives than they would here. But this only Emily’s tombstone and the Watson family the years, Emily contributed gifts of helps a little when such terrible blows come to monument, designed the Memorial Art tapestries, sculptures, and paintings to the us,” Emily wrote in a letter in 1914 to her dear Gallery’s first logo and was supervising gallery’s collection, and she served as a friend Adelaide T. Crapsey who had also lost architect for the building construction. 2 The Memorial Art Gallery was a gift from Emily Sibley Watson in honor of her architect son, James G. Averell. The 1913 building was designed by New York City architect, John Gade, a relative of Emily Watson. member of the executive committee of the Music. She was also a member of the old Memorial Art Gallery for many years. Tuesday Musicale, one of the city’s pioneer musical organizations. Emily’s second marriage was in 1891 to James Sibley Watson, her lifelong friend Emily suffered a stroke several years before and the son of her father’s business partner her death and was confined to her home. Don Alonzo Watson. James was a banker She would sit by the window of her house and philanthropist. They had a son, James on Prince Street and watch the comings and Jr. who became an associate in medicine at goings on the street below. At the end of the University of Rochester Medical School. Emily Sibley Watson was the principal World War II, Army Air Force students were benefactor to young violinist, David James Jr. as well as his two children would housed in the converted Theological Hochstein, in whose memory the Hochstein continue Emily’s legacy with involvement Music School was established. Seminary Building, and each day they in and support of the Memorial Art Gallery. would march by Emily’s home. When they discovered that Emily had donated money to Emily was also instrumental in the founding improve their living spaces, each day they Emily was also a loyal and generous patron of the Hochstein School of Music. David would salute her as they marched by. of music within other areas of the Rochester Hochstein was born on February 16, 1892 in community. She was a patron of the Rochester to Russian immigrants. In 1902, Emily died on February 8, 1945 and is Rochester Orchestra, increasing her Emily heard David practicing violin at a buried in Section D, Lot 141 in Mount Hope subscription to help pay the salary of neighbor’s house and recognizing his talent, Cemetery. Her flat stone, as well as the Hermann Dossenbach, the orchestra’s she decided to become his benefactor. She Watson family monument, an elaborately conductor. Her generous support is supported him in his studies in Vienna and evidenced also in her frequent Russia, ensuring that he received the finest correspondence with Dossenbach and his EPITAPH training available. She also presented him wife. In 1902, she wrote to him, “I send Published quarterly by the Friends of Mount with a Stradivarius violin. Hochstein won Hope Cemetery, Rochester, New York 14620, this…with many good wishes for the numerous awards and traveled throughout a nonprofit member organization founded in 1980.
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