Friends of

FROMF MANSION lorham TO CAMPUS FALL 2020 BOARD OF TRUSTEES and acquired the finances to FRIENDS OF FLORHAM start his own company in 1829. Valerie Adams William Gibbons left Savan- Carol Bere nah, Ga., because of his pas- Samuel M. Convissor sion for thoroughbred horses Elaine Earlywine and desire to raise them in New Susan Garrubbo Jersey. He had his agent as- Beth Hennessy Sarah Hof semble 95 acres in Madison James Howard that he named “The Forest,” as Jennifer Johnson well as acquiring other nearby Rosemarie Kells farms for horse breeding. GEORGIAN COURT, LAKEWOOD, N.J. Lisa MacNair Gibbons, his wife and four Suzanne Manke While many college build- decade later. Their surviving children moved in the mansion Suzy Moran ings in the United States emu- daughter, Florence Burden, do- that became Mead Hall in 1836. Natalia Semenova late the architecture of the great nated the property to Salve When Gibbons died in 1854, Ann Wellbrock houses of America’s wealthy, Regina in 1955, the same year the property was inherited by Peter Woolley a few colleges actually include that Florham was put up for sale his one son, William Heyward, Edward Zimmermann buildings that were mansions after the death of her sister, who moved back to Savan- to begin with. Florham is not Ruth. The Vinland mansion was HONORARY TRUSTEES nah, leaving the house vacant. Susan Adams unique in turning a mansion into renamed in honor of Catherine In 1867, after supporting the an academic building. Other Linda Carrington McAuley, founder of the Reli- South in the Civil War, William Walter Cummins examples exist throughout the gious Sisters of Mercy. It is now sold what had been “The For- Gabriella D’Amico country. What makes Florham the university library. est,” with its mansion, to Daniel Kim Dougherty unique is that its transformation Just a few miles away from Drew for $140,000 for the es- Dawn Dupak includes a number of additional tablishment of the Drew Theo- Carol C. Knauff buildings, many acres of the Florham, Drew University’s long- time administration building, logical Seminary. Drew named Linda Meister original estate and the Olmsted- the building in honor of his wife, Audrey Parker Mead Hall, began its existence inspired landscaping. Roxanna Mead. Troy Simmons as a family mansion, built in Arthur T. Vanderbilt, II The Vanderbilt-Twombly leg- the early 19th century for the The seminary became Drew acy also exists in the present family of Georgia-born William University in 1930 and continues UNIVERSITY LIAISONS function of Vinland, their former Gibbons, who had inherited his to use Mead Hall as its admin- Carol Black 13-acre Newport, R.I., summer father Thomas’ family fortune that istrative center. On August 24, Christopher A. Capuano estate, which became the included a steamboat ferry busi- 1989, a daylong fire caused ex- Gary Helm Darden source of several buildings on ness in New Jersey and New tensive damage to the building, Eleanor Friedl the campus of Salve Regina York, and real estate and exten- but after a three-year restoration Brian Mauro University, Newport. The estate, sive plantations in Georgia. project, it was reopened and re- originally the homestead of dedicated in December 1992. IN MEMORIAM William B. Lawrence, was pur- Coincidentally, the Vanderbilts Phyllis Conway Monmouth University in West chased in 1881 by Catharine had a Gibbons connection long Long Branch, N.J., includes two Lorillard Wolfe, heiress of Wolfe before William relocated to Mad- separate mansions. The Great Hardware and Lorillard Tobac- ison, N.J. The Commodore (Cor- Hall at Shadow Lawn, designed co. She constructed the Vinland nelius “Commodore” Vanderbilt), by Philadelphia architect Hor- mansion in 1882–83. Hamilton after selling all of his own boats ace Trumbauer and his as- Twombly and Florence Vander- in 1818, became a captain for sistant Julian Abele, the first bilt Twombly became the own- Thomas Gibbons from 1818 to ers in 1896 and had the mansion 1829. During that period, he enlarged and remodeled a learned the steamship business (continued on page 2) FROM THE PRESIDENT Dear Friends: steadfast in the background as Director Aaron Sorkin chose The year 2020 is like no other we continue to follow our stated the Florham Campus for the set- year in our memory. We at the mission for working on the man- ting of some of the scenes of his sion and grounds with Fairleigh Friends of Florham have paused new movie, “The Trial of the Chi- Dickinson University. We will find to reflect on our future. As an cago Seven.” Set in the late ’60s, the right balance of safe program- organization, we are committed the film features scenes in the ming such as tours, lectures, lun- mansion’s Hartman Lounge, the to preserving the historic Florham cheons and special events, and President’s Office as well as other estate as when the Friends of awareness of our circumstances. Florham locations. It is now avail- Florham was initially founded by able on Netflix — see if you recog- Emma Joy Dana and Dr. James That said, Dr. Gary Helm Dar- nize the beautiful wood-paneled Fraser in 1990. The Friends be- den, associate professor of history and chair of the social scienc- walls of Hartman Lounge! lieved then as now that the build- es and history department at ings designed by the premier The Friends of Florham say FDU’s Florham Campus, and an architecture firm, McKim, Mead goodbye to Phyllis Conway, who active member of the Friends and White; and the grounds de- passed away in March of this year. board, thoughtfully developed an Mrs. Conway was instrumental in signed by noted landscape ar- exciting visit to Wroxton, England, the original grand renovations of chitect, Frederick Law Olmsted, the estate of FDU, and to its sur- Lenfell Hall and the Great Hall and merited serious preservation efforts. rounding areas, which was origi- supported the Friends of Florham. We welcome your continued nally scheduled for summer 2020. We wish you good health and, financial support; however, safe- The good news is that we plan to hope to SEE you again soon. ty, humanitarian efforts and our take our journey in summer 2021. communities must take prece- Please join us for what will be a — Lisa MacNair dence at this time. We remain memorable trip. President, Friends of Florham

FROM MANSION TO CAMPUS (continued from page 1)

African-American professional ar- genheim, which was completed Georgian Court University in chitect, was built in 1929 as the in 1905. The architects, Thomas Lakewood, N.J., now occupies the private residence of former F.W. Hastings and John Melvin Car- one-time summer retreat estate of Woolworth Co. president Hubert rere, were awarded the gold the family of George Jay Gould, Templeton Parson and his wife, medal of the New York Chapter son of railroad tycoon Jay Gould. Maysie, at a cost of $10.5 million. of the American Institute of Archi- Bruce Price designed the man- It was constructed on the site of tects for 1903 for the design of sion on the 200-acre property in the original Shadow Lawn, a wood- the building. They also designed the style of England’s Georgian the New York Public Library at framed structure built in 1903 for period, the source of the estate’s John A. McCall, president of the Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street. name, Georgian Court. Price also New York Life Insurance Com- Guggenheim became chair- designed several of the four gar- pany, and later destroyed in a man of the finance committee of dens that remain on the campus 1927 fire, when it was the home of American Smelting and Refining, today, notably the Italian Garden Joseph B. Greenhut, a New York a director of Kennecott Copper and the Sunken Garden. When department store owner. Shadow and, after the death of his brother Gould died in 1923, the home was Lawn had 52 rooms, while the Daniel, presided over the Gug- Parson’s replacement more than genheim nitrate monopoly in sold to the Sisters of Mercy, who doubled the size to 130 rooms on Chile. A noted philanthropist, he relocated the College of Mount three main floors. and his wife supported a dental St. Mary, founded in 1908, and The second Shadowlawn came clinic for children in New York renamed it as Georgian Court Col- under municipal ownership in City and donated the central dis- lege at the request of the estate’s 1939. For a time, it was the site of play greenhouse to the New York original owners. a private girls’ school. Monmouth Botanical Gardens. Murry died in While their functions have been University (then known as Mon- 1939, his wife 20 years later. Af- repurposed, the continued ex- mouth Junior College) acquired ter her death, The Guggenheim istence of these mansions, like the property in 1955 at a cost of Foundation officially donated the that of Florham, offers examples $350,000. It is an academic and estate to Monmouth College in of the heritage of a significant pe- administrative center. 1960. After some design modi- riod in American history. The other mansion on the Mon- fications, the next year the sum- mouth Campus is not nearly as mer cottage became the Murry — Walter Cummins large, because it was the summer and Leonie Guggenheim Memo- Professor Emeritus of English home of Murry and Leonie Gug- rial Library for the university. and Friends Honorary Trustee 2 | FRIENDS OF FLORHAM HISTORIC RESTORATION PROJECT Ever since 1958, the Florham the dignity and grace of Florham. • Reset and anchor loose quoins mansion has been home to gen- It is with that vision in mind that we and replacement of spalled quoin erations of aspiring students. With are proud to announce the start of stones; our more than 150 acres of land, our multiphase, multiyear mansion • Structural-steel repairs to ends once owned by the Twombly fam- exterior-restoration project. of roof-truss rafters, valley rafters, ily, FDU is proud to preserve the With the guidance of Historic jack rafters and hip rafters, as well beauty of the landscape, but more Building Architects, Phase 1 offi- as purlin repairs at the North and importantly the mansion. Ever cially began on October 12. Below South Wing roofs; and since Peter Sammartino, found- is a list of some of the work that will • Install new cold-fluid applied ing president of FDU, started his be completed in Phase 1. membrane roof flashing at all first renovations on the mansion, • Remove and replace existing walls, edges and sills to prevent our students, staff, faculty, alumni cracked balustrade stones; water intrusion and protect steel- and Friends have never stopped • Remove and reinstall balus- roof structure. dreaming of the potential that our ters with new pins; There is no doubt in our mind beautiful estate can be. • Selective masonry retooling, that when our restoration project Fast forward to 1990 and Emma dutchman repairs, patching, re- is complete, this historic McKim, Joy Dana’s dream to help preserve pointing and cleaning; Mead, & White English Baroque the exquisiteness of Florham with • Rake out and repoint all cop- Revival home will remain for the the creation of the Friends of Flor- ing stone joints and balustrades enjoyment of future generations. ham. We are so thankful to have and install new lead caps at joints; such dedicated volunteers bring • Install new anchors to cornice — Brian Mauro life to Emma’s vision and preserve stones to secure cornice; Florham Campus Executive ‘GARDENS AND ESTATES TOUR’ AT WROXTON COLLEGE, ENGLAND (JULY 9–16, 2021)

The Friends of Florham have Broughton Castle as well as the England. There are 20 total spots safely rescheduled its July 2020 renowned gardens at Highgrove available and the price will be the “Gardens and Estates” trip based (private home of Prince Charles same for single or double accom- at FDU’s historic Wroxton Col- and Camilla), Hidcote Manor and modations. Full price details will lege in rural Oxfordshire, England, Rousham House. be available by the middle of De- cember and will fill up on a first- https://www.fdu.edu/campuses/ All group lodging will be in the to-deposit basis. wroxton-college/. 17th-century abbey at Wroxton The 2021 program will visit — with breakfast and dinner daily If you have any questions, key examples of English coun- on campus, and private lunches please contact the trip director, try estates and their gardens in at historic estates, inns and pubs FDU historian Gary Darden, as- southern England. Sites include off campus. sociate professor of history and chair of the social sciences and Blenheim Palace (birthplace of To secure one of the 20 spots history department at darden@ Winston Churchill), Althorp Es- available, those interested should fdu.edu. tate (childhood home of Princess make a $500 deposit that is fully — Gary Darden Diana), Sulgrave Manor (ances- refundable if for any reason pub- Associate Professor of History tral home of George Washing- lic-health circumstances prevent and Chair, Social Sciences and ton’s family), Chastleton House, the group from traveling safely to History Department FRIENDS OF FLORHAM | 3 FRIENDS OF FLORHAM 285 Madison Avenue, m-ms1-04 Madison, New Jersey 07940-1006 www.fdu.edu/fof https://www.facebook.com/friendsofflorhamnj [email protected]

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SPANISH FLU IN AMERICA BECOME A FRIEND Join the Friends of Florham. Your efforts help to While the coronavirus spirals currently in the preserve the architectural history of Florham, and U.S., we look back to the major impact of the support our informative programs. Your support Spanish flu in America in 1918. Gary Darden, as- will make a difference! sociate professor of history and chair of the de- partment of social sciences and history at FDU’s Name______Florham Campus, reported that the Spanish flu in America lasted from February 1918 to April 1920 Address______in four successive waves. The virus hit before any knowledge of viral theory or any hope of a City______vaccine. In the U.S. alone, an estimated 670,000 State______Zip______people died in a population of 103 million. More U.S. soldiers died of the Spanish flu than on World War I battlefields. Email______For additional perspective on the impact of the Spanish flu, which Telephone______infected 500 million people worldwide: this figure represents one-third of the world’s population. More specifically, we know that the Spanish Please check desired category: flu had a strong impact on residents of Morris County, and while we Your gift is tax-deductible have no records indicating that members of the Twombly family were q $25 — Friend q $50 — Special Friend personally affected by the flu, staff likely was. q $100 — Contributor q $200 — Supporter A report in the Madison Eagle (October 11, 1918), indicated that Orazio Sena, 37, of Madison, died on October 5, 1918, in an ambu- q $500 — Patron q $1,000 — Sponsor lance, which would have taken him to All Souls Hospital in Morristown. He had become ill the previous Tuesday while at work at the Twombly Please donate online https://support.fdu.edu/ Estate with what was diagnosed as Spanish influenza. It is probably fof-giving or mail your check to: not too much of a stretch to suggest that other workers at the Twombly Friends of Florham estate were also exposed to the Spanish flu. Fairleigh Dickinson University — Carol Bere and Edward Zimmermann 285 Madison Avenue, M-MS1-04 Friends of Florham Board Madison, N.J. 07940-1006