PO Box 564 STHS ANNUAL HISTORY IN MOTION: Flourtown, PA 19031 215-233-4600 Carson Valley & Erdenheim Farm: www.springfieldhistory.org Fantasy Village & Country Estate

OCTOBER 2018 Thursday, November 1 at the Ambler Theater IN THIS ISSUE: 103 E. Butler Pike, Ambler • President’s Corner...... 2 Doors open at 7pm; presentation to begin at 7:30pm • Archives Update...... 2 he Carson Valley School At the time, many orphaned boys • Whitemarsh Hall in Wartime.... 3 and Erdenheim Farm, once attended Girard College in Phila- • Library Highlights...... 3 parts of a single property, are delphia. Now, children assisted by • Family tree with descendants T places of unparalleled beauty and Carson are there for only six to eight of Peter A B Widener...... 4 serenity at the edge of Philadelphia. months, as there are more solutions • Spotlight on Springfield: Speaker Dr. David Contosta will tell for them. And they no longer go to Coupe Flowers...... 4 the story of how this unlikely pair- The Sheep Barn at Erdenheim Farm was the local high school, Contosta said. • Whitemarsh Hall Urns...... 5 built when the Widener family owned the ing has been shaped and preserved property. Photo by Carol Franklin. Contosta, a Professor of History at • From the Archives...... 6 over several centuries. Chestnut Hill College, is the author The program will begin with of more than 20 books, many of the evolution of Erdenheim Farm them about the Philadelphia region. OFFICERS as it expanded and contracted before These include “Suburb in the City: T. Scott Kreilick taking something like its final form Chestnut Hill Philadelphia;” “A President when the Widener family took over Philadelphia Family: The Hous- Albert M. Comly, Jr. in 1917. tons and Woodwards of Chestnut Vice President The farm had been established Hill;” and “Metropolitan Paradise: W. Scott Armington The stone bridge at Erdenheim Farm was Treasurer in the 18th century. By the late 19th designed by Horace Trumbauer. Photo by Philadelphia’s Wissahickon Valley,” Katie Worrall century it was a gentleman’s farm Carol Franklin co-authored with Carol Franklin. Secretary similar to an English country estate. Contosta has also written about Horace Trumbauer, who designed Henry Adams, Abraham Lincoln, DIRECTORS Whitemarsh Hall in Springfield and Charles Darwin. His most recent Robert Brock Township, designed the stone bridge book is “America’s Needless Wars.” In Dorothy J. Cutler over the Wissahickon Creek in the addition, he has lectured at universities Katharine Haight 1920s, as well as the sheep barn, and in China and South Korea. At present Cynthia Hamilton enlarged the house at the top of the he is working on a documentary film Amanda M. Helwig hill. The Wideners also tore down Red Gables Cottage at Carson. about the Wissahickon Valley. Victor L. Henkels some unsightly buildings on the estate, Photo courtesy of Carson Valley Children’s Aid. A complimentary wine tasting will Dolores Jordan Cannon Contosta said. be provided by Chaddsford Winery. Laura Reich “Robert N. Carson owned the Erdenheim property Proceeds of History in Motion5 will benefit the Judy Smith in the early 20th century when he wanted to start an Springfield Township Historical Society, a 501(c) Anna Coxe Toogood orphanage,” according to Contosta, who said that 87 (3) non-profit organization that seeks to collect, preserve, Robert Wilmot acres were detached for the school, then called Carson and promote the history of Springfield Township. ADVISORY BOARD College for Orphaned Girls. Tickets are $25 per person. To purchase tickets visit Shirley E. Hanson Opened in 1918, Carson enrolled orphans from ages the historical society’s website, www.springfieldhistory. 6 to 18. Elsa Ueland, the institution’s founding presi- org to order tickets under the Event Tab, History In EDITORS dent, was a former settlement house worker who wanted Motion or send a check payable to the Springfield Town- Cindy Hamilton a school based on the principles of progressive education. ship Historical Society to the historical society at PO Christine Fisher Smith As it turned out, elementary school-age girls 564, Flourtown, PA 19031. Katie Worrall were educated at Carson while those of high school For more information, call the historical society at age attended Springfield Township High School. 215-233-4600. STHS ANNUAL HISTORY IN MOTION: We would like to extend special thanks to the sponsors for History in Motion 5. Below is the list of sponsors as of the date this issue went to press: $1,000 Angela Colloi with Mortgage Bank America UPDATE $500 rchives BQ Basement Systems Kreilick Conservation Over Athe last few months, STHS has received into its holdings: Dan Helwig, Inc. Realtors Littleton Contractors n The Chestnut Hill Conservancy donated four (4) photographs of the $250 Anthe Catherine Worrall Carson Valley School. n A “Wash-a-Month Club, Good for 12 Washes” punch card from the $100 Coxy Toogood Michelle C. Berk, P.C. Flourtown Car Wash was sent to us from Glendinning Contractors Michael DeLaurentis For Concrete Work, LLC on behalf of Joan O’Reilly. n Board Member, Cynthia Hamilton has added to the STHS Papers Special thanks to Chaddsford Winery for hosting the complimentary wine tasting. with material pertaining to Board activities. n Issues of The Springfield Sun, Enterprise, and Pennsylvania History, which have long since been in storage, have now been accessioned. Issues of Pennsylvania History, have been cataloged and are available for research, the others are still in process. We are extremely thankful for all of our dedicated volunteers. In the last few months, they provided approximately 75 hours of service. This summer, we lost another historic building in Springfield n On-going efforts by volunteers Ray Smith, Barbara Coleman, and Township. If Springfield Township had a Historic Preservation Ordi- Steve Lester to sort organize, scan, catalog records in the Society’s nance, the house at 8600 Montgomery Avenue in Wyndmoor might collection, as well as assist researchers, have made a significant still be standing. contribution to the accessibility of the STHS holdings. The Zwickers The house at 8600 Montgomery Avenue was quite unique. The continue to scan through the Whitemarsh Hall photos for corrections house was built in 1954 for Russell and Elizabeth Medinger. In collabo- and updating descriptions. ration with the Medingers, the house was designed in the mid-1930s by n We are also happy to welcome Julie Lawson as a new archival volunteer. Miles Dechent, a well-known architect and painter from Reading. The Julie started in July and is helping to input collection material into the house was designed as a circa-1700 hillside farmhouse and was true to collection database software. historical scale, proportion, and furnishings. The windows were glazed STHS has had several inquiries: with hand-blown glass. The hardware and nails were hand-forged. The n Vance Koehler visited STHS to conduct on-site research of our terra cotta roof tiles were manufactured between the mid-1700s-1868 Enfield Tile material. at the Black Cat Pottery in Olney, PA. n Several requests have come in from those doing genealogical research. In April 2018, the owner of the property submitted plans to the n The family of Elizabeth Gertrube Haig Smith (wife of Charles K. Township and a building permit was approved for the construction of Smith, founder of Woodmere Art Museum) are looking for more an addition to the house. The addition did not require any variances. information into their grandmother’s life. So, there was no requirement for Zoning Board or Planning Commis- n Marshall McCloskey is researching his great grandfather, John sion review. On July 11th, the Township staff confirmed to me that the McCloskey who worked as a trainer and breeder at Erdenheim farm plans called for the demolition of the small attached garage at the rear in the late nineteenth century. of the house and a large addition, but not complete demolition. In late July 2018, the owner altered the plans, which resulted in the removal n of more of the existing building than what was previously proposed. If you are interested in volunteering, researching a topic, Updated plans were submitted, but there was no further permitting or have items you wish to donate to the Society, please email us required or review by the Zoning Board or Planning Commission. The at [email protected]. house has now been completely demolished. The Township Commissioners have received a draft of a Historic Preservation Ordinance from the Planning Commission. At their September working meeting, the Commissioners agreed to move the process forward. The to While it’s not certain that the house at 8600 Montgomery Avenue Archives the would have been included in the list of historic properties created as are Public part of a Historic Preservation Ordinance, it certainly would have been OPEN considered. Please contact your Township Commissioner to request that they make adopting a Historic Preservation Ordinance a priority. TUESDAYS 7pm – 9pm Thank you. WEDNESDAYS 1pm – 5pm T. Scott Kreilick SATURDAYS 9am – 12noon President, Springfield Township Historical Society For more information, call 215-233-4600

2 LIBRARY Whitemarsh Hall in Wartime HIGHLIGHTS During the bulk of World German air raids that the Museum notion that the house was vacant. Written by Ray Smith War II, Whitemarsh Hall, the much feared. Now, however, we can see Looking ahead to the upcom- former mansion of Edward T. During most of that time, a few examples of brief happy ing “History In Motion,” we’re going Stotesbury which sat high on the no activity could be seen by the times at Whitemarsh Hall during to take a look at a Widener family ridge east of Paper Mill Road in casual observer – the Museum’s that period, thanks to the family biography, Without Drums, written in Wyndmoor appeared to be aban- of Mr. William P. Chapman, 1940 by Peter A B Widener II. doned and forgotten. After Mr. the Superintendent of Buildings The book shows that the Stotesbury’s death in May 1938, for the Metropolitan Museum, Wideners were a remarkable, close and the subsequent closure of the who resided at Whitemarsh Hall knit family, with interests and house by his wife in November during virtually the entire duration fortunes that parallel what we have of that year, the house had been of their lease. Mr. Chapman and seen with the Stotesburys. Both maintained by a skeleton crew, with his wife Agnes moved from their families acquired massive fortunes minimal activity, as the huge estate home in Yonkers, NY, into the quickly, through hard work, brilliance awaited a buyer in the slow real Terrace Suite which had formerly and cultivating friendships with the estate market of the late Depres- been used, during the mid-1920s, right people. They both progressed sion and early war years. by General Douglas MacArthur from Philadelphia mansions, which Secretly, however, there was when visiting Whitemarsh Hall they outgrew, and subsequently quite a bit of activity, starting in with his bride, Eva Stotesbury’s built mega-mansions in Montgom- January 1942, and continuing Ruth Ellen Larson, granddaughter of daughter. Being responsible for ery County to house their huge art William P. Chapman, walking down the collections and entertain Royalty, the through March 1944, because the stairs from the Upper Terrace, in 1942. In the secret repository, and unable Metropolitan Museum of Art of the background, three of the doors to the to leave Wyndmoor, the Chap- super wealthy and other leaders of the New York City had quietly leased Ballroom are visible – covered by heavy mans encouraged their daughter world. Not being from old-money, steel security shutters that give no hint of both families weren’t immediately the mansion, and moved its 15,000 the hundreds of millions of dollars to bring their grandchildren for most valuable art objects there for of paintings hidden inside. periodic visits, which were thank- accepted in polite society. Peter Widener started out with a Butcher safekeeping – protected from the ©2018 by Family of William P. Chapman fully captured on home movies. shop but his fortune was largely made The photos included here are through the development of traction still frames taken from those home William P. Chapman, Ruth Larson and her companies, similar to how Robert N. movies, allowing us a glimpse of a Superintendent of mother, Agnes Carson acquired his wealth. Buildings for the Chapman, walking time in local history that was other- Metropolitan Museum around the west side Without Drums is a reference of Art, New York, in of the mansion, by wise so secretive. to the author’s wartime experi- the Service Court at the Sphinxes that Thanks are due to the Chap- ence. Fabulously wealthy and never Whitemarsh Hall in guarded the entrance man family for allowing us to share 1942. Chapman was to the Tea Room, lacking for anything, he was, in his in charge of the in early 1944. Note these images. youth, indulged by his Grandfa- Museum’s use of the ten-foot-tall ther, his mother, Uncle George and Whitemarsh Hall as security fence in the household staff, but not his father. a secret repository, and managed background. all of the people on-site. Even with private tutors, he found it Photos ©2018 by Family of William P. Chapman hard to excel in studies and couldn’t fit into schools with other students of lesser means. employees and guards were careful As war approached, he, like to remain inside and out-of-sight many young men of that era, had most of the time, and they erected a sense of duty to country, and a ten-foot-tall chain link fence, attempted to enlist, but was rejected. topped with barbed wire, imme- Rather than accepting this defeat, he diately around the mansion’s and his father took off for Washing- perimeter, to ward off anyone that Agnes Chapman and her grandson, at ton to see the surgeon general and might try to visit, including enter- right edge of photo, feeding chickens they wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer. at a chicken coop installed by the He enlisted as a private in the medi- prising local children. At night, the Metropolitan Museum between the East cal corp. Finding he was fluent in area between the mansion and the Belvedere and the security fence added French, he was tasked with being a fence was patrolled by men and by the Museum, in 1942. The security fence is just off this photo, to the right, translator in addition to the gruesome dogs. Blackout shutters on the as would be the main garden. duties of taking care of the wounded windows helped to promote the ©2018 by Family of William P. Chapman and gassed troops being brought back William P. Chapman, his granddaughter Ruth Ellen, daughter Ruth, and grandson from the front lines. A portion of the William, in the somewhat-overgrown AUTHOR Richard R. Billig book describes many encounters in Email: [email protected] south-east corner of the main garden CONTACT France, and his reasoning to oppose at Whitemarsh Hall, in 1942. Administrator, “Fans of Whitemarsh Hall” group on Facebook ©2018 by Family of William P. Chapman INFORMATION: http://www.facebook.com/groups/WhitemarshHall/ Continued on page 4

3 son Joseph subsequently took over pounced upon it. He had insisted LIBRARY HIGHLIGHTS Continued from page 3 the management and acquisitions of that father had chosen a fifth-rate entering war again, 20 years later. money. She does not throw money the collection. Joseph was commis- “Bather.” He, himself had a first- The book is full of stories and away. I have seen her on occasion sioned by the Philadelphia Museum rate one, he announced. He accused observations taken from the author’s spend as much time choosing a good of Art to purchase a new piece, but father of picking an inferior Cezanne life and that of his family. steak as she would in choosing a with a limited budget. and paying an exorbitant price. He At a dinner party hosted by the gown for a court presentation. She’s “The money was not sufficient said Father had been cheated. Father author, for the Earl and Countess of as excellent a housewife as she is a to buy anything but a second-rate was furious.” Athlone, the question came up about charming hostess. Her popularity in Rembrandt, but it was enough for a “Sometime later, on the whether Americans should curtsey society lies in her great independence, first-rate Cezanne, Father chose one Normandie, imagine Father’s amuse- when meeting royalty. “When the her sagacity , and her sense of humor.” of the many “Bathers” by that French ment when he discovered our deck Earl and Countess entered the draw- Peter Widener amassed a huge artist. The picture had hardly been chairs adjoined Dr. Barnes and his ing-room, all but one woman present art collection at Lynewood Hall. His hung before Dr [Albert] Barnes secretary. Father made no move to swept into a spontaneous bending of have our chairs changed. And he the knee. The single exception was sat in them every day. Dr Barnes sat Family tree with descendants of Peter A B Widener Philadelphia’s favorite hostess, Mrs. in his too. But the battlers over the 1 2 3 4 5 Edward T. Stotesbury.” [GENERATION] “bathers” remained dryly silent the Peter A B Widener (1834 – 1915) +1858+ Hannah Josephine Dunton (1836 – 1896) “Mrs. Stotesbury possesses great Harry Widener (1859 – 1874) entire voyage. Neither would be the charm, and an infallible social asset in George Dunton Widener (1861 – 1912) +1883 + Eleanor Elkins (1862 – 1937) first to speak.” Harry Elkins Widener (1885 – 1912) a remarkable memory. She has appar- George D Widener Jr (1889 – 1971) +1917+ Jessie Sloane Dodge (1883 – 1968) While looking into Widener – ently never forgotten a name, and this Eleanor Widener (1891 – 1953) +1912 + Fitz Eugene Dixon Sr Stotesbury connections, we noticed Fitz Eugene Dixon Jr (1923 – 2006) +1952 + Edith Bruen Robb endears her to everyone.” George Widener Dixon (1953 - ) that if you run a straight line from On Eva Stotesbury’s daughter- Ellin Dixon the main house at Lynn ewood Hall Joseph E Widener (1871 – 1943) + Eleanor Holmes Pancoast (1874 – 1929) in-law, “International society has Peter A B Widener II (1895 – 1948) +1924+ Gertrude T Douglas (1897 – 1970) to the main house in Erdenheim another star, Doris Duke Cromwell. Peter A B Widener III (1925 – 1999) Farm, then find the midpoint, it is Ella Anne Widener (1928 – 1986) + Cortright Weatherill (1923 – 1988) Doris Duke is a sound business Joan Peabody (1919 – 1995) [adopted daughter of Gertrude] just a few feet from the gatehouse at woman, and is one of the few persons Josephine “Fifi” Widener (1902 – 1961) Whitemarsh Hall. I know who has not been spoiled by Notes: 1912 Deaths were on the Titanic, Eleanor Elkins Widener was rescued, Marriage date denoted by +yyyy+ Spot light on Springfield COUPE FLOWERS Written by Katie Worrall Coupe Flowers, 625 Bethlehem Pike, Erdenheim, sells flowers and Frank Coupe had a garden growing up custom arrangements for all occasions – birthdays, sympathy, prom, anni- and worked in gardening and landscaping versary, congratulations, gift sets, grandparents’ day and more. while he was in high school. He went to Villa- The business, now owned by Bill Coupe, has been located in Erdenheim nova University for a year before transferring since 1970. It was founded by his father, Frank Coupe, in Germantown in to Penn State. He served in the U.S. Army in October 1949. Bill Coupe’s grandfather, George Coupe, opened the first car the South Pacific during World War II. dealership outside of Philadelphia. That dealership, Coupe Chevrolet, which He was terminally ill at the end of his was located in Glenside and later moved to Flourtown, was run by Frank life and Bill Coupe was 25 years old when he Coupe’s brothers, George and Jim. started running the company. “My father loved gardening. He was not into cars. This was called “We send flowers all over the world, a Malcolm Robertson & Sons,” Bill said, as he sat in the shop in Erdenheim. good amount to weddings and funerals. We “It was called F. R. Coupe Flowers in Germantown and the name changed work with local funeral homes,” said Bill. Bill Coupe to Coupe Flowers after he died in 1988.” He said that there has been more compe- tition in the past 20 years, because flowers are now sold online, in supermarkets and in other businesses. Thirty years ago, there were 55,000 florists locally; now there are less than 20,000. “Part of it is the way people shop. More high end markets carry nice flowers,” he said. “We are a full-fledged florist and at Christmastime you can pick out a plant.” The busiest time of year for Coupe Flowers is Christmastime. “Some- times we must work on Christmas Day because of funerals the following day. Many people don’t know what is involved,” Bill said. “I’ve been making deliveries since I was 12 years old. We’re grateful to People gather at the opening of Bill Coupe and his father, Frank, outside the the community for letting us exist as long as we have,” he said. F.R. Coupe, in Germantown shop in Erdenheim

4 Whitemarsh Hall Urns Written by T. Scott Kreilick, President STHS

Eighty years ago, after E.T. Stotesbury’s death in 1938, his wife Eva donated a portion of the Whitemarsh Hall sculpture collec- tion to the Philadelphia Museum of Art (PMA). The donation of 18th Figure 5 century French sculpture, included Aerial view of two large 91/2-ft. tall urns that were Whitemarsh Hall. subsequently placed inside the West Entrance of the Museum. As part of the upcoming reno- vation of the West Entrance, the PMA will be deaccessioning the urns and has offered them to the Springfield Township Historical Figure 2 Society. PMA is not selling the urns. Detail of Apollo urn The only stipulation is that PMA Figure 1 Apollo deity urn bear no cost for re-locating the urns. In partnership with Springfield Township, the urns will be moved Figure 6 Photo looking south toward the Large to the new Municipal Campus in Fountain of the Main Garden. January 2019. Each of the urns is a compos- ite of carved limestone and a cast cementitious material. The cast elements, including the top rims and bases, appear to be modern Figure 7 additions to earlier ornamental Detail of southwest urn. limestone sections. The decorative frieze of one urn depicts the Greek god Apollo (Figures 1 & 2), while Figure 4 the other urn shows marine deities Detail of Marine urn (Figures 3 & 4). It is possible the urns Figure 3 Marine deity urn were produced in the workshop of 1 Wayne Willcox, http://stotesbury.com/art/artpost1897/SculptureGardens.html Jules-Édouard Visseaux (1854- 1934), whose work was introduced cleaning, consolidation, minor to the Stotesburys by English art repairs, repointing, and conserva- moving the urns. This task will a GoFundMe page to raise the dealer Sir Joseph Duveen. Visseaux tion oversight of the de-installation, include moving the urns out of the remainder of the funds needed to and his artisans operated out of a transport, and installation. Kreilick Museum and preparing them for return the Whitemarsh Hall urns studio in the Saint-Ouen district Conservation will donate all neces- transport. The urns will be slowly to Springfield Township. Please on the northern outskirts of Paris, sary conservation. Kreilick will also driven to the Municipal Campus consider making a tax-deductible producing urns, statues and foun- prepare a report documenting the and installed on the new founda- contribution to this effort. tains of terra cotta, stone and lead.1 effort. The report will include tions. This expense will, in part, While at Whitemarsh Hall, recommendations for subsequent be off-set with funds remaining the urns were positioned at the maintenance. from the completed restoration CALL FOR southeast and southwest corners, The final expense is the of the Black Horse Inn. The ARCHIVES respectively, of the Main Fountain cost associated with physically Historical Society will establish (Figures 5-7). As shown in Figure 7, VOLUNTEERS the urns were used as planters. Our dedicated group of volunteers The Commissioners of are continuing to catalogue our collection. Our volunteers provide Springfield Township have agreed a valuable service to the historical to provide space on the Municipal society and are vital to carrying Campus, and to fund the design and out our mission. If you like history fabrication of poured concrete foun- and working with computers and dations for each of the urns. have an hour or two to spare each There will need to be conser- week please contact the archives at [email protected] vation of the urns. The scope or 215-233-4600. of the conservation will include

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