Hugh White Homestead
The 1830 Hugh White Homestead was built in 1830 by Joshua Clark of Cohoes for Hugh White. The building was scheduled to be razed in 1964 and was saved and moved to its current location for the purpose of establishing a museum and cultural center.
The following three paragraphs are part of a brief description of the building by Bill Krattinger, a Historic Preservation Specialist for New York State Parks and Recreation and Historic Preservation.
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The Hugh White Homestead is a timber
frame building comprised of three distinct two-story blocks. The
date of construction given for the original section of the house,
1830, places it stylistically at the close of the Federal tradition
at the onset of the Greek Revival, during the prosperous years of
the Jacksonian era. The main block, oriented to face east, is
highlighted by a freestanding portico carried by four fluted Ionic
columns, the pediment of which dictates the slope of the pitched
roof. Though the portico and the three-bay, side hall entrance plan
are suggestive of the coming Greek Revival, the overall details and
treatment are distinctly Federal. The thin, delicate quality of the
cornice, the somewhat attenuated treatment and spacing of the
columns, and the elliptical fanlight and six-paneled wood door are
all reminiscent of the vernacular Federal tradition of upstate New
York. Somewhat curious, given the date of 1830, are the windows,
which are hung with twelve-over-twelve wood sash, where one would
instead expect six or eight-pane sash. |
The Rear Section of the Homestead
The rear sections of the Homestead are less documented. Local tradition is that White added on to the back section each time he had a new child. The actual building shape as depicted in various maps has changed over time. It is hard to say for sure when each addition to the rear was built. The entire rear section of the homestead was built directly on the ground and did not include a foundation. Thus, in 1964, those responsible for moving the house decided that the rear section could not safely be moved and it was torn down.
Conservatory
Built on the south side of the Homestead (date unknown), this glass enclosed structure was used by White to grow exotic plants. This section was torn down in the 1950s.
Outbuildings
According to various maps and from oral tradition the Homestead had numerous outbuildings. It is unclear when each was built. Over time the property included at least:
· One Large two story barn with two, two story, smaller buildings attached.
· One Office building that sat next to the main road, torn down in1964.
· Two separate graperies, which are defined as a building or enclosure used to cultivate grapes.
· One large greenhouse
Original Owner of the Building
Hugh White (b. Dec. 1798—d. Oct. 1870)
On December 25, 1798 Hugh White was born on his family’s farm in Whitestown, New York in Oneida County. His grandfather, Hugh White, was one of the original settlers of Whitestown and was a quartermaster during the Revolutionary War. His father, Hugh White Jr., also served for 3 years as a soldier during the war.
After graduating from Hamilton College in 1823 Hugh began to pursue a career in law by being fitted for the bar in New York City. His interests turned elsewhere and by 1825 he was in Chittenango, New York working for his older brother Canvass. There Hugh worked in his brother’s mill manufacturing “White’s Waterproof Cement” or “Water Lime Cement.” Canvass White had cornered the market on a perfected method manufacturing hydraulic cement in the United States, which made the Erie Canal and Croton Water System in New York City possible. At the time of Canvass’s death, in 1834, he was considered the leading engineer for the building of canals in the U.S. Hugh’s talents as a businessman were not overlooked by his brother and Canvass had Hugh moved to Waterford, New York to act on his behalf as president of the Cohoes Power Company, in 1830. During Canvass’s absence Hugh was able to supervise the completion of two power dams and a power canal, projects important to the success of the business. Though he was actively involved in his brother’s business, he soon ventured out into his own interests in a sawmill on Harmony Hill, a flourmill, and a Waterford based mill to produce hydraulic cement. In 1836 Hugh became an agent in the Harmony Manufacturing Company after the Harmony Mills were incorporated.
On April 10, 1828, before coming to Waterford, Hugh married Marie Mills Mansfield, daughter of William Penderson Mansfield. Together they had seven children with only three surviving into adulthood. When Hugh and his wife moved to Waterford so did William P. Mansfield, each building their home across from one another. It is said that Hugh and his father-in-law developed friendly rivalries when it came to their homes and that each tried to out do the other with building additions and gardens, even developing elaborate water systems to water their gardens.
Hugh White was also a politician. In 1844, he began a three-term career as a U.S. Congressman representing the Saratoga District. At the time, he was considered to be a Whig but was later affiliated with Republican views and was staunchly against. Though he was not very vocal or a well-known debater, he was able to accomplish much for his appointed committees with his influence and power. After he left Congress in 1851, Hugh continued his career as a businessman expanding his interest into the railroad business. Locally he helped organize the Waterford and Cohoes Horse Rail Road Company in 1863.
Though he was considered retired up until his death on October 6, 1870 White was still active in the business world as a financier and President of the Saratoga County National Bank.
Quick Facts about the Honorable Hugh White
Born: December 1798, Whitestown, NY
Graduate of Hamilton College 1823
Admitted to the bar shortly after College
1825 started work with brother Canvass White
Married: Marie Mills Mansfield April 10, 1828
1830 moved to Waterford
Father of 7 Children, 3 survive to adulthood
1830 Manager of Cohoes Company
Owned and operated a saw mill, flour mill, and cement works using power of Mohawk River.
1836 founding member of Harmony Manufacturing Company
1836-1837 started new lime cement factory in Rosendale NY, factory lands soon become known as Whitesport.
Served 3 terms in U.S. Congress 1845-1851
President Bank of Waterford
Trustee of Cohoes Savings Bank, and Waterford Presbyterian Church
Died October 6, 1870 at the Homestead, aged 72 years
Upon the death of Hugh White the Cohoes Cataract printed this statement: “He was essentially an executive man; what he undertook, he accomplished, for he was a man of strong indomitable will; he was generous and large hearted in all his dealings, and many a young man has been started on in the world by his kindness and his means.”
Who else lived in the Homestead?
Various people owned and lived in the Homestead since White passed away in 1870. After Hugh’s death a Charles White lived in the home with Hugh’s widow Marie. It is possible that this was Hugh’s nephew, Canvass’s son Charles, but we do not know for sure. Marie passed on in July of 1888, Charles moved out between 1890-1891 and a long line of rentals started. The ownership of the Homestead stayed in the family until 1948 when Roma Niles, Hugh’s great-granddaughter, sold the Homestead to Rosalie S. Ketchum. Ketchum would eventually sell the house to Grand Union around 1964. It is unclear as to when the building was split up into apartments.
Servants
We do know of one husband and wife who lived and worked in the Homestead. According to the late Monsignor William Slavin, Michael and Mary Kilkenny were Irish immigrants who worked in the Homestead. Michael was a coachman and Mary was a maid sometime prior to 1908, when she went to work for the Monsignor. We have a metal trunk in our collection that belonged to Mary Kilkenny. Michael shows up in the Directories in 1885 as owner a home on Slavin’s Avenue, Northside. It is possible that Mary and Michael worked for the Whites and lived in the Homestead until a time when they were able to purchase a home or their services were no longer needed.
Tenants
William P. Adams, Director of National Bank of Cohoes. Lived in the Homestead 1891 until 1914.
Inventor Henry C. Miller
One of the families to live in the Homestead was that of Henry C. Miller. The Millers are listed in the directories as having lived in the Homestead from 1913 to 1914. Prior 1913 they lived at 28 Mohawk Avenue close to the Village, since 1899. Miller was born Fort Wayne, Indiana. Henry’s father began a contracting and bridge building business along the Wabash Rail Road after serving the Union Army in the Civil War. By going along with his father to different sites as a young boy, Henry developed a curiosity as to how things were built and designed. As an adult, Henry applied these skills as a machinist and an inventor working in his older brother’s “Fort Wayne Pneumatic Novelty and Model Shop.” Eventually he married Elizabeth Richard and moved east to Troy to work in the collar industry. For 23 years Henry worked with sewing machines in the collar industry while at home he tried to improve the machines he used all day. Henry and his wife had two children, a son and a daughter.
Around 1915 Henry moved his family from the White Homestead to a colonial home on Hudson River Road. There in his garage turned work shop, Henry spent his free time inventing. Some inventions attributed to him are modifications to the early talking machines and phonograph, a simplex shoe button and fastener, a button hole machine, and a collar-trimming machine. In all, Henry C. Miller was the holder of 150 different patents.
1964 Apartment Layouts
There were 4 apartments in the Homestead in 1964. Each apartment had 2 floors. According to former resident, Ann Devoe, each apartment was connected and they did not lock their doors, “it was truly a family environment.” The old office building or “gate house” as it was then referred to in 1964 was also an apartment.