Gilder, NinaCornelia) Lornelic Gilder 413-243-0161 P-difox 430 Tyringham, NA 01264 cbg@gilder.com SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE UNIVERSITY 12 June 2003 Ms. Cornelia Brooke Gilder P.O. Box 430 Tyringham, MA 01264 Dear Ms. Gilder: For the past three years I have been engaged in archival research for an intellectual biography of George B. Dorr, founder of Acadia National Park. Deborah Dyer, Curator of the Bar Harbor Historical Society, has invited me to give a paper on Mr. Dorr at their September 14th meeting and in passing she mentioned your letter of September 1999 regarding Mr. Dorr's ancestry. If I have my facts correct you referred to Mr. Dorr's inheritance of the New York home (called Hightown) of Francis F. Dorr which George Dorr sold in 1900 (do you know when he inherited it?). What was George Dorr's relationship to Francis F. Dorr? Since George Dorr died a bachelor I am very interested in tracing family relationships before his birth and during his lifetime (1853-1944). In my research this is a unique piece of information and I would appreciate it if you could recall how this information came into your possession and on what documentation it is based. Do you have a family connection to Charles and Mary Dorr, George's parents? Be assured that I will credit you with this information when the book is published. I appreciate your attention to this matter. If you would like to talk about these matters rather than a written response, please provide me with your phone number and I'll phone at your convenience. Most sincerely, Ronald H. Epp, Ph.D. Director of Shapiro Library Harry A. B. & Gertrude C. Shapiro Library 2500 North River Road Manchester, NH 03106-1045 603-645-9605 Fax 603-645-9685 Page 1 of 1 C.2 Ronald Epp From: "Nini Gilder" To: Sent: Wednesday, July 02, 2003 9:41 AM Subject: George Dorr's antecedants Dear Dr. Epp, I have just returned from a two-week trip to Alaska - a place George B. Dorr would have loved - and found your letter. I wish I could come to hear your talk to the Bar Harbor Historical Society. My knowledge of the Dorrs comes through my research for a book on Lenox country houses. Here in Lenox George B. Dorr's relatives on both sides of his family established substantial estates in the 1840s and 50s. George's uncle Samuel Gray Ward is considered the pioneer Lenox "cottager." He and Anna Barker Ward built the first big house of the area called "Highwood" (now part of Tanglewood) in 1845. Rdn 1853 Francis Fiske Dorr (1811-1870) bought a house he named "Highlawn" which he had rented previously. Francis had two brothers George Bucknam (1806-1876) and Charles Hazen (father of the second George B.) and two sisters Susan Elizabeth and Martha Ann Dorr (later Edwards). They were the children of Samuel and lucy Fox Dorr of Boston. The second George B. Dorr was the lone descendant of these five brothers and sisters (after the death of his older brother William in his twenties). While the Charles Dorrs gravitated to Maine, all the others summered in Lenox. The first George B. and Francis were in business together in New York as import merchants and lived together on Ninth Street in NYC. I have pieced together this genealogical material from Harvard Alumni records (on the first George B. who was the most active family member in Lenox), the Ancestry.com web site, Mt. Auburn Cemetery records, New York City Directories. I am always interested in learning more and would be most eager to know if you have run into any references to Highlawn in Lenox where I suspect George B. and his brother William came often as children. I'd be very interested to have a copy of your paper when it is done. Please let me know if you have further questions I might be able to answer. Best Wishes Cornelia B. Gilder 413-243-0161 P.O. Box 430 Tyringham, MA 01264 7/2/2003 Re: Wharton-Dorr-Farrand Page 1 of 3 Epp, Ronald From: Nini Gilder [cbg@gilder.com] Sent: Tuesday, October 07, 2003 9:18 PM To: Epp, Ronald Subject: Re: Wharton-Dorr-Farrand Dear Ron, Good to hear from you. I did know that Edith Wharton valued Dorr's advice and seems to have ordered plants from him. I hadn't really thought through the obvious Beatrix Farrand connection. On Aug.21, 1906 Edith Wharton wrote Dorr that Teddy was "most anxious to show you the improvements" (at the Mount). On July 24 (no date) from The Mount "What you say of the phloxes makes my mouth water, for I have tried to get as many good varieties as possible, and am keen for new colours. If there is any really good novelty, wd you not ask your manager to send you me the name and the colour and won't you, by the way, come to us sometime next month in September, and see the George Dorr path, the new pond, and other improvements" Did you say you had talked to Alan Emmet? I have a note here that she has really studied the EW correspondence with Dorr at the Bienecke Library. She gave me some good material on the Mt. Desert Nurseries. (her address is 224 Concord Road, Westford, MA 01886. tel 978-692-8329). I think there may be other references about digging ferns. Scott Marshall at The Mount gave me three other dates of letters from EW to Dorr in the Bienecke - Sept 3, 1904,Dec. 27, 1905, and Feb. 17, 1906. Must stop now. I'd love to see your article when done. Best Wishes NINI From: "Epp, Ronald" Date: Tue, 7 Oct 2003 12:49:13 -0400 To: Subject: Wharton-Dorr-Farrand Dear Nini, I just received the an email from Patrick Chasse ( a noted landscape architect who works closely with the Garden Conservancy) that contains some sentences that might interest you. I'll forward his message momentarily. 5/26/2004 Re: Wharton-Dorr-Farrand Page 2 of 3 I thought you might be interested in his remarks in the second paragraph. I was unaware that Mrs. Wharton visited Bar Harbor and find it provocative that she may have met Dorr there. Are you aware of any references to "Mrs. Whartons correspondence with Mr. Dorr"? Hope you are well. I just sent off the final revisions on an article on "Establishing Dr. Abbe's Museum in Mr. Dorr's Park" for inclusion in the next issue of the Mount Desert Island Historical Society Journal. I'll send you a copy--or the final fraft-- if you are interested. With very best wishes, Ron Ronald H. Epp, Ph.D. Director of Shapiro Library Southern New Hampshire University Manchester, NH 3106 603-668-2211, ext. 2164 603-645-9685 fax Original Message From: SaveGarlandFarm@aol.com (mailto:SaveGarlandFarm@aol.com) Sent: Tuesday, October 07, 2003 9:35 AM To: Epp, Ronald Subject: Re: B. Farrand & Mr. Dorr Dear Professor Epp, I was delighted to get your letter and learn of your research on George B. Dorr. Although most of my Mt. Desert Island landscape research has been on Beatrix Farrand, I am very aware of Mr. Dorr's invaluable contributions to Acadia National Park and Mt. Desert Island. I stumbled on the ruins of his former home ("Old Farm"?) many years ago while exploring the woods around Compass Harbor, and subsequently learned more about his nearby nursery. I am very much interested in hearing more of your research, and in helping in any way I can to fill in possible gaps in your Dorr background or chronology here. While working on the initial landscape restoration proposal for "The Mount," Edith Wharton's home in the Berkshires, as it was being readied for National Historic Site status and restoration, I came across several references to Mrs. Whartons correspondence with Mr. Dorr regarding flower varieties for her garden there. I recall that he may have visited "The Mount" to consult on native plants and the gardens. Mrs. Wharton was Beatrix Farrand's aunt, and visited Bar Harbor, where she may have met Mr. Dorr and known his nursery. We have raised 90% of the funds to purchase Garland Farm and are negotiating a purchase and sale agreement for an early December sale. We hope that Garland Farm--and the Beatrix Farrand Society-- will become a center of information and research regarding Mrs. Farrand and Mt. Desert Island designed 5/26/2004 Re: Wharton-Dorr-Farrand Page 3 of 3 landscapes. George Dorr is certainly an important part of the Island's landscape legacy and we would welcome the inclusion of information and connections for his life and work. Our 501(c)(3) IRS tax-deductible status has come through in record time, so we are now able to collect gifts toward the Save Garland Farm project directly. Our address is The Beatrix Farrand Society P.O. Box 111 mt. Desert, ME 04660 Thank you so much for your letter. I will put you on our "update" list for progress reports on garland Farm. Cordially, Patrick Chasse, ASLA 5/26/2004 FirstSearch: WorldCat Detailed Record Page 1 of 2 OC LC FirstSearch SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE UNIV WorldCat Detailed Record Click on a checkbox to mark a record to be e-mailed or printed in Marked Records. Staff View My Account Resource Home Databases Searching Results Options Comments Exit Sharing Hide tips List of Records Detailed Record Marked Records Go to page ? WorldCat results for: ti: ventfort. Record 5 WorldCat Subjects Libraries ILL E-mail Print Export Help 1 of 1. 1 Mark: Prev Next A history of Ventfort Hall / Cornelia Brooke Gilder; Joan R Olshansky 2002 English Book 36 p. : col. ill., map, plans ; 16x23 cm. Lenox, MA : Ventfort Hall Association, GET THIS ITEM Availability: Check the catalogs in your library. Libraries worldwide that own item: 1 THE Connect to Southern New Hampshire University Library Borrow this item from another library (Interlibrary Loan) FIND RELATED More Like This: Search for versions with same title and author I Advanced options Title: A history of Ventfort Hall / Author(s): Gilder, Cornelia Brooke. ; Olshansky, Joan R. Publication: Lenox, MA : Ventfort Hall Association, Year: 2002 Description: 36 p. : col. ill., map, plans ; 16 X 23 cm. Language: English SUBJECT(S) Descriptor: Cottages ww Massachusetts -- Berkshire Hills MW History. Historic buildings -- Massachusetts -- Lenox. Ventfort Hall (Lenox, Mass.) -- History. Geographic: Lenox (Mass.) -- Buildings, structures. Note(s): Map on verso of front cover. Responsibility: by Cornelia Brooke Gilder and Joan R. Olshansky. Document Type: Book Entry: 20040426 Update: 20040624 http://firstsearch.oclc.org/WebZ/FSQUERY?format=BI:next=html/records.html:bad=htm.. 11/14/2005 History "A Walk in the Country Tour led by Nini Gilder for R.Epp. July 2003 Blantyre (1903) .: mark Farms Does's History of Blantgre not available on ILL. Location Ms? The Mount (1802). Beluair Terrace (1886) Morris K. Leop Home still stands. Highliem Photographer E.A.Morber in Lenox attu beter it to Ceorge Dors. Evidence? Sam Gray Word Anna. Ward image in BH HS Museum Highwood (SCW) First Ward home designed Richard Ufjohn Oakwood (SGW) Now on site of Kripalce. Bustin 1876 y C.McKim, burned in 1903. Dorr letters from Ed. th Wharton Nini. Berkohire Lost : an exhibition Gilder / Uskman Can't secure Va ILL. Can it be copied for me ? So too History of Veatfort Hall What was Lenox Club ? Wards last letter to Mary C.W Dorr. Ward Correspondence write Tappens Source? 2 Bowditch link to the Dorrs, Coldersay she is "so interested. "Sonceone needs to - go through "the HUGE called "of Judge Julius Rickwelli corr. "uncatalogied inhenox Library. Rochwell died in 1888, 5 grow before Charle. Hazal or Is Does Anna ward's grandson ward Thoron still alove? Would Lenox Historical Society have germane resources ? 11/11/05 S.g. 1. Check Oqden l tag agerty freed of Ward Built Vent Fort, built on site TK Ventfort Hall. Maria 2 Cheech Catherine Sedg wick, fund of S.C.Ward. n 3 Close cercle of Haggerty Ward it Sedgarch circle. London - 4. Russell Sturgis, ^ Barings colleague of SGW. 5. Ward Haggerty were crecial patrons of artist George Inness. Eleanor Dwight. (re Gilder 7am at Four brooks Farm 6. Richard Watson Gilder.(Fread & C.B.D.?). ILC 7. Moraara S. Van Renssalaer "American Country Dwellings" Century Magazine (May 1886): entire at. (@p.202) 8. Have I checked E.Whaton @ Lilly L bravy, Indian U. 1871 afte France death loave to beorge Darr. In 1876 after Degri death. leaves proper to Susan 7 morth Cenn & Henry Ferward, the late hery life taway but give property to MIT In 1890's HBD hump back for MIT. Page 1 of 4 Ronald Epp From: "Nini Gilder" To: "Ronald Epp" Sent: Monday, July 07, 2003 12:15 PM Subject: Re: George Dorr's antecedants Dear Ron, Bood to hear from you and glad the Dorr material was helpful. My book is still in progress and it should fill the gap you seek. David Wood's book may help in a general way but, even there, the Dorrs aren't mentioned. Highlawn was demolished when G.B. D. jr. sold it at the turn of the century, and a rather baronial brick house was built on the beautiful site. It was called Blantyre and is the most pricey place to stay and eat in the Berkshires (owned by the Red Lion Inn). The Dorrs seem to have been more or less forgotten in local published works which made me look to other sources to sort out the brothers and their professions. I have one nice 1874 clipping from a local paper and a poor picture of the house published in a now-rare book of photographs by E.A. Morley entitled Lenox. For my research on some 50 Lenox country houses (some like Highlawn long-gone, some extant) I am constantly using the collections at the Lenox Library, Lenox Historical Society, Berkshire Atheneaum and to a lesser extent the Berkshire Historical Society but Dorrs just don't crop up. Let me know if you do plan a trip this way as I would be glad to show you Blantyre and my file on the Dorrs. the Since George B. Dorr was such a figure at the Somerset Club in Boston I wondered if there was a published tribute by a fellow member after his death. (The Century Club in NY does memorial tributes which are often very interesting and more personal than published obits.) Please do keep in touch, I am glad to share my research because without exception I learn new things in the process! Best Wishes, Cornelia Gilder 413-243-0161 > From: "Ronald Epp" > Date: Fri, 4 Jul 2003 16:15:10 -0400 > To: "Nini Gilder" > Cc: > Subject: Re: George Dorr's antecedants Dear Ms. Gilder: 7/7/2003 Page 2 of 4 > How kind of you to respond with such extensive information about George B. > Dorr and his relatives. You have provided me with key information that I did > not have in my possession. I will acknowledge your contribution when my book > is published. > > I've requested a couple of titles on Lenox history that may contain > references to the Dorr cottagers (Palmer's History of Lenox and Richmond > (MA) and David Wood's Lenox; Massachusetts shire town) but I was unable to > find any publication data on your "book on Lenox country houses." Is it a > work in progress? > > My wife and I frequent Lenox, less often since we moved to New Hampshire > from south of Hartford, CT. two years ago. As members of the Trustees of > Reservations we would frequently visit Bartholemew's Cobble and other TOR > properties in your area as well as Tanglewood, of course. Naumkeag was one > of our favorites as well; we never visited Wharton's home which clearly now > relates to my invesitigations of Mr. Dorr's relationship with landscape > architect Beatrix Farrand, a close relative of Wharton.. > > I appreciate your references to the sources and repositories of information > for the Dorr ancestry. I have yet to delve into Harvard's archives except > online and I will explore the Mount Auburn Cemetary records since I have some of Mr. Dorr's correspondance with them when he felt that the grave sites of his parents were not being propoerly tended. > George B. Dorr's life prior to his adulthood greatly interests me and > appreciate your suspicion that he and brother William likely came often to > Highlawn. Do you know of any local social histories that would capture the > essence of life in this 1860's era? > > It would interest me to know whether you have found the Berkeshire Athenaeum > Local History Room, the Berkshire Historical Society, or the Lenox > Historical Society useful to your inquiries with special reference to > Highlawn and the Dorr family. Your judgment might spare me an unproductive > trip to these historical repositories. > > If Elizabeth and I journey to western Massachusetts perhaps we could meet. > > Please call me "Ron". > > Very appreciatively, > > Ron Epp > Home : 47 Pond View Dr., Merriumack, NH 03054 Phone: 603-424-6149 > > Original Message > From: "Nini Gilder" > To: > Sent: Wednesday, July 02, 2003 9:41 AM > Subject: George Dorr's antecedants 7/7/2003 Page 1 of 1 Epp, Ronald From: Epp, Ronald Sent: Monday, July 28, 2003 12:12 PM To: 'cbg@gilder.com' Cc: Epp, Ronald Subject: Mr. Dorr Again Dear Cornelia, Yesterday I was reading for the first time documents copied from the Dorr Papers, microfilms at the Jesup Library in Bar Harbor. These few undated pages were likely written in the late 1930's and discuss his pre- college school years. I came across two statements that I thought would interest you (and I'll photocopy the full text if you like and mail it to you). 1. In referring to a summer home outside Boston where his maternal grandmother lived, he says that his grandfather had built himself a country home "alongside the Nichols homestead, which first my uncle, Samuel Gray Ward, on coming from Lenox, bought and occupied, then we, when business took him to New York to live." 2. In another essay he refers to this home above in Canton where his grandfather Ward had bought an old farm to spend the summers. "But it was hot in summer and, school closed, my mother and father would presently pack up and go off to the seashore, or to Lenox, real county [sic "country"] then, where my mother [Mary Gray Ward] had stayed with my uncle and, as a girl, ridden over the whole region- the most fearless horsewomen, Mr. Curtis the old innkeeper at Lenox, told me in later years, that he had ever known save Fanny Kemble. There we spent delightful summers, driving around the country and exploring it-my brother and I-on horseback or on foot. This migratory habit of the family was to prove important afterward in leading us to Bar Harbor." This passage confirms your earlier emails to me regarding the Dorr family vacationing in Lenox! It also adds some new information. Does it aid you at all? Do you know any details about "Mr. Curtis" or "Fanny Kemble"? Hope you are faring well as the summer progresses. With very best wishes, Ronald H. Epp, Ph.D. Director of Shapiro Library Southern New Hampshire University Manchester, NH 03106 603-668-2211, ext. 2164 603-645-9685 fax 7/28/2003 Re: Mr. Dorr Again Page 1 of 2 Epp, Ronald From: Nini Gilder [cbg@gilder.com] Sent: Wednesday, July 30, 2003 10:20 AM To: Epp, Ronald Subject: Re: Mr. Dorr Again Thank you, SO much for those, could you send me the full texts with references. Best wishes NINI From: "Epp, Ronald" Date: Mon, 28 Jul 2003 12:11:58 -0400 To: Cc: "Epp, Ronald" Subject: Mr. Dorr Again Dear Cornelia, T Yesterday I was reading for the first time documents copied from the Dorr Papers, microfilms at the Jesup Library in Bar Harbor. These few undated pages were likely written in the late 19301s and discuss his pre-college school years. I came across two statements that I thought would interest you (and l'll photocopy the full text if you like and mail it to you). 1. In referring to a summer home outside Boston where his maternal grandmother lived, he says that his grandfather had built himself a country home 3alongside the Nichols homestead, which first my uncle, Samuel Gray Ward, on coming from Lenox, bought and occupied, then we, when business took him to New York to live. ² 2. In another essay he refers to this home above in Canton where his grandfather Ward had bought an old farm to spend the summers. Superscript(3)But it was hot in summer and, school closed, my mother and father would presently pack up and go off to the seashore, or to Lenox, real county [sic 3country2 then, where my mother [Mary Gray Ward] had stayed with my uncle and, as a girl, ridden over the whole region>> "Epp, Ronald" 12/27/03 04:35AM Dear Mr. Bennett: From The Mount web pages I have been led to you to determine whether you might be of assistance in my preparation of an intellectual biography on George B. Dorr (1853-1944), founder of Acadia National Park. I have been working with National Park Service archivists and landscape architects, basing my interpretation of his life on previously ignored archival resources. My Dorr's family owned property in Lenox. Lenox historian Nini Gilder has been very helpful in further documenting Edith Wharton's correspondence with Mr. Dorr. His family had a significant impact in development of the horticulture of Mount Desert Island. Beatrix Farrand's landscaping work within the Park and on Mr. Rockefeller's carriage roads relied on stock provided by Mr. Dorr. As Superintendent of the Park from 1916 to his death, Dorr exercised a profound influence on the landscape of the entire island. Ms. Gilder quoted from a letter from Wharton to Dorr in 1907 that mentions the naming of one of her garden walkways as "Dorr's Path." I am writing to inquire whether in your role as chairman of The Mount Grounds Committee you can confirm the historic or contemporary existence of such a named path. If so, where might do you have any suggestion as to how I might learn more about the Dorr-Wharton relationship. In the weeks ahead I plan a trip to Yale's Bienecke Library to examine closely the relevant manuscripts. Thank you for your attention to this matter. With best wishes over this holiday season and for the New Year! Ronald H. Epp, Ph.D. 1/8/2004 Page 1 of 6 Epp, Ronald From: Cornelia Nini Gilder [cbg@gilder.com] Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2005 6:34 PM To: Epp, Ronald Subject: Re: Acadia National Park Thank you for following through on the picture of Anna Ward. She was an amazing figure who captivated Emerson with her eyes and her intelligence, she was widely read, fluent in several languages, a chronic invalid, a seeker who became a Catholic in Rome the 1850s and was an ardent supporter of Catholic causes and saw to it that her children found Catholic mates (two girls ended up baronesses). Hope this helps a bit. Carlos Baker's book Emerson and the Eccentrics has great material on Anna, Sam and Margaret Fuller. Do let me know if you are within range of Tyringham (Lee exit on the Mass Pike). NINI On Jul 19, 2005, at 10:15 AM, Epp, Ronald wrote: Dear Nini, Just back in office after a trip to Pennsylvania with my wife to check up on my 88 and 94 year old in-laws. More than a bit tired after 15 hours of driving. I am so delighted that the guest book material was helpful. I also very muchg appreciate the name spelling corrections. I'm sure you realized that there is only so much one can do with some handwriting. I have just written to the Curator of the Bar Harbor Historical Society Museum to see whether she will make a rough photocopy of the Anna Ward photograph and send it off to me SO that I han forward it to you. All that I remember of it is that it is cameo-sized with dark hues of a woman who appeared to be in her 40's. I appreciate the background information on the Bowditch-Rockwell families. Recognizing that Rockwell died in 1888, five years before Charles Hazen Dorr, what would be very useful is to know is the extent of his personal correspondence to "Nellie" for the last five years of his life, but most especially during the 1887- 1888 timeframe when the Bowditch's were Old Farm guests. It seems reasonable to suppose that Charles Dorr's will may well have been written prior to Judge Rockwell's death. Could you briefly characterize what you know of Anna Ward since I've gathered quite a bit of manuscript material recently on the Thomas Wren Ward family, both ancestors and descendents, at the Massachusetts Historical Society, documentation received from the estate of Mr. Dorr. Best wishes for a most pleasant summer. I've yet to visit Yale to look at the Edith Wharton Papers but hope to do it the last two weeks of August. Perhaps I could "swing by" and say hello to you enroute back to New Hampshire? Ron Epp Original Message From: Cornelia Nini Gilder [mailto:cbg@gilder.com] Sent: Friday, July 15, 2005 9:41 AM To: Epp, Ronald Subject: Re: Acadia National Park Dear Ron, The guest book material is fascinating to me because of the many Berkshire names (pianist Frederick Rackemann with a musical offering, Clemence (not Clarence) Haggerty Crafts and her husband, various members of the Ward family, the Godkins, Emily Vanderbilt Sloane of 7/22/2005 Page 2 of 6 Elm Court). Thank you SO much for sharing this great document! You noted a picture of Anna Ward, can you remember that and describe it to me? She is a big figure in all my Lenox talks and writings. One spelling correction I detected was Anna Ward's grandson Ward Thoron Now about the Bowditches and their link to the Dorrs. I am SO interested by that, and the answer to their relationship could be found if someone had a year to dedicate to sifting through the HUGE collection of Judge Julius Rockwell correspondence which is uncataloged in the Lenox Library. I was part of an archiving session to begin the work but haven't been able to do any sustained cataloging. From what I saw there are almost daily letters to his daughter "Nellie." I really would love to know more about this. But am currently in the process of getting photographs for my Berkshire country House which Acanthus Book is publishing next spring. All the dullest work, permissions, index, bibliography, scanning photos are on my plate. Please do keep in touch though and if you had a particular date that might be pursued with the Rockwell papers we might be able to work something out. Unfortunately Rockwell died in 1888 before Charles Hazen Dorr died. Best wishes and once again thanks for this great glimpse into the Old Farm guest book!, NINI On Jul 13, 2005, at 3:45 PM, Epp, Ronald wrote: Dear Nini, I apologize for not communicating with you more regularly. I've been very busy these last few months with the Spirit of Acadia planning, writing papers and presentations on Mr. Dorr (I'll send you the most recent article on his horticultural interests), and trying to flesh out the personal and social dimensions of his years prior to the establishment in 1901 of the Hancock County Trustees of Public Reservations. Next week I'm off to examine the archives of the Massachusetts Trustees of Reservations to compare their early years with the first three decades of their Maine offspring. You may be able to assist me with a Lenox-based historical question. In 1893, wealthy anthropologist Charles Pickering Bowditch (1842-1921) was the executor-and sole beneficiary--o the will of Mr. Dorr's father, Charles Hazen Dorr. Yes, the will of Mr. Dorr's father does not direct his property to his wife or his son but to his friend, Charles Bowditch. Mr. Bowditch was married to Cornelia Livingston Rockwell (1841-1930) in Jamaica Plain (where George Dorr was born in 1853); she was the daughter of the Lenox family of the Hon. Julius Rockwell and Lucy Forbes Rockwell, according to my secondary sources. Could you determine whether there is additional information available locally that would help me to more fully understand the Bowditch-Dorr dynamics In trying to "follow the money" I continue to be perplexed at the terms of Mr. Dorr's will and hope that by understanding the Bowditch's (who were guests at Old Farm) better, I might account for this social anomaly. A contemporary Harvard physician has suggested that during the Gilded Age such arrangements were often intended to circuitously funnel resources back into the family but I remain unconvinced. By the way, to answer your query below, the Nurseries were profitable for many years but were frequently mortgaged in the 1920's and they disappeared from property 7/22/2005 Page 3 of 6 records in the 30's. In their heyday the local papers report that upwards of 300 men were employed there in the summer season. Knowing of your interest in Old Farm, I've attached a listing of the guests who signed off in the Old Farm guest book which is jealously guarded by the Bar Harbor Historical Soociety, whose curator was most reluctant to have me page through since "that hasn't been done for decades." Still hopeful that we can meet some time. I'm trying to arrange a couple of trips to Cambridge in August. Any chance you'll be in the Boston area then? With best wishes, Ron Epp Original Message From: Nini Gilder [mailto:cbg@gilder.com] Sent: Saturday, December 04, 2004 9:47 AM To: Epp, Ronald Subject: Re: Thanks Dear Ron, Thanks SO much for sending that piece. It was quite an adventure figuring out where Old Farm was as well as the site of the nurseries and exploring down to the point. I thought of Dprr swimming in the frigid water there! It would have been fun to do it with you. I was there in the first week of August. I am SO glad you are researching the Old Farm gardens as well as the larger legacy of Dorr and you end this article with a tantalizing note about Dorr's relationship to Beatrix Farrand which I hope you will expand on in the book. I had wondered how long the Mount Desert Nurseries survived and was interested to see you mention they were in business for 50 years. Was Dorr involved all that time? Did he actually make any money on the nursery business, do you think? Thanks again for sharing this material. Morris K. Jesup is another of the Lenox figures who was a prominent Bar Harbor resident. So am always interested in any references to him. His house still stands in Lenox, but the Bar Harbor one is gone as far as I could tell. The library is charming though! Best wishes, NINI From: "Epp, Ronald" archivist at the Biltmore Estate and wanted to match dates that I had > received from her regarding visits by Wharton, Dorr, and others. > First, I've been able to identify the dates of some of the letters > contextually (however, one still stands as an orphan). > Two, Wharton's first documented visit to the Biltmore Estate is > November 26, 1902 and guess who is listed in the estate guest book for > November 27th, yes, Mr. Dorr; many speculative questions derive from > this confluence, especially since this likely interaction precedes all > extant correspondence by at least two years. > > Third, Dorr visits Wharton in August 1904 apparently enroute to what > she calls his "explorations," a month long backpacking trip through > the California Sierras which Dorr documents in a 60 page essay; Dorr may have been exhausted by this trip which may account for his > unresponsiveness to her 10/29 and 11/29 letters. > > Fourth, Dorr's third and last documented visit to Biltmore > (10/18/1905) > precedes the visit by Edith Wharton on 12/23; and yet the surviving > correspondence does not refer to this. I wonder if correspondence with > other friends and family might show what she thought of George Washington Vanderbilt's property since we know that she interacted with his famed horticulturist, Mr. Beadle. Do you have any knowledge > of such matters? > > Fifth, Wharton seems authentically regretful that she can't visit Dorr > at 18 Commonwealth Avenue prior to her Spring 1906 departure for > France. > Later she encourages him to visit in the fall but we have no evidence > that this visit took place but in January 1907 the Biltmore connection 1 > reasserts itself again when Wharton rents the Vanderbilt Paris > apartment at 58 Rue de Vareene. > Sixth, in what appears to be the final Wharton letter to Dorr > (7/24/1907) she apologizes for not being able to visit Dorr in Bar > Harbor and asks him to visit the Mount. > > We might be able to shed some light on the aforementioned if there was > a surviving guest book of visitors to The Mount. I don't recall > reading about such a document and would appreciate it if that could be > determined through a phone call to Erica or Betsy at The Mount. Is > that feasible? I don't remember seeing at Yale any references to a > guest book or diaries in the Wharton Papers Finding Aid but I'll > review them again in the next week. > > On a related matter, I am very attracted to your suggestion that > Erica or Betsy might be interested in me speaking about such matterss > at The Mount. I'm also reviewing a half dozen pages of notes I took at > Yale when reviewing 55 letters between Wharton and her neice Beatrix > with an eye to gardening references and the development of their > respective careers. Do you suggest that I approach The Mount staff > about this matter or that you initially test the waters? > > I've put through many ILL requests for recources on the Dorrs and > Samuel Gray Ward that you brought to my attention. I was not able to > find at the Lenox Bookstore your History of Ventfort Hall and find > that no copies are available through ILL. Could you have it > photocopied for me and 'll reimburse you? The History of Blantyre is > also unavailable and I wondered whether you had a copy; I suspect that > both are available at the lenox Library when I visit next time around; > by the way, I sent a note to Blantyre thanking them for their > hospitality to us. > > Once again, my thanks for your hospitality. Should you be traveling > east to our piece of New England please pernmit me to return the favor > with food, lodging, and companionship. > > Ron > > > Ronald H. Epp Ph.1 > University Library Director & > Associate Professor of Philosophy Southern New Hampshire > University Manchester, NH 03106 > > 603-668-2211 x2164 > r.epp@snhu.edu > Original Message > From: Cornelia Gilder [mailto:cbgilder@gmail.com] > Sent: Sunday, November 13, 2005 9:07 PM > To: Epp, Ronald > Subject: Mr.Dorr > > Dear Ron, > > Friday was great fun, but I realize now I had no idea of what > treasures you handed me in those letters of Edith Wharton to George > Dorr. I doubt anyone else has really studied them (because no one > else really has understood who Dorr was) and they really show what a > significant role he played in her plans for the gardens. I think the > staff at The Mount would be very interested in what you have found, > and it makes me wonder what else is in that collection at the > Bienecke! > > Erica Donnis or Betsy Anderson at The Mount really should know about > these and I wonder if they might have you do a talk at The Mount about > your discovery of these letters and about Dorr's life. 2 Epp, Ronald From: Cornelia Gilder [cbgilder@gmail.com] Sent: Sunday, November 13, 2005 9:07 PM To: Epp, Ronald Subject: Mr.Dorr Dear Ron, Friday was great fun, but I realize now I had no idea of what treasures you handed me in those letters of Edith Wharton to George Dorr. I doubt anyone else has really studied them (because no one else really has understood who Dorr was) and they really show what a significant role he played in her plans for the gardens. I think the staff at The Mount would be very interested in what you have found, and it makes me wonder what else is in that collection at the Bienecke! Erica Donnis or Betsy Anderson at The Mount really should know about these and I wonder if they might have you do a talk at The Mount about your discovery of these letters and about Dorr's life. Did you succeed in getting the Mount book and the Ventfort Hall book at The Bookstore? I should have come in with you, but the parking looked complicated. I can get them for you if you failed there. Best Wishes, NINI 1 Page 1 of 7 Epp, Ronald From: Cornelia Gilder [cbgilder@gmail.com] Sent: Monday, January 02, 2006 7:16 PM To: Epp, Ronald Subject: Re: George Dorr Hello Ron, Happy New Year to you and thanks for the Christmas card. I am SO interested in those references. I am always on the look out for anything about the Dorrs in the local papers Berkshire Courier (Great Barrington), Valley Gleaner (Lee), Pittsfield Sun, but unfortunately the papers only became really chatty about social families around 1876 and the older generation of Dorrs were waning. One reference which was a lucky find was in Richard Starr Dana's papers now owned by his descendant David Dana of Carlsbad, CA. At 17 Richard Starr Dana would visit his aunt in Lenox and his letters home to New York were centered on observations on the equine status of the people around town. On July 12, 1853 soon after the Dorrs bought Highlawn he wrote his mother Juliette Starr Dana: "There are a good many people in Lenox npw and some of them make quite a dash. There is a Mr. Dorr here from New York that has 12 horses and about as many vehicles of different descriptions" Have I sent you a draft of the chapter I wrote on Highlawn for my yet to be published Early Lenox cottages book? It has most of the material I have found. I must have sent it to you. NINI On Jan 2, 2006, at 3:48 PM, Epp, Ronald wrote: Dear Nini, Happy New Year! I've been busy over the holidays integrating scattered content from manuscripts into a chronological outline of the life of Mr. Dorr prior to the 1901 establishment of the Trustees. Pulling the Ward and Dorr Family information together sequentially has been of enormous help to my understanding. I also now have a clearer idea of the importance of Lenox to Mr. Dorr's relationship with other Dorr family members. As you know I've developed quite an appreciation for his maternal Uncle, Samuel Gray Ward-and there are countless fascinating stories that I've accumulated about him that will not likely find a home in the book; frankly, I am still surprised that there is SO little scholarly interest in him, especially among the Emersonians. I offer below two tidbits regarding Mr. Dorr's references to Lenox prior to the Edith Wharton years, drawn from the Dorr Family Papers at the New England Historic and Genealogical Society:: 1/3/2006 Page 2 of 7 Three children from the first marriage of Mr. Dorr's GF( Martha Ann (1809- ), Francis Fiske Dorr (1911- ), and James Augustus Dorr (1812- ) join with their half-sister Susan Dorr (1819- ) to make their home together at Highlawn. Susan is one of two children born to Mr. Dorr's GF during his second marriage; the other is Charles Hazen Dorr, Mr. Dorr's father. Susan and Martha Ann financed a trip to England by John Fiske, the noted historian, who wrote long and interesting letters read to George B. Dorr which he recalled clearly nearly sixty years after their execution. But these four Dorr's "in later life, [made] a joint home on a beautiful hilltop looking north to Greylock up the Berkshire Valley, south across sunlit pasture-lands and orchards to Laurel Lake, and eastward to the deep cut below of the Housatonic River." Would you have any idea whether the newspapers of the day (especially in Pittsfield) would have information on microfilm of the comings and goings of these four Highlawn residents? And: In a letter to J.D. Rockefeller Jr. (3.5.23) Mr. Dorr defends his claim that "open grassy spaces like wild sheep pastures are often better in contrast to continuous woods. I used to be familiar with them, wandering over the Berkshire country when I was a boy." Look forward to hearing from you. Ron Ronald H. Epp Ph.D. University Library Director & Associate Professor of Philosophy Southern New Hampshire University Manchester, NH 03106 603-668-2211 x2164 r.epp@snhu.edu From: Cornelia Gilder [mailto:cbgilder@gmail.com] Sent: Friday, December 16, 2005 10:00 AM To: Epp, Ronald 1/3/2006 Verizon Yahoo! Mail - eppster2@verizon.net Page 1 of 3 Verizon Yahoo! Mail Verizon Central Yahoo! Search: Web Search Welcome, eppster2@verizon Mail Home Tutorials Help YAHOO! verizon [Sign Out, Member Center MAIL Mail Addresses Calendar Notepad Mail For Mobile - Options Check Mail Compose Search Mail Search the Web Previous I Next I Back to Messages Folders [Add Edit] Inbox (18) Delete Reply Forward Spam Move Draft This message is not flagged. [ Flag Message Mark as Unread Printable Sent Date: Sun, 29 Apr 2007 07:49:18 -0700 (PDT) Bulk [Empty] "ELIZABETH and RONALD EPP" Add to Address Boo Trash [Empty] From: Add Mobile Alert My Folders [Hide] Subject: George B. Dorr & Highlawn Eliz messages To: "ELIZABETH and RONALD EPP" Member Information Dear Nini, Ron Archives I have just reviewed the paper trail of our correspondence since June of 2003 wher (18) contacted you. My purpose was to integrate into the Dorr manuscript nuggets of information that you provided over the last four years--and there were many ! Search Shortcuts A couple of questions were also raised in my mind that I hope you could address W My Photos time permits. My Attachments Do you recall emails that were exchanged in November 2005 regarding the existen a Wharton guest book for The Mount? Erica Donnis responded to both of us (11.29.2005) that none has surfaced but that Erica had a brief list of guests that she been compiling which she would happily share with us. Did you ever hear again fro about this? I'm still interested I have made considerable use in the Dorr manuscript of the essay on Highlawn tha shared with me. Thank you for sharing this research with me. You mentioned last y that it is a piece from "my yet to be published Early Lenox cottages book." Since th essay did not appear in "Houses of the Berkshires," I assume that this is a separat work under development. How is it progressing? Finally, in your Highlawn essay (1/12/00 draft #1) you refer in note 32 to the Dorr b plot at Mt. Auburn Cemetery. You then state that Francis, George, Martha Ann, an Susan each had a share in Highlawn. In 1876 Martha Ann and her husband left the share to MIT with the provision for my G.B. Dorr to be able to repurchase their inter from MIT after their deaths. The only documentation offered is Registry of Deed bo 275 p262. Do you recall how you came upon the MIT connection? Do you know tha Dorr took advantage of this provision--and if so, when? My interest is more general these questions would suggest since we know that Dorr sold the property in 1900 b am still unclear about the date of acquisition--and how. This may be one of those IV unanswered questions--so please don't fret about it! Off for a walk in the woods. Ron http://us.f842.mail.yahoo.com/ym/ShowLetter?Msgld=1586_2834520_73039_1873_4063 4/29/2007 Verizon Yahoo! Mail eppster2@verizon.net Page 2 of 3 On April 17, 2007 RONALD EPP wrote: Dear Nini, After far too long a silence I write now to thank you once again for the assistance you have provided me over the years. Since my retirement last February, I've been working daily on the biography with occasional interruptions to volunteer in Special Collections at the Concord Free Public Library where I'm developing manuscript finding aids for their superb collections on the Concord Sages and other area notables from Elizabeth Peabody to Franklin Benjamin Sanborn. Recently I discovered the Ward-Perkins Papers at the U. of California, Santa Barbara; a collection that was not indexed in the National Union Catalog of Manuscript Collections. Containing several thousand documents beginning with Mr. Dorr's uncle Samuel G. Ward, I've just received copies of material relevant to my interests. I believe you said in an earlier email that you had knowledge of someone who descended from Ward Thoron. I'd appreciate that contact information, if available. The UCSB librarians were able to put me in contact with a descendant of Mr. Dorr's cousin, Thomas Wren Ward (1844- 1940), a Harvard University Law Professor named John Mansfield with whom I've been actively corresponding these last two weeks. I've suggested to him that he consult your new book on the Ward Lenox residence. Your encouragement to investigate the Lenox connection for the Dorr family led me to Concord and the Strong Emerson-Ward family relationship which has strengthened the biography draft that is growing (200+ single-spaces pages) with each passing day. Presently I am rounding off 1924, an important year for Acadia National Park since Dorr and Rockefeller were able to overcome resistence to their plans to develop future carriage and motor roads within the park. On the down side, I learned in October that I have a mild case of prostate cancer. After several weeks of Kierkegaardian "fear and trembling" my wife and I gather a wealth of information on treatment options and sought second options from urologists and radiation oncologists. In January a radioactive seed implantation procedure was performed and later this week I'll get some new PSA numbers in my three month post-op visit. Working on the Dorr book has been the therapy I needed, thus far. A question. How would you suggest that I priced to verify the following. In your book you state that G.B. Dorr inherited Highlawn from his uncle and remodeled it in the shingle style in 1886 and rented it as their Old Farm property claimed more of their attention. Where did you learn that Dorr sold the place in 1900 to Robert Warden Paterson? Is there a transfer of deed that I might be able to secure? Wishing you and your family well. With best wishes, Ronald Cornelia Nini Gilder wrote: http://us.f842.mail.yahoo.com/ym/ShowLetter?MsgId=1586_2834520_73039_1873_4063 4/29/2007 Verizon Yahoo! Mail - -eppster2@verizon.net Page 3 of 3 Good to hear from you and glad to know you have been to mt. Auburn where SO many of my subjects are buried. Their archives have been incredibly helpful and a key source for sorting out the Dorrs ! Thanks for The Mount paper, it was great to see you then and look forward to your return for time in the Lenox Library. Perhaps you can advise about the huge archive of unprocessed papers of Judge Rockwell. I think it needs a grant, though there has been an attempt to get some initial work done by volunteers (including me which has made me aware of what a trove of Lenox history they contain.) Keep in touch, NINI Houses of the Berkshires, 1870-1930 (The Architecture of Leisure) by Richard S. Jackson & Cornelia Brooke Gilder: http://www.acanthuspress.com/book_pages/berkshires.html On Jul 16, 2006, at 4:20 PM, ELIZABETH and RONALD EPP wrote: Ron Epp 47 Pond View Drive Merrimack, NH 03054 (603) 424-6149 eppster2@verizon.net Delete Reply W Forward Spam Move Previous Next Back to Messages Save Message Text I Full H Check Mail Compose Search Mail Search the Web Copyright © 2007 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reserved. | Copyright/IP Policy I Terms of Service | Send Feedback Help NOTICE: We collect personal information on this site. To learn more about how we use your information, see our Privacy Policy. verizon YAHOO! http://us.f842.mail.yahoo.com/ym/ShowLetter?MsgId=1586_2834520_73039_1873_4063...1 4/29/2007 Page 1 of 2 Re: Dorr at the Mount From To "Cornelia Gilder" Date Wed, 04 Mar 2009 09:35:25 -0500 Dear Nini, Wonderful to hear from you! Sorry for the delay in responding but we've just returned from four days in Allentown (PA) where Liz's parents (ages 93 and 97) are in the final stages of their lives. For nearly two decades they have lived in a continuing care health facility run by the Lutheran Church in America but this past weekend Liz had the daunting task (as only child) of meeting with attorneys and trust officers, invoking her power of attonrney to tranfers financial authority and bill paying and tax payments from her dad to the Trust officers. I spent part of that time edirting early chapters of the Dorr biography. I've submitted the Introduction and Chapter One to the Publisher and Editor and now have a bit more than three months to complete editing the first half of the book. I've also been reviewing the illustrations and might contact you later about trhe permission process for a couple of those that you used that I would like to include. I was not aware of the Sally Norton letter--and would very much appreciate the full citation! But would you please correct me if I am in error. This letter is from Edith to Sally refers to Dorr's visit to the Mount? A visit that had been preceded by Dorr's visit to Shady Hill? This letter is important because it documents a visit unknown to me and not included in the paper that I presented at The Mount. By the way, I've heard in recent days that final proofs will be sent to me and that the collection of essays from the conference will appear this Spring. Can you believe it? I had looked closely at the possibility of a Dorr-Norton family paper connection but had uncovered only correspondence with Ward family members. What interests had taken you to Yale to uncover this very helpful information for me? As I look at my notes for the summer of 1905 I see that before the arrival fo Henry James an enthusiastic Wharton pleads with Sally to come see her garden for "it is really what I thought it could never be--a mass of blooms." On the emotional flip side, Sally's father writes (June 19th) to George Dorr's uncle, Samuel G. Ward, that as he (Charles) is "soon to quit the scene, I look back over the vast stage of life on which we have played our little parts, [and] the futility of the whole drama is what strikes me most." (Letters, vol. 2). I hope you and yours are well. I've been having urinary tract problems for several months that have resisted antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs. Consequently, this state of affairs has kept me too house-bound for my own satisfaction. This afternoon I've off for a CAT -Scan so I may know more about what is amiss later. Looking forward to hearing from you! Ron Quoting Cornelia Gilder : Hello Ron, I was at the Bienecke today looking at Edith Wharton's letters to Sally Norton and came across this reference which dates at least one visit to the Mount. You probably know this but just in case How is the book process? hope all is well with you both. NINI June 14th !905 "I was glad to hear from Mr. Dorr, who is staying with us, that he thought you looking much better when he was a Shady Hill the other day." (I can give you the reference if you need it) https://webmail.myfairpoint.net/hwebmail/mail/message.php?index=111 3/4/2009 Verizon Yahoo! Mail eppster2@verizon.net Page 1 of 2 Verizon Yahoo! Mail Verizon Central Yahoo! Search: Web Search Welcome, eppster2@verizon Mail Home All-New Mail Tutorials Help YAHOO! [Sign Out, Member Center verizon MAIL Classic Mail Contacts Calendar Notepad Mail For Mobile - Options Check Mail Compose Search Mail Search the Web [Add Edit] Previous I Next I Back to Messages Folders Inbox (3) Delete Reply Forward Spam Movel Draft This message is not flagged. [ Flag Message Mark as Unread ] Printable View Sent Date: Wed, 11 Jun 2008 15:44:49 -0400 Bulk [Empty] From: "Cornelia Gilder" Add Mobile Alert Trash [Empty] Subject: Re: Dorr Biography Update! My Folders [Hide] To: eppster2@verizon.net DorrBio2008 (23) Eliz messages (5) Ron, I am thrilled about this news! Horseshoe Pond "Hawthorne's Lenox: The Tanglewood Circle" is on the verge of appearing in Member Information print. Cover can be seen on Amazon. The History Press created the title which I actually like alot. Dorrs still have a chapter of their own and I am so grateful to Ron Archives (31) you for all your leads. Looking forward to reading the prospectus quietly once we simmer down from a procession of family transitions. Three kids Search Shortcuts graduating, med school student heads off for residency (Rochester, NY) today. My Photos Best to Elizabeth and congratulations on the prospect of a finished product! My Attachments Hooray! A happy outcome of activities at the Mount. They certainly are in struggle-mode at the moment. NINI On Wed, Jun 11, 2008 at 2:15 PM, wrote: From: ELIZABETH and RONALD EPP[SMTP:EPPSTER2@VERIZON.NET] Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 11:15:10 AM To: cbg@gilder.com Subject: Dorr Biography Update Auto forwarded by a Rule Dear Nini, I learned last evening that the Board of the Library of American Landscape History had voted to move forward with the recommendations of Robin Karson and Bruce Wilcox (UMASS Press) to publish Becoming Acadia National Park: A Life of George B. Dorr. You are the first person that I am informing about this for obvious reasons. If you had not welcomed my inquiries five years ago, shared insights and resources on the Dorr and Ward families in Lenox, and taken me on the property tour I might not have carried this off. Not to mention your introduction to Betsy Anderson and suggestion that I prepare a paper for the http://us.f842.mail.yahoo.com/ym/ShowLetter?MsgId=7788_6064300_83815_2857_2308.. 6/11/2008 Verizon Yahoo! Mail -eppster2@verizon.net Page 2 of 2 2006 Conference where Robin Karson and I first met. As I wait to see a draft of the contract, I didn't want to delay in thanking you for your interest and encouraging support. Did you meet your deadline for "Lenox Country Houses of the Hawthorne Era"? Do you suppose you could share a final version of any discussions of the Ward and Dorr families in order that my biography reflects your latest thinking on the matter. Is a publication date set? Now I've got to crank out the last eight years of Dorr's life and shave off the manuscript a phenomenal amount of content that is an impediment to the story line. When I get Dorr's Lenox years ship shape, I'll set it off to you for inspection, if you are willing. Finally, I've attached the Dorr prospectus that I sent to Robin to accompany the sample chapter on his Harvard Years. This should give you a clear idea of what I'm doing. All the best, Ron Epp Delete Reply Forward Spam Move Previous I Next I Back to Messages Save Message Text I Full Headers Check Mail Compose Search Mail Search the Web Copyright © 2008 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reserved. I Copyright/IP Policy I Terms of Service I Send Feedback Help NOTICE: We collect personal information on this site. To learn more about how we use your information, see our Privacy Policy. verizon YAHOO! http://us.f842.mail.yahoo.com/ym/ShowLetter?MsgId=7788_6064300_83815_2857_2308... 6/11/2008 Page 1 of 2 Re: FW: Dorr Biography From "Cornelia Gilder" To Date 02/05/2010 02:25:40 Dear Ron, Good to hear from you. I am so glad your book is really progressing. I'd love to see your chapter on Dorr's early life (Lenox, Canton) so do send it along when it ready. And I'll also take a look at the Highwood picture you are trying to identify. I have several projects underway. I contributed to Architects in Albany, published by Mt. Ida Press and Historic Albany Foundation a few months ago and am now doing another short term writing project for Mt. Ida Press, but would like to do a sequel to Hawthorne's Lenox called Mrs. Wharton's Lenox. Would love to see you both when you come to the Berkshires. There seems to be turmoil at the Trustees at the moment with the merging of our western region with central Mass. Keep in touch and by the way my email address is cbailder@gmail.com. Am amazed I found your message on the old address usually they go into spam. Best wishes, Nini On Thu, Feb 4, 2010 at 2:33 PM, wrote: From: : eppster2@myfairpoint.net[SMTP:EPPSTER2@MYFAIRPOINT.NET] Sent: Thursday, February 04, 2010 To: cbg@gilder.com Subject: Dorr Biography Auto forwarded by a Rule Hi Nini, A week into the New Year saw the completion of what is tentatively titled Becoming Acadia National Park: A Biography of George B. Dorr. Well, the manuscript is completed and emailed off to the Robin Karson at the Library of American Landscape History in Amherst. My editor there, Jane Roy Brown, is marvelous at condensing, redrafting, and fact checking. I'm now working my way through her edits, a process you well know. I'm also sorting through photocopies for the best illustrations and trying to identify some publication funding sources for this non-profit. I'm sure I'll be using Morley's photograph of Highlawn and possibly Highwood, though I could use some help in identifying the source of my Highwood photocopy (not the Upjohn drawing). In a few days I should have my chapter on Dorr's experience in Lenox and Canton edited and I'll email it to you, if you wish. I strongly suspect that you have seen (and possibly read) the Garden Conference proceedings from The Mount. I was very pleased with the fact that it made it into print after all this time and hope that sales are sufficient to recover the costs associated with underwriting its publication. I think I recall seeing that a second printing was in the works. My only reservation concerned the quality of the paper, a detriment to the b&w photographs. How have you been? Are you at work on another project? Since my "retirement" in 2006, I've been serving on the Historic Resources Committee of the Trustees of Reservations. My wife and I are trying to visit and revisit as many of their hundred properties in the years ahead. We might spend some time this summer in the Berkshires and a visit to Tyringham is very possible. Lunch? With Best Wishes, https://webmail.myfairpoint.net/hwebmail/mail/message.php?index=2522 2/5/2010 Felder Lenex 2008 20 much 1844 SCW with the Hive (sedured) 22 Wards , Bullateds at Highwood / now ouned ly BSQ verged c Tampleword 2 sqwar the terminally unwater philosopher the CBL Check "bluestocking def 3. Evail Leslii@ capy of S.C. ward caite de niste in RWE's photoup alba credited to RWE New or asse Signature acquisition of nini's 4. What druw GBD Sat a revote book the Tandy of acade national Park ^ remate village attach a Assabled in med 1-loan - moire ? what How dol Typemic culture J Booton X nourish the intellectual interests Intro. of one of the most respected leaders in the the of the nps? what role did the the a millages in the Parksbein Hills play and Canton Massachisetts play in the development of Daus practices? He How this 46 nuterart ate of what role led R.W E.ad his NewsaCollege clude play in student shoping colleague the H Dowal faily reganding thos of Finself, lulul was the to drew Dan C.W clirt, + J.D Coderfeller in to their commune persent? Lucid, Robert. (Ed.) ILL Fanny Kenible Jonials of Reclard Hey Dona Jr. HUP, 1968 far away & Long Age R. Sorderer Records of a a later,fife 74 Holt, 7882 Bentley 1889. Henry Jane tv the connected Words L Marring add to Highlanze Francis it Dec 1853 the Dours (GBD+ allert purchase Hi gllown (p.6d) - Brehlon Doucle in nyc of 1 were delle - what of albert? ? - Susan + charle R are & link to anna ward Have alliance -may as a p 61 - Hight companies to It gloword of more "claborate symatrical G.B. Dan (1806-76) is credition = th loodscopery planny for abcl H began a 1854. X- Tell M. Hittzich of RAC cite. 1st Nini - # PG 97, K. g. Osbirn's remain t Vesit to since ? Is mis Henry Gran wisted to arobet Ralph Crem ? -Add act 1904. H Jan +E. Whete four Lenox, Refer d fereword -GBD. 1 - Highlann, pp 100-1010 Inherited it fm whom 9.7 DUE DATE 4/8 "HIGHLAWN." MR. GEORGE DORR Tanglewood Circle - Sent - Verizon Yahoo! Mail Page 1 of 1 Verizon Yahoo! Mail Verizon Central Yahoo! Search: Web Search Welcome, eppster2@verizon.net Mail Home Tutorials Help YAHOO! [Sign ut,Member Center] verizon MAIL Classic Mail Contacts Calendar Notepad What's New? Mobile Mail Options Check Mail Compose Search Mail Search the Web Previous Next Back to Messages Mark as Unread Print Folders [Add Edit] Delete Reply Forward Move. Inbox (6) Drafts (7) Tanglewood Circle Thursday, October 30, 2008 9:31 AM Sent From: "ELIZABETH and RONALD EPP" Spam To: "Cornelia Gilder" [Empty] Trash [Empty] Dear Nini, My Folders [Hide] DorrBio2008 (34) Last Tuesday when I opened my birthday presents, Elizabeth had purchased for me your newest work. Since then I have been Eliz messages (6) relishing Hawthorne's Lenox page by page, checking every citation to see what I have may have missed, and generally luxuriating in the prose. I'm just about to begin the chapter on Highlawn. The History Press did a superb job with the production Horseshoe Pond values. I hope you are basking in its completion. After more than eight years, I can't wait for that feeling. I've Member Informa recommended Hawthorne's Lenox to others, suggesting it the other day to Leslie Perrin Wilson--who heads special collections at Ron Archives (31) the Concord Free Public Library--because of its Emersonian associations. Since we last emailed one another I made a fantastic research discovery. With the rough draft in hand--and work with the LALH Search Shortcuts editor about to begin-- I was writing the epilogue when I received a call from the director of Woodlawn Museum in Ellsworth. Josh My Photos and I had been searching for the last five years for the papers on the Honorable John A. Peters (1864-1953), Ellsworth attorney, Maine state legislator and Judge, U.S. Congressman, and Federal circuit judge. Most importantly, a dear friend of Dorr who My Attachments helped him in D.C. secure monument status, orchestrate a 1924 defends of park road construction against an assault by Pennsylvania Senator Pepper, and become the executor of Dorr's will. Tearing the roof off the old Hale and Hamlin attorney offices in Ellsworth this past September the roofers looked down into an attic 100 square foot office stuffed with documents. Yes, it was Peters Papers, untouched for six decades. Over two successive visits Josh, myself and two other archivists did a rough inventory and excitedly photocopied hundreds of pages that were germane to our purposes before returning home to integrate the new found content and make the necessary revisions. We've written a set of recommendations for the attorneys and home that the whole of it (more the 200 lineal feet) will be accepted by the Maine Historical Society. We hear you may have had snow yesterday. I'm still in doubt about the The Mount conference publication even though all the revisions to the proofs have been with them since August. Their indebtedness seems to grow with every new media report. Ronald H. Epp Ph.D. 47 Pond View Drive Merrimack, NH 03054 (603) 424-6149 eppster2@verizon.net Delete Reply Forward Move Previous Next I Back to Messages Select Message Encoding Full Headers Check Mail Compose Search Mail Search the Web Copyright c 2008 Yahoo! Inc All rights reserved Copyright/IP Policy Terms of Service Help NOTICE We collect personal information on this site To learn more about how we use your information, see our Privacy Policy YAHOO! http://us.mc842.mail.yahoo.com/mc/showMessage?fid=Sent&sort=date&order=down&st. 10/30/2008 Page 1 of 2 Re: Dorr at the Mount From To "Cornelia Gilder" Date 03/04/2009 09:35:25AM Dear Nini, Wonderful to hear from you! Sorry for the delay in responding but we've just returned from four days in Allentown (PA) where Liz's parents (ages 93 and 97) are in the final stages of their lives. For nearly two decades they have lived in a continuing care health facility run by the Lutheran Church in America but this past weekend Liz had the daunting task (as only child) of meeting with attorneys and trust officers, invoking her power of attonrney to tranfers financial authority and bill paying and tax payments from her dad to the Trust officers. I spent part of that time edirting early chapters of the Dorr biography. I've submitted the Introduction and Chapter One to the Publisher and Editor and now have a bit more than three months to complete editing the first half of the book. I've also been reviewing the illustrations and might contact you later about trhe permission process for a couple of those that you used that I would like to include. I was not aware of the Sally Norton letter--and would very much appreciate the full citation! But would you please correct me if I am in error. This letter is from Edith to Sally refers to Dorr's visit to the Mount? A visit that had been preceded by Dorr's visit to Shady Hill? This letter is important because it documents a visit unknown to me and not included in the paper that I presented at The Mount. By the way, I've heard in recent days that final proofs will be sent to me and that the collection of essays from the conference will appear this Spring. Can you believe it? I had looked closely at the possibility of a Dorr-Norton family paper connection but had uncovered only correspondence with Ward family members. What interests had taken you to Yale to uncover this very helpful information for me? As I look at my notes for the summer of 1905 I see that before the arrival fo Henry James an enthusiastic Wharton pleads with Sally to come see her garden for "it is really what I thought it could never be--a mass of blooms." On the emotional flip side, Sally's father writes (June 19th) to George Dorr's uncle, Samuel G. Ward, that as he (Charles) is "soon to quit the scene, I look back over the vast stage of life on which we have played our little parts, [and] the futility of the whole drama is what strikes me most." (Letters, vol. 2). I hope you and yours are well. I've been having urinary tract problems for several months that have resisted antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs. Consequently, this state of affairs has kept me too house-bound for my own satisfaction. This afternoon I've off for a CAT -Scan so I may know more about what is amiss later. Looking forward to hearing from you! Ron Quoting Cornelia Gilder : Hello Ron, I was at the Bienecke today looking at Edith Wharton's letters to Sally Norton and came across this reference which dates at least one visit to the Mount. You probably know this but just in case How is the book process? hope all is well with you both. NINI June 14th !905 "I was glad to hear from Mr. Dorr, who is staying with us, that he thought you looking much better when he was a Shady Hill the other day." (I can give you the reference if you need it) Hawthorne's Lenox: The Tanglewood Circle By Cornelia Brooke Gilder & Julia Conklin Peters http://www.amazon.com/Hawthornes-Lenox-Cornelia-Brooke-Gilder/dp/159629406X/ Houses of the Berkshires, 1870-1930 https://webmail.myfairpoint.net/hwebmail/mail/message.php?index=111 7/10/2010 Page 1 of 2 No luck with 1906 Gleaners From "Cornelia Gilder" To Date 07/16/2010 07:16:28 PM Dear Ron, [ At last I got a look at The Gleaner today for Oct 24, 31, and Nov.7 1906 and regret that the Howards slipped in and out of the Berkshires without any press. The Gleaner was published in Lee and was particularly good at reporting social doings, so I had high hopes. Thanks for showing me the first chapter of GBD - lots of great material there! Keep me posted on the next developments. How long is the book at the moment? Has length been an issue? Hope summer is progressing well for you. NINI On Wed, Jun 30, 2010 at 8:27 AM, wrote: Hi Nini, Thank you for your reply to my queries about the Dixey family and the surprising news that you are in contact with a descendent of the Howard family. I hope she can shed some light on the issues raised in my communication with the curators at Castle Howard. I would very much welcome your offer to look at the Berkshire Gleaner for the last two weeks of October, and perhaps the first week of November 1906. I'll contact the Berkshire Atheneaum as per your suggestion. Our trip to Bar Harbor last weekend was both stimulating and relaxing. It included more than two hours per day of classical music performances by students and faculty gathered for Brass Week. This was balanced against reunions with friends who were supportive of my decision to look elsewhere for a publisher, this time avoiding the non-profit sector. The most recent biographer of Beatrix Farrand, garden historian Judith Tankard (who had an unproductive relationship with my former publisher) was helpful in suggesting several publisher contacts. Some hours were spent in research in the dirty basement legal archive of the still functioning legal firm that holds the records of the attorneys of Mr. Dorr and J.D. Rockefeller Jr. -later to escape into the brilliant sunlight of the Otter Cliff landscapes. Hope you have your own "brilliant" weather in the Berkshires this coming weekend. All the Best, Ron Ronald H. Epp, Ph.D. 47 Pondview Drive Merrimack, NH 03054 (603) 424-6149 eppster2@myfairpoint.net NPR interview on Hawthorne'sLenox with Mark Lynch, "Inquiry" April 2009 http://www.wicn.org/audio/inquiry-cornelia-gilder Hawthorne's Lenox: The Tanglewood Circle By Cornelia Brooke Gilder & Julia Conklin Peters http://www.amazon.com/Hawthornes-Lenox-Cornelia-Brooke-Gilder/dp/159629406X/ Houses of the Berkshires, 1870-1930 By Richard S. Jackson Jr. & Cornelia Brooke Gilder http://www.acanthuspress.com/pc-20-8-houses-of-the-berkshires-1870-1930.aspx https://webmail.myfairpoint.net/mail/message.php?index=4298 7/17/2010 THE ARCHITECTURE OF LEISURE SERIES HOUSES OF THE BERKSHIRES, 1870-1930 RICHARD S. JACKSON JR. AND CORNELIA BROOKE GILDER FOREWORD BY SAMUEL G. WHITE H OUSES OF THE BERKSHIRES, 1870-1930, CHRONICLES THE DISTINCTIVE social and literary colony of Lenox and Stockbridge, Massachussets. Illustrated with over 300 archival photographs and floor plans, many published here for the first time, the volume surveys 35 of the great resort estates, including Naumkeag, Wheatleigh, The Mount, Tanglewood, and Blantyre. Beginning in the mid-1800s, an eclectic circle comprising the social, political, industrial, and artistic elite from New York City and Boston began to incorporate the Berkshires into their round robin of romping grounds that included Newport, Rhode Island; Maine; and the Adirondacks. These celebrities of the day, including lawyer and ambassador Joseph Choate, inventor George Westinghouse, and novelist-social observer Edith Wharton, hired the most prominent architects and landscapers and defined the Berkshires as a place of natural beauty, sophistication and culture- the attributes that continue to attract people to the area to this day. RICHARD S. JACKSON JR. is a member of the HOUSES OF Naumkeag committee and a trustee of Hancock THE BERKSHIRES Shaker Village. He lives in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. 1870-1930 CORNELIA BROOKE GILDER has contributed to numerous exhibitions and publications, most recently A Walk in the Country: George Inness and the Berkshires. She lives in Tyringham, Massachusetts. 10 x 12 inches, 312 pages Clothbound, dust jacket Over 300 duotone photographs and floor plans ISBN-10: 0-926494-35-X ISBN-13: 978-0-926494-35-0 2011 $75.00 The reproduction is beautiful; the design of the book is clean and reader-friendly. chatty, friendly, and it is fun to read. -BERKSHIRE EAGLE 10 XFINITY Connect Page 1 of 3 XFINITY Connect Tyster eppster2@comcast.ne Font Size Re: Ronald Epp & George B. Dorr] From Cornelia Gilder Sat, Feb 01, 2014 09:26 AM Subject Re: Ronald Epp & George B. Dorr] To : Ronald & Elizabeth Epp Dear Ron, How nice to hear from you! I am right here in Tyringham and would love to catch up with you if you come to the Berkshires! What a miserable time you have had! I am so sorry about Elizabeth and all the struggles she, and you, must had gone through. I am hopeful that you do have some helpful family members in Pennsylvania. How thrilling to know that the George B. Dorr book is going to be published by Friends of Acadia! It has worried me to hear nothing from you, I had feared that all your hard work had reached a dead end. I recently met a couple who run a shop/museum in Seal Harbor, The Naturalist's Notebook, with a satellite room in a shop in Bar Harbor. Their focus is science but certainly sound open to carrying local books with nature themes. I am sure you know all about them. I am currently doing several minor projects exhibits for local house museum Ventfort Hall (grand brick Jacobean revival house of Morgan family) and a history to celebrate 150 Years of The Lenox Club, (a faded Edwardian institution where George Dorr would have felt right at home). I have been also rehabilitating Edith Wharton's husband Teddy who has been neglected over the last century as a hopeless manic-depressive. But old timers in Lenox, including my mother, always indicated that he was a much more significant person, and in his illness (which was very real) was shed pretty ruthlessly by Edith, who really couldn't cope. Learning about his background has taken me to the shores of Jamaica Pond, so I am interested to read about the Wards' house there. Teddy's cousins were the Perkinses all lined up along the pond and he grew up in the 1850s and 60s on the hillside (site is now The Park School). Now there is a nice exhibit on Teddy (the content is mostly my doing last winter) in his bedroom at The Mount. Thanks for the revised chapter. Am re-reading it as I have breakfast, but must put it aside now, Hope to see you soon, Nini On Fri, Jan 31, 2014 at 9:15 AM, Ronald & Elizabeth Epp wrote: Dear Nini, You can see from the address that I've relocated to a retirement community called Cornwall Manor in southeastern PA, just a few miles from Hershey and its Penn State Hershey Medical Center. We arrived here in August 2011 and then the world caved in! From a minor sore on her tongue to a biopsy (squamous cell carcinoma) to surgery to remove a third of her tongue, then additional surgery removing lymph nodes, http://web.mail.comcast.net/zimbra/h/printmessage?id=179541&tz=America/New_York&xi..2/1/2014 XFINITY Connect Page 2 of 3 her thyroid, 30 rounds of radiation and three of chemotherapy, all within eight months. We spent nineteen days together 24/7 hospitalized over Christmas 2012 before hospice care allowed us to come home and share the last week of her life. In the past year I've taken on many projects to memorialize Elizabeth--my coping mechanism. Grief is still pervasive though I'm doing better since December since I started therapy with a clinical psychologist at the Penn State Hershey Medical Center where I had knee replacement surgery this past July. Isn't aging fun?. What has propelled me forward is learning that The Making of Acadia National Park: A Biography of George B. Dorr will be published by a Mount Desert Island conservation organization, the Friends of Acadia. Given my silence these past few years you likely thought that I had dropped the ball but to the contrary this summer I spirited Island FOA Board members that I know to advocate for me, especially since 2016 will be the centennial of the National Park Service and Acadia. Lots of local celebration planned and the book will be one of the keystones. So now, after a three year absence from the "completed" ms. I am reading it afresh, so to speak," and integrating new material, removing awkward or inaccurate phrasing, etc. You well know the routine. By mid-March I'll be done with it and its off to the Stoneham proofreader whom I selected because of her familiarity with Massachusetts history. I've already been asked to give a late March presentation on the book at a Blue Hill ME retirement community on my return from a Spring visit to MDI to keep tabs on the progress of the ms. and select images for the book from the hundreds that I've assembled. Are you involved in another scholarly project? I thought I'd be in Stockbridge this past week but the severity of the cold and problems with my gut kept me home. I'm still involved with Trustees of Reservations and a pal of mine, Mark Wilson, heads the western end of the TOR system and is based at Naumkeag, where I had hoped to meet him. I thought of giving you a call as well, perhaps a lunch at the Red Lion? I may reschedule this trip for late February. or early March. For all I know you may no longer reside in the area! See below for a reference which I just received from Google Scholar's alerting service where I had requested new publications on the Boston Ward family. Instead, they sent me a colorful and pretty well written article on the Shadowbrook fire of a half-century ago which erroneously confuses the New York and Boston "Samuel Ward" families. Familiar with it? I've attached chapter one of my revised manuscript dealing with the Wards of Boston. I hope to hear from you and wish you a belated Happy New Year! http://web.mail.comcast.net/zimbra/h/printmessage?id=179541&tz=America/New_York&xi...2/1/2014 3/29/2016 XFINITY Connect XFINITY Connect eppster2@comcast.net + Font Size Re: Dorr question from Nini From : Cornelia Gilder Mon, Mar 28, 2016 07:18 PM 1 attachment Subject : Re: Dorr question from Nini To : Ronald Epp Ron, How exciting! The big day has finally come! Congratulations! Book jacket looks great. Can I get a copy through the Jesup library? Friends of Acadia? Here is the house in Lenox that I was referring to. t I LENOX: The Springfield Republican of Nov 29th 1930 reported that George B. Dorr had written Cortlandt Field Bishop, the new owner who was proposing to tear down the building. I am sure there is some grain of truth here... that Dorr remembered and loved this house, a real Lenox landmark from his boyhood days and was horrified to hear that it was threatened by demolition. but the rest of the article seems to be really scrambled the 1873 date, as you say, makes no sense and is there a duplicate of this house anywhere in Bar Harbor? Hmmm. This 1877 sketch is by Robert Peabody of Peabody & Stearns. We used it in Houses of the Berkshires. https://web.mail.comcast.net/zimbra/h/printmessage?id=361647&z=America/New_York&xim= 1/3 3/29/2016 XFINITY Connect Amy Lafave is the new director of the Lenox Library (formerly the Local History specialist). She would be the one to contact about speaking at the library. My dread is that sometimes these library lectures are not well attended, It is hard to predict and to figure out how to get an audience. But I would be there! Best wishes, Nini On Mon, Mar 28, 2016 at 4:53 PM, Ronald Epp wrote: Hi Nini, You caught me at home just a few days before I depart for New England, spending the better part of April traipsing around doing interviews, book signings, and talks associated with the publication of the Dorr biography this Friday. See attachments. You raise an interesting question. I know of no documentation about this matter. The date is off, for at that time Dorr was a junior at Harvard and had only once visited Bar Harbor in 1868 with his parents and brother. the Oldfarm property had been purchased but no plans for a home were developed until their return from four years in Europe in 1878. There are only two Boston architects that figure prominently kin Dorr's life, Henry Richards (husband of novelist Laura Richards, son in law of Julia Ward Howe) who designed Oldfarm, and Ralph Cram (much more prominent who briefly worked on the failed design of a MDI commemorative cross). The whole notion of 77 year old Dorr thinking about creating a superintendent headquarters I find implausible. As I explain in the book, Dorr was content with working out of Oldfarm and transitioning to the park office, a short 3/4 mile walk down Main St., an office he established more than a decade earlier and leased to the federal government. During the 1930's Dorr ramps up the effort to donate his property to the federal government, stressing repeatedly the importance of Oldfarm as the site where the idea of the park was born. To be sure he lived frequently nearby (500 yards) at Storm Beach Cottage, a modest home that Dorr and his dad built as their residence while the mansion was being built. he was so attached to this place I can't see him tearing it down and replacing it--or the mansion--with another structure. I do recall some reference to SBC as a possible residence for his successor--but not to a new structure. Is there a description or image of this Lenox property? And speaking of Lenox, do you think I might have a chance of being selected for the Lenox Library Association distinguished lecture series? I've also attaching the Acknowledgments proofs where I credit you. In my repeated travels to New England this Spring and Summer I have high hopes of coming to the Berkshires--and hope to see you. Cheers, Ronald Epp From: "Cornelia Gilder" To: "Ronald Epp" Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2016 2:36:05 PM Subject: Dorr question from Nini Dear Ron, I hope that all is well with you and am anxious to have you fill me in on anew little shred of Lenox architectural history which pertains to George B. Dorr. In 1930, a beautiful old Georgian house was throated with demolition and Dorr wrote the new owner that he loved that house since his childhood and had hired a Boston architect to replicate it as a superintendent's headquarters to Acadia National Park. tps://web.mail.comcast.net/zimbra/h/printmessage?id=361647&tz=America/New_York&xim= 2/3 3/29/2016 XFINITY Connect Does any of this mean anything to you? My source quoted him as saying the drawings were made in 1873 sounds early to me, but am awaiting any advice and of course, most important, is it still standing? Nini -- Hawthorne's Lenox: The Tanglewood Circle By Cornelia Brooke Gilder & Julia Conklin Peters http://www.amazon.com/Hawthornes-Lenox-Cornelia-Brooke-Gilder/dp/159629406X/ Houses of the Berkshires, 1870-1930 By Richard S. Jackson Jr. & Cornelia Brooke Gilder https://www.acanthuspress.com/details/houses-of-the-berkshires,-1870-1930-revised-edition Hawthorne's Lenox: The Tanglewood Circle By Cornelia Brooke Gilder & Julia Conklin Peters http://www.amazon.com/Hawthornes-Lenox-Cornelia-Brooke-Gilder/dp/159629406X Houses of the Berkshires, 1870-1930 By Richard S. Jackson Jr. & Cornelia Brooke Gilder https://www.acanthuspress.com/details/houses-of-the-berkshires,-1870-1930-revised-edition yokun goodman. 1877 sketch by Robert Peabodyjpeg.jpeg 912 KB https://web.mail.comcast.net/zimbra/h/printmessage?id=361647&tz=America/New_York&xim=1 3/3 4/22/2018 XFINITY Connect Inbox Dorr question from Nini Cornelia Gilder 3/24/2016 2:36 PM To Ronald Epp Dear Ron, I hope that all is well with you and am anxious to have you fill me in on anew little shred of Lenox architectural history which pertains to George B. Dorr. In 1930, a beautiful old Georgian house was throated with demolition and Dorr wrote the new owner that he loved that house since his childhood and had hired a Boston architect to replicate it as a superintendent's headquarters to Acadia National Park. Does any of this mean anything to you? My source quoted him as saying the drawings were made in 1873 sounds early to me, but am awaiting any advice and of course, most important, is it still standing? Nini -- Hawthorne's Lenox: The Tanglewood Circle By Cornelia Brooke Gilder & Julia Conklin Peters http://www.amazon.com/Hawthornes-Lenox-Cormelia-Brooke-Gilder/dp/159629406X Houses of the Berkshires, 1870-1930 By Richard S. Jackson Jr. & Cornelia Brooke Gilder ttps://www.acanthuspress.com/details/houses-of-the-berkshires,-1870-1930-revised edition 4/22/2018 XFINITY Connect Inbox witty account of George B. Dorr by Henry James 1872 Cornelia Gilder 10/9/2017 11:29 AM To Ronald Epp Hello Ron, I am breezing my way through the indexes of the Complete Letters of Henry James, a huge multi-volume undertaking by the University of Nebraska. At the moment I am in 1872, and Henry James is writing friends and family from Europe. He has previously referred to Mary Ward Dorr and Charles in a general way, but this one I felt you had to see! On Dec 14th 1872 he wrote his friend Elizabeth Boott from Paris with a report of his various activities / am going tonight, for instance, to a Masked Ball, the 1st of the season, at the Opera, Young Dorr (fils not pere) is to conduct me to this classical spree - not / him. Here / sit, as / wait for him, writing a letter to an amiable object as if / were going to fight a duel. / shall probably find it very humdrum even Quakerish: but in Cambridge one has not even the privilege of such disappointments." The letter is at the Houghton Library bMS Am 1094 (505) Sorry not to have been able to put the accent on pete beyond my skills in an email. Best wishes, Nini On Sat, Jul 15, 2017 at 5:53 PM, Ronald Epp wrote: Hi Nini, I hope your book launch on thokkine 14th was a rousing success. It was my hope to attend but I did not have the energy to carry it off. Thursday I returned to CT from Bar Harbor where I had gone to accept from Friends of Acadia their Acadia Preservation Award. The eight hour drive back through torrential rain was very taxing. It is my hope to visit Lenox later in August and if you are available perhaps we could lunch at the Red Lion? Ron Epp Edith Wharton's Lenox, by Cornelia Brooke Gilder (2017) https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb _sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field- keywords=Cornelia+Gilder https://connect.xfinity.com/appsuite/#app=io.ox/mail&folder=default0/INBOX 2/2 4/22/2018 XFINITY Connect Inbox Re: witty account of George B. Dorr by Henry James 1872 Cornelia Gilder 10/12/2017 8:56 AM To Ronald Epp So it would have been William Dorr, not George, that is too bad. I had forgotten he had a brother. You will see how bewildering these HJ letters are. This letter was in Volume 1 of the three volumes (1872-1876) bound in brown. Not sure which ones you have on order but there are various references to Mrs. Dorr which are telling. Glad you had a good talk at the Arnold Arboretum, a place which features in some many ways with my cast of characters! Good luck with Henry James! Fascinating and sometimes a bit snarky (especially when writing his sister Alice, who I think was a pretty disagreeable and probably unhappy person). Nini On Wed, Oct 11, 2017 at 6:25 PM, Ronald Epp wrote: Hello Nini, Thanks for sharing your discovery. I was not aware of the "young Dorr" reference. I have submitted an ILL request to get the first three volumes in the U NEBRASKA.collection As you know, Dorr was in the first semester of his junior year at this time, witnessing the Great Boston Fire in early November 1872. His brother had gone abroad earlier that fall with his father but here we have evidence for the first time that William Dorr was interacting with Henry James. Do you have any reason to suppose that this is someone other than George Dorr's older brother? I understand why it would be tempting to think this was George. I will check Houghton when I next visit. My talk on the 8th at the Arnold Arboretum went well and I did use your email quote about Edith and Teddy Wharton relatives in Brookline and Jamaica Plain. Best, Ron Epp Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone Date: 2017/10/09 11:29 AM (GMT-05:00) To: Ronald Epp Subject: witty account of George B. Dorr by Henry James 1872 Hello Ron, I am breezing my way through the indexes of the Complete Letters of Henry James, a huge multi-volume undertaking by the University of Nebraska. At the moment I am in 1872, and Henry James is writing friends and family from Europe. He has previously referred to Mary Ward Dorr and Charles in a general way, but this one I felt you had to see! On Dec 14th 1872 he wrote his friend Elizabeth Boott from Paris with a report of his various activities / am going tonight, for instance, to a Masked Ball, the 1st of the season, at the Opera, Young Dorr (fils not pere) is to conduct me to this classical spree - not / him. Here / sit, as / wait for him, writing a letter to an amiable object as if / were going to fight a duel. / shall probably find it very humdrum even Quakerish: but in Cambridge one has not even the privilege of such disappointments." The letter is at the Houghton Library bMS Am 1094 (505) Sorry not to have been able to put the accent on pete beyond my skills in an email. Best wishes, Nini On Sat, Jul 15, 2017 at 5:53 PM, Ronald Epp wrote: Hi Nini, I hope your book launch on thokkine 14th was a rousing success. It was my hope to attend but I did not have the energy to carry it off. Thursday I returned to CT from Bar Harbor where I had gone to accept from Friends of Acadia their Acadia Preservation Award. The eight hour drive back through torrential rain was very taxing. It is my hope to visit Lenox later in August and if you are available perhaps we could lunch at the Red Lion? All the Best, Ron Epp https://connect.xfinity.com/appsuite/#app=io.ox/mail&folder=default0/INBOX 2/3