A Hasty Wedding at the Oakshade Mansion Near Bartow-on-the-Sound in 1898 Sheds Light on the History of the Mansion

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An interesting account of a hastily-arranged wedding at Bartow-on-the-Sound in early 1898 has shed some interesting light on the history of the mansion known as "Oakshade" that once stood along today's Shore Road not far from the carriage house of the Bartow-Pell Mansion.  I have written extensively about the history of Oakshade.  See Mon., Mar. 03, 2014:  The Suydam Estate known as “Oakshade” on Shore Road in the Town of Pelham, built by James Augustus Suydam.

Built in about 1846 by James Augustus Suydam, an architect, lawyer, and artist, on land that Suydam and his sister purchased from Robert Bartow and his wife, Maria R. Bartow, Oakshade was a grand mansion built in the "Italian villa style" that commanded a lovely view of Pelham Neck and Long Island Sound.  The mansion later became the home of Dr. Richard Lewis Morris, a grandson of General Lewis Morris of Morrisania, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.  After the death of Dr. Morris, the home became the clubhouse of the Country Club of Pelham until the club departed for a new site on Throgg's Neck in 1889.  After the creation of Pelham Bay Park and the annexation of the area by New York City, Oakshade was altered and leased by the City to serve as a roadhouse known as the Pell Tree Inn then, later, Shanley's Pell Tree Inn and, even later, as the California Ramblers Inn.  Near the end of its life, the mansion became the Hollywood Gardens until it was destroyed by fire on October 15, 1932.

Undated Post Card view of the Suydam Mansion Known as

"Oakshade" After its Conversion to a Roadhouse; Post Card

Ca. 1918-1923; Notation on Card Says: "SHANLEY'S PELL

TREE INN. Pelham Shore Road, N.Y."  NOTE:  Click on Image

to Enlarge.

In detailing the history of Oakshade, I previously noted that "Like other mansions within the boundaries of the new Pelham Bay Park, Oakshade seems to have languished for a number of years after the lands on which it stood were annexed by New York City in the mid-1890's. No records reflecting any meaningful use of the Oakshade mansion have yet been found by this author for a number of years after the departure of the Country Club of Westchester."

It turns out that a society column published in early January, 1898, sheds light on how Oakshade was used during a least a portion of the 1890s.  It served as the "country place at Bartow-on-the-Sound" of the famed Ogden family, likely leased by that family from the City of New York.

In early 1898, New York Society awaited the wedding of two well-connected young people:  Miss Charlotte Ogden and Mr. Edward N. Dickerson schedule for early February of that year.  Charlotte Ogden was a daughter of John R. Odgen, Sr.

The Ogden family owned and leased a number of homes in the Town of Pelham very near Hawkswood built by Levin R. Marshall including one on the easterly island of the Twin Islands and another at Pelham Bridge on the Pelham side of Pelham Bay.  One of Levin R. Marshall's daughters, Josephine E. Marshall, by his second wife, married a member of the Ogden family of Pelham:  John Routh Ogden, Sr., Charlotte's father.  

With New York Society eagerly anticipating the upcoming wedding of Charlotte and Edward, Charlotte's brother, John R. Ogden, Jr., became seriously ill with appendicitis.  A decision was made to hold Charlotte's and Edward's wedding as soon as possible -- before Charlotte's brother underwent the dangerous and life-threatening surgery he needed.  Though neither the bride's wedding gown nor the groom's suit were ready, the family contacted only the closest friends and relatives who promptly gathered at Oakshade for a hastily-arranged ceremony.  According to an account of the wedding:

"notes and telegrams were quickly despatched to the most intimate friends of the Ogdens and Dickersons, asking them to gather at Oakshade, the Ogden country place, at Bartow on Sound, at half-past twelve o'clock yesterday afternoon, to witness the marriage ceremony. . . . The bride was given away by her father, in the prettiest costume available, for of course the wedding garments were not prepared.  There was a breakfast after the ceremony, and although many of those invited at the unavoidably eleventh hour had previous engagements, quite a brave showing of New York society journeyed out to Bartow.  Among those present were Mrs. Dickerson, Mr. and Mrs. Newbold Edgar, Mr. and Mrs. Kiliaen Van Rensselaer, the Misses Van Rensselaer, Mr. and Mrs. S. Duncan Marshall, Dr. and Mrs. William M. Polk, Miss Edith Wetmore, Miss Keteltas, Mr. Henry W. Bibby, Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Jackson, Miss Nevins, Miss Turnbull, the Messrs. Turnbull, Miss Schuyler, Mr. and Mrs. William H. Russell, Mrs. Henry D. Phelps, Mrs. Robert Temple Emmet, the Misses Emmet, Mrs. C. D. Halsey, Mr. and Mrs. Frank K. Hunter and a few others."

Oakshade, it seems, was leased and used as an Ogden family country estate during at least some portion of 1890s during which it was used for Charlotte Ogden's and Edward N. Dickerson's wedding in early January, 1898.

*          *          *          *          *

Below is an image of Charlotte Ogden and the text of an article that appeared with that image.  Both are followed by a citation and link to the source.

"MRS. EDWARD N. DICKERSON (nee Ogden)."

Source:  HASTY WEDDING DUE TO ILLNESS -- J.R.

Odgen, Jr., To Be Operated Upon and His Sister

and Edward Dickerson Suddenly Marry -- AT BARTOW

ON THE SOUND -- Only a Few Intimate Friends Were

Present, Hurriedly Collected for the Unexpected Ceremony

-- DATE WAS SET FOR FEBRUARY, N.Y. Herald, Jan. 6,

1898, p. 11, col. 4.  NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

"HASTY WEDDING DUE TO ILLNESS.
-----
J.R. Odgen, Jr., To Be Operated Upon and His Sister and Edward Dickerson Suddenly Marry.
-----
AT BARTOW ON THE SOUND.
-----
Only a Few Intimate Friends Were Present, Hurriedly Collected for the Unexpected Ceremony.
-----
DATE WAS SET FOR FEBRUARY.
-----

A wedding to which society looked forward with great interest was that of Miss Charlotte Ogden, and Mr. Edward N. Dickerson.  The date was fixed for early in February, and such great favorites are the young couple and so wide their circle of acquaintances that one of the largest and most fashionable marriages of the season was assured.

Preparations were being busily made for the ceremony.  The bride to be had chosen her bridesmaids, had decided upon their costumes, while her own confection of white satin and lace was already in the modiste's hands.  The groom to be had likewise selected his best man and ushers and was generally making those pre-nuptial preparations which every young man of fashion finds inevitable.

PLANS HURRIEDLY CHANGED.

All this was not to be, however.  A few days ago Mr. John R. Ogden, Jr., the bride's brother, an only son, showed unmistakable symptoms of appendicitis.  His condition was such the day before yesterday that the physicians declared an operation could be delayed for only a day or two.  A hurried family council was called, and taking into consideration the danger of the operation and the possible results, it was decided to have the marriage take place at once.  

The wedding, though, must by no means be a sad one, even if it were contrived over night.  So notes and telegrams were quickly despatched to the most intimate friends of the Ogdens and Dickersons, asking them to gather at Oakshade, the Ogden country place, at Bartow on Sound, at half-past twelve o'clock yesterday afternoon, to witness the marriage ceremony.

BRAVE SHOW OF FRIENDS.

The bride was given away by her father, in the prettiest costume available, for of course the wedding garments were not prepared.  There was a breakfast after the ceremony, and although many of those invited at the unavoidably eleventh hour had previous engagements, quite a brave showing of New York society journeyed out to Bartow.

Among those present were Mrs. Dickerson, Mr. and Mrs. Newbold Edgar, Mr. and Mrs. Kiliaen Van Rensselaer, the Misses Van Rensselaer, Mr. and Mrs. S. Duncan Marshall, Dr. and Mrs. William M. Polk, Miss Edith Wetmore, Miss Keteltas, Mr. Henry W. Bibby, Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Jackson, Miss Nevins, Miss Turnbull, the Messrs. Turnbull, Miss Schuyler, Mr. and Mrs. William H. Russell, Mrs. Henry D. Phelps, Mrs. Robert Temple Emmet, the Misses Emmet, Mrs. C. D. Halsey, Mr. and Mrs. Frank K. Hunter and a few others."

Source:  HASTY WEDDING DUE TO ILLNESS -- J.R. Odgen, Jr., To Be Operated Upon and His Sister and Edward Dickerson Suddenly Marry -- AT BARTOW ON THE SOUND -- Only a Few Intimate Friends Were Present, Hurriedly Collected for the Unexpected Ceremony -- DATE WAS SET FOR FEBRUARY, N.Y. Herald, Jan. 6, 1898, p. 11, col. 4. 

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