A recent episode of the popular television show Antiques Roadshow featured a fascinating and beautiful item relating to the history of the Town of Pelham. The item, however, was erroneously presented as relating to the history of Brookline, Massachusetts. The mis-attribution was based on a mistake that was entirely understandable and, indeed, has been made by many. Today's Historic Pelham article documents the historic item, relates its true history, and explains how the mistake was made.
Introduction
The television show Antiques Roadshow has become a beloved Public Broadcasting Service television broadcast fixture throughout America since the airing of its first American episode in 1997. The show, in turn, was based on an earlier British version, also known as Antiques Roadshow, that aired its first episode forty years ago in 1979. In each program, a host (currently Mark L. Walberg in the American version) introduces the program and the city in which it is filmed. The introduction is followed by various brief segments in which people bring items to appraisers knowledgeable about the object. Each person tells the appraiser a little of what they know about the object including provenance. The appraisers then recite a little about the nature, history, and significance of the item or items and end by providing an informal appraisal.
Many of the items presented in each Antiques Roadshow episode are rare and beautiful works of art or unusual antiques or collectibles about which the person who brought the item knows very little. Such was certainly the case in Antiques Roadshow Series 23, Episode 6 filmed in Ca' d'Zan Museum in Sarasota, Florida on Thursday, April 12, 2018. The episode first aired only a few weeks ago on February 11, 2019 and since has aired a number of times on a number of Public Broadcast Service stations.
One of the items presented for appraisal during the episode related to Pelham history. As is often the case, the item was rare and beautiful with a fascinating history. The knowledgeable appraiser certainly got everything right, with the sole exception that he mis-attributed the item to Brookline, Massachusetts rather than its true place of origin: Pelham, New York. Perhaps most interestingly, the mis-attribution was absolutely understandable. Indeed, it was based on a mistake made by many, many local historians including, occasionally, the author of this Historic Pelham article.
What was the Object Appraised?
The item appraised was a large sterling silver flask with a screw top closure. Much of its surface was marked with what appears to be hammered dimpling. The front of the flask depicts what appears to be a pair of amorous monkeys with one standing on a branch and holding the other in his arms framed by large leaves and vines in the background. The woman who presented the flask for appraisal indicated that her father had found the flask in the basement of her grandparents' home when her father was cleaning out the basement. An image of the front of the sterling flask appears immediately below.
Front of Sterling Silver Flask Offered for Appraisal on Recent
Episode of Antiques Roadshow. Source: Screen Capture from
Antiques Roadshow. NOTE: Click on Image to Enlarge.
Inscribed on the base of the flask is important identifying information. It reads:
"TIFFANY & Co
6374 M8079
STERLING SILVER
5 1/2 GILLS"
The expert appraiser noted that the "6374" inscribed on the base of the sterling silver Tiffany flask is a date mark that signifies the flask was created in 1881. The "M" inscribed on the base, according to the appraiser, is a mark that signifies Edward Moore of Tiffany. According to one authority:
"Edward C. Moore (1827-1891) was the leading individual behind the success of the silver wares of Tiffany and Company (est. 1837) during the second half of the nineteenth century. . . . [T]enure as head silversmith from 1851 to 1891. . ."
Source: Fish, Elizabeth L. Kerr, "Edward C. Moore and Tiffany Islamic-Style Silver, c. 1867-1889" in Studies in the Decorative Arts, Vol. 6, No. 2, p. 42 (Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press on behalf of the Bard Graduate Center, Spring-Summer 1999).
The Antiques Roadshow appraiser further noted that "5 1/2 GILLS" inscribed on the base is a reference to the capacity of the flask. He noted that it is a "large flask" capable of holding 650 milliliters of liquid. The appraiser did not indicate the meaning of "8079" on the base of the flask.
Detail from the Base of the Flask Showing the Marks
Discussed Above. Source: Screen Capture from
Antiques Roadshow. NOTE: Click on Image to Enlarge.
The decorative style of the flask is described as "Japonesque." Edward C. Moore of Tiffany, it turns out, was instrumental in building the popularity of the Japanese-style design of silver patterns in the decades following the Civil War. According to one account:
"At the 1878 Paris Exposition, Tiffany & Co. with designs by Moore, won the grand prize 'for its entirely revolutionary introduction of designs liberated from Western Europe's rigid and overused design vocabularies and based on the superbly refined, organic and naturalistic design aesthetic of Japan,' writes Loring. In fact, Loring calls Moore's Japonesque silverware America's greatest achievement in silver. 'It was looked on as being completely modern and innovative and in step with the times. The Europeans were amazed because it was the Americans who had done this, the ones who were supposed to have no culture, no civilization, no ideas, no design. . ."
Source: Bryant, Kathy, Design Notes: Silver Linings, a Book by a Tiffany Designer Examines the World of the Precious Metal and Those Who Played a Role in its Evolution, Los Angeles Times, May 2, 2002.
Relationship of the Sterling Silver Japonesque Flask to the History of Pelham
The "million dollar question," of course, is: what does this sterling silver Japonesque flask have to do with the history of the Town of Pelham? The answer is based on an inscription that is found on the rear of the flask.
The rear of the flask contains a finely-engraved inscription that reads as follows:
"THE COUNTRY CLUB.
PRESENTED BY
PIERRE LORILLARD JR.
CLAY PIGEON SHOOTING MATCH
WON BY
THOMAS W. THORNE.
AUG. 2ND 1884."
Rear of Sterling Silver Flask Offered for Appraisal on Recent
Episode of Antiques Roadshow. Source: Screen Capture from
Antiques Roadshow. NOTE: Click on Image to Enlarge.
Detail Showing Closeup of the Engraved Inscription on the
Rear of the Sterling Silver Flask Offered for Appraisal on
Recent Episode of Antiques Roadshow. Source: Screen
Capture from Antiques Roadshow. Note: Click on Image to Enlarge.
After reviewing the inscription, the Antiques Roadshow appraiser noted that the first line references "The Country Club." He then stated, in part, as follows: "The Country Club is from Brookline, Massachusetts and it's the oldest country club in America. The piece [was] made [in] 1881, [and] dedicated in 1884 to Thomas Thorne, the clay pigeon champion. . ."
In 1884, however, there were two clubs that used the name "The Country Club." The first one, was organized on January 14, 1882 by a group of affluent Boston men who thereafter opened a club facility in Brookline, Massachusetts. The second one was organized in the autumn of 1883 by a group of affluent New York men who thereafter opened a club facility in Pelham, New York and likewise named it "The Country Club."
The choices of name by both groups should not be not surprising. The intent of the men of both groups was to create a club in the "country" -- away from the city -- at which such "country" sports as horseback riding, riding to the hounds, steeplechase racing, polo, and the like could be practiced. Hence, both organizations became known as "The Country Club."
The first hint that helps identify this flask as associated with The Country Club at Pelham on Shore Road is the fact that, as the inscription reads, it was "PRESENTED BY PIERRE LORRILARD JR." Pierre Lorillard Sr. and his son, Pierre Lorillard Jr., were active members of The Country Club at Pelham and, indeed, had summer cottages not far from the location of the club near today's Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum on Shore Road. Moreover, though it cannot reasonably be expected that anyone who has not immersed herself or himself in the minutiae of the micro-history of The Country Club at Pelham should know the following, it turns out that Thomas W. Thorne, to whom the flask was presented by Pierre Lorillard Jr., was Thomas Wood Thorne, one of the fourteen founding members of The Country Club at Pelham founded in 1883 (only a year or so after the founding of The Country Club at Brookline, Massachusetts).
At this point, it seems appropriate for a brief refresher on the founding of The Country Club at Pelham. In the autumn of 1883, James M. Waterbury sat down at the telephone in his lovely home known as "Pleasance" not far from Bartow-on-the-Sound along Shore Road in the Town of Pelham and asked "Central" (i.e., the operator) successively to ring each of thirteen significant members of the New York social scene to discuss setting "up a club for the encouragement of country fun of various kinds." Waterbury and those thirteen men together became the "Governing Committee" of The Country Club and remained so for many years. Those men were: Thomas W. Thorne, George A. Adee, Henry A. Coster, John S. Ellis, John C. Furman, Edward Haight, Charles D. Ingersoll, C. Oliver Iselin, Frederick W. Jackson, Colonel De Lancey Kane, E. C. Potter, Alfred Seton, Jr., James M. Waterbury, and Francis A. Watson. During each of those important telephone calls, James M. Waterbury: "invited them all to his house to perfect the idea over a jolly supper, with its usual accompaniments. It is needless to say that they all came and that the club organization was accomplished with enthusiasm and a rush. The assembled organizers constituted themselves the governing committee, and James M. Waterbury was elected president; W. S. Hoyt, vice-president; William Kent, secretary, and H. A. Coster, treasurer. During the winter the new project was a leading topic of conversation in Westchester County, and in New-York society was greatly interested in its success." A great success it was. The Country Club, as it was known, outgrew its facilities and moved across Pelham Bridge about six years later. From 1884 when the club opened until 1890, however, The Country Club was headquartered in the Town of Pelham. Both Thomas Wood Thorne and his brother, Newberry Davenport Thorne, were among the members of the Thorne family who were active in the Club during those years in Pelham. See Wed., Sep. 07, 2016: Origins of the Country Club at Pelham and the Move to its New Clubhouse in 1890 (includes source citations and links).
Though not among The Country Club founders, tobacco magnate Pierre Lorillard quickly became an active member of the club at Pelham on Shore Road. See, e.g., COUNTRY CLUBS -- The Evolution of an Idea Which Changes Our Scheme of Life -- THE LAST INSTANCE -- The Beautiful House that is Being Built on Pelham Bay -- SOME OF THE MEMBERS, N.Y. Herald, Oct. 28, 1888, Septuple Sheet, p. 9, cols. 4-5. Indeed, in 1884 Lorillard was a member of the Steeplechase Race Committee, one of the most important committees of the Club. See, e.g., PELHAM'S GAY PASTIME -- A Day of Glorious Steeplechasing Provided by the Country Club, N.Y. Herald, Oct. 17, 1884, No. 17,588, p. 6, cols. 3-4.
Lorillard's son, Pierre Lorillard Jr., was also an active member of the club. Indeed, in 1884, he was captain of The Country Club's polo team. See, e.g., THE MEADOW BROOKS AGAIN WIN. SECOND DAY'S MATCH BETWEEN THE MEADOW BROOK AND COUNTRY POLO CLUBS, N.Y. Herald, Jun. 17, 1884, No. 17,466, p. 5, col. 4.
The identify of Pierre Abraham Lorillard, Jr. is well known because he was a son of tobacco magnate Pierre Abraham Lorillard. We now should consider, however, the question: "Who was Thomas Wood Thorne?"
Pierre Lorillard, Jr. Who Presented the Sterling Silver
Japanosque Tiffany Flask to Thomas W. Thorne in 1884.
NOTE: Click on Image to Enlarge.
Thomas Wood Thorne
Great care must be taken in identifying "Thomas W. Thorne." There were several men in the area in the mid-to-latter 19th century by the name of Thomas Thorne (and at least two by the name of "Thomas W. Thorne" both of whom were wealthy and both of whom frequented New Rochelle and Pelham). The Thomas W. Thorne reflected on the sterling silver Tiffany Japonesque flask is most certainly Thomas Wood Thorne, a founder of The Country Club at Pelham and brother of Newberry Davenport Thorne.
Thomas Wood Thorne and his brother, Newberry Davenport Thorne, built an estate known as "Davenport Grange." The two brothers lived there. The estate was on Davenport Neck along Pelham Road / Shore Road about three miles northeast of The Country Club facility that once was located along the same roadway in the Town of Pelham. See [Untitled], The Eastern State Journal [White Plains, NY], Dec. 30, 1905, p. 3, col. 2.
Although research has not yet revealed any account of the August 2, 1884 clay pigeon shooting match won by Thomas Wood Thorne as indicated on the rear of the flask, during the 1880s, "T. W. Thorne" and "N.D. Thorne" were documented as spectators at a live shooting match sponsored by The Country Club. See, e.g., PASTIMES OUT OF TOWN -- SHOOTING, RIDING, AND CURLING FOR PRIZES -- A VARIETY OF SPORTING EVENTS ENTICE CITY PLEASURE SEEKERS TO VARIOUS SUBURBAN RESORTS, N.Y. Times, Feb. 23, 1889, p. 2, col. 5 (Note: Paid subscription required to access via this link); SHOOTING IN A WIND -- A WESTMINSTER KENNEL CLUB TEAM WINS AT BARTOW, N.Y. Times, Feb. 24, 1889, p. 6, col. 2 (Note: Paid subscription required to access via this link).
Significantly, founding club member Thomas W. Thorne was still listed as a member of The Country Club in May, 1890 after the club moved to new facilities on Throggs Neck near the Town of Pelham. See MID WESTCHESTER'S HILLS -- DAY PASTIMES AT THE COUNTRY CLUB -- A DESCRIPTION OF THE HANDSOME HOUSE AND BEAUTIFUL GROUNDS - SKETCH OF THE ORGANIZATION - WHO ITS MEMBERS ARE, New-York Daily Tribune, May 4, 1890, p. 20, cols. 4-6 (NOTE: Paid subscription required to access via this link). Additionally, Thorne's obituaries (two of which are transcribed below), note his interest in shooting and his membership in multiple "shooting clubs."
Thomas Wood Thorne was born in 1841 in New York City. He was the oldest son of William S. Thorne and Susanna Davenport. His mother's side of the family, who began as farmers who owned all of Davenport Neck in New Rochelle, became quite wealthy by selling a large portion of the Neck for private residences to wealthy New Yorkers including Adrian Iselin, Col. DeLancey A. Kane, and others.
As a young man Thorne served in the Union Army during the Civil War. He enlisted in the Ninth New York Volunteers and was wounded at Gettysburg and, again, at Antietam. He was mustered out at the close of the war with the rank of Major. Shortly after the war he was admitted to the New York Stock Exchange on March 27, 1868. He and his brother, Newberry Davenport Thorne, established a brokerage firm named T. W. Thorne & Co., members of the New York Stock Exchange.
Thorne became quite affluent. He was a member of "several shooting clubs." His obituary expressly noted that he was a member of the Country Club of Westchester as well as the Larchmont Yacht Club and the Loyal Legion. He served as a director of the Westchester Fire Insurance Company and was serving in that role in 1884 when he won the clay pigeon match for which he was awarded the sterling Japonesque flask. See Westchester Fire Insurance Company, Eastern State Journal [White Plains, NY], May 23, 1884, Vol. XL, No. 7, p. 2, col. 7.
Thorne was an unmarried "bachelor" according to one obituary. At the time of his death he was survived by three sisters: Miss Grace Thorne, Miss Lydia Thorne, and Mrs. Elizabeth H. J. Thorne Cowdrey, all of New Rochelle.
Thomas Wood Thorne of T. W. Thorne & Co. in an Undated
Photograph. Source: King, Moses, King's Views of the New York Stock
Exchange (NY, NY and Boston, MA: 1898). NOTE: Click on Image to Enlarge.
Near the end of his life, health issues kept Thomas W. Thorne nearly confined to his home on Davenport Neck in New Rochelle with his brother, Newberry. See [Untitled], The Eastern State Journal [White Plains, NY], Dec. 30, 1905, p. 3, col. 2. He died February 4, 1913. He executed his will a few months before his death on October 21, 1912. It was subject to probate proceedings as early as February 11, 1913. Pages of the recorded copy of his will appear near the end of today's article with transcriptions of each page.
As Thorne's will states, during his life he was a member of the New York Stock Exchange. More specifically, his will states in part: "Fourth: The foregoing bequest to my said sister is intended by me to be in addition to the sum of Ten Thousand dollars ($10,000.) insurance on my life which she will receive at my death from the New York Stock Exchange, by reason of my membership in said Exchange, which is regulated by the constitution of the said Exchange and under the laws of the State of New York, will be divided equally between my sisters."
This provision in Thorne's will reemphasizes how great care must be exercised in identifying which Thomas W. Thorne was awarded the sterling flask. This is NOT the same Thomas W. Thorne born in New York City in about 1817 who also was a member of the New York Stock Exchange and who married Grace Huntington of New Rochelle and resided there until his death in about 1878. Indeed, In 1870, at the age of 53, THAT Thomas W. Thorne (not ours) was listed in the United States census as a "Retired Banker" and was residing with his wife, Grace, and two of his adult children (James and Mary) in New Rochelle. He was listed as one of the wealthier residents in the region with real estate valued at $40,000 and personal property also valued at $40,000 (a total of about $2.4 million in today's dollars). See 1870 U.S. Census, New York, Westchester County, New Rochelle, Image 31 of 99, Roll M593_1118, Page 411A, Family History Library Film 552617 (available via Ancestry.com, paid subscription required, at https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/7163/4277182_00221?pid=25075111 ).
Certainly no one -- particularly the capable, knowledgeable, and articulate expert appraiser such as that who appraised the sterling silver Japonesque flask on Antiques Roadshow -- should reasonably be expected to know the history of The Country Club at Pelham. Indeed, because The Country Club founded in Brookline, Massachusetts in 1882 still exists and is claimed to be the oldest country club in the United States, it is easily understandable how anyone faced with merely a few minutes to provide guidance on a collectible piece of history might conclude at first blush that this flask relates to the history of The Country Club at Brookline. It does not, however. Rather, this beautiful flask is yet another wonderful example of Pelham's rich history!
* * * * *
The brief one minute and fifty-six second appraisal of the sterling silver Japonesque flask tied to the history of the Town of Pelham may be viewed by clicking on the link immediately below. The audio of the appraisal has been transcribed immediately below the link to facilitate search.
PBS Thirteen, Antiques Roadshow - Appraisal: 1881 Tiffany & Co. Japonesque Flask, Clip: Season 23 Episode 6 (aired Feb. 11, 2019) (visited Feb. 28, 2019).
For those who wish to read the brief appraisal, immediately below is a transcript of the audio of the appraisal:
"PRESENTER OF THE FLASK: It's a flask that my father found in the basement of my grandparents' house when they cleaned it out. The monkeys kind of look like they're messing around on the front of it, which is kind of fun. I think it's Victorian era which, uh, was probably unusual.
APPRAISER: So we know it's Tiffany and, of course, the bottom is marked. It says "6374M8079 STERLING SILVER 5 1/2 GILLS." Five-and-a-half gills is the size, so it's roughly 650 milliliters. This is a big flask. The "M" is for "Edward Moore" of Tiffany. The "6374" is the date mark that has this piece produced in 1881. If you go back to 1876 in Philadelphia, which is the Philadelphia Centennial, the Japanese were coming to America bringing their style.
PRESENTER OF THE FLASK: Oh!
APPRAISER: Edward Moore loved the world. He loved the Japanese culture and he began to incorporate those elements into pieces that Tiffany was making at the time. And so, we call it "Japonesque." And then you go to the back and you have an inscription here from "The Country Club." The Country Club is from Brookline, Massachusetts and it's the oldest country club in America. The piece made from 1881, dedicated in 1884, to Thomas Thorne, the clay pigeon champion from Pierre Lorillard Jr. Pierre Lorillard Jr. sponsored the clay pigeon tournament [and] was from the Lorillard tobacco family. And, it really highlights what was going on at country clubs in America at the time. They were hunting, clay pigeon shooting; there was a lot going on that wasn't golf. They didn't get a golf course until 1893. Without looking at the inscription, as a Tiffany piece, I'm going to tell you [it's worth] between four thousand and six thousand dollars.
PRESENTER OF THE FLASK: Okay.
APPRAISER: With the inscription it would add probably another thousand dollars.
PRESENTER OF THE FLASK: Uh huh.
APPRAISER: And so you'd be at the five to seven thousand dollar range uh, but, given the rarity of the monkeys -- the scene -- it certainly could do a lot more. So it's a wonderful piece and I'm glad you brought it in."
PRESENTER OF THE FLASK: And I'm glad I brought it in too."
* * * * *
"OBITUARY
Thomas Wood Thorne.
Thomas Wood Thorne of T. W. Thorne & Co., members of the New York Stock Exchange, died today, at his home, Davenport Grange, Davenport Neck, New Rochelle, in his 72d year. He was born in New York. Mr. Thorne was wounded at Gettysburg and Antietam, and was mustered out with the rank of major. He was a member of the Country Club of Westchester, Larchmont Yacht Club, several shooting clubs and the Loyal Legion. He was unmarried and is survived by three sisters, the Misses Grace and Lydia Thorne and Mrs. S. F. Cowdrey of New Rochelle."
Source: OBITUARY: Thomas Wood Thorne, The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Feb. 4, 1913, Vol. 73, No. 34, p. 3, col. 2.
"THOMAS WOOD THORNE DIES.
-----
Member of New York Stock Exchange for Forty-Five Years.
Thomas Wood Thorne, of the firm of T. W. Thorne & Co., for 45 years members of the New York Stock Exchange, died suddenly yesterday from heart disease at his residence, Davenport Grange, Davenport Neck, New Rochelle, N. Y., in his 72nd year. He was born in New York City and was the oldest son of the late William S. Thorne and Susanna Davenport. The Davenports were farmers and owned all of Davenport Neck at one time and became wealthy by selling a large portion of it for private residences to Adrian Iselin, Col. De Lancey A. Kane, and others.
Mr. Thorne enlisted in the Ninth New York Volunteers at the outbreak of the civil war. He was wounded at Gettysburg and Antietam, and was mustered out when the war was over with the rank of Major. In 1868 he entered the New York Stock Exchange with his brother, the late Newberry Davenport Thorne. In 1868 he entered the New York Stock Exchange with his brother, the late Newberry Davenport Thorne. In his younger days Major Thorne was an enthusiastic yachtsman and an expert rifle shot. He was a member of the New York Club, Country Club of Westchester, Larchmont Yacht Club, several shooting clubs and the Loyal Legion. Major Thorne was a bachelor and is survived by three sisters, Misses Grace and Lydia Thorne and Mrs. S. F. Cowdrey of New Rochelle."
Source: THOMAS WOOD THORNE DIES -- Member of New York Stock Exchange for Forty-Five Years, N.Y. Times, Feb. 4, 1913, p. 11, col. 5 (Note: Paid subscription required to access via this link).
Will of Thomas W. Thorne with Probate Papers
Page 1 of 5 of the Last Will and Testament of Thomas Wood Thorne.
Source: Westchester County, New York, Wills and Letters, Vol. 0177-
0180, p. 382 (available via Ancestry.com. New York, Wills and
Probate Records, 1659-1999 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA:
Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015) (NOTE: Paid subscription
required to access via this link). Note: Click on Image to Enlarge.
Transcription of Page Immediately Below.
Surrogate's Court.
Westchester County.
In the matter of the probate )
of a paper writing propounded )
as the last Will and Testament }
of )
Thomas W. Thorne, )
Deceased. )
I, Thomas W. Thorne, of the City of New Rochelle, County of Westchester and State of New York, do make, publish and declare this to be my last will and testament, hereby revoking all former and other wills by me at any time heretofore made.
First: I direct that all my just debts and funeral expenses be paid as soon as conveniently may be after my decease.
Second: I give and bequeath to my sister Elizabeth H. J. Cowdrey, if she be living at the time of my decease and if not then living to her son Samuel Frederic Cowdrey, the sum of Two thousand dollars ($2,000.).
Third: I give and bequeath to my nephew the said Samuel Frederic Cowdrey, the sum of one thousand dollars ($1,000.)
Fourth: The foregoing bequest to my said sister is intended by me to be in addition to the sum of Ten Thousand dollars ($10,000.) insurance on my life which she will receive"
Page 2 of 5 of the Last Will and Testament of Thomas Wood Thorne.
Source: Westchester County, New York, Wills and Letters, Vol. 0177-
0180, p. 383 (available via Ancestry.com. New York, Wills and
Probate Records, 1659-1999 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA:
Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015) (NOTE: Paid subscription
required to access via this link). Note: Click on Image to Enlarge.
Transcription of Page Immediately Below.
"at my death from the New York Stock Exchange, by reason of my membership in said Exchange, which is regulated by the constitution of the said Exchange and under the laws of the State of New York, will be divided equally between my sisters.
Fifth: All the rest, residue and remainder of my estate and property, both real and personal of which I shall be seized or possessed or which I may in any way be entitled at the time of my decease, I give, devise and bequeath to my two sisters Grace D. Thorne and Lydia W. Thorne.
Lastly: I nominate, constitute and appoint my said sisters Grace D. Thorne and Lydia W. Thorne the Executrixes of this my last will and testament and I hereby authorize and empower them to sell and convey in that capacity, if them deem fit any real estate which may belong to me at my death and it is my wish that my said executrices be not required to give any bonds as such.
In Witness Whereof, I have at the end hereof subscribed my name and set my seal this twenty-first day of October in the year A. D. one thousand nine hundred and twelve.
Thomas W. Thorne (Ls)
Charels E. Simms
George E. Gartland
The foregoing Instrument was this twenty-first day of October A.D. one thousand nine hundred and twelve subscribed and sealed by Thomas W. Thorne, the Testator, and by him published and declared to be his last will and testament, to and in the presence of us who at his request and in his presence and in the presence of each other have at the end hereof subscribed our names as witnesses thereto.
Charles E. Simms, No. 167 Alexander Ave. N. Y. City.
George E. Gartland, 28 West 26th St. N. Y. City.
Surrogate's Court.
Westchester County.
In the matter of the probate )
of a paper writing propounded )
as the last Will and Testament }
of )
Thomas W. Thorne, )
Deceased. )
State of New York, County of Westchester, ss.:
George E. Gartland being called and examined as a witness in the above proceeding testifies: I reside at 28 West 26th Street, New York City. I was well acquainted with Thomas W.
Page 3 of 5 of the Last Will and Testament of Thomas Wood Thorne.
Source: Westchester County, New York, Wills and Letters, Vol. 0177-
0180, p. 384 (available via Ancestry.com. New York, Wills and
Probate Records, 1659-1999 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA:
Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015) (NOTE: Paid subscription
required to access via this link). Note: Click on Image to Enlarge.
Transcription of Page Immediately Below.
Thorne late of the City of New Rochelle in said County, for more than 25 years prior to his death. I was present and saw the said deceased subscribe his name at the end of the paper writing now produced and shown me bearing date twenty first Oct 1912 and purporting to be the last Will and Testament of the said decedent. The said Thomas W. thorne at the time of such subscription declared said paper writing to be his last Will and Testament and requested me and Charles E. Simms the other subscribing witness to sign our names as witnesses thereto. I thereupon signed my name as a witness at the end of said paper writing in the presence of said decedent and in the presence of Charles E. Simms the other subscribing witness to said paper writing. I saw Charles E. Simms at the same time sing his name as witness at the end of said paper writing in the presence of said decedent.
Said decedent was at the time of signing said paper writing about 71 years of age, was a citizen of the United States and impressed me as being a rational person of sound mind and memory.
Sworn, examined and subscribed )
} George E. Gartland
before me this 11th day of February 1913 )
Oscar LeRoy Warren
Clerk of the Surrogate's Court.
In the matter of the probate )
of a paper writing propounded )
as the last Will and Testament }
State of New York, County of Westchester, ss.:
Charles E. Simms being called and examined as a witness in the above proceeding testifies: I reside at No. 167 Alexander Ave. Borough of the Bronx, New York City. I was well acquainted with Thomas W. Thorne late of the City of New Rochelle in said County, for more than ten years prior to his death. I was present and saw the said Thomas W. Thorne deceased subscribe his name at the end of the paper writing now produced and shown me bearing date October 21st 1912 and purporting to be the last Will and Testament of the said decedent. The said Thomas W. Thorne at the time of such subscription declared said paper writing to be his last Will and Testament and requested me and George E. Gartland the other subscribing witness to sign our names as witnesses thereto. I thereupon signed my name as
Page 4 of 5 of the Last Will and Testament of Thomas Wood Thorne.
Source: Westchester County, New York, Wills and Letters, Vol. 0177-
0180, p. 385 (available via Ancestry.com. New York, Wills and
Probate Records, 1659-1999 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA:
Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015) (NOTE: Paid subscription
required to access via this link). Note: Click on Image to Enlarge.
Transcription of Page Immediately Below.
a witness at the end of said paper writing in the presence of said decedent and in the presence of George E. Gartland the other subscribing witness to said paper writing. I saw George E. Gartland at the same time sign his name as witness at the end of said paper writing in the presence of said decedent.
Said decedent was at the time of signing said paper writing about 71 years of age was a citizen of the United States and impressed me as being a rational person of sound mind and memory.
Sworn, examined and subscribed )
} Charles E. Simms
before me this 11th day of February 1913 )
At a Surrogate's Court held in
and for the County of Westchester,
at the County Court House, in the
Town of White Plains, on the 11th
day of February, A. D. 1913.
Present,
Hon. William A. Sawyer
Surrogate.
In the matter of the probate )
of a paper writing propounded )
as the last Will and Testament }
Deceased. )
A Petition having been presented by Grace D. Thorne and Lydia W. Thorne the proponents and duly filed for the probate of a paper writing purporting to be the last Will and Testament of Thomas W. Thorne late of the City of New Rochelle in said county, deceased, and it satisfactorily appearing that all the persons required by law to be cited or interested in the proceeding have by their appearance, consent and waiver in writing duly executed and filed, waived the issuance and service upon them of a citation in this proceeding and consented to the probate of said paper writing, and after hearing the proofs and allegations in support of the probate of said paper writing and deliberation being had thereThat the paper writing propounded as the last Will and Testament of said Thomas W. Thorne, late of the City of Yonkers [sic], in said
Page 5 of 5 of the Last Will and Testament of Thomas Wood Thorne.
Source: Westchester County, New York, Wills and Letters, Vol. 0177-
0180, p. 386 (available via Ancestry.com. New York, Wills and
Probate Records, 1659-1999 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA:
Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015) (NOTE: Paid subscription
required to access via this link). Note: Click on Image to Enlarge.
Transcription of Page Immediately Below.
county, was duly executed, that the testator was at the time of executing it in all respects competent to make a Will and was not under restraint.
And it is further Adjudged and Decreed,
That said paper writing be admitted to probate as the Will of said Thomas W. Thorne, deceased, and valid to pass real and personal property and the said paper writing and the proofs and examinations taken in this proceeding are hereby ordered to be recorded,
And it is further Ordered, Adjudged and Decreed,
That upon the persons named in said Will as the Executors thereof appearing and qualifying according to law Letters Testamentary thereupon forthwith issue to them or to such of them as shall so qualify.
Wm A. Sawyer
Surrogate.
* * * * *
"Newberry Davenport Thorne.
Newberry Davenport Thorne, a well known yachtsman and broker, member of the firm of T. W. Thorne & Co., of 20 Broad Street, died yesterday at his home, Davenport Grange, New Rochelle, N. Y. Mr. Thorne was the youngest son of the late William and Susanna W. Thorne. He was a member of the Knickerbocker, New York and Country Clubs. On December 23, 1905, Mr. Thorne and his brother, T. W. Thorne, the broker, had a narrow escape from death when they were thrown from their carriage in a runaway accident on their country place."
Source: Newberry Davenport Thorne, N.Y. Times, Oct. 13, 1912, p. 17, col. 4.
* * * * *
I have written extensively about The Country Club at Pelham and its famous steeplechase races and other such events of the 1880's. For a few of many more examples, see, e.g.:
Bell, Blake A., The Pelham Steeplechase Races of the 1880s, The Pelham Weekly, Vol. XIV, Issue 12, March 25, 2005, p. 10, col. 2.
Mon., May 07, 2018: Pelham's Country Club Giants Defeated the Famed Knickerbocker Club of New York City in 1885.
Fri., May 04, 2018: Pelham Once Had its Own Toboggan Course.
Thu., Jan. 26, 2017: The First Formal Country Club Hunt in Pelham Began on October 2, 1886 at 2:30 P.M.
Wed., Sep. 07, 2016: Origins of the Country Club at Pelham and the Move to its New Clubhouse in 1890.
Tue., Feb. 09, 2016: Polo Played in Pelham in 1887.
Tue., Nov. 03, 2015: A Major Tennis Tournament was Played in Pelham in 1885.
Thu., Jul. 16, 2015: More on the History of the Country Club at Pelham in the 19th Century.
Fri., Feb. 27, 2015: Brief History of the 19th Century "Country Club at Pelham" Published in 1889.
Thu., Mar. 23, 2006: Baseball Fields Opened on the Grounds of the Westchester Country Club in Pelham on April 4, 1884.
Tue., Apr. 14, 2009: 1889 Account of the Sport of Riding to Hounds by Members of the Country Club Located in Pelham.
Wed., Apr. 15, 2009: More About the Country Club Sport of "Riding to Hounds" During the 1880s in Pelham.
Thu., Apr. 16, 2009: A Serious Carriage Accident and Many Tumbles During the Country Club of Pelham's Riding to Hounds Event in November 1889.
Fri., Apr. 17, 2009: A Brief History of the Early Years of "Riding to Hounds" by Members of the Country Club at Pelham.
Wed., Sep. 09, 2009: 1884 Engraving of Winner of the Great Pelham Steeplechase, Barometer, and His Owner and Rider, J. D. Cheever.
Wed., Sep. 16, 2009: September 1884 Advertisement for The Country Club Steeplechase.
Thu., Sep. 17, 2009: Controversy in 1887 When The Country Club Tries to Dedicate a Large Area of Pelham as a Game Preserve.
Wed., Sep. 30, 2009: Score of June 1, 1887 Baseball Game Between The Country Club and The Knickerbocker Club.
Mon., Oct. 19, 2009: Polo at the Country Club in Pelham in 1887.
Fri., Oct. 30, 2009: Preparations for Annual Country Club Race Ball Held in Pelham in 1887.
Thu., Apr. 15, 2010: Account of Baseball Game Played in Pelham on June 9, 1884: The Country Club Beat the Knickerbockers, 42 to 22.
Tue., Feb. 25, 2014: An Interesting Description of the Country Club at Pelham Published in 1884.
Mon., Mar. 03, 2014: The Suydam Estate known as “Oakshade” on Shore Road in the Town of Pelham, built by James Augustus Suydam.
Fri., Sep. 12, 2014: Reference to an 1884 Baseball Game Between the Country Club of Pelham and Calumet.
Labels: 1881, 1884, Antiques Roadshow, Clay Pigeons, Country Club, First Pelham Country Club, Pierre Lorillard II, Shooting, The Country Club, The Country Club at Pelham, Thomas W. Thorne, Thomas Wood Thorne
