More on Nathaniel Henry Bouldin Who Died in Pelham's Confederate Prisoner of War Camp

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Though it seems hard to believe today, a Confederate prisoner of war camp once stood within the Town of Pelham during the final weeks of the Civil War.  The POW camp opened the very month the war ended as Union troops overran the Confederacy and sent waves of captured Rebel troops northward during the final weeks of the war. 

Pelham's prison opened in early April 1865 and operated until the last Confederate prisoners were released from the facility in July 1865.  Although some records misplace the location of the camp, we know that it stood on the north end of Hart Island (also known as Hart's Island) which, at the time, was part of the Town of Pelham.  The northern tip of the island was a lowland area. There, lightly-constructed prison "barracks" were built.  The barracks were basically open to the elements with open windows and a door on only one side of the building (to reduce avenues of possible escape from its rear). 

Today's posting to the Historic Pelham Blog provides additional research regarding one of the Confederate prisoners in the camp who died and was buried on Hart Island.  His name was Nathaniel Henry Bouldin.  I have a special interest in him.

Nathaniel Henry Bouldin was a Great-Great Grandfather of my wife.

I have written before, briefly, about Nathaniel Henry Bouldin.  See Mon., Mar. 29, 2010:  Nathaniel H. Bouldin, a Poor Confederate Prisoner of War Who Died in Pelham in 1865.  Private Nathaniel Henry Bouldin, who served in Company F of the 57th Regiment Virginia Volunteers during the entire Civil War, clearly was a brave man.  

Bouldin fell wounded on the field at Gettysburg during Pickett’s Charge which many consider to be the "high-water-mark" of the Confederacy. He was taken prisoner as a wounded soldier, but lived to fight again.  Indeed, after a prisoner exchange, he was wounded a second time. He lived to fight again. Subsequently, he was captured at the Battle of Five Forks near Petersburg, Virginia on April 1, 1865. He was sent north to a prisoner of war camp on Hart Island in Pelham, New York in the Long Island Sound. There, Bouldin was killed by a bigger foe: disease.  

Bouldin suffered “chronic diarrhea” during a cholera outbreak on Hart Island and died in De Camp General Hospital on Davids Island, just northeast of Harts Island off the shore of Pelham and New Rochelle, New York. He left behind his 35 year-old wife, Sally Ann Hundley Bouldin, and their children:  George William (my wife's Great-Grandfather), John Burrel, Mary Ann, and Martha Emerline.  The oldest, George, was thirteen at the time of his father's death.  The youngest, Mary Ann, was not yet eight years old.

Detail from 1884 United States Coast Guard Survey

Nautical Chart No. 361 Entitled "CITY ISLAND

HARBOR LONG ISLAND SOUND" Showing Hart

Island. Note the Many Buildings on the Island, Many

of Which Were Part of the Military Training Facility

During the Civil War.  NOTE: Click on Image to Enlarge.

On November 19, 1864, a popular national publication, Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, published an article on the "new" Union military facilities constructed on Hart Island.  Significantly, the article included several important engravings of outdoor scenes (and one indoor scene) on the island.  The engravings, according to the article that accompanied them, were based on photographs of Hart Island taken by "Mr. Tyler, the well-known photographer."   I have written before of these engravings, a complete set of which may be found at:  Tue., Dec. 13, 2016:  Rare and Stunning Images of Civil War Pelham Engraved from Photographs Taken In 1864. 

"VIEW OF HART'S ISLAND."

NOTE: Click on Image to Enlarge.

The engraving immediately above shows the portion of Hart Island on which the military training facility was built.  In the waters on the right, in the foreground of the engraving, is a steamboat.  This likely depicts the steamboat John Romer.  It was the principal means of transportation to and from Hart Island at the time.  According to the article published with the engravings, passengers on the John Romer traveling to Hart Island typically were packed as thickly as sardines or figs in a "figdrum."  Indeed, if you pay close attention to the steamboat in the image, it is packed with passengers. 

Barracks and officers' quarters appear visible on the high ground of the island in the engraving above.  The prisoner of war camp was built on lowlands on Hart Island.  Close inspection of the image shows that in addition to the many buildings that appear to be painted white, there are many more that appear to be of unpainted wood that, though difficult to see in the image, are scattered all over the landscape.

"HART ISLAND, NEAR NEW YORK, A STATION FOR THE

DISBANDMENT OF THE FEDERAL ARMY." 1865 Engraving

Depicting the Military Facilities on Hart Island Only Months

After the Last Confederate Prisoners Left the Island in July.

Source: The Illustrated London News, Aug. 12, 1865, Vol.

47, No. 1328, p. 128. NOTE: Click on Image to Enlarge.

The prison's monthly sick reports for April, May, and June, 1865 suggest that the mean number of prisoners held in the camp was 3,031 during that three-month period. The reports further indicate that conditions were horrendous and cases of diarrhea and dysentery were rampant. Cf. Woodward, Joseph Janvier, THE MEDICAL AND SURGICAL HISTORY OF THE WAR OF THE REBELLION, Part II, Vol. I, p. 39 (Washington, D.C.: Gov’t Printing Office, 1879).

The men were confined in such close quarters that each had the equivalent of 102 cubic feet of air space -- the equivalent of less than five feet by five feet by six feet high. Digital images of the orders and prisoners' registers for the Confederate prisoner of war camp on Hart Island are freely available online. See FamilySearch.com, United States Records of Prisoners of War, 1861-1865: NY, Hart Island, Prison Camp - Orders, Prisoner Registers, 1865, v. 265-69 (259 pages; visited on Feb. 20, 2016). 

We know from an officer's memoir published well after the War that the prison, which was located at the northern end of Hart Island, was separated from the Union camp and military facilities on the remainder of the island by a "very strong twelve-foot fence." Entrance to the prison camp was through "a very strong and massive door or gate." The entire prison facility on the north end of the island was guarded by sentries stationed on land and guards in patrol boats that patrolled the island. See Roemer, Jacob, REMINISCENCES OF THE WAR OF THE REBELLION 1861-1865 BY BVT.-MAJ. JACOB ROEMER, BATTERY L. SECOND N.Y. ARTILLERY, AND THIRTY-FOURTH N.Y.V.V. IND. LT. BATTERY, pp. 304-06 (Flushing, N.Y.: Estate of Jacob Roemer, 1897).

In late April, 1865, only weeks after being admitted into the POW camp, Nathaniel Henry Bouldin became violently ill with "chronic diarrhea."  On April 29, he was admitted to De Camp General Hospital on nearby Davids Island off the shores of New Rochelle and Pelham.  There, on May 1, 1865, he died and was buried on Hart Island the same day.  He was 33 years old at the time of his death.  Immediately below is an image of the Union Army's "RECORD OF DEATH AND INTERMENT" of Nathaniel Henry Bouldin.  

Click on Image to Enlarge.

During the 20th Century, the remains of Nathaniel Henry Bouldin and other Confederates who died in the POW camp on Hart Island were exhumed and moved to Cyprus Hills National Cemetery.  His remains are marked and are located at Cypress Hills National Cemetery, 625 Jamaica Avenue, Brooklyn, NY, 11208, Section 1, Site 2677.  Immediately below is a map of the section where Nathaniel Henry Bouldin's remains rest, followed by a photograph of his gravestone and an example of one of his many muster roll records reflecting his war service.

Click on Image to Enlarge.

Click on Image to Enlarge.

Example of Muster Roll Card Record for Nathaniel Henry Bouldin.

Source:  Confederate Muster Roll, Co. F, 57th Virginia Infantry, Pg. 01,

Nathaniel H. Bouldin.  Source:  Publication Title - The National Archives

and Records Administration, NARA M324.  Compiled Service Records

of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State

of Virginia, NARA Catalog ID 586957 (Carded Records Showing Military

Service of Soldiers Who Fought in Confederate Organizations, 

compiled 1903 - 1927, documenting the period 1861 - 1865; Record

Group 109, Virginia, Fifty-Seventh Infantry Regiment, Bouldin, Nathaniel H.).

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I have written before about the Confederate prisoner of war camp in the Town of Pelham. For examples, see: 

Mon., Feb. 22, 2016:  Report on Prisoner Deaths at the Confederate POW Camp in Pelham During the Civil War.

Wed., Oct. 21, 2015:  Ministering to Troops on Hart and Davids Islands During and Shortly After the Civil War. 

Thu., Jun. 12, 2014:  Eyewitness Account of Prisoner of War Concentration Camp That Once Stood in Pelham. 

Fri., May 21, 2010:  The Announcement of President Abraham Lincoln's Assassination in Pelham, NY on April 15, 1865. 

Mon., Mar. 29, 2010:  Nathaniel H. Bouldin, a Poor Confederate Prisoner of War Who Died in Pelham in 1865. 

Detail from 1867 Map Showing Hart Island on the Far Right.

The Northern End of the Island, on this Map, is Depicted as

Lowlands. Source: "Plan of East Chester, Pelham and New

Rochelle, Westchester Co." in Atlas of New York and Vicinity

From Actual Surveys by and Under the Direction of F. W.

Beers, Assisted by Geo. E. Warner & Others," p. 7 (NY, NY:

Beers, Ellis & Soule, 1867). NOTE: Click on Image to Enlarge.

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Claim that 49 of the 60 Men Pelham Sent to Fight in the Civil War Died

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One of the most glaring holes in Pelham history, long a Pelham history mystery, is the list of Pelham men who left the little town to fight in the Civil War and never returned.  Indeed, for many decades Memorial Day remembrances that involve reading the names of those from Pelham who died while serving their nation begin with reading the names of Pelham's dead during the Spanish-American War fought in 1898, more than thirty years after the War of the Rebellion.

There is no memorial to Civil War dead anywhere in Pelham.  The Office of the Historian of the Town of Pelham contains no definitive records reflecting the names of the Civil War dead of the Town, although there are some early Memorial Day remembrance materials listing thirteen or so Pelham residents who served in the war and are listed "In Memoriam."  Extensive research has revealed the names of many who enlisted in the Union Army "from" Pelham but the designation was used in many records to indicate the men were "mustered in" in Pelham -- where there was a massive mustering in facility on Hart's Island.  Thus, it has been extraordinarily difficult to cross-reference multiple census records, Civil War casualty records, mustering in records, and other such records to identify -- with certainty -- young men from Pelham who died in the Civil War.

Research has revealed a very brief newspaper reference suggesting that Pelham suffered heart-breaking and large casualties among the young men it sent off to fight in the War of the Rebellion.  According to the account, sixty men from the Town of Pelham fought in the War and forty-nine died:  an astounding 82% casualty rate.  The brief reference is transcribed in its entirety immediately below, followed by a citation and link to its source:

"The town of Pelham sent sixty men to the front in the Rebellion, only eleven of whom survived.  The town is now anxious to erect a soldiers' monument to commemorate the deeds of her sons.  The site contemplated is at the entrance of Pelham and Pelham Manor, on a large hill, overlooking the Sound."

Source:  [Untitled], New-York Tribune, Jul. 10, 1897, Vol. LVII, No. 18,500, p. 4, col. 4 (Note:  Paid subscription required to access via this link).

No such monument was erected.  Moreover, although research has revealed much about Pelham's history as it relates to the Civil War, no definitive list of Pelham's Civil War dead has yet been prepared despite extensive research.  

A few of the many previous Historic Pelham articles about Pelham and the Civil War include:

Fri., Jul. 07, 2017:  James Francis Secor, Builder of Union Monitors, Ironclads, and Drydocks During Civil War, Lived in Pelham.

Fri., Mar. 10, 2017:  Pelham Taxpayers Funded Westchester County Bonds to Pay Bounties During the Civil War.

Tue., Dec. 13, 2016:  Rare and Stunning Images of Civil War Pelham Engraved from Photographs Taken In 1864.  

Mon., May 02, 2016:  Additional Research on the Confederate Prisoner of War Camp During the Civil War on Hart's Island in the Town of Pelham.  

Thu., Mar. 17, 2016:  Did Pelham Residents Die Fighting for the Union During the Civil War?

Wed., Feb. 24, 2016:  What is Pelham's Connection to the Civil War Ironclad USS Monitor that Fought in the First Battle of Ironclads?

Mon., Feb. 22, 2016:  Report on Prisoner Deaths at the Confederate POW Camp in Pelham During the Civil War.

Wed., Oct. 21, 2015:  Ministering to Troops on Hart and Davids Islands During and Shortly After the Civil War.  

Mon., Jul. 07, 2014:  More About Pelham Residents Who Served Their Nation During the U.S. Civil War. 

Thu., Jun. 12, 2014:  Eyewitness Account of Prisoner of War Concentration Camp That Once Stood in Pelham. 

Fri., May 21, 2010:  The Announcement of President Abraham Lincoln's Assassination in Pelham, NY on April 15, 1865. 

Tue., Mar. 30, 2010:  Obituary of William McAllister Who Built Civil War Gunboats in Pelham. 

Mon., Mar. 29, 2010:  Nathaniel H. Bouldin, a Poor Confederate Prisoner of War Who Died in Pelham in 1865. 

Tue., Nov. 03, 2009:  Pelham Students Help Civil War Soldiers on Davids' Island in 1864. 

Fri., Nov. 18, 2005:  A List of Pelham Residents Who Served the Union During the Civil War. 

Mon., Jul. 11, 2005:  Pelham Cemetery on City Island. 

Fri., Jun. 3, 2005:  Davids' Island Off the Coast of Pelham Manor During the Civil War. 

Tue., Apr. 12, 2005:  Pelham and the Civil War Ironclad USS Monitor.

Programs for Pelham's early Memorial Day remembrance ceremonies, at first, seem to shed light on the issue of identifying Pelham's Civil War dead.  For example, the program for the 1949 Memorial Day Exercises of the Town of Pelham held at the Memorial High School Field provides "In Memoriam" lists for the "Civil War," "Indian Wars," "Spanish War," "World War I," and "World War II."  The Civil War "In Memoriam" section of the program lists the following (I have provided units where I have found them so far):

William Dorrance Beach 
Samuel D. Bertine 
William Dally - Company D, 133rd Infantry Regiment New York 
Patrick J. Gleason 
James C. Hazen 
William P. Hibler 
John T. Logan 
David Lyon 
Samuel E. Lyon 
William Mercer 
Peter McLaughlin 
William H. Valentine - Company D, 5th Veteran Infantry Regiment New York 
Charles A. Walker

At first blush, this might seem to be a list of thirteen Pelham men who died in the Civil War.  That does NOT appear to be the case, however.  Research suggests that most if not all of these men survived the war.  The list, instead, seems to be a list of Civil War veterans who died after the war and were honored during the 1949 remembrance exercises, although it remains possible that one or more were Civil War casualties.  In short, the issue of the identities of Pelham's Civil War dead remains muddled.

Did Pelham lose forty-nine of the sixty men who fought during the War, as claimed by the New-York Tribune in 1897?  Hopefully future research will reveal the names of those dead.  For now, their identities remain a "Pelham History Mystery."

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The Civil War Military Service of Cortlandt W. Starr, Pelham Manor Resident, of Black, Starr & Frost Fame

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Cortlandt Way Starr was one of the principal partners of famed Fifth Avenue jeweler Black, Starr & Frost during the latter part of the 19th Century.  Starr lived in Pelham Manor where his partner, Robert C. Black, also lived.  Various members of the Black family who lived in Pelham Manor were principals in Black, Starr & Frost for many years. 

I have written about this early, notable Pelham Manor resident before.  See, e.g.:

Fri., May 05, 2017:  Pelham Manor's Cortlandt W. Starr of Famed Jeweler Black, Starr & Frost.

Tue., Aug. 05, 2014:  Obituaries of Cortlandt W. Starr of Pelham Manor, a Principal of Jewelry House Black Starr & Frost. 

Thu., Feb. 09, 2006:  Cortlandt W. Starr of Black Starr & Frost.

Cortlandt W. Starr, known by his friends as "Colonel" and also as "Cort," became a notable Pelham Manor resident and an important leader within the Pelham Manor Protective Club, a predecessor to village government in Pelham Manor.  He served as a Vestryman of Christ Church in Pelham Manor and was serving in that capacity at the time of his death in 1888.  He also was elected as a member of the Pelham Manor Protective Club on November 29, 1884.  He was elected to the Executive Committee of the Club at the annual meeting held on January 1, 1886 and was a member of the Executive Committee at the time of his death in 1888.

Starr had brief service on behalf of the Union during the Civil War before he moved to Pelham Manor.  Today's Historic Pelham Blog article transcribes the text of a brief book entry that describes Starr's brief military service as well as his service after the war as a member of a local veterans' organization.  The text is followed by a citation and link to its source.

*          *          *          *          *

"LIEUT. CORTLANDT W. STARR,
COMPANY I, 37TH REGIMENT.
-----

COMFORT STARR, the American ancestor of the family came from Ashford, County of Kent, England, and settled at Duxbury, Mass., about 1634.  His descendants scattered through different parts of Massachusetts and Connecticut, some of whom became quite prominent in the early history of Middlesex and New London Counties, Conn.  One of these was among the slain at the Groton massacre.  The subject of this sketch is descended from the New London branch.

Cortlandt W. Starr, son of Marcus A. Starr and Elizabeth S. Griffing, was born in New London, Conn., February 17, 1833.  He removed with his parents in infancy to Sag Harbor, L. I.  After completing his studies in the common branches of education he was sent to Trinity school, New York, from which he was graduated in 1849.

After leaving school he entered the well known jewelry house of Ball, Black & Co., and during his twenty-five years of service with that firm he filled every position from errand boy to cashier.  In 1874 Ball, Black & Co., went out of business, and a new co-partnership was formed under the name of Black, Starr & Frost.  The reputation of the old firm has been fully sustained by the new.

Mr. Starr commenced his military service in 1861.  He with a number of others formed a private company, and were thoroughly instructed in military tactics for upwards of a year.  On October 28, 1862, Mr. Starr joined Company I, which was then being formed as a part of the 37th Regiment.  Owing to his previous knowledge and experience he was made Orderly Sergeant within six months after he joined.  In July, 1863, he was mustered into the U. S. service with his regiment for thirty days.  They went into camp at Harrisburg, where they remained about a week.

On June 28, the regiment started from camp in light marching order and were kept on the march for 225 miles.  On June 30, they had a skirmish at Sporting Hill.  On the morning of July 1, they marched into Carlisle, immediately after the enemy had evacuated it.  The rebels returned the same night and demanded the withdrawal of the Federal troops.  On their refusal the enemy shelled the place.  Mr. Starr, while in a kneeling position had his musket struck by a piece of shell which bent and partially shattered it.   The musket being on a line with his face doubtless saved his life.  He has carefully preserved this, which will doubtless be treasured by his children as an interesting relic of 'the late unpleasantness.'

After his return from the front, Mr. Starr remained on duty in New York, in the State service, for about thirty days.  On April 1, 1864, he was commissioned Second Lieutenant.  He was exceeding [sic] popular with his men, and on January 10, 1865, in token of their appreciation of his services the company presented him with an elegant sword duly inscribed.

The company was disbanded about 1867, and Mr. Starr was placed on the supernumerary list.  He was not one of those who joined the 71st after the disbanding of the 37th Regiment, but when the 71st Veteran Association altered its By-Laws, so as to admit members of the 37th, Mr. Starr was elected to membership.  He held the rank of Adjutant in the Association for 1883-84, and was again elected in 1886.

In 1868 he married Miss Lydia B., daughter of Samuel Cook, Esq., of New York city.  They have three children, viz., Georgia E., Fannie B., and Mary L."

Source:  "LIEUT. CORTLANDT W. STARR, COMPANY I, 37TH REGIMENT" in Whittemore, Henry, History of the Seventy-First Regiment N.G.S.N.Y.:  Including the History of the Veteran Association With Biographical Sketches of Members, pp. 220-21 (NY, NY:  W. McDonald & Co., 1886).  

Grave Marker of Cortlandt Way Starr in the Cedar Grove Cemetery,

New London, New London County, Connecticut (Section 1).

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The Ornery Wild Hogs of Huckleberry Island Off the Shores of Pelham at the Close of the Civil War

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The lore of Huckleberry Island off the shores of Pelham includes the story of a very odd incident that involved ornery hogs on the island at the close of the Civil War.  Indeed, a number of newspaper articles make brief, passing references to the incident without much detail -- only enough information to pique interest in the curious incident.  One article published years later to tout Colonel Delancey Kane's "Pelham Coach" told the story with a little more detail.  

As I have written before, throughout the Civil War there was a large military installation on David's Island off the shores of New Rochelle and Pelham.  During the war an enterprising entrepreneur moved onto nearby Huckleberry Island and raised a large number of hogs that he sold to the military authorities and troops on Davids Island.  

For a time the venture was successful, though difficult since the Huckleberry Island did not have the means to support the hogs.  The entrepreneur had to transport their food from the mainland.  

In this manner the entrepreneur scratched out a living for several years.  Soon, however, his fortunes turned.  The Union won the war and the number of troops on nearby David's Island declined precipitously.  

At the close of the war, the entrepreneur had a "large drove of hogs" on the island, but no one to whom to sell them.  Moreover, without ongoing sales to the military, he lacked the money to feed the poor beasts.

Soon the drove of hogs grew thin, desperately hungry, and ornery.  They ran wild all over Huckleberry Island.  

One morning, wild with hunger, the hogs attacked their owner.  At first they drove him into his house.  Soon they battered down the door.  Finally, they chased their owner until he climbed onto the roof of the house to save his life.  The hogs reportedly "surrounded the building and kept him there for three days."

Finally, the pigs' "wildness and squealing" attracted the attention of residents along the shore.  The residents made it to Huckleberry Island and saved the entrepreneur whose pig-raising days were over. . . .

To learn more about the histories of Huckleberry Island and David's Island, see, e.g.:

Wed., Feb. 03, 2016:  Pelham Women Assisted Union Troops and Confederate Prisoners on David's Island During the Civil War.

Wed., Oct. 21, 2015:  Ministering to Troops on Hart and Davids Islands During and Shortly After the Civil War.

Fri., Jun. 3, 2005:  Davids' Island Off the Coast of Pelham Manor During the Civil War.

Fri., Dec. 04, 2015:  Early Celebrations of the Huckleberry Indians of the New York Athletic Club.

Thu., Jun. 08, 2017:  More 19th Century Reports of Captain Kidd's Treasure Buried Off Pelham Shores.

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Below is the text of an article published in 1876 that includes a brief description of the incident that forms the basis for today's Historic Pelham article.  The text is followed by a citation and link to its source.

"COL. KANE'S COACH ROUTE.
-----
Extending a Pleasant Drive to Historical Grounds.

Col. Delancey Kane mounted the box of his canary-colored coach at 7:30 yesterday morning, after every seat was filled with passengers, on the lawn in front of the Neptune House, New Rochelle, and started on the new route for his four-in-hand to the Hotel Brunswick.  The time table now reads:  'On and after July 5 the New Rochelle and Pelham coach will make a single trip daily (Sundays excepted), between New York and New Rochelle, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 7:30 A. M., will arrive at the Hotel Brunswick at 9:30 A. M.; and leaving the Brunswick every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 4:45 P. M., will arrive at the Neptune House, New Rochelle, at 6:45 P. M.'

Three changes of horses are made, in Mott Haven, Union Port, and Pelham Bridge.  The fare each way is $2, with a proportionately less amount to intermediate stations.  A pleasant feature will be in leaving New York on Saturday afternoon, remaining over Sunday in New Rochelle and returning on Monday morning in time for business.

The extended route abounds in historical and local interest.  The Neptune House is on a wooded island facing New Rochelle Bay.  In the distance the white caps of Long Island Sound are seen as they dash on the shores of several islands that obstruct the passage way to the bay.  The house was built by Philip Rhinelander Underhill, a descendant of the Rhinelander who fled to this country with the Huguenots from La Rochelle, France, and landed on Davenport's neck in 1689.  The neck is across the bay to the left of the hotel.  Facing the hotel is Locust Island, a secluded spot, where Edgar A. Poe spent some time when he lived in Fordham.  Further out inn the sound is David's Island, a garrison post during the civil war, and nearby is Huckleberry Island, which tradition gives as a rendezvous for Captain Kidd.  The surface of the island has been dug over several times by the superstitious colored people of New Rochelle in search of the pirate's treasure.  It was last inhabited by a man who speculated in hogs for the garrison on David's Island.  At the close of the war he had a large drove of hogs, but no food for them.  They grew thin, and ran almost wild over the island.  One morning the hogs attacked the man, drove him into the house, battered down the door, and chased him to the roof.  The hogs surrounded the building and kept him there for three days.  Their wildness and squealing attracted persons from the main shore, and the speculator was rescued.

A hedged roadway leads from the rear of the Neptune House to a stone bridge connecting with the main land.  A short distance from the shore Col. Kane's route takes the road along the shore to Pelham Bridge.  On either side the roadway is lined with costly stone mansions, surrounded by large fields and beautiful lawns.  The word Pelham is of uncertain origin.  New Rochelle was formerly a part of Pelham Manor.

The tract of land on the sound shore was originally included in the grant by the Indians in 1640 to the Dutch West India Company.  Sir Richard Nicolls, Governor of the province granted it to Thomas Pell, gentleman, Oct. 6, 1656, and he, in 1669, granted it to John Pell, commonly called Lord Pell, the first Judge that sat in Westchester county.  The tract extended for six miles along the coast, and about eight miles into the interior.  The settlement of the Huguenots founded New Rochelle.  The remainder of the tract was sometimes called Pell Hamlet, but local historians say that Pelham is derived from Pel (remote) and Ham (mansion).  It is one of the most beautiful suburbs of New York.  The roadway, after crossing the stone bridge, ascends a rocky ridge, and from there is a view across the Sound to Long Island.  Descending the hill, Sheffield Island (sometimes called Emmet's Island) is seen.  It is connected by a rustic bridge with the mainland.  A small stone mansion, built in a grove of tall elm trees, is occupied by Mr. Wm. Hoyt, a New York merchant, whose wife is a daughter of Chief Justice Chase, and was formerly tenanted by Wm. H. Leroy (brother-in-law of Daniel Webster), who married the daughter of Thomas Addis Emmet.  On the west side of the road is a large mansion, the residence of the family of Judge Robert Emmet, and the scene of a daring raid by the masked burglars two years ago.

A turn in the road brings the coach riders in sight of Col. Kane's first resting place, 'The Priory.'  It is an immense stone mansion; two large square turrets rise from either end, the roofs are quaint, and the outbuildings are old style.  This was the residence of the Rev. Robt. Bolton, an Episcopal minister.  It is on land that was granted to the Church of England.  The walls of the mansion are hung with family pictures by Etty, of the Royal Academy.  An original portrait of Bunyan is among them.  The library contains the original Italian edition of Pisanese, collected by Napoleon I., and bearing his initial, surmounted by the imperial crown.  There is also a copy of Macklin's Bible, printed in six royal quarto volumes, a copy of Elliot's Indian Testament, said to be the first work 'written and published in the present United States.'  There is a valuable cabinet of coins and autographs, the oldest of which is that of Henry VII, and Elizabeth, Queen Mary, and Oliver and Richard Cromwell.

'The Priory' is used as a young ladies' seminary, conducted by Miss N. Bolton.  A wide terrace surrounds the house, and the gardens are laid out in elaborate designs.  The walks lead to several natural curiosities, among them a 'rocking stone,' of full twenty tons in weight, so nicely poised that 'a stripling's arm can sway a mass no host could move.'

Col. Kane's route then passes through a stretch of forest trees, and Hunter's Island seen in the distance, and the residence of Dr. R. L. Morris, grandson of Robert Morris, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.  The last mansion on the Pelham road before reaching Bartow's, is occupied by Mrs. Bartow in the midst of over 200 acres of fields and meadow lands.

At Bartow the road leads to Pelham Bridge, and at Arcularius Hotel the coach route extends over the same boulevard that Col. Kane has driven for the past few months."

Source:  COL. KANE'S COACH ROUTE -- Extending a Pleasant Drive to Historical Grounds, The Sun [NY, NY], Jul. 6, 1876, Vol. XLIII, No. 297, p. 1, col. 2.

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James Francis Secor, Builder of Union Monitors, Ironclads, and Drydocks During Civil War, Lived in Pelham

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James Francis Secor was a son of Francis Secor (b. May 22, 1776, d. Aug. 23, 1863).  Francis Secor was a merchant, shipwright, and ship chandler who reportedly was associated with Robert Fulton in the construction of the first successful steam vessel.  Francis Secor was a son of Eli Secor (b. 1743, d. 1830) and Ann Gedney. He bought a 150-acre estate in Pelham Manor and built a grand summer home on the grounds.  The family first alternated between their fashionable Murray Hill residence and their grand summer home in Pelham Manor until they suffered a major financial setback and lost a large portion of the family fortune. At that time, they gave up their New York City residence and moved to the Pelham Manor home where they lived thereafter.

I have written about the notable Secor family and the Secor estate on a number of occasions.  For examples, see:

Mon., Mar. 27, 2017:  More on Francis Secor of Pelham, Father of James Francis Secor and Grandfather of James Frances Secor, Jr.

Tue., Aug. 25, 2015:  Joan Elizabeth Klink Secor, Known as Annie, Was a Notable Pelham Manor Resident and Town Historian.

Wed., Apr. 15, 2015:  The Secor Estate in the Village of Pelham Manor.

James Francis Secor was born in New York City in about 1814.  He and several of his brothers followed in the footsteps of their father, Francis Secor.  James and three of his brothers, Zeno, Henry, and Charles, formed the shipbuilding firm of Secor Brothers that operated out of Jersey City.  During the Civil War, Secor Brothers constructed at least five ironclads to the United States Government, including the Mahopac.  

The Monitor Mahopac on the Appomattox River, 1864.

Source:  U.S. National Archives Photograph, No.

NWDNS-111-B-409. NOTE: Click on Image to Enlarge.

According to obituaries published after his death, James Francis Secor's most notable accomplishments included the construction of the Mare Island Navy Yard in San Francisco, the Pensacola Navy Yard and "many of the monitors, ironclads and dry docks which contributed so largely toward putting an end to the civil war."  

The father of James Francis Secor, Francis Secor, died on August 23, 1864.  James Francis Secor succeeded to the Secor home on Secor Hill after his father's death.  Like Francis Secor, James Francis Secor and his son James Francis Secor, Jr. (and his daughter, Anna M. Secor,) became notable Pelham residents who shaped the early Village of Pelham Manor and various of its important institutions including the Manor Club.

James Francis Secor died at about the age of 90 on Tuesday, December 27, 1904.  According to an obituary, "until a few hours of his death retained the mental clearness and physical vigor which had been the marvel of his friends for many years."

Today's Historic Pelham posting transcribes the text of several obituaries of James F. Secor below and provides citations and links to their sources.

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"FAMED NAVAL BUILDER, JAMES F. SECOR, IS DEAD
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Family at Bedside in Beautiful Pelham Manor Home
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HAD PASSED HIS 90TH YEAR
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He Built Navy Yards at Mare Island and Pensacola, Besides Monitors for Civil War.
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After a long and eventful business and social career, which had brought him into close relations with Daniel Webster, Admiral Farragut and hundreds of other men who a half century ago were prominent in shaping the destinies of the Nation.  James F. Secor, builder of the Mare Island Navy Yard in San Francisco, the Pensacola Navy Yard and many of the monitors, ironclads and dry docks which contributed so largely toward putting an end to the civil war, died suddenly in his handsome country home in Pelham Manor last evening.  He was 90 years old and until within a few hours of his death he retained the mental clearness and physical vigor which had been the marvel of hundreds of friends for many years.  

Mr. Secor complained yesterday morning of being ill and went to bed.  That was such an unusual thing physicians were summoned.  At first they did not think his condition serious, but when he continued to grow weaker they advised the family to summon his daughter, Mrs. Frank Dickerson of this city, at one time commander of the New York Yacht Club.

FAMILY AT BEDSIDE.

Mr. Secor's other children, James F. Secor, Jr., a New York business man; Mrs. Washington Cockle and Miss Anna Secor, were with their father when he was stricken, the handsome old manor house, which in Colonial days belonged to Lord Pelham [sic], being their home, too.  All day long they remained at the bedside watching the life that had been such a strong link between the past and the present slowly and peacefully come to an end.

When it became known in Pelham Manor that Mr. Secor was dead the expression of regret was general.  He not only was one of the wealthiest and most prominent men in that section, but his remarkable vitality, mental vigor, uniform good nature and acute interest in the development of the Pelham Manor district had served to make for him thousands of friends who never failed to grasp an opportunity to show their warm regard.

Only a few weeks ago Mr. Secor celebrated the ninetieth anniversary of his birth.  Hundreds called at the manor house to congratulate him upon having joined the ranks of the nonogenarians [sic], and many others sent flowers and other tokens of friendship.

LOVED OLD MANOR HOUSE.

One of the strong traits of Mr. Secor was affection for the old Colonial manor house in which he died.  It came into the possession of the Secor family several generations ago, and then passed from it.  After Mr. Secor had won wealth as a builder of navy yards, dry docks and warships he decided to dedicate part of his fortune to regaining possession of Lord Pelham's manor [sic].

About twenty years ago the opportunity presented itself and Mr. Secor seized it.  He converted the estate into one of the handsomest country places in Westchester County and went there to live.  Having more land than he needed, he decided to develop it, and it is upon land he sold that a large part of the town [sic] of Pelham Manor now stands.

Mr. Secor was born in New York city.  His father was a famous shipbuilder here in the early part of the last century.  Mr. Secor succeeded to this business and enlarged it to such an extent that before the civil war began his name had become known widely.  When the Federal Government wanted navy yards and dry docks on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts Mr. Secor built them, and when monitors and other armored craft were needed to assist in putting down the secession movement Mr. Secor received many of the construction contracts.  

It was when engaged in this work that he became known so well to Admiral Farragut and other men prominent in the struggle to preserve the Union.  Being an ardent supporter of the Union movement and an uncompromising Republican, Mr. Secor was in hearty accord with the purposes of these men and did everything possible to forward them.  His home became a social and political centre, although Mr. Secor never aspired to or held office.

INTERESTED IN RAILWAYS.

Several years after the close of the civil war he retired from active business life, although he retained large holdings in several of the big railroads in the country.  He devoted himself to the development of his handsome estate in Westchester, and it was one of the sights in Pelham Manor in recent years to see Mr. Secor, who was nearing his century mark, out in the grounds and gardens, engaged actively in supervising the work.

His accurate reminiscence of events in the last seventy years, his knowledge of the motives underlying many important historical movements and his facility in the recital of stories bearing on the political and social lives of men of national and international prominence with whom he had been intimate and whom he had outlived, made Mr. Secor the delight of hundreds of friends."

Source:  FAMED NAVAL BUILDER, JAMES F. SECOR, IS DEAD -- Family at Bedside in Beautiful Pelham Manor Home -- HAD PASSED HIS 90TH YEAR -- He Built Navy Yards at Mare Island and Pensacola, Besides Monitors for Civil War, The New York Press, Dec. 28, 1904, Vol. XVIII, No. 6,237, p. 2, col. 5.  

"AGED WARSHIP BUILDER DEAD.

New York, Dec. 28. -- James F. Secor, builder of the Mare Island navy yard in San Francisco, the Pensacola navy yard and many of the monitors, ironclads and dry docks which contributed so largely toward putting an end to the civil war, is dead at his country home in Pelham Manor.  He was 90 years old."

Source:  AGED WARSHIP BUILDER DEAD, The Minneapolis Journal, Dec. 28, 1904, p. 1, col. 7.  

"JAMES F. SECOR DEAD.
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Built Monitors, Ironclads and Drydocks During Civil War.

New York, Dec. 29. -- James F. Secor, builder of the Mare Island navy yard in San Francisco, the Pensacola navy yard and many of the monitors, ironclads and drydocks which contributed so largely toward putting an end to the Civil War, is dead at his country home in Pelham Manor.  He was ninety years old and until a few hours of his death retained the mental clearness and physical vigor which had been the marvel of his friends for many years."

Source:  JAMES F. SECOR DEAD -- Built Monitors, Ironclads and Drydocks During Civil War, The Bemidji Daily Pioneer, Dec. 29, 1904, Vol. 2, No. 205, p. 1, col. 5. 

"James Francis Secor.

James Francis Secor, a well known  resident of Pelham Manor, died Tuesday night aged 90 years.  The funeral services will be held from the residence on Friday morning at 11 o'clock, and the interment will be made in Woodlawn cemetery."

Source:  James Francis Secor, The Daily Argus [Mount Vernon, NY], Dec. 28, 1904, p. 5, col. 6.  

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