Sale of the Pre-Revolutionary War Home Known as Pelhamdale in 1948

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There is a lovely historic home located at 45 Iden Avenue in the Village of Pelham Manor.  It is known as "Pelhamdale."  Portions of the home are believed to pre-date the Revolutionary War. The home once was owned by American Patriot David Jones Pell.  The structure is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The home has been significantly altered since the eighteenth century.

In 1948, the home was sold to Joseph Boucher of the Bronx.  At the time, the home was owned by the estate of W. W. Taylor and had been on the market for an exceedingly long period of time.  During that time, Town residents proposed all sorts of schemes to "save" the home.  Pelham Post 50, American Legion proposed to buy Pelhamdale to serve as its local headquarters, but objections from neighbors stopped that effort.  Townspeople proposed to raise money privately to purchase the home and designate it as the Town of Pelham Public Library as a memorial to those who fought in World War II.  The effort failed, however, due to a "lack of public interest."

Though the home has been through a succession of owners during its roughly 265-year history, it remains today an elegant private residence listed on the National Register of Historic Places do to its storied history and the backgrounds of those who have lived in it including Philip Pell and his son, David Jones Pell.

I have written about David J. Pell and the lovely historic home known as "Pelhamdale" and "Pelham Dale" on numerous occasions.  For a few examples, see:

Tue., Jun. 24, 2014:  Story of Pelhamdale, the Old Stone House by the Bridge, Once Owned by David J. Pell.

Thu., Jan. 03, 2008:  Charges in 1808 Against Lieutenant-Colonel David J. Pell of Pelham that He "Indulges in Inebriety and Habitual Drunkeness." 

Thu., Oct. 26, 2006:  Genealogical Data Regarding David Jones Pell of the Manor of Pelham, Revolutionary War Officer. 

Mon., Oct 15, 2007:  Town Proclamation Recognizes Celebration of the 250th Anniversary of Pelhamdale at 45 Iden Avenue. 

Wed., Nov. 02, 2005:  Engraving by P.M. Pirnie Showing Pelhamdale in 1861. 

Thu., Oct. 13, 2005:  Two More Pelham Ghost Stories. 

Mon., Sep. 19, 2005:  The Long-Hidden Pastoral Mural Uncovered in Pelhamdale, a Pre-Revolutionary War Home. 

Mon., Apr. 11, 2005:  More From the William R. Montgomery Glass Negative Collection (includes photograph of fire at Pelhamdale on February 28, 1925). 

Tue., Mar. 22, 2005:  The 1790 U.S. Census Information for the Township of Pelham. 

Pelhamdale on October 14, 2007.  Photograph by the Author.

NOTE:  Click Image To Enlarge.

Today's posting to the Historic Pelham Blog transcribes the text of an article published in 1948 describing a recent sale of Pelhamdale.  It is followed by a citation and link to its source. 

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"Historic Old Pell House Sold, Built Before Revolutionary War

PELHAM MANOR -- Pell House, almost 200 years old and one of Westchester's historic landmarks, Carol Place and Iden Avenue, has been sold by the estate of W. W. Taylor to Joseph Boucher, 2534 Woodhull Avenue, the Bronx.

John K. Miller, Mount Vernon real estate broker, who handled the transaction, and who has been managing agent of the property for 16 years, said the new owner will occupy the house and plans extensive alterations.  The old stone house, which stands on a plot of an acre-and-a-half, has 13 rooms.

Dates From 1750

The house, the only pre-Revolutionary mansion still standing in Pelham Manor [sic], was erected around 1750 - 1760, according to Lockwood Barr, town historian.  Mr. Barr, in his book, 'Ancient Town of Pelham,' relates that the house originally was called Pelham Dale, from which Pelhamdale Avenue derives its name.  It was built by Philip Pell II, grandson of the third Lord of the Manor of Pelham.

According to Mr. Barr, the house, on a small triangular tract bounded by Carol Place, Iden Avenue, and the Hutchinson Parkway, is all that remains of the original large farm.  After the Revolution, Colonel David Pell, a son of Philip Pell II, lived in the old homestead until his death in 1823.  His widow sold the tract to James Hay, who named the place Pelham Dale.

In the North wall of the house is imbedded a large piece of red sandstone on which is cut in relief the coat-of-arms of the Hay family.

Sought as Historic Shrine

'Pelham Dale was one of the magnificent country estates of Westchester,' Mr. Barr writes.  'It has passed through many ownerships; yet today, in spite of its use and abuse, it still is a fine example of the mansions of its day.  Numerous unsuccessful attempts have been made to interest some patriotic society in purchasing thiss old Pell place and restoring it as a historic museum for the Pelhams.'

Last year Pelham Post 50, American Legion, was considering buying the property for a clubhouse but Pelham Manor residents objected.  Last January a proposal by the Pelham Realty Board that the mansion be purchased by popular subscription as a town public library for a World War II memorial, fell through from lack of public interest."

Source:  Historic Old Pell House Sold, Built Before Revolutionary War, The Daily Argus [Mount Vernon, NY], Aug. 4, 1948, p. 5, cols. 4-6.  

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The Henry Iden, Jr. Property on Wolfs Lane -- An Ice Skating Paradise

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During the late 19th century and the first two decades of the 20th century, there was a low region located roughly in the area now bounded on three sides by Reed Avenue, Wolfs Lane, and Iden Avenue in the Village of Pelham Manor.  The section was owned by Henry Iden Jr., an affluent son of Henry Iden, a wealthy acetylene lamp and lighting magnate.

In the late 19th century, there were two large ponds on the Iden estate.  One was kidney shaped and lay on the eastern side of Wolfs Lane roughly straddling what is, today, that portion of Iden Avenue that extends between Wolfs Lane and Pelhamdale Avenue.  (That extension had not yet been built at the time.)  The second pond was slightly smaller and lay just south of the kidney-shaped lake very near Wolfs Lane.

Originally, Henry Iden, Jr. built a lovely home that stood along Wolfs Lane between today's Reed Avenue and today's Stellar Place.  It is shown on the 1899 Fairchild Map of the area (see detail below).  By 1908, Henry Iden, Jr. had built a larger mansion along Wolfs Lane immediately across from the portion of Iden Avenue that extends from Wolfs Lane westward looping into Murray Street.  In connection with the construction of that home, the larger kidney-shaped pond was filled, leaving only the smaller pond to the south, neatly nestled on the north side of Reed Avenue and the east side of Wolfs Lane where Reed Avenue intersects with Wolfs Lane.  

As an interesting aside, in the spring of 1908, the Pelham Country Club began. The first clubhouse was the original Iden house.  According to one account quoted more fully below, Henry Iden offered his original home to the club "on most liberal terms, and it would have been difficult for the club to have made such a successful start had it not been for the personal interest taken in the club’s welfare by Mr. Iden."  By 1911, the clubhouse in the original Iden home and the grounds of the club that included four tennis courts and a makeshift ball field were outgrown "with the result that a more commodious plant was found necessary whereby plans for the present quarters were finally decided upon.”

During the nineteenth century, both ponds were exciting locations for local ice skaters throughout Pelham.  There are many accounts of skaters enjoying the winter sport on the Iden estate.  With the filling, and thus disappearance, of the kidney-shaped pond, however, the smaller pond became the sole focus of local skaters for the next fifteen years.  It was known, rather unsurprisingly, as "Iden Pond."  Skaters had to pick their skating times carefully.  Periodically, Henry Iden, Jr. had men cut the ice on the ponds and harvest it for storage in an ice house for use later in the year. 

By the mid-1920s, Iden Pond was merely a memory for some Pelhamites.  The entire area had been filled.  Skaters had lost yet another winter sport paradise.  Lovely houses now sit on the land.  

Detail from Plate 23 of the John F. Fairchild Atlas of

the City of Mount Vernon and the Town of Pelham

Published in 1899 Showing the Two Ponds on the

Iden Estate.  NOTE:  Click Image to Enlarge.

Detail from Plate 31 of the John F. Fairchild Atlas of

the City of Mount Vernon and the Town of Pelham

Published in 1908 Showing the Last Remaining Ponds

on the Iden Estate.  NOTE:  Click Image to Enlarge.

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Immediately below are a number of articles and excerpts from articles that mention members of the Iden family or the ponds that once stood on the Iden estate.  Each is followed by a citation to its source.  Many include links to their sources as well.

“Another low spot was near Wolf's Lane, down the slope on which the Iden house nows stands, on which was a body of water known as 'Iden's Pond' where the children used to skate. It has now been filled in and houses built there.” 

Source: Gillett, Charles R., Recollections Of Old Pelham Manor, The Pelham Sun, Aug. 29, 1941, p. 4, col. 3. 

“Outside the region which at the time was considered Pelham Manor proper (that is the territory between the Boston Post Road and the Old Post Road, which is now called Colonial avenue), there were three other houses. One was the dwelling of Mr. Henry Iden, still standing on Iden avenue, overlooking 'Iden Pond,' mentioned elsewhere.” 

Source: Gillett, Charles R., Recollections Of Old Pelham Manor, The Pelham Sun, Aug. 1, 1941, p. 4, col. 1. 

“The [Pelham Country] club started in the spring of 1908 with a membership of exactly fifty, the number which was originally decided upon by the founders as necessary in order to insure the institution’s success. The present enrollment includes 127 residents, 53 non-resident and 3 Army and Navy members, certainly an increase to proportion of which would be just cause for gratification to any club. 

The first home of the club was the original Iden house, the building and grounds being offered to the club by the late Mr. Henry Iden on most liberal terms, and it would have been difficult for the club to have made such a successful start had it not been for the personal interest taken in the club’s welfare by Mr. Iden. Within three years’ time the old club house and grounds which embraced four tennis courts and a makeshift ball field were outgrown with the result that a more commodious plant was found necessary whereby plans for the present quarters were finally decided upon.” 

Source: Phelps, George A., The Pelham Country Club, The Pelham Sun, Dec. 20, 1913, p. 8, cols. 1-2. 

PELHAM 30 YEARS AGO (Pelham Press January 23, 1897), The Pelham Sun, Jan. 28, 1927, p. 13, cols. 1-2 (“Henry Iden has men engaged in cutting the ice on his pond on Wolf’s lane. The work began last Wednesday and it is expected that the ice house will be filled with this crop.”). 

U.S. Patent:  Acetylene - Gas Lamp, Publication No. US1149522 A; Inventors Henry Iden, Julius John Suckert, and Henry Amrhein, Filing Date:  Jan. 29, 1910).  

"Henry Iden, president of the Acetylene Lamp Co., of New York City, died on Saturday, May 4, at his home, Pelham Manor, White Plains, N.Y."  

Source:  ACETYLENE RAYS, Vol. XIV, No. 1, p. 31, col. 2 (Chicago, IL:  Jul. 1912).  

“REMEMBERS HIS MEN. 
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Millionaire Henry Iden Makes Bequests to 47 Employes [sic]. 

New York, Oct. 28. – Reisenberger of Henry Iden, of Pelham-on-the-Sound, who for a quarter of a century was the head of a big gas fixture manufacturing company in Manhattan, the Isabella Heimath, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, the German hospital and St. Mark’s hospital each receive bequests aggregating from $200 to $300.

Fourteen of his employes [sic] are left $250 each, seven receive $200 each, five $150 each, five $100 each and sixteen $50 each, making a total bequest of $6,950 to employes [sic].

The bulk of his estate is inherited by his sons, Charles and Henry Iden. 

The estate is said to be worth a million.” 

Source: REMEMBERS HIS MEN – Millionaire Henry Iden Makes Bequests to 47 Employes, Geneva Daily News [Geneva, NY], Oct. 28, 1903, p. 1, col. 3. 

"Even within the twenty five years during which Mr. and Mrs. [William] Montgomery have lived in Pelham, the changes have been unbelievably great.  Mr. Montgomery tells of Iden Lake, where, until recent years, the young people of the town skated in winter.  This lake, which has been filled in, lay within the Iden property which extended from Colonial avenue to the Esplanade and from Wolf's Lane to Reed avenue."

Source:  Photos of Past Give Heritage Of Pride to Pelham -- W. R. Montgomery's Rare Historical Collection of Deeds, Maps and Indian Relics Makes Old Pelham Live, The Pelham Sun, Oct. 15, 1926, p. 18, cols. 1-7 (see col. 7).

 “The carriage house of Henry Iden on Wolf’s lane were completely destroyed by fire this afternoon. Someone setting fire to the dry grass in the adjoining field caused the trouble. Hose 2 of Pelham Manor closely followed by the hose and truck companies of the first district responded but were unable to cope with the flames. A call was sent to Mount Vernon and Washington Engine and the Steamer companies arrived just as the large barns caught fire. With four streams the fire was soon under control.” 

Source: PELHAM 30 YEARS AGO (Pelham Press, April 3, 1897), The Pelham Sun, Apr. 1, 1927, p. 14, cols. 1-2. 

“JURY DISAGREES. 
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After sixteen days in court and speeches by eight lawyers, a jury Wednesday announced that it was unable to agree upon a verdict after deliberating four hours. The members announced they were hopelessly divided. Judge Mills discharged them. 

The case was that of Albert J. Pope, as receiver of the Pope-Iden Manufacturing Company, a lamp manufacturing concern of Massachusetts, against Henry Iden to recover $80,000 for royalties. The array of legal talent and the character of the evidence was confusing to some of the jurors, and when they retired to-day to deliberate there seemed little chance of a verdict. 

The claim was set up by Mr. Pope as receiver, that Mr. Iden had been paid royalties, on a lamp which he should not have received. This was estimated at $80,000, and it was for the recovery of this amount from Mr. Iden that the suit was brought.” 

Source: JURY DISAGREES, The Eastern State Journal [White Plains, NY], Dec. 25, 1909, p. 2, col. 2.

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