The Granard Bequest Exhibition at Dublin Castle

Recently, items once owned by the Mills' daughter Beatrice were on display at Dublin Castle. Beatrice married an earl who was originally from Ireland, and they were rumored to have met at Dublin Castle.  Since no one on staff was able to make a quick jaunt over to Ireland, we were happy to be able to learn more about the exhibition from curator Joanne Bannon who was instrumental in researching, creating, and installing the exhibition.

One of the prevailing stories of the Gilded Age was the marriage of wealthy American heiresses to titled Europeans.  These transatlantic marriages brought millions of dollars of American money into Europe, primarily England, and gave newly rich American families the opportunity to boast of a connection to royalty and perhaps include a countess in the family.  The Mills family fit perfectly into this trend when Beatrice, one of Ruth and Ogden's twin daughters, married Bernard Arthur William Patrick Hastings Forbes, the 8th Earl of Granard.  Originally from Ireland, Lord Granard was Lord-in-Waiting to Edward VII from 1905-1907, Master of the Horse to both Edward VII and George V, and served as a member of Seanad Eireann for twelve years.  His eldest son, Arthur, succeeded him as Earl when he passed away in 1948.

Countess (Beatrice Mills) and Bernard Forbes, 8th Earl of Granard, married in 1909

Changing of the Guard: Who Will Become the Next Queen of Gilded Age Society...?

Caroline Schermerhorn Astor (1830-1908) was undeniably the grande-dame of society for decades.  She reigned over New York Society and the "Four Hundred," as the arbiter of good taste and social acceptance.  By the 1890's, however, she was beginning to slow down.  Her husband, William Backhouse Astor, died in 1892 and her daughter Helen (Roosevelt) died in 1893, which necessitated two years of mourning in a row.  In 1895, Mrs. Astor's entertaining co-conspirator, Ward McAllister, died as well really leaving her without the same gusto for entertaining.  She also was reportedly suffering from dementia, which affected the later years of her life.  Once she was advancing in age and starting to slow down, society was buzzing about who would become the next Mrs. Astor.

Caroline Schermerhorn Astor (1830-1908)

There were several candidates, but who had the strength, power, and skill to succeed?  Who had the combination of wealth, elegance, beauty, and needed to take over the reigns and lead society?  Let's take a look at the contenders...

Behind the Scenes at Staatsburgh:Reproducing Maids' Uniforms

Interpreters at Staatsburgh often dress in period clothing while giving tours in order to best represent the period.  Guests often wonder where we get the clothing and what makes it authentic.  While there are several excellent retailers who sell reproduction clothing, the NYS Bureau of Historic Sites also has wonderful seamstresses who sew period clothing.  This blog, authored by Amanda Massie, Associate Curator at the NYS Bureau of Historic Sites, examines the research that went into maids' clothing sewn for Staatsburgh.  

My Historical Namesake: The Other Maria Reynolds

In the study of history, a personal connection is often what draws us in to begin to explore a subject or a place or an era.  We might be interested in World War II after hearing Grandpa's stories about the war.  Or perhaps we begin to read about the Underground Railroad after discovering several stations in our hometown.  The attempt to make a personal connection with the people we read about and study is a common impulse for anyone who loves history.  It makes history come alive.  In the 21st century, finding information has become much easier with the internet.  Wikipedia has made it very simple to learn a little about a lot of subjects.  I love to explore the web, which takes me to this story of one of my personal connections to history (and don't worry it relates to Staatsburgh as well!).  My story does not deal with one of my ancestors, but instead with a woman who shares my name.

An Aerial View of the Mansion

It is not very often that we are able to see the mansion from above, which is why it was exciting that we recently took some unique aerial photos.  During recent work on the mansion’s façade, we found someone on staff with no fear of heights to go up on the lift and take aerial shots of the building, with the Hudson in the background.  This view really allows you to see the work that was done on the mansion since 2013.  The white front portico glistens and the copper on the new roof shines.  You can see the new portico whenever you approach the mansion, but the new roof is a little harder to showcase!

Enjoy this series of photos!