By Claudine and Christopher Klose
This article originally appeared in our September 2022 Member Newsletter. Interested in receiving these stories in your inbox? Become a member today!
Although closed this year, we have welcomed visitors to the Archives Room by appointment, continued our research, and prepared for moving the collections to their new, more accessible home in the StoryStudio. Notable new donations to the collections this year include:
The Lawson-Clum Family Collection
In March, Stephen Lawson and his mother, Janis Clum, who grew up on the Clum farm off Route 9 just south of the Columbia County line, donated a number of early and mid-twentieth century images of many members of Upper Red Hook’s oldest families, including the Clums, Brenzels, Kilmers, and Lashers. We were please also to receive a Brenzel family history , written and illustrated by Stephen, and various items relating to the Clums’ Locus Res Tea Room.
Edwin and Frank Clum aboard their horse while sister Catherine (second from the left) looks on, circa 1890.
Edwin and wife Della operated Locus Rest Tea Room on the farm.
Henry Brenzel, Red Hook Postmaster (1925-1937), and Ida Germond, Assistant Postmaster, in the Post Office then located at 29 West Market Street.
Roland Brenzel (second from left) and Merrick Smith (second from right), of the Empire Market, present Herbert Wilken with a new dishwasher, first prize in a 1951 contest.
1771 Horse Breeding Notice
In May, we were contacted by Erin Duffy of Hebron, NY, about a framed document she had discovered while clearing out her father’s attic. Dated April 12,1771, it advertises “good pasture for mares” but, more importantly, offers the stud services of an impressively pedigreed bay stallion named Hot Spur, belonging to Martin Hoffman, Jr. Prior to gifting us, Erin had established that Hot Spur was sired by “Wildair,” owned by James De Lancey, Jr., Esq. (1732-1800), himself the son of colonial New York lieutenant governor James De Lancey (1703-1760). A breeder of thoroughbreds, De Lancey, Jr. was known as the “Father of the New York Turf.” We are proud to ‘stable’ this fascinating bit of Red Hook equestrian history and look forward to our next challenge: figuring out where that “good pasture” was located!
Image of notice.
Tall Clock and Stoneware Jug
Next time you’re in the Elmendorph, make sure to admire the fine 1820s tall clock gracing the parlor. This elegant period timepiece is the most recent donation by The Rev. James Elliott Lindsley, who shepherded the congregation of Tivoli’s St. Paul’s Episcopal Church from 1969-1992 and was key to saving the Elmendorph from destruction in the mid-1970s. Along with the clock, he gave us the stoneware jug, marked M J Madden, Rondout, NY, which now sits prominently next to the fireplace in the Tap Room.
The clockface features a painting of passenger pigeons.
M.J. Madden of Rondout, NY, was a dealer of brandies, wines and gins.