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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: Bethgem on Friday 21 August 09 22:09 BST (UK)
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My Aunt Peg, also known as Maud and vice versa, was a nanny to a member of the Rockefeller family in 1925. These photos were taken then, along with a few others. I am interested in the house to know where it was and if it is still there. I hope you can help on this one please, I would be most grateful.
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It could be The Eyrie but it was torn down in the 1950's see ....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockefeller_family#Family_residences
It looks like Maine to me.
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Doesn't look a thing like The Eyrie- see here (http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.cardcow.com/images/the-eyrie-summer-home-of-john-d-rockefeller-seal-harbor-us-state-town-views-maine-seal-harbor-21684.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.cardcow.com/21684/the-eyrie-summer-home-of-john-d-rockefeller-seal-harbor-maine-seal-harbor/&usg=__GD4pWMxXz1GcGp9D4McSwQyZhHI=&h=391&w=600&sz=67&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=WVvO5TUck28wzM:&tbnh=88&tbnw=135&prev=/images%3Fq%3Drockefeller%2B%2Bthe%2Beyrie%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26channel%3Ds%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-GB:official%26hs%3D02b%26sa%3DG%26um%3D1)
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You are absolutely right aghadowey :-[
but the link I gave has reference to various other Rockefeller Houses :)
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Thanks, I read the wiki and was amazed they give so much detail. Not much luck though on my photo. Maybe it wasn't one of their homes but just a hotel, visited for some reason. Someone might know, I'll keep watch.
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Doesn't seem to be any of the ones mentioned in Wikipedia page but it looks familiar- wish I could remember where I might have seen a photo of it.
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I hope you can recall it, aghadowey. If it helps I can show you another one of the house. Also I've added a nostalgic family photo, which just might be outside the house we are looking for. Hope it helps.
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Still thinking- it's going to drive me crazy ::) but meanwhile what about tracing aunt in census records (1920 and 1930) to see if she's employed by the family, where she's living, etc. So many of the Rockefellers had big houses (and more than one apiece) that the employers name might narrow down the possibilities.
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Ah, yes, well, I have not broken into American research engines at all! I think they have more recent cenuses than we have so it might be an option. The people standing by the steps of a house in my last photo I sent are the Rockefellers and the old man himself too! I was daft to suggest they were outside the white house, oops! :-[
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Did they have a 'cottage' in Cape Cod?
Ken
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Did they have a 'cottage' in Cape Cod?
Ken
Sorry Ken, can't see the connection there; not unless it is a joke that I am not getting, silly me if so! :-[
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"Cottage" is a New England term for large mansions of wealthy families used as summer homes such as those in Newport, Rhode Island:
www.newportmansions.org/page7016.cfm
Haven't found any in Massachusetts yet. Some in New York, Virginia, Connecticut, Florida (not correct style).
I'm still trying to remember why this house looks familiar- if it was a photo in a book on Rockefeller family then it's over 20 years since I would have read it. Did lots more Googling but nothing likely yet.
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:)
Thank you very much for your help, aghadowery. I did some research myself but did not find anything, that's why I came on here to ask about it.
One of the places I applied to was the Rockefeller Archives in America and a lady told me she did not recognise the place in the photos. She suggested the big white house was just a hotel, but still she was not sure.
She said she passed the images round everyone in the building, too. Her final suggestion was for it being near to a Golf Course, as the elderly Mr Rockefeller spent a lot of time playing golf. My contact with her ended then.
That was a good while ago now, about 2007. I do not know why my Aunt Peg was there at that time in the photo, and she is with a friend too, as they each took an image of one another, but I do not know who she is.
:)
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Umm.. I was going to suggest contacting the archives next. If it is a hotel (although looks very 'empty') it's not going to be easy. Do you have any details about the last picture you've posted? that might be the way to track them down.
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The last one I posted is of the big man himself, and I suppose his nearest and dearest, as the lady in America confirmed to me that they were definitely them. The building could be anywhere.
If you think that the white house looks empty for a hotel, then could it be a rest home of some kind, for the very rich, of course? I do not know how qualified my Aunt Peg was and so she very well could have been a minder for the old man himself! <Clutching straws smiley>
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Intriguing problem, Bethgem.
Since the architecture is Greek Revival, I suggest one method would be to use Google image search for [ "greek revival" mansion ]. Limiting by Rockefeller might be too restrictive.
This turns up a lot of hits and I don't have the time to look through all of them.
Nick
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Hello bethgem
Your query really intrigued me! Although I am no expert on the Rockerfellers or "big white houses", I would like to suggest the following - after looking at your pictures the first couple of photos just by the way they are photographed look like they are trying to make the house a feature much more than the person - suggesting to me that they are looking at or visiting somewhere rather than it being somewhere that they own or go to alot. The last photo you show - I'm assuming is somewhere completely different by the brickwork and that in this photo it is the people who are the important part. I'm assuming that they must be at their usual home or one that is known because they don't feel the need to include much of the building in their photo.
There was much infomation brought up when I tried googling for different information, but the following tit-bit of info was thrown up in that it suggested "Manhatton's elite" all use to head for Westchester County because it was so close to NY.
Also, I would have to disagree with the Rockerfeller lady who suggested a hotel. It looks far too "stately" and empty to be hotel. I also don't think people of that caliber and at that period in time would go to a hotel. People like J.Randolph Hearst etc. and that ilk were always hosting weekend parties and inviting these amazing & rich people to stay, so I might even go as far to say it was someone else's (equally as rich & famous) country estate. I would try and have a go at this - I found the name Joseph W. Ernst mentioned as the Rockerfeller Archivist (hopefully still alive!) and he seems to have written a number of books - I would write to him with your query, if any one should know I bet he would. I'm sure you could address any letter to him through his publisher. Good luck with your quest. I will be interested to know when you discover where it is!
Cheers, Leslie
PS - you never said which Rockerfeller the "old man" was. He doesn't look like John D.
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Intriguing problem, Bethgem.
Since the architecture is Greek Revival, I suggest one method would be to use Google image search for [ "greek revival" mansion ]. Limiting by Rockefeller might be too restrictive.
This turns up a lot of hits and I don't have the time to look through all of them.
Nick
Many thanks for that suggestion! I saw "Greek revival architecture in America" link and have yet to click it to view it. I have been away over a week and have caught up now. I'll get back on this soon :)
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If you look at the shot of the woman with parasol on the lawn, the sun is almost bang overhead, which means it can't be taken too far north of the Tropic of Cancer.
Soooo.......the far south of California, or (more likely) Florida.
Hibee
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To turnerchimes, I have been away on holiday so was not able to reply sooner, so can now say many thanks for your suggestions. I am sure that that is the case with the focus on the subjects and the buildings, in turn, as you have described.
The lady in America at the Rockefeller Archives thought the white house was part of a golf course for the elite to stay in on their many long holidays and playing that game.
The one with the family group by the steps of the brick building is more likely to be a place they stay at, as you have pointed out. I agree. And, you will be pleased to know, the big man himself is J D Rockefeller, as the lady in America has confirmed it to me! He was quite old then so did not look himself, as it were! I have one other image which I will send soon.
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If you look at the shot of the woman with parasol on the lawn, the sun is almost bang overhead, which means it can't be taken too far north of the Tropic of Cancer.
Soooo.......the far south of California, or (more likely) Florida.
Hibee
Oh so good to know! Thanks, it helps a lot. The lady in America told me it was probably in Florida too, so your knowledge of the skies adds to it.
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As promised to turnerchimes, the other image I have of J D Rockefeller, with my Aunt Peg. I hope it will be allowed. I tried before but it was too big. Hope this is ok.
Photo with writing on the back of it
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Hi -
That's a fantastic photo!! :) The face in this photo looks much more like the JD from school history books! You are lucky to have such keepsakes.
I am still keeping my eyes open for any "big white houses". Hope someone is able to identify it soon!
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I think you're definitely on the right track. The house looks to me to be similar to many of the Antebellum greek revival places built in Florida -
and here is a photo of Rockefeller playing golf in 1925 in Ormond Florida:
http://www.nytstore.com/ProdDetail.aspx?prodId=2107&refprod=2324
I don't think that's your house in the background, but I can't imagine an 85 year old went on too many holidays that year - so you're likely to be getting close!
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A super link there, many thanks! Yes he looks fit though, even at that age! I have one more photo image but it is not clear who is on there, but I'll send it on soon, when I get it put on my computer. I promise!
I looked on the Greek Architecture sites on the Google link but did not see any in the south of America, which is where it is thought the house might be. It may not be anywhere now, as it might have been knocked down and something else put there. A good Google site though, worth more time spent on it.
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The trees don't remind me of Florida ???
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Perhaps it was not in Florida then, who knows?
I looked again on the Googled site and found an email address on the Greek Revival site and so I sent them the images with a request if they could identify the building. Holding breath now!
That other image I promised is this one. It is not known who any of the other people are with J D R. Just a note on the back with a name that has not yet been traced, and I have made extensive enquiries. It is either Treglown or Tregloun.
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Think the surname is Treglown- there are some in Florida but the family could be from anywhere.
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Yes, it seems to look like Treglown, but when I asked the lady at the Rockefeller Archives, by email, about this name she said there is no record associated with the Rockefeller family history. I thought it strange, as surely there would be some press coverage at the time; whatever JDR was doing at any one time it could have been observed and recorded. Maybe?
I wrote to a gentleman who left his email address on his website covering Greek Revival Architecture and he replied almost straight away that he cannot identify the house. He added that it is probably one of the Rockefeller properties, but he is not familiar with it. A quick reply maybe because it really is not on his list of Greek Revival Architecture. So, yet again no result. Ah well, maybe one day.
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Hi Bethgem,
Are you still looking for your big white house?
I came across a photo posted recently on "Old Long Island" blog and it triggered my memory of your query.
The house is called Crossroads and it's on Long Island.
http://www.oldlongisland.com/2010/01/crossroads.html
A number of the photos are taken from different aspects, and there are other buildings on the estate that look less familiar, but the South Front photo (the first one) looks very similar to my untrained eye! It's the only house I've seen that has the same 4 squared columns, two storeys, shutters, and flat roof as your photo, and other parts of the house have the distinctive oval windows. It was built in 1919.
If not, perhaps Long Island might still be a good place to search!
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I am very grateful for that information, beluga07. I have sent Zach an email just now, and wait with baited breath for his reply!
I'll keep you posted!
:)
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Result! That IS the Big White House on that website!
I sent Zach the photos in an attachment to my email. He is ever so pleased to see them! The place is called "Crossroads" (no, nothing to do with the tv soap that once was, here!) and it is in a suburb of New York State. So now we know! Big thanks to beluga07 for the link, and all the work involved in finding it. :)
Also, I mentioned the family my Aunt Maud worked for in America, the Treglown family, and said I couldn't trace them and Zach gave me a link to The New York Times newspaper which has a few reports on that family name. Although they might not be the ones, but it is better than I could find using that name in searches. I don't think it's wise to contact them after so long.
So then I must now announce that this case is closed. Thank you to everyone who have been helpful to me with this query.
All the best, Bethgem :)
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Great news!