The E.T. Stotesbury Guestbook

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Vincent Grannetino

I understand that there was a painting commisioned of Eva Stotesbury. Is there any record of its whereabouts or an image of it available online or anywhere to see?

30 September 2008 - Philadelphia, PA

Webmaster comments Eva Stotesbury had several portraits painted of her in her lifetime, and there are three of which I have definite knowledge.

In 1926, art dealer Joseph Duveen commissioned the artist Douglas Chandor to make a pastel portrait of Eva wearing her famous emeralds. Duveen then presented the portrait to Mr. Stotesbury as a Christmas gift. Eva was so pleased with the likeness that she had photographs made of it, which she inscribed and gave to close friends and family members. The original portrait has stayed in the family. You can see a picture of it on page 15 of "The Twilight of Splendor" by James T. Maher (Boston: Little, Brown & Co., 1975), photograph number four in "The Grandes Dames" by Stephen Birmingham (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1982), and page 31 of "Palm Beach Entertains" by the Junior League of the Palm Beaches, Inc. (1976).

An earlier portrait of Eva was painted in Paris by Francois Flameng in 1912, the year of her marriage to E.T. Stotesbury. It hung first in the Stotesbury's townhouse at 1925 Walnut Street and then in the second floor Gallery Hall at Whitemarsh Hall. The latest information that I have is that it most recently was the property of a lady in Philadelphia. You can see an image of it on page 56 of the book "Whitemarsh Hall: The Estate of Edward T. Stotesbury," published in 2004 by Edward and Charles Zwicker and the Springfield Township Historical Society as part of Arcadia Publishing's "Images of America" series.

The Polish artist Joseph Sigall painted Eva Stotesbury's portrait in 1927, but I do not know where it is now.

I heard that several years ago, an unfinished portrait of Eva was on display at a decorators' showcase house in the Philadelphia area. Yet another portrait supposedly hung at one time in the window of an antique shop in Delray Beach, Florida.

I would love to hear from anyone who has seen these or any other portraits of Eva Stotesbury.

christine

what role did ET Stotesbury/the stotesbury family have in the ownership of Northwestern Stables or in the Riders and Drivers of the Wissahickon? My understanding is that Strawbridge owned the stables and sold it to the Fairmount Park commission.

17 September 2008 - phila, pa

Webmaster comments I have yet to come across any connection E.T. Stotesbury may have had with Northwestern Stables. Perhaps the Fairmount Park archives hold the answer. Stotesbury's horses were stabled at his Winoga Stock Farm, a forty-acre property at East and Mermaid Lanes in Springfield Township. After his death in 1938, the land was sold to the federal government and became the Eastern Regional Laboratory of the Department of Agriculture. Stotesbury was an honorary President of the Philadelphia Riders and Drivers Association and served as President of the Commissioners of Fairmount Park in Philadelphia from 1912 until his death.

BLH

Any news on Lynnewood Hall??????????????

5 August 2008 - Mi.

Webmaster comments Lynnewood Hall, the magnificent Trumbauer mansion built for P.A.B. Widener, is still standing, although it is in need of a lot of attention. It currently is owned by a New York-based church.

Tracey Jane Stotesbury

Hi, I have grown up and cherish the fact that I have always been a 'stotesbury' . I am based in the UK and now I am married to a 'Butcher'! It is really weird to go onto the internet and find that mine is not the first union of a 'stotesbury' - 'butcher' partnership. I would be really keen to learn more and be very interested in the book when it comes out. I would be grateful if anyone could let me know and is there a 'Stotesbury' coat of arms? Look forward to hearing from someone soon, Tracey

29 April 2008 - UK - Berkshire

Jon Christopher

I have become crazy about this house. it started out with the photo from " Philadelphia the and now". then I purchased the book "Whitemarsh Hall". How the hell did people let this house go??? I don't understand why there wasn't a foundation set up. my god, the people that stayed here. I'm gonna post my email so if anyone wants to give me any Information or contact me.I can't wait to read Ned's Biography. The pictures alone are so interesting, I can't imagine reading about his entire life. this should dead become a movie. but can you imagine building a set that looks like WMH??? jonchristopher-at sign-comcast dot net I only hope that I see a movie made in my lifetime about this man

21 April 2008 - Philadelphia, Pa

jsfmt99

Thanks for whoever posted the link to my youtube video about Whitemarsh Hall on this site. I have vivid memories of exploring the mansion and the underground basements. In the basements we found the bowling alley, a coal car on the tracks, the giant boilers and the wine area. I remember clearly the window moldings, the detail in the woodcarvings surrounding each window. That 80-foot tunnel under the main garden fountain lead into a huge room beneath it. One of the elevators was stuck in-between floors and one of my friends slid down the elevator cable from the second floor all the way down to the basement. A few of my relatives worked for the Stotesbury’s during the depression and they were treated very well by them. My piece of the mansion in my youtube video was from one of the archway windows. It saddens me that it is all gone.

2 December 2007 - Wyncote, Pa

BLH

Check out the Whitemarsh Hall Youtube video.

31 October 2007 - Somewhere,Mi

Webmaster comments Cool! This video can be viewed at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdoB9xpB46s

Jane Masterson

My grandfather, John F. Masterson, was part owner and Secretary of New York Yacht, Launch & Engine Co. I visited the Shorleave in Sept. 2002 at Dock Street Yachts in Seattle, WA. It was up for sale but needed extensive work. The owner was an elderly man, in poor health, who had lived aboard for many years. the Shorleave was looking for a wooden boat lover with the means to return her to her original beauty. Fortunately there are about 10 other NYY, L & E yachts that are loved and maintained by true wooden boat lovers

21 September 2007 - Punta Gorda, FL.

FM Sherman

Grew up on Stotesbury Road in the 70's just down the hill from the then decaying mansion. Still have a few hazy memories of actually exploring inside Whitemarsh Hall, specifically remembering the black and white marble floor in the foyer.

20 July 2007 - Now Los Angeles, CA

Andrew Stotesbury

I was just trying to find the Stotesbury family coat-of-arms on the net went I found this site. Good luck with the book.

11 July 2007 - London, England

William C Near ( William Earl Stotesbury Jr. )

I have read the many articles I could find about Mr Stotesbury and it is overwhelming. So many great achievements and such a total diminishment at the end. It is only a flash and we are no more. But still it all has to be. Always your friend

24 June 2007 - Richmond Virginia

BLH

Check out wikimapia-dot-org for maps using Google Earth showing location of their homes includung MARLY wherer Eva lived after Edward's death.

26 May 2007 - Somewhere,Mi

Webmaster comments Thanks for this valuable and helpful information! For those new to wikimapia.org, type the word Stotesbury into the search box and links to these sites will appear. I have added the location of a still-standing wall fountain from El Mirasol to the Palm Beach map.

Barbara Stotesbury (Dabroski)

I was delighted to see that a "family tree" is forthcoming. My father is Edward C. Stotesbury and I've long wondered just what the connection, if any, was.

16 May 2007 - Fort Myers, FL 33912

Kristine McGuigan

My great grandfather - Arthur Clyde Laird - was the head electrician at Whitemarsh Hall until his death in January of 1938 - the same year that ET passed away. The Influenza Pandemic of 1918 occurred during the contruction of Whitemarsh Hall. Mr. Stotesbury sent machinery from the job site to nearby Holy Sepulcher Cemetary, next door to what is now Arcadia University. When Penn Salt (now Alcoa) purchased the house, they had laboratories set up in the ballroom. My Aunt was a science for Penn Salt and worked in the house during that time. Whitemarsh Hall, as well as all the homes built by Horace Trumbauer, was a wonderland. It is a terrible shame the building couldn't be saved.

1 May 2007 - Havertown, PA

christine

I am interested in the section on 'horses'. I am the co-chair of the wissahickon day parade, a tradition that was started during Stotesbury's lifetime. How was he involved with this? I would like to contact any of his direct relatives to see if they are available to present awards during the event. Many thanks

24 January 2007 - phila pa

Webmaster comments As President of the Philadelphia Road Drivers Association, E.T. Stotesbury enjoyed driving his trotters through the Wissahickon Glen. In the May 17, 1938 Philadelphia Inquirer (the day after Stotesbury died), there is a rather lengthy article entitled "Stotesbury, Noted Banker, Is Dead at 89." It begins on page one and continues on page six. Buried near the bottom of page six is the following:

"Even in later years, when increasing age and business responsibilities denied him active participation in the hunt meets and horse shows of the vicinity, Mr. Stotesbury indicated his partiality for 'man's noblest animal friend' by making vigorous protest to the opening of the Fairmount Park bridle paths to motor vehicles. It was partly due to his intervention that the extension of motorists' privileges to those leafy lanes along the winding Wissahickon was denied."

John M. McNulty

Philadelphia and Reading Railway, later Reading Company, business car # 10 was named "Reading" when it was owned by the P&R and the Reading. When the Strasburg Rail Road purchased the car in the early 1960's they renamed it "Paradise" and repainted it in their paint scheme. In recent years the car has been repainted in its original Philadelphia and Reading Railway paint scheme and once again carries the name "Reading".

12 January 2007 - Glenside, PA