History in the Making

The Newsletter of the New Hope Historical Society

H i s t o r y i n t h e M a k i n g

February, 2017 History in the Making

N e w s l e t t e r

H i g h l i g h t s

Historical Society

to celebrate Jane

Parry’s 250th Birth-

day and Benjamin

Parry’s 260th on

March 5TH

Holliday “Spirited”

Tea drew about 150

partygoers

Mark your calen-

dars for out Annual

Speaker Series in

April

Annual Home and

Garden Tour set for

June 4

In Memoriam:

Jeanne Robinson and

Curtis Thomsen

Dr. Claire Shaw elected president of Historical Society

At the 58th Annual Meet-

ing of the New Hope His-

torical Society on No-

vember 16, Dr. Claire

Shaw was elected presi-

dent.

She is a long-time mem-

ber and supporter of the

Historical Society, and

has served as vice presi-

dent and member of the

board of directors.

Dr. Shaw has chaired a

number of Historical So-

ciety events, most promi-

nent of all was the most

successful Return to Janu-

ary’s fundraiser. She has

also chaired the Holiday

“Spirited” Tea and works

in the Society’s archives.

Dr. Shaw had been presi-

dent of the New Hope

Borough Council and had

served for many years on

the Borough Council.

Officers elected at the

Annual Meeting were

vice presidents: Edwin

Hild, Kevin Joy and

George Yarnall. Avril

Barton Moore was elected

to the treasurer position

and Mary Ellen Mason,

Secretary.

New members elected to

the board of directors

were David Child, Lin

Hodgdon, Fred Logan,

Moira McClintock and

Frank Policare.

Bryce Sanders was elect-

ed Emeritus member of

the Board and Susan San-

dor was appointed to the

Advisory Committee.

The New Hope Historical

Society presented its Dis-

tinguished Service Award

to Ernie Bowman. Mr.

Bowman was a member

of the Society’s Board of

Directors for 20 years and

spearheaded the effort to

restore the exterior of the

Parry Mansion. His dedi-

cation to the upkeep of

the mansion has pre-

served it and restored its

architectural integrity. He

had served as the facili-

ties manager for the Parry

Mansion and Parry Barn.

In accepting the nomina-

tion for president of the

New Hope Historical So-

ciety, Dr. Shaw empha-

sized the vital importance

of maintaining New

Hope’s historic structures.

She resides in a historic

building that once served

as a toll collector’s house

for canal boats that trav-

elled along the Delaware

Canal in New Hope.

Claire Shaw, DMD

2

The New Hope

Historical Society

Board of Directors

President

Claire Shaw, DMD

Vice Presidents

Edwin Hild

Kevin Joy

George Yarnall

Secretary

Mary Ellen Mason

Treasurer

Avril Barton Moore

Directors

John Blady

Dee Dee Bowman

David Child

Joseph Cummins

Ralph Curtis Fey

Wendy Gladston

Gayle Goodman

Robert Goodwin*

Lin Hodgdon

John Hover*

Les Isbrandt*

Ann Liebgold **

Fred Logan

Moira McClintock

Terry McNealy

Laurie Madaus

John Mauro

Ben Meadows

Chuck Mintzer

Pearl Mintzer

Kevin Nakashima**

Frank Policare

Dee Rosenwald *

Bryce Sanders*

Lynn Stoner*

Roy Ziegler

*Emeritus

**Honorary

Advisory Board

Adrianne Emmertz

JoAnn Goodwin

Cecily Laidman

Susan Sandor

Patricia Whitman

Barry Ziff

Executive Director

Deborah Lang

The Holidays were as happy as ever at the Parry Mansion. The Spirited Tea set an all-time attendance record with the crowd making it impossible to move at times. A vast array of Holiday treats were available and cordially presented by Tanya Ivan and her crew. Everything was delicious and the smiles were everywhere throughout the evening. Bob Egan had the crowd singing along and enjoying the music of the season.

Victorian Christmas was even better this year as Karen Etcoff organized the

entertainment which included tunes from our freshly tuned piano. As a side

note, the piano sat for years but Derek Foster’s fine tuning gave the piano new

life but proclaimed that the task was a bit more challenging than he expected.

Our distinctly clad minstrels organized by Steve Ryan with Pamela Sharples, Cecelia Tepping and

Brian Middleton placed everyone in the proper mood to enjoy the period correct tastings prepared by

Christopher Don.

Hugh Marshal provided the lighting on our tree which is sporting new technology lighting to help with

the electric bill. The candles in the windows of the mansion help set the charm of New Hope this year

as in the past. I get constant positive feedback from everyone who passes by during this happy time.

I know that 2017 will be a great year as I am looking forward to working with our new President Claire

Shaw and Board Members to ensure the Society will produce another year of outstanding programs

and events for the members of the Society and community at large. Please remember we are always

looking for volunteers if you have a bit of spare time as there is always something to do to help the

Society. See you at our next event!

Deborah

H i s t o r y i n t h e M a k i n g

Deborah Lang

History in the Making is a publication of the New Hope Historical Society

Roy Ziegler, Editor

Associate Editors: Edwin Hild, Deborah Lang and Claire Shaw

At the Parry Mansion: “Lights, camera, action!”

As General William Tecumseh Sherman prepares

to address graduating cadets at the Michigan Mil-

itary Academy in 1879, he reflects on his own

storied legacy and recalls his final night in Atlan-

ta on the eve of his infamous March to the Sea,

the brutal campaign and first example of modern

“total war” that destroyed the Southern states he

loved so dearly. On that fateful night, his morali-

ty and values were put to the test by an escaped

slave turned Contraband Soldier.

The film, Attila, is the best kind of period piece:

topical and essentially inquisitive of the major

issues of today. Working in rehearsals for the one

-act play in New York that led to the film, was a

transformative process for Ben and Oliver Samu-

els that, at its peak moment, tapped into genera-

tions and centuries of human struggle, of joy and

grief, of anger and resolution.

“We grew up in historic Bucks County, Pennsyl-

vania,” says the director, Ben Samuels about

himself and his brother, Oliver, “with a stop on

the Underground Railroad and an escaped slave

cemetery just down the road. Washington’s

troops quartered in our town, home to the 104th

PA Volunteers that fought in the Civil War, and

no less than five Union generals are buried in the

town cemetery. We grew up in the land of Wil-

liam Penn, the land of the Lenni-Lenape First

Peoples, and that rich and nuanced history, with

all of its achievements and regrets, courses

through our bodies and informs our art.”

So when they produced and directed Attila, the

Samuels Brothers were delighted to be able to

film segments of the film at a number of historic

locations in Bucks County. The New Hope His-

torical Society was thrilled to host them and their

production crew at the Parry Mansion for several

scenes in this poignant and provocative film.

Director, Ben Samuels with Jamal Solomon

3

H i s t o r y i n t h e M a k i n g

B ec ome a s pons or for our 24th A nnua l G a rden Tour “Million Dolla r L is tings ”

This year we will be tweaking our Annual Garden Tour to make it even more excit-ing. Our theme is “Million Dollar Listing Bucks County.” On Sunday, June 4, from 10 am to 4 pm, visitors will be welcomed inside some of the most beautiful estates in Bucks County. The New Hope Histori-cal Society’s Annual Garden Tour is one of the most attended and loved events of the year. Attendance ranges from 600 to 1,000 people each year.

Participants in the Home and Garden Tour will be treated to tours of the interi-or space and exterior grounds of �ve of the grandest, most luxurious homes and estates located in the historic and idyllic area. As an added attraction, participants will be given a guided tour of the eight-eenth century Georgian-style Parry Man-sion, home of Benjamin Parry, the Father of New Hope. A festive reception on the lawn of the Mansion will complete the tour.

BENEFITS TO ALL SPONSORS

۰ Professional photo shoot for publicity and press release

۰Listing in Souvenir Book

۰Your name listed on our website with a link to your website

۰Acknowledgement in Social Media

Contact us now to reserve your Sponsorship Level at:

215-862-5652

SPONSORSHIP LEVELS

NOW AVAILABLE:

City Planner $10,000

Developer $7,000

Builder $5,000

Architect $2,500

Designer $1,000

Landscaper $500

Decorator $300

Individual Donors You Decide

The New Hope Historical Society is proud to be partnering with our local realtors in order to make this fabulous event possible.

Ernie Bowman receives Historical Society’s Distinguished Service Award

For the past twenty years, Ernie Bowman devoted countless hours of his time and talent serving as a member of the Society’s Board of Directors.

Ernie’s diligence and expertise in caring for the Parry Mansion property and the Parry Barn across South Main Street have helped us keep these his-toric structures in top condition. His attention to de-tail and his hard work are testimony to his love for these buildings and their importance in our history.

In addition to all of that, though, is the gracious way in which Ernie has gone about his work. You could see him painting the back porch, changing exterior light bulbs, �xing a fence, installing a lock and a host of other details that keep our property in the great condition that it has been maintained.

He was also a major play-er in the presentation of our popular Annual Gar-den Tours.

Ernie retired from the board in 2016 and we will miss his devoted work. But we are grateful for his continued participation in the variety of events that the Historical Society pre-sents. It was his outstanding work over the past twenty years that earned him the New Hope Histor-ical S ociety’s 2016 Distinguished S ervice Award.

Congratulations and thank you, Ernie Bowman.

Ernie Bowman

NewHopeHistory@gmail.com

4

H i s t o r y i n t h e M a k i n g

Holiday “Spirited” Tea filled the Parry Mansion with good will

It has become the most anticipated holiday party in New

Hope. The New Hope Historical Society’s Annual Holiday

“Spirited” Tea packed the Parry Mansion with about 150

Society members and guests.

Bob Egan entertained everyone with his wide array of

holiday songs and carols in his own inimitable style. And

he had many of the partygoers trilling along with him as

he merrily tapped the piano keys.

Historical Society president, Dr. Claire Shaw, chaired the

event and Board Member, Joseph Cummins once again

managed the kitchen and food delivery impeccably. Soci-

ety member, Ed Hoy, kept no one waiting at the bar.

“It was so terrific to see so many of our new members in

attendance,” noted Dr. Shaw. “We had a wonderful, fes-

tive crowd again this year,” she said.

From the left, Edwin Hild, Geri Delevich, Roy Ziegler, John Bayma,

Chuck Tarr and Thom Smyth share a laugh with Bob Egan.

Connie Gering and Bob McCaskey enjoy a laugh

Pearl Mintzer, center, pours tea for Ralph Fey, left

and New Hope Mayor, Larry Keller

John Blady, Joseph Cummins and Mel Blady

5

H i s t o r y i n t h e M a k i n g

A M e s s a g e f r o m t h e P r e s i d e n t

With much gratitude, I am honored to be the incoming President of the New Hope Historical Socie-

ty, fully aware of the distinction bestowed upon me, but more importantly, the confidence it im-

plies. This organization has a history that spans 58 years, and as the second longest existing non-

profit organization in New Hope, it’s pretty obvious the wisdom of previous boards and support

from you, our loyal members, have made the Society an icon of New Hope. I’ve had a long-

standing relationship with this organization, as most of you have. I became a Life Member in 1995,

a Director in 2010 and Vice President in 2012.

As a Board Member, I have served on various committees but spend most of my time in the ar-

chives and it is there, that I truly learned the role history plays in our lives and, it is there I realized

the Historical Society has so much more to offer. My initial experience with the Historical Society

came in 1994, when I had purchased a property that had, what I thought, a unique history.

My new home was originally built in 1827 to serve as the Toll Collector’s Office for the Delaware

Canal until it’s closing in 1932; in the mid 60’s the property became the home of Odette Myrtle and

to complete the unique historical significance, I discovered Jessica Savitch met her fate at my front

door, October 23rd, 1983.

In learning the this, I was really excited and desperate for information . . . I was on a mission, looking for photos, news articles,

anything that would tell the story of those who came before me. Someone suggested I go to the New Hope Historical Society . .

seemed like the logical place to start, going to the New Hope Historical Society for information on New Hope. But as it turned

out, I met a dead end because I was told, the photographs and records were just too disorganized to go through and what photo-

graphs there were would probably not help me. Early setback aside, as the years went by I was fairly successful in gathering

quite a collection … news articles on Jessica Savitch’s tragic death, numerous items previously owned by Odette, a picture of the

peg legged toll collector - who I still hear walking around the house occasionally and a countless number of photos spanning

100 years of history. The more I discovered about my home the more I came to know those who lived within the same four walls

I now live. I came to understand my home had a vibrant past and a personality. And, I realized the building I call home, is not

part of my history, rather I’m a small part of her history.

Working in the archives of the historical society has given me many opportunities to meet people in search of similar history.

Some are in search of photographs that document where their family started out; some folks are looking for a specific event,

while others, may be looking for a particular photo, like the request I got for a photograph of the New Hope High School Class of

1923. The requests are quite varied but the end result is the same. And that is this . . .

history comes alive when people are able to read about the past, see images of long ago or reads an article written about a special

place in time. This then is the lesson I’ve learned from our archives. . . History is important. History is powerful. But, preserved

history serves as a model in our everyday lives. We learn from it, it serves as a vehicle for historic restorations. History identifies

who we are, how we lived, where we’ve been and what we are to be.

While the legacy of the Parry family is well preserved in the Parry Mansion, and continues to be our main objective, I feel the

society is in a position to preserve the heritage of New Hope. And by doing so, we can serve as a vital link to New Hope’s cultur-

al, educational, aesthetic and inspirational legacies, all of the things, that quite literally, make us who we are.

Preservation of New Hope’s history matters and it is vitally important as we move forward because, as John Steinbeck asked in

the Grapes of Wrath how will we know it’s us without our past”? And I think this is something we can all embrace . . .

So, here’s my plea, the next time you get the urge to clean out the basement and you come across old photos of New Hope, or the

surrounding area for that matter, think about the importance of preserving your documents and photographs and consider making

a donation to the archives of the New Hope Historical Society and help us grow our collection of New Hope history for future

generations to enjoy. Your donation will support our effort to expand our role in the community while serving the needs of those

in search of themselves I thank the Nominating Committee and Executive Board for entrusting me with the tremendous responsi-

bilities that go along with this position, and to that point, I extend my sincere appreciation to Carole Martin for her service as

president over these past 12 month. This organization has benefited from her participation and many contributions. To all of you,

our loyal membership, a huge thank you, for we wouldn’t be here without your unwavering support.

Finally, in accepting the position of president, I do so with humility for I am aware it is not an easy task but I assure you, your

trust is not misplaced. I will work tirelessly to maximize our strengths and strengthen our weaknesses. will make decisions for the

good of the Society, in the interest of our membership and in support of the preservation of our history.

Dr. Claire Shaw

6

H i s t o r y i n t h e M a k i n g

10th Annual Victorian Christmas celebration thrilled visitors

The temperature in New Hope plunged to the

twenties on December 10 and 11 making the

weekend a perfect time for Chef Christopher

Don to provide some Victorian treats to guests

who toured the Parry Mansion that weekend.

Chef Don prepared plum

pudding and hot cider for

folks trying to warm up as

they shopped in town.

The chef, who volunteered

his time and talents has

also given tours of he Par-

ry Mansion . He was as-

sisted by our popular do-

cent, Randy Levine.

Other docents were on

hand to provide complete

tours of the Mansion and a

history of Victorian Christ-

mas celebrations. Heidi Echternacht, Laura

Hahn, Randy Levine, Joan Monigan and Sallie

Haycock guided visitors through Benjamin Par-

ry’s eighteenth century Georgian –style home.

Chef, Christopher Don

Cecilia Tepping, Pamela Sharples and Steve Ryan

serenaded guests as they toured the Parry Mansion

Joan Monigan leads a tour of the Parry Mansion

Help us celebrate Benjamin Parry’s 260th birthday and Jane Parry’s 250th

The New Hope Historical Society has

planned a special celebration for it s mem-

bers for Sunday, March 5, from 4 pm to 6

pm. It will celebrate two landmark birth-

days for the Parry Family.

Benjamin Parry was born on March 1,

1757 just about a year after Wolfgang

Amadeus Mozart. It was a special day for

the Parry Family because his birth oc-

curred on St. David’s Day, the patron saint

of Wales

Ten years later, Jane (Watson) Paxson was

born on January 24, 1767 at Northwood Farm in Coryell’s Ferry, now New

Hope. Her mother’s family was very prominent in early Bucks County history

had come to America on the ship “Welcome” with William Penn. Her father,

Oliver Paxson, was a local entrepreneur who was part of a long line of promi-

nent Paxsons in Bucks and Chester counties.

Long-time member and Historical Society supporter, Charlie Huchet, will

portray Benjamin Parry and will read the love poem that Benjamin had writ-

ten to Jane when he was courting her. Karen Etcoff, the Historical Society’s

manager of the docent program will read excerpts from Jane’s letters to Ben-

jamin that she had written when Benjamin was attending to business in Phila-

delphia. Parry operated a flour exporting business on Strawberry Alley in the

city with his business partner James Cresson.

The New Hope Historical Society maintains its headquarters in the Parry

Mansion, that Parry had completed around 1787, the year that Benjamin and

Jane were married.

A festive champagne reception with hors oeuvres and birthday cake will be

held at the Parry Mansion beginning at 4 pm. Tours of the home will also be

conducted that afternoon. See Benjamin Parry’s 1800 traveler’s desk and

Jane’s strong box where she kept Benjamin’s poem and letters. The Parry

Birthday Party is free to all members of the New Hope Historical Society.

There is a $15 admission charge for non-members and guests. Contact us at

newhopehs@verizon.net or at 215-862-5652 for reservations.

Benjamin Parry

7

H i s t o r y i n t h e M a k i n g

Jeanne Ann Robinson, a thirty

year resident of Bucks County,

passed away peacefully on

Monday, October 24, 2016

with her family by her side at

Abington Hospice Center in

Warminster. She was 53 years

old.

Jeanne was born in Gallipolis,

OH, having grown up in her

family’s hometown of Romney,

WV. She attended Hampshire

High School and graduated Magna Cum Laude in Account-

ing and Business Administration from West Virginia Univer-

sity in 1984.

Jeanne’s career in financial services began at Marshall Fi-

nancial Group, Doylestown in 1986 as a manager in the

financial planning department. She obtained her Certified

Financial Planner credentials, eventually becoming a part-

ner and CEO of the firm. She served as a director on nu-

merous national and regional boards within the financial

industry, as well as board of director positions on local non-

profit charities and organizations. Jeanne worked tirelessly

on behalf of the New Hope Historical Society on fundraisers

like the amazingly successful “Moth Ball.” She was also

instrumental in establishing the Jan Michael Endowment

Fund for the Society.

Jeanne’s early passing will leave a tremendous void in the

lives of her family, friends and colleagues that knew and

shared her strength, energy, love and generosity. Jeanne is

survived by her husband, Jeff; her sons, Carter and Adam

and daughter in-law Alysha, all residing in Bucks County, as

well as her parents: Judy and Garry Buckbee and her broth-

er and his wife, Donald and Debbie Buckbee.

Curtis Thomsen and his wife Al-

ice moved to New Hope about

fifteen years ago. Alice was total-

ly moved by the beauty of the

New Hope area. They enjoyed

long walks around town and were

two of the most delightful persons

one could ever expect to meet.

After Alice passed away, Curtis

increased his participation in vol-

unteering for organizations in

New Hope Borough. He joined

the New Hope Historical Society in 2005 and became a life

member. Soon he was generously contributing to the Socie-

ty’s fundraisers to help preserve the historic Parry Mansion.

He was one of our top donors when the Historical Society

needed to replace the roofs on the Parry Mansion, ice

house and Parry Barn. When we celebrated the 50th Anni-

versary of the founding of the New Hope Historical Society

Curtis was one of the first to contribute, and his name is

prominently displayed on our 50th Anniversary plaque that

graces the wall of the center hall of the Parry Mansion.

Curtis also participated on the New Hope Borough Park and

Recreation Board and his in-depth knowledge of various

plants and trees helped guide the Board through its early

years of formation as ii planned improvements to the bor-

ough’s parks and open spaces.

The Town Clock that graces the grounds of the New Hope

Visitors Center in the heart of town was donated by Curtis

Thomsen in memory of his wife, Alice. Curtis had moved

from New Hope several years ago and resided with his son,

Dan, in California. He passed away on December 31.

Historical Society mourns the passing of dedicated members, Jeanne Ann Robinson and Curtis Thomsen

Jeanne Ann Robinson

From the Archives Wendy Gladston

Quick! What do you think of when someone says Archives? Old Pic-tures of course!

These are a couple of my favorite before & after:

The first is the Aaron Burr House a 80 W. Bridge Street, about 100+ years ago. You can see the tip where Bridge Street meets Ferry Street.

The second is the Aaron Burr House as it appears today. Aaron Burr House circa 1917 Aaron Burr House today

Curtis Thomsen

8

New Hope Historical Society

P O Box 41

New Hope, PA 18938

Non-Profit Org

U.S. Postage

P A I D

Permit No. 45

Doylestown, PA

Plan now for these upcoming events at the New Hope Historical Society:

BENJAMIN PARRY’S 260TH & JANE PAR-

RY’S 250TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION AT

THE PARRY MANSION ON MARCH 5, 4PM.