skip to main |
skip to sidebar
One of the most famous accomplishments of the factory was the production of the entire engine of the S.S. Savannah, the first steamship to cross the Atlantic Ocean. The idea for a trans-Atlantic steamship came from Captain Moses Rogers, a close business acquaintance of Stephen’s. Captain Rogers oversaw the creation of the ship, ordering parts from various manufacturers; but he entrusted the critical steam engine to Stephen and the Speedwell Ironworks. It was a dangerous proposition, installing a large steam engine into a wooden boat that could easily catch fire. With many skeptics calling the Savannah the “Steam Coffin”, there was no margin for error in casting and constructing the ship’s engine. But Stephen and the Ironworks rose to the challenge and successfully produced a steam engine that helped the Savannah cross the Atlantic Ocean in 29 days. The Savannah then went on to visit Sweden, St. Petersburg in Russia, and Norway, meeting praise and admiration at every stop. After its tour of Europe, the Savannah returned to America with its engine still functioning without any problems.
During the past 40 years that our Executive Director has been leading the Passaic River Coalition, she has collected quite a few pictures, paintings, and cartoons that have a connection to our organization. One of them finally got hung up last week.
Ella says this is one of her favorite paintings. On a trip to England, she and her husband commissioned an artist to paint a Great Blue Heron. To many river advocates, the Great Blue Heron is a symbol of healthy waterways.
Decorating Willow Hall with our art collection has proved a bit more difficult than initially expected. (But really, hasn't everything here gone that way?) Almost every room in the house is lined with beautiful crown molding. We originally thought we could hang our pictures with fishing line from this molding, museum style. It turns out the crown moldings are made of plaster and that would have been a very bad idea.
Instead we'll be using nails to hang the picture up the old fashioned way. But even this will have be done very carefully so as not to damage the original plaster walls.
The Speedwell Iron Works were founded by Stephen Vail (the father of George Vail)in 1807. Stephen was an enterprising blacksmith who transformed his small company that made nails into one of the most innovative producers of mechanical equipment of the day.
Speedwell didn't just manufacture iron products, they invented new equipment In 1835, Stephen developed a durable iron tire for railroad locomotives. This innovation paved the way for the growth the railroad industry in America.
Through the 1830s, as the business prospered at Speedwell, Stephen expanded the ironworks and developed an industrial village. By the 1850s, Speedwell was a well-established and successful manufacturing enterprise employing 45 skilled laborers.
However, by the 1870s, the New Jersey iron industry began to decline as the industry moved westward towards new sources of fuel and raw materials. The Speedwell Iron Works closed in 1873, and three years later the equipment was sold to ironworks in Coatbridge, Scotland and Brooklyn, New York.
You can visit Historic Speedwell Village right here in Morristown! Learn more about this unique historic site at: http://www.morrisparks.net/speedwell/home.html
Stephen Vail was born in 1780 in Morristown. He was a blacksmith who married Bethiah Youngs of Morristown i n1801. They had four children who survived into adulthood: Harriet, Alfred, George (who built and owned Willow Hall), and Sarah.
Stephen was an entrepreneur, inventor and a manufacturer. Although not educated himself, he provided his with the best education. Alfred and George were educated at the Morristown Academy while Sarah attended the Moravian Seminary in Bethlehem.
In 1807, Stephen and three other men began operating Speedwell Iron Works. It failed after two years. But Stephen continued and became the sole proprietor in 1815. From then on, it was a success and numerous iron products were produced there: small machine parts, pumps and presses for large mills, papermaking machinery, train parts, among other necessary and profitable items.
A year ago today, the Passaic River Coalition staff had just secured all of the $1.875 million need to buy Willow Hall and preserve the house and its property. It had snowed the night before and it seemed as though we would never make it to the attorney's office in Chester on time.
But we all made it there safely. Our Executive Director, Ella Filippone, signed the deed, handed over the check, and then made Willow Hall the new headquarters of the Passaic River Coalition.
After 40 years of being renters, the purchase of Willow Hall was truly a new chapter in the history of the Passaic River Coalition. And we feel it is an important new chapter for Willow Hall as well. Using the house as office space is a sustainable use for it and we are working closely with historic professionals to preserve its historic integrity.
It has been busy first year for Willow Hall and the Passaic River Coalition. We look forward to celebrating our accomplishments today and continuing our work preserving the past and opening the doors of Willow Hall to the future.
Willow Hall's previous owner, Frederick Stradtman, symbolically gives a photo of the house to our Executive Director, Ella Filippone, at the property's closing last year.
Check out an article about Willow Hall in the January/February Issue of New Jersey Countryside!
Well, it's not exactly a tree diagram, but you'll get the picture.
Stephen Vail (1780-1864)
In 1801, married Bethiah Youngs (1778-1847), had four children:
- Harriet Vail (1802-1828)
- Alfred Vail (1807-1859), con't below
- George Vail (1809-1875), con't below
- Sarah Louise Davis Vail (1811-1887)
In 1848, married Mary Carter Hedges
In 1862, married Phoebe Ann Miller
Alfred Vail (1807-1859)
In 1939, married Jane Elizabeth Cummings, had three children:
- Stephen Vail (1840-1909)
- James Cummings Vail (1843-1917)
- George Rochester Vail (1852-1931)
In 1855, married Amanda Eno
George Vail (1809-1875)
In 1830, married Mary Ann Wilson, had two children:
- Frances Georgianna Vail, con't below
- Mary Louise Vail
In 1856, married Mary Lightfoot (divorced a year later)
In 1862, married Mary Lyman
Frances Georgianna Vail
In 1859, married Herman Bertram of Danzig, Prussia, had two children:
- Stephen Alfred Bertram (b. 1862)
- Frederick Herman Bertram (b. 1863)
Bonus Relative: Theodore Newton Vail, first president of AT&T, was Alfred and George Vail's first cousin
A Happy New Year to you from all of us here at Willow Hall.
One of our New Year's Resolution for 2011 is to get back to blogging about the history and happenings here at Willow Hall because there are many stories about this historic house and its residents left to tell.
