In doing research on the 19th century cabinet makers of Cazenovia, NY I
have a neat little enigma that perhaps someone can help me solve. The
answer might be straight forward, but I need some help to tie two ends
together.
At Lorenzo State Historic Site in Cazenovia, built in 1807 by Holland Land
Company agent, John Lincklaen, there is a set of 10 chairs and a matching
settee with two additional chairs (in the first floor hall) which were made
by Cazenovia chairmaker Nehemiah White. On November 24, 1808 Lincklaen
paid White $91.36 for the set of chairs and settee and the two other chairs
were added shortly thereafter.
I first find White in Cazenovia in July 1807 when he purchased a lot in
the village. In May 1809 he sold it to another of the village's cabinet
makers and soon purchased a larger lot on Chittenango Creek in the east
part of the village where he built a large chair factory and dwelling..
White owned this place until July 1812 when he sold it to Ebenezer
Knowlton, also a chair maker, who carried on his tradition of producing
chairs (White and Knowlton chairs look very much alike).
In November 11, 1812 _The Pilot_, published in Cazenovia, advertised that
"N. White has moved to Manlius Square where he carries on the chair making
business. Settees, fancy-cottage, Windsor, and common chairs, made in the
newest fashion and on the shortest notice" Although Manlius is just over
the county line, my cursory research failed to find any record of him there
(didn't check very far). Rumor from a former Cazenovia researcher found
clues that he might have soon moved on and eventually made it to the
"midwest."
It seems that Nehemiah White came back to NY after a few years as I find
one Nehemiah White at the Watervliet Shaker community where he died in 1834
at the age of 54 years, and another Nehemiah White, perhaps his son, who
died in 1887 age 63 is also buried in the Shaker Cemetery.
This does not seem to be just a coincidence in name, and the plot
thickens, as a few years ago in an exhibit at that NYS Museum, I saw a
photograph of a group of Watervliet Shaker craftsmen in which Nehemiah
White (the son) was shown and identified as a chairmaker! Because I was in
the midst of researching other topics for my internship in the archives I
never was able to follow up on this wonderful lead.
I have not a clue what sort of records exist for searching for Shaker
craftsmen, what work has already been done, or what I should even hope to
find. Does any have any information on this/these Nehemiah White/s? I am
far outside of NY and can't do the leg work, but I would much appreciate if
anyone happens to know about this man and his sone(?) or could give me
clues as to where to search next time I am up north.
Thanks ever so much,
Dan Weiskotten
________________________________________________
Don't forget to check out
DAN WEISKOTTEN'S HISTORY AND ARCHAEOLOGY HOME PAGE at:
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take a look at my resume at http://www.erols.com/weiskotten/resume.html
or my more detailed CV at http://www.erols.com/weiskotten/dansvita.html
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