BGuthrie Photos: PA -- Friendship Hill NHS

PA -- Friendship Hill NHS:

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Specific picture descriptions: Photos above with "i" icons next to the bracketed sequence numbers (e.g. "[1] ") are described as follows:
1. FHILL1_130330_016.JPG: Albert Gallatin: Early American Statesman: In 1780, 19-year-old Albert Gallatin emigrated from Switzerland to the emerging United States of America. Over the next seven decades, Gallatin served his new country as congressman, Secretary of the Treasury, treaty negotiator, ambassador, educator, and scholar. Although not well-known today, Gallatin played a major role in early American history. Lewis and Clark, while exploring the Louisiana territory in 1804, named the headwater rivers of the Missouri River after three of the most prominent politicians on their time -- Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and Albert Gallatin. "... his personal Character, as well as his personal Designs; entitle him to the most cordial Regards." -- Patrick Henry, Governor of Virginia, March 25, 1785 As Secretary of the Treasury from 1801-1814, Gallatin attempted to balance the budget of the United States while financing eastward expansion. At Ghent, Belgium, in 1815, Gallatin became the de facto U.S. leader in negotiating the end of the War of 1812.
2. FHILL1_130330_054.JPG: Friendship Hill: Gallatin's Wilderness Home: Albert Gallatin bought this land in 1786 when this area was known as the "western country." Three years later, he constructed a two-story brick house at Friendship Hill for his new bride, Sophia. After Sophia died, Gallatin built additions to the house in 1798 and 1823 for his second wife, Hannah, and their children. By the end of Gallatin's ownership, Friendship Hill included a barn, a well, vegetable and pleasure gardens, an orchard, and a gardener's cottage. However, since Gallatin's political posts kept him from living at Friendship Hill for years at a time, he finally sold his isolated estate in 1832. "... the new house at [Friendship Hill] is almost compleated, it is well finished and... situated on a most delightful spot..." -- Albert Gallatin's son James in a letter to his sister Frances, August 21, 1829. Sketch of Friendship Hill by Sherman Day in 1847, the earliest known drawing of Gallatin's home. Survey Map of Friendship Hill, January 10, 1787, eight months after Gallatin bought it from Nicholas Blake.
3. FHILL1_130330_139.JPG: Preserving the 1910 Landscape: Friendship Hill has changed greatly since Albert Gallatin sold the property in 1832. To Gallatin, the property reflected his dream of agricultural pursuits and establishment of industry. With the passage of time and owners, Friendship Hill became a place of relaxation and entertainment. This gazebo, built in the late 1890s, exemplifies the changes made to the landscape over time. Providing a vista to the west, the gazebo is one of the few remaining structures from the period when Friendship Hill buzzed with excitement over fox hunts and gala events. Severe erosion and other geological forces had caused structural damage and the gazebo was in danger of sliding off the bluff into the Monongahela River. To preserve this landscape, the gazebo was moved back from the cliff edge and restored as a joint project by the National Park Service and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
4. FHILL1_130330_183.JPG: Monongahela River: River Route to the West: The Monongahela River served as one of many "river highways" to the western territories. Since there were few overland roads west of here, most settlers rafted north (to your right) on the Monongahela River to Pittsburgh, then down the Ohio River to new opportunity. As a land speculator, Albert Gallatin hoped to prosper from his river location and the town of New Geneva that he established nearby. But 19th-century canals and roads by-passed this area, dashing his dreams of riches. Today, this view west no longer looks upon the wilderness Gallatin knew, but upon the industry he envisioned. " ... I should have been contented to live and die amongst the Monongahela hills... " -- Albert Gallatin in a letter to John Badellet, February 7, 1833
5. FHILL1_130330_239.JPG: Sophia Allegre Gallatin: Gallatin's First Wife: Albert Gallatin met Sophia Allegre while staying at her mother's boarding house in Richmond, Virginia during the mid-1780s. Against her mother's wishes, Sophia married Albert on May 14, 1789. As the newlyweds travelled to their wilderness home at Friendship Hill, Sophia wrote to her mother "... forgive dear mother, and generously accept again your poor Sophia... Could you then form a wish to destroy the future peace of your child: and prevent her from being united to the man of her choice? He is perhaps not a very handsome man, but he is possessed of more essential qualities, which I shall not pretend to enumerate..." Tragically, Sophia fell ill five months later and died at Friendship Hill. At her request, Albert buried Sophia in an unmarked grave atop a hill overlooking the Monongahela River. Within a wooded glen 100 yards down this trail lies as low stone wall which, according to local tradition, encloses Sophia's final grave. Beyond Sophia's grave, the trail winds through an old-growth, mixed-oak forest, a remnant of Pennsylvania's wilderness.
6. FHILL1_130330_251.JPG: Friendship Hill Trail System: Friendship Hill National Historic Site contains more than ten miles of hiking trails for you to enjoy. This loop trail system provides a glimpse of this area when first settled by Albert Gallatin in the 1780s. Wildlife abounds. Fox, squirrels, wild turkey, white-tailed deer, pileated woodpeckers, and red-tailed hawks are familiar residents at Friendship Hill. Wildflowers, mountain laurel, and a variety of pines and hardwoods further enhance the beauty of the park. Reminders of the past appear along the trail. Albert Gallatin's first wife, Sophia, is buried on the property as is Gallatin's friend and one-time business partner Thomas Clare. Old roads and building foundations remain as evidence of Albert Gallatin and other enterprising individuals who walked through this land long ago. Don't ruin your hike by getting hurt. Stay on the trails and use caution on wet or uneven surfaces. Sturdy hiking shoes are recommended. Please life wildlife and wildflowers as you found them for others to enjoy.
7. FHILL1_130330_257.JPG: Sophia Gallatin's (presumed) gravesite
8. FHILL1_130330_510.JPG: It's probably not that often that you see pirates walking the trail...
9. FHILL2_130330_010.JPG: National Road Mile Marker: This cast iron mile marker is one of the original markers placed on the National Road in the early 1830s. It was located just west of the Mount Washington Tavern near Fort Necessity. The National Road was the first road to be built and paid for by the federal government. The road was so successful that even before its completion to St. Louis, it was so heavily traveled that the federal government could no longer afford the upkeep. At that time, the operation of the National Road was turned over to each state through which it passed. To afford the maintenance and upkeep, the states set up a toll system to collect revenue to pay for the upkeep of the road. At that same time, the cast iron mile markers were set out replacing much smaller tombstone shaped stone markers. The cast iron markers for the Pennsylvania stretch of the road were manufactured in Connellsville and Brownsville, Pennsylvania. You can still see a number of the original mile markers out along the National Road (Route 40). In some places where the original mile markers are missing, they have been replaced by reproduction markers.
10. FHILL2_130330_032.JPG: The Gentleman from New Geneva: Gallatin concentrated his efforts on starting industry and commerce in New Geneva, a town he laid out near his farm. A characteristic of frontier life was free and open discussion of political issues. Gallatin's opinions came to be valued. Soon he was elected to state, then national offices. Never again could he focus his energies on his properties in the "Western Country." He began one of the first industries west of the mountains, a glass factory. Eventually, his "Albert Gallatin & Co." also operated several mills and a gun factory.
11. FHILL2_130330_038.JPG: State Dining Room - 1895: The State Dining Room was the first of three post-Gallatin additions constructed by the Charles Speer family. A first floor dining room and two bedrooms upstairs originally occupied this section. The dining room was furnished with a long dining table, two mahogany sideboards, a brass candle-lit chandelier, and a beautiful fireplace. The Speer family and later owners often used this room to entertain guests with lavish dinner parties. It was the decision of park planners to make adaptive use of this addition along with the South Bedroom Wing and Servants' Quarters. By using these existing sections of the house as exhibit space, officers, and storage, there was no need to construct a new building that, in essence, would become an intrusion on the historic scene.
12. FHILL2_130330_058.JPG: Albert Gallatin: 1761-1849: In our time, Albert Gallatin is hidden in the shadow of men like Jefferson. He was better known in his own day. Lewis and Clark, exploring the Louisiana Purchase, named the three forks of the Missouri River for the most prominent men of their time -- the Jefferson, the Madison, and the Gallatin.
13. FHILL2_130330_061.JPG: Albert Gallatin, Esq. Although Gallatin cherished the refuge of Friendship Hill throughout his long absences, most of his family was unhappy here, isolated from the east. They settled in New York upon their return from London. "Retirement" for Gallatin meant continued writing on financial and political affairs. He helped organize and served as president of what is now the Manufacturers Hanover Trust bank. Cultivating a life long interest in Native Americans, he founded the American Ethnological Society and wrote an Indian language classification guide which was a basic reference for the following half-century. His death, in 1849, came less than a year short of the 70th anniversary of his arrival in this country. Throughout those seven decades, Albert Gallatin did more than simply watch his new country grow; he helped mold its very form.
14. FHILL2_130330_078.JPG: Friendship Hill after Albert Gallatin 1832-present
15. FHILL2_130330_082.JPG: Introduction: As you have already seen, the great historical significance of Friendship Hill began when Albert Gallatin first built the house as his home. However, this significance did not cease when Gallatin sold the property. Friendship Hill continued to live and breathe history after his departure. Owners after Gallatin played important roles in western Pennsylvania and our nation's history. These owners continued to improve the house and surrounding property. The history of the post-Gallatin owners, as well as the National Park Service's preservation of Friendship Hill has made it possible for you and future generations to enjoy.
16. FHILL2_130330_087.JPG: Your View of Friendship Hill: Friendship Hill has evolved into what you see today. Just as you make changes to your own house to better fit your likes, owners have made changed to Gallatin's Friendship Hill. Gallatin built the first four sections during his ownership, naming them the Brick House, Frame House, Stone House, and Stone Kitchen. After Gallatin sold the property, subsequent owners found the need to expand the house more. The final three additions added to the house were done by the Charles Speer family. Built from 1895 to 1903, these sections were known as the State Dining Room, South Bedroom Wing, and Servants Quarters. The State Dining Room originally had a dining room on the first floor with two bedrooms upstairs. The South Bedroom Wing, completed in 1902, added more space for bedrooms. Finally, the last major addition known as the Servants Quarters was completed in 1903. As the name shows, the original purpose of this section was to house the family's servants as well as the laundry room. The Speer family made many changes to the house that makes it look the way it does today. However, as you can imagine, other families have made their impressions on the house with layers of stucco, improved flooring, and newer windows.
17. FHILL2_130330_093.JPG: Friendship Hill Continues to Make History After Gallatin: Albin Mellier was the first person to own Friendship Hill after Gallatin. A Swiss immigrant, like Gallatin, he became a local businessman and entrepreneur. Mellier involved himself in commercial and manufacturing enterprises as well as steamboat building and the saw mill trade. It is during this period that the first illustration of the home is produced. In 1841, Sherman Day, an artist and Pennsylvania historian, came to Friendship Hill and sketched what greeted him. The north side of the house dominated by the 1821-1923 stone addition is portrayed in what Day entitled, Mr. Gallatin's Mansion. This is the first known illustration of Friendship Hill and gives a reliable vision of the home at the conclusion of the [sic] Gallatin's ownership. Mellier died in 1841 from yellow fever. His heirs finally sold Friendship Hill on July 8, 1859 to John Littleton Dawson of Brownsville, Pennsylvania for $5,000. Dawson also purchased what was known as the Clare tract on August 20, 1860 for $3,500 making the total of Friendship Hill 597-3/4 acres.
18. FHILL2_130330_098.JPG: John Littleton Dawson, born in Uniontown in 1813, began his career as a prominent local lawyer. Elected to Congress in 1850 as a Democratic Representative of Fayette, Greene, and Somerset Counties, it was Dawson who originated the legislation that would become the Homestead Act of 1862. This prominent bill was one of the key elements in opening the West for settlement by providing inexpensive land to those willing to work the acreage. He played a significant role in the passing of another important piece of legislation, the Freedman's Bureau, which assisted former slaves in acquiring employment and homes as well as providing other social services. Dawson died at Friendship Hill on September 18, 1870. His daughter Sarah eventually marries Charles Speer and takes control over Friendship Hill.
19. FHILL2_130330_103.JPG: In 1899, the estate came under one owner again. Charles Speer bought the property interests from his wife's remaining sibling for $15,000 and now held sole title to Friendship Hill. Born in 1837, Speer was a native of western Pennsylvania. He would eventually become president of First National Bank and would hold that position for fifteen years. In addition to his work at the bank, Speer was director of several railroads as well as the Union Gas Corporation. He married Sarah Dawson in 1861 and the couple had five children. Speed died in 1905 at the age of 68. After Charles' death, Sarah purchased more land to increase the acreage of Friendship Hill to total 770.
20. FHILL2_130330_109.JPG: The next and final private owners of Friendship Hill were the Thompson family. Josiah Vankirk Thompson was another local son, born near Uniontown, Pennsylvania in 1854. A graduate of Washington and Jefferson College in Washington, Pennsylvania, he eventually became president of the First National Bank of Uniontown. Thompson also participated in speculation of coal lands during the 1890s in southwestern Pennsylvania and West Virginia, becoming known as the largest individual owner of coal lands in the United States. He eventually ran into financial problems and Friendship Hill was turned over to creditors.
21. FHILL2_130330_114.JPG: Friendship Hill became a centerpiece for the local social scene, with the Martins hosting a variety of lavish parties. A large farming operation was maintained throughout the 1950s and 60s. At the farm's height of production, its work force included three foremen, six dairy workers, and twenty seasonal workers. The property became the home for the Chestnut Ridge Hunt of the Pennsylvania State Fox Hunters Association, of which Evelyn Thompson Martin was an active member. Evelyn died in 1974, leaving Sherwood to eventually sell Friendship Hill to the Trust for Public Land for the sum of $760,000. The Trust then sold the property to the United States Government for $800,000 to become part of the National Park Service.
22. FHILL2_130330_119.JPG: The Preservation of Friendship Hill: Becoming a National Park requires "national significance," meaning it is important to every one in this nation. Albert Gallatin accomplished that with the multitude of contributions he made during his lifetime to our fledgling nation. His role in history made our new nation strong for all of us to live in and enjoy. Preservation of any historic site is a difficult task. To restore the house completely to its appearance during Gallatin's ownership would have meant major demolition and change to the non-Gallatin sections of the house. The chosen alternative was to compromise on the appearance yet interpret what it may have looked like in earlier periods, thereby utilizing the more recent sections of the home for modern operations, thus saving costs.
23. FHILL2_130330_129.JPG: The Frame House - 1798: Constructed on the north side of the Brick House, the Frame House was built to provide room for Gallatin's growing family which by the late 1790s consisted of his second wife, Hannah, and a young son James. The first level served as a dining room and a second as an additional bedroom. This addition did not have a basement. The wall construction consists of half-timbered framing members with brick infill. This type of construction can be viewed from the Stone Kitchen looking above the dining room door towards the Frame House and on the front porches of the Frame House. Based on archaeological evidence, the exterior wall was finished with a seven to eight inch wide clapboard siding, painted white. Remodeling by later owners replaced or covered the existing siding with stucco. Likewise the interior has seen replacement of woodwork and window treatments with the change of ownership since Gallatin's day.
24. FHILL2_130330_138.JPG: A Letter of Thanks: October 11, 1809 -- After his two terms, Thomas Jefferson sends Gallatin this letter: Monticello, Oct. 11, '09 ... My opinion always was that none of us ever occupied stronger ground in the esteem of Congress than yourself, and I am satisfied there is no one who does not feel your aid to be still as important for the future as it has been for the past... I should certainly consider any earlier day of your retirement as the most inauspicious day our new government has ever seen. I feel, particularly for myself, the considerations of gratitude which I personally owe you for your valuable aid during my administration of the public affairs, a just sense of the large portion of the public approbation which was earned by your labors and belongs to you. The sincere friendship and attachment which grew out of our joint exertions to promote the common good, and of which I pray you now accept the most cordial and respectful assurances. -- Th Jefferson
25. FHILL2_130330_143.JPG: Peace Commission: May, 1813 -- Gallatin's plans of removing the national debt had been ruined by the war. Thus he sought an appointment on the peace commission sent to Europe to try and end the war. Gallatin writes back to friend Badollet: "I have believed that I could be nowhere more usefully employed than in this negotiation. I hope that my absence will be very short..."
26. FHILL2_130330_147.JPG: Talented Negotiator: 1814 -- Madison replaced Gallatin in the Treasury with George W. Campbell, thus freeing Gallatin to join the new American commission of John Quincy Adams, James Bayard, Henry Clay, and Jonathan Russell. During talks held in Ghent, Belgium, Gallatin proved to be a skilled negotiator and diplomat. His patience and even temper added much to the negotiations. His national perspective balanced the regional bias which Adams had for New England and Clay had for the West.
27. FHILL2_130330_151.JPG: Minister to France: 1816 -- President Madison recognized Gallatin's diplomatic ability and appoints him as Minister to France. Gallatin moves his family to Paris, where he remains in service from 1816-1823. He is an excellent diplomat, possessing tact, patience, and intelligence. His European assignment pleases his family immensely. Hannah writes to her friend Dolley Madison that she was: " ... very much pleased with everything I see in this wonderful place." Hannah takes the lead in establishing an American church in Paris and, given her education and proper upbringing, easily finds a place in society. The Marquis de Lafayette, hero of the American Revolutionary War, became a family friend and introduces Gallatin's daughter Frances into proper Parisian social circles. The family truly enjoys their stay in France.
28. FHILL2_130330_156.JPG: Treaty of Ghent: December 24, 1814 -- The negotiators reach an accord. Gallatin sends his own evaluation of the treaty to Hannah: Ghent, 25th Dec. 1814 ... Whatever objections may be made to it [the treaty], and objections there will be, it is as good as could be obtained, and as good as, from the relative situation of the two countries and from the present political state of Europe, we had at this moment a right to expect... Within the American delegation, Adams, a consummate statesman, admitted it was Gallatin who made the lagest and most important contribution towards ending the war.
29. FHILL2_130330_160.JPG: A Financial Blow: 1821 -- As construction begins on the Stone House, Gallatin receives a devastating financial blow. When he left from France in 1816, his glassworks was doing well. However, things soon took a turn for the worse. The Panic of 1819 left the firm with a huge supply of glass, no buyers, and considerable debt. Given Gallatin's hatred of debt, one can only imagine the shock of this news. His industrial dream for New Geneva dies with his glassworks in 1821.
30. FHILL2_130330_165.JPG: The Plan to Retire: 1821 -- Gallatin begins contemplating retirement from public service. Friendship Hill and the Western Country are beckoning. The simple, four-room, frontier homestead, left behind years before, would no longer accommodate the substantially larger, older, and more sophisticated Gallatin family. Once again, Gallatin decides to enlarge the existing house. Albert Rolaz is sent home from Paris to supervise the construction of the addition which is called the Stone House.
31. FHILL2_130330_170.JPG: An Industrial First: January 18, 1798 -- The New Geneva Glasswork's initial production begins, making it the first glass produced west of the Allegheny Mountains. Gallatin also establishes a gun factory with a boring mill, distillery, winery, saw mill, grist-mill and a keelboat factory in New Geneva.
32. FHILL2_130330_174.JPG: Secretary of the Treasury: May 14, 1801 -- Gallatin, after serving three terms in Congress, had developed many theories on finance. He said: "a nation, like a household, should live within its means." The national debt, he insisted, must be erased. His knowledge of finance made him one of the few in his party who could challenge the expertise of Alexander Hamilton. For this reason, the recently elected president, Thomas Jefferson, recognizing Gallatin's financial wizardry, decided to appoint Gallatin for the position of Secretary of the United States Treasury.
33. FHILL2_130330_178.JPG: A Move to Washington City: 1801 -- The Gallatin family moves to the new national capital of Washington City. This relieves Hannah, because she is not very fond of Friendship Hill and the western frontier. Her brother, James Witter Nicholson, takes on the duty of supervising Friendship Hill as well as Gallatin's new business enterprises in New Geneva. Despite initial setbacks, the glassworks become a profitable venture and will remain successful for many years.
34. FHILL2_130330_182.JPG: A New Addition: 1798 -- As an elected Congressman, with demanding new business ventures and a growing family, Gallatin plans to spend more time at Friendship Hill. The original Brick House simply had to be enlarged. The new section, called the Frame House, was a simple two room, two-story addition. The timber frame structure with white clapboard on the exterior used brick in-fill as insulation. The upper story had seven windows with fifteen lights (panes of glass) each, while the lower story had nine windows with twelve lights each. The room added on the first floor became a dining room and the one on the second floor served as a bedroom for son James.
35. FHILL2_130330_187.JPG: Improvements: 1801-1814 -- Gallatin will serve as Secretary of the United States Treasury for thirteen years under both the Jefferson and Madison administrations. Gallatin bears the distinction of holding the office longer than any other person to present day. During his tenure as Secretary of the Treasury he made a number of improvements. Gallatin, without raising existing taxes or creating new taxes, raised $15 million to purchase over 800,000 acres (The Louisiana Purchase) from France and indirectly allowed Napoleon Bonaparte to further his ambitions in Europe. Gallatin also funded internal projects such as the construction of the National (or Cumberland) Road, the first federally built and funded highway. He enforced provisions in the North-west Ordinance which supported affordable land distribution policies and the construction of schools in new towns. Gallatin financed, once again without taxation, the Lewis and Clark expedition in 1804-1806. To recognize the most important men of their day, Lewis and Clark name the three forks of the Missouri River in Montana after President Jefferson, Secretary of State James Madison, and Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. Perhaps Gallatin's most impressive accomplishment during this era was the reduction of the national debt. Gallatin lowered the debt from $83 million to $45 million, again without raising taxes or creating new ones. Gallatin was able to lower the debt by cutting funding to the military, and by selling public lands, then investing the profits very wisely.
36. FHILL2_130330_192.JPG: Map of the Louisiana Purchase
37. FHILL2_130330_197.JPG: Map of the National Road
38. FHILL2_130330_225.JPG: The Brick House - 1789: The Brick House is the oldest section of Albert Gallatin's Friendship Hill. Begun in early 1789, it would take Gallatin several years to complete this modest frontier home. Constructed of bricks made on the site and laid in the Flemish bond arrangement, the house is a fine example of Federal style architecture. On the exterior, the house was furnished with shutters and porches; first and second story porches on the east side (front) and a balcony on the west side. The interior floor space was a bedroom used for storage; the first floor was a parlor, library and dining room; the second floor was a bedroom with an attic above. Much of the woodwork in the Brick House is not original to the time of its construction. Remodeling by later owners and fire have altered its appearance. The exterior brick work was covered over with scored stucco in the mid-1800s. The original fireplace mantel has been replaced with the marble one seen today. Hints of the house's original woodwork sometimes are revealed. The original beaded vertical paneling of the partition wall was uncovered during restoration work. The plexi-glass sections on the partition wall reveal the original paneling (right section) and the various layers of plaster work from later remodeling efforts. Within this house, Albert Gallatin and his partners planned their financial future in the wilderness with the creation of the industrial town of New Geneva. Joy and sorrow are also ingrained into this house where Gallatin's first wife, Sophia, lived and died.
39. FHILL2_130330_230.JPG: The Whiskey Rebellion: 1794 -- As a conscious representative of Fayette County, Gallatin takes a leadership role in the mounting resistance to the whiskey tax that Alexander Hamilton has proposed in 1790. At most of the local meetings, he serves as secretary and makes many speeches, often acting as a moderating influence, always trying to avoid the violence. When rebellious farmers threaten a federal marshal, President George Washington calls out the militia and marches them towards Pittsburgh. Gallatin again counsels moderation, serving as a member of a committee which argues the farmer's case to federal and state commissioners. When the violence diminishes and tensions subside, the authority of the federal government remained intact.
40. FHILL2_130330_234.JPG: Senator Gallatin: February 28, 1793 -- The Pennsylvania Assembly recognizes his years of diligent service and elects Gallatin to the United States Senate.
41. FHILL2_130330_238.JPG: Yellow Fever Strikes: September, 1793 -- Due to an early adjournment of Congress, Gallatin was able to journey from Pennsylvania to New York to see his fiancee. While there, he falls ill with symptoms of yellow fever, which had been sweeping through Philadelphia. The Nicholson's insist Gallatin remain in their home where they nurse him back to health.
42. FHILL2_130330_243.JPG: Back to Congress: February, 1795 -- Although Gallatin termed his participation in the Whiskey Rebellion his only sin and while Federalists tried to use the rebellion to destroy Gallatin politically, his constituents returned him to Congress. He was elected to the United States House of Representatives. The thorn now reappears, in the Federalist's other side. Gallatin also serves on a committee which creates the House Ways and Means Committee.
43. FHILL2_130330_247.JPG: A Sketch of the Finances: 1796 -- In March, Thomas Jefferson had expressed the wish to Madison that Gallatin would "present us with a clear view of our finances, and put them in a form as simple as they will admit... The accounts of the United States ought to be, and may be made as simple as those of a common farmer, and capable of being understood by common farmers." Gallatin dedicated his summer with the Nicholsons to preparing a monumental response to Jefferson's suggestions. A Sketch of the Finances of the United States, issued by a New York printer in November, 1796, was a volume of two hundred pages, including an appendix of nineteen tables. The tables confirmed Jefferson's notion that the debt had been increasing at a rate of a million dollars a year from $72,776,000,000 in 1790 to $78.697,000,000 in 1796.
44. FHILL2_130330_251.JPG: Ousted From Senate: December 2, 1793 -- Upon taking his seat in the United States Senate, Gallatin becomes quickly concerned over the fiscal accountability of the United States Secretary of Treasury Alexander Hamilton. Gallatin speaks his concerns and by doing so he insults Hamilton and other Federalists. They, in turn, work on a plan to remove Gallatin from the Senate. Gallatin they explained, had not, as required by the Constitution, been nine Years a Citizen of the United States when elected to the Senate. Although he had been living in the United States since 1780, Gallatin did not take his Oath of Allegiance until October of 1785. Ruled ineligible by a partisan vote of fourteen to twelve, Gallatin left the Senate and rejoined the Pennsylvania Assembly. Gallatin therefore, bears the distinction of being the first Senator to be removed form the United States Congress.
45. FHILL2_130330_257.JPG: New Geneva: 1796 -- Along with a notable political career, Gallatin used western Pennsylvania to build a promising industrial complex. He purchased 650 acres of property at Wilson's Port and Georgetown, located at the mouth of George's Creek, just a mile down the Monongahela River from Friendship Hill. Renaming it New Geneva in honor of his birthplace, the town became a thriving community, with its primary business being a glassworks which will be built in 1797-1798.
46. FHILL2_130330_262.JPG: The Brick House: 1789 -- When completed, the Brick House had only two stories and two rooms, a parlor dining room on the first floor and a bedroom on the second. The log kitchen was attached to the back corner of the house. Despite its relatively small size, the home displayed Gallatin's increasing wealth and probably impressed visitors with its high ceilings.
47. FHILL2_130330_266.JPG: Joining the State Legislature: 1790 -- Gallatin wins election to state legislature, establishing he [sic] reputation as a tireless worker and frequent speaker. He champions a variety of causes: public education, abolition of slavery, improved transportation, elimination of state debt and bettering the terms of land sales for those moving westward.
48. FHILL2_130330_270.JPG: A New Interest: 1793 -- Concerned friends worry Gallatin is working too hard and relaxing too little. A.J. Dallas, a friend from the Pennsylvania Legislature and Secretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, invites Gallatin to accompany him and his wife on a trip to Albany New York. It was in Albany that Gallatin meets Hannah Nicholson, the second-eldest daughter of Commodore James Nicholson. Unlike many men of this period, the Commodore believe in equal education for his children, so Hannah and her sisters not only learned how to be comfortable amongst the best of New York society, they were well-read in politics, literature and history as well.
49. FHILL2_130330_274.JPG: Love Blossoms Again: July, 1793 -- Gallatin asks the Commodore for permission to court his daughter. Wedding plans for the following spring were soon being discussed.
50. FHILL2_130330_278.JPG: A Gentile Lady of Good Understanding: November, 1793 -- Gallatin felt it was improper to be under the same roof as his intended wife for a long period of time, thereby, he and Hannah were married earlier than planned on November 11th. In a letter to his friend Badoleet, he describes her in the following manner: "She was 26 when I married her -- She is possessed of the most gentile disposition and has an excellent heart -- Her understanding is good, she is as well informed as most young ladies, she is perfectly simple and unaffected, she loves me and she is a pretty good democrat (and so by the bye are all her relations)." Gallatin also describes Hannah as "... a city belle who has habits not very well adapted to Fayette County life."
51. FHILL2_130330_282.JPG: Gallatin Enters the Political Arena: 1788 -- Gallatin attends a meeting in Harrisburg, where he and others propose amendments to the newly adopted federal Constitution that would protect individual rights.
52. FHILL2_130330_285.JPG: A Marriage Begins: May 14, 1789 -- Gallatin and Sophia sign a marriage bond and marry within forty-eight hours at an unknown location. A few days after the marriage Sophia writes to her mother, begging for forgiveness for going against her mother's wishes. This letter is the only item that remains from Sophia's life. It is unknown whether Mrs. Allegre responded to it or even received it. Sophia and Gallatin depart soon after for Friendship Hill. They move into an incomplete, but still livable Brick House. Tragedy will soon strike.
53. FHILL2_130330_287.JPG: A Marriage Begins: May 14, 1789 -- Gallatin and Sophia sign a marriage bond and marry within forty-eight hours at an unknown location. A few days after the marriage Sophia writes to her mother, begging for forgiveness for going against her mother's wishes. This letter is the only item that remains from Sophia's life. It is unknown whether Mrs. Allegre responded to it or even received it. Sophia and Gallatin depart soon after for Friendship Hill. They move into an incomplete, but still livable Brick House. Tragedy will soon strike.
54. FHILL2_130330_294.JPG: Sophia Allegre: 1789 -- Over the past few years, Gallatin spent quite a bit of time in the Virginia capital of Richmond on business. There he frequented a boarding house run by Mrs. Jane Battersby Allegre, widow of William Allegre. He soon had other reasons to stay at the Allegre's besides the hospitality. Gallatin and Mrs. Allegre daughter, Sophia, became attracted to each other. Not much is known about Sophia. A descendent of French Huguenots and close to Gallatin's age, she fell desperately in love with her mother's tenant. Gallatin later writes to friend Badollet saying, "She [Sophia's mother] was furious, she refused me in the most brutal manner ... She did not want her daughter taken to the Pennsylvania frontier by a man without accomplishments, without fortune, who muttered English like a Frenchman who had been a schoolmaster at Cambridge. I laughed at most of her objections, I tried to respond to others, but I could not make her listen to reason... She is a she-devil whom her daughter fears horribly..."
55. FHILL2_130330_295.JPG: A Tragic Passing: October, 1789 -- Sophia dies of unknown causes. Local legend suggests she died either in childbirth of [sic] from complications of a miscarriage. Legend also states that in accordance with her wishes, Sophia was buried in an unmarked grave at Friendship Hill overlooking the Monongahela River. Edward Bramley recounts: "When I was a boy I went with Mr. Gallatin a hunting, or rather I went along to turn the squirrels for him, and carry them after he had shot them. On our way home we passes Mrs. Gallatin's grave. We sat down on a log to rest. He remained musing for a long time without speaking a word. Turning to me he said: 'There lies one of the best and purest women God ever made. I would have created a monument to her memory, only she requested me not to do so, preferring that her grave should not be marked. She said that I would know where she was laid, and to the rest of the world it was of little importance.'"
56. FHILL2_130330_300.JPG: A Letter of Reference: Summer, 1785 -- Gallatin spends most of this summer in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. He carries a letter of introduction form the governor of Virginia, Patrick Henry. Governor Henry writes: "The bearer hereof M. Albert Gallatin is going from this Place [Richmond, Virginia] to Greenbriar County and from there towards Monongalia and the Countys northwestward. His Business is with the Surveyors of some of these Countys, particularly with him of Greenbriar. And I do request that from him in particular, as well as from all others, he may meet with particular attention and Respect. I feel it is my duty in a particular Manner to give every possible facility to this gentleman, because his personal Character, as well as his present Designs entitle him to the most cordial Regards. Given under my Hand at Richmond this 275th March, 1785 P. Henry"
57. FHILL2_130330_307.JPG: Letter of Introduction: May, 1780 -- After learning of Gallatin's intentions, his family requested a letter of introduction from America's famed diplomat in France, Benjamin Franklin. Franklin obliged with the following letter to his son, Richard Bache: "Passy, May 24, 1780 Dear Son -- Messrs. Gallatin and Serres, two young gentlemen of Geneva, of good families and very good characters, having an inclination to see America, if they should arrive in your city I recommend them to your civilities, counsel, and countenance. I am every your affectionate father, B. Franklin"
58. FHILL2_130330_309.JPG: Gallatin Becomes an American: October, 1785 -- Gallatin travels to Morgantown, the county seat of Monongalia County, Virginia, where he takes the Oath of Allegiance and Fidelity to the Commonwealth of Virginia. By this act, Gallatin becomes a legal citizen of the United States.
59. FHILL2_130330_314.JPG: Land is Purchased: May 27, 1786 -- Gallatin purchases 370-3/4 acres in Fayette County from land speculator Nicholas Blake. The landscape here reminds him of his native Geneva with its gently rolling hills and soil fertile enough to fulfill his dreams of a farming life. He pays sixty pounds Pennsylvania currency for the property which he would call home for the next forty-odd years.
60. FHILL2_130330_319.JPG: Friendship Hill is Christened: February 1, 1788 -- Gallatin received formal title from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for the property. He named the property Friendship Hill after the men whom he admired and counted among his compatriots: Henri Serre, Jean Savary de Valcoulon and Jean Badollet, a schoolmate from Geneva and Gallatin's closest friend. It is probably that Gallatin began construction of the Brick House soon after he received ownership of the land.
61. FHILL2_130330_324.JPG: A Chance Encounter with Washington: April, 1784 -- Based on their inequiries, Savary purchases warrants on 120,000 acres of land south of the Ohio River. As payment for his services, Gallatin first receives one quarter, then later one half of the total land purchased. Traveling west they pass through Fayette County, Pennsylvania and Monongalia County, Virginia (present day West Virginia), where they meet George Washington. Washington is looking for a route to build a canal or road over the Allegheny Mountains. Gallatin interrupted the retired General telling him the best choice. Washington was very offended by this interruption but later threw down is pen, turned to Gallatin and said, "You are right, sir." Gallatin greatly liked this region of the country and was very knowledgeable of the frontier. He liked to speak of the region as "...a place where others buried their reputation -- I established mine."
62. FHILL2_130330_333.JPG: The Beginning: January 29, 1761 -- Abraham Alphonse Albert Gallatin was born in the city-state of Geneva, Switzerland. Albert's parents Jean and Sophie were comfortably wealthy and perhaps considered somewhat aristocratic. Their wealth came from the family's watch making business. Albert had one sibling -- a sister named Susanne. Susanne born five years before Albert, was diagnosed with a nervous disease and sent to a French medical center while she was still an infant.
63. FHILL2_130330_334.JPG: A New Guardian: January 8, 1766 -- To alleviate her dilemma, Albert's mother sent him to live with distant relative and close family friend, Mademoiselle Catherine Pictet. Pictet provided Albert with a very stable home environment and a fine education. Early on he was surrounded by tutors and intellectual thinkers such as the philosopher Voltaire. Albert's mother was now able to focus on running the family business.
64. FHILL2_130330_365.JPG: Arrival: July 15, 1780 -- After forty-nine days at sea, Gallatin and Serre arrive at Cape Ann, Massachusetts. The men rode an additional forty miles to Boston on horseback. They attempted to make a living selling their tea, but the instability of war and their poor English doomed them to failure.
65. FHILL2_130330_369.JPG: Ideals of the Noble Savage: May, 1779 -- At eighteen, Albert graduates from the College of Geneva. He was ranked first in his class in mathematics, natural philosophy and Latin. Albert was now facing an important decision. What to do after school? Albert's grandmother, Madame Gallatin-Gaudenet, arranged a military commission under Frederick II of Hesse-Cassel, whose troops were currently in North America fighting alongside the British against the rebelling colonists. Gallatin refused, declaring "he would never serve a tyrant." Gallatin's tutors had introduced him to the teachings of Jean-Jaques Rousseau where he discovered the concept of the noble savage. Rousseau's concepts urged him to return to nature. Rousseau said, "[T]o know the greatness of a nation, look not to its cities. Look, instead, at its farmers. "The first and noblest of all the arts is that of agriculture," Gallatin agreed with this concept and decided North America was the place to pursue his interests.
66. FHILL2_130330_374.JPG: Runaways: April 1, 1780 -- Gallatin and a classmate Henri Serre departed Geneva, telling no one of their intentions for fear that they would be stopped by their families. They soon arrived on the coast of France and purchased a cargo of tea to sell for profit once they reached the new world. Lack of wind delayed their departure for almost four weeks, during which time Gallatin wrote to friends and family of their whereabouts and plans.
67. FHILL2_130330_379.JPG: Sailing for America: May 27, 1780 -- Gallatin and Serre finally boarded the American ship, The Kitty. With $400 between them and their cargo of tea safely stored in the hold they sailed for American and their future.
68. FHILL2_130330_384.JPG: Off to School: January, 1773 -- Albert becomes a boarding school student at the College of Geneva.
69. FHILL2_130330_389.JPG: Loss of a Mother: April 1770 -- Albert's mother, Sophie, dies. By this time, Mlle. Picet was an important part of his life, which made the loss of his mother a little less difficult.
70. FHILL2_130330_394.JPG: Loss of a Father: 1765 -- Albert's father, Jean, dies. Albert's mother was forced to run the watch making business, as well as take care of her young son, but the strain was too great.
71. FHILL2_130330_399.JPG: Life at Harvard: July 2, 1782 -- The president of Fellows of Harvard College votes to grant Gallatin free use of the College library, a room in one of the College buildings, and meals at the commons at the rate paid by the tutors if he desired it. Gallatin agreed and with approximately seventy students he earned between $250 and $300 per term. Gallatin earned a reputation as a good teacher with a very pleasant personality. Although he enjoyed Harvard and Boston, he still yearned for an agrarian life. He hoped for the kind of opportunity soon offered to him by one of his pupils.
72. FHILL2_130330_406.JPG: A Tutor of French: October, 1781 -- Once again, through contacts of family, Gallatin secures a position as a tutor of French at prestigious Harvard College. Serre tutors students privately during this period.
73. FHILL2_130330_411.JPG: Gallatin and Savary Meet: Spring, 1783 -- Jean Savary de Valcoulon, a Frenchman serving as an agent to money lender Rene Rapicault, finds himself in Gallatin's class. Savary is here to arrange repayment of funds loaded to the Commonwealth of Virginia by Ripicault. Unable to speak English, he enrolled with Gallatin at Harvard. Savary is impressed with Gallatin's character and intelligence and proposes that Gallatin join him on a business trip to Virginia which Gallatin eagerly accepts.
74. FHILL2_130330_417.JPG: Farwell [sic] to an Old Friend: July 11, 1783 -- Gallatin and Savary quit Harvard, leaving Serre behind because of tutoring obligations. Serre catches up to them in Philadelphia where he pays $500 to Gallatin as part of a debt owed. He then parts for Jamaica to pursue a business venture there. Unfortunately, Serre becomes desperately ill down there, and dies before he can return to America.
75. FHILL2_130330_422.JPG: Inheritance received: January, 1786 -- Gallatin turns 25, and he received his inheritance totaling about five thousand dollars.
76. FHILL2_130330_425.JPG: Albert's First Child: December 18, 1796 -- Albert and Hannah have their first child, a son whom they name James.
77. FHILL2_130330_440.JPG: Hannah and Rural Life: July 11, 1799 -- In a letter to his sister-in-law Maria Nicholson, Gallatin describes the mismatch between his wife and rural life: Fayette County, 11th July 1799. ... She is also a mere country wife, sews, string beans, and c (entre nous, but a poor country wife too, inadequate to the duties of her station, knows not how butter should be made, meat salted, vinegar prepared, cannot scold, first in bed at night, and last in the morning, spoils her child, and c) ... my life's principal occupation... is to count the number of weeks and days which are to elapse before our departure...
78. FHILL2_130330_443.JPG: Another Child: January 8, 1800 -- A second son is born to Albert and Hannah, whom they christen Albert Rolaz.
79. FHILL2_130330_448.JPG: Strange Event at Friendship Hill: January 8, 1801 -- A meteor passes over the area, terribly frightening all at Friendship Hill. Hannah writes to Gallatin, seeking explanation and comfort: "New Geneva Januar 8, 1801 ... but last night we had a great fright, there was a large ball of fire passed by, and made such a luminous appearance that the Girls in the kitchen came screaming into the house, thinking the world was at an end, it was accompanied with the most tremendous noise resembling the firing of the heaviest cannon I ever heard and appeared to shake the house to the very foundation. You can readily judge how much your poor weak wife was terrified..." Albert, sent this reply to his worried wife: "City of Washington, 29th Jan 1801 The meteor which frightened you must have been at a very great height. The light which it caused at Williamsport where I was that evening (140 miles from you) was such that although the weather was extremely cloudy, the sky seemed to open and a ___ might have been ___ on the ground, but no explosion was heard... In order to know how it was from you, you must let us know, if your fright permitted you, what interval elapsed between the first appearance of the light and the explosion, how long the light lasted, and in what quarter it appeared."
80. FHILL2_130330_462.JPG: Catherine: August 22, 1801 -- Albert and Hannah have yet another child this time a daughter. Name Catherine, she would not be with them for long though. Catherine will tragically die on April 21, 1802 as a result of measles and whooping cough.
81. FHILL2_130330_467.JPG: Frances: February 3, 1803 -- Albert and Hannah great their fourth child, daughter, into the world. They give her the name Frances.
82. FHILL2_130330_472.JPG: Sophia Albertine: October 7, 1804 -- The Gallatin's have a fifth child, Sophia Albertine, she will not be as lucky as Frances. Tragically Sophia Albertine dies in infancy.
83. FHILL2_130330_477.JPG: Hannah Maria: September, 1807 -- The Gallatins' last child, Hannah Maria, will not survive infancy and dies tragically in Albert's arms.
84. FHILL2_130330_590.JPG: Stone Kitchen -- 1824: The Stone Kitchen was added to the Gallatin house in 1824, following the construction of the Stone House. It replaced the original, much smaller, one-story log kitchen which had been constructed in 1789, at the same time as the Brick House. When the Frame House addition was built in 1798, the log kitchen served both the Brick and Frame Houses. With his retirement planned and the addition of the Stone House (1821-23) almost completed, Gallatin anticipated more guests and an increased servant population that would require a larger, more modern kitchen. He instructed his son, Albert Rolaz, who was overseeing the Stone House addition, to tear down the old log kitchen and build a new story and a half stone one in its place.
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Wikipedia Description: Friendship Hill National Historic Site
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Friendship Hill National Historic Site, maintained by the National Park Service, was the home of early American politician Albert Gallatin. It overlooks the Monongahela River near Point Marion, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, about 50 miles south of Pittsburgh.

The home itself is made up of six sections. The earliest of which is the original brick house built in 1789. This original house is built in the Federalist style with a Flemish bond. Along the north side of the brick house, a simple frame house was added in 1798. A stone kitchen was added in 1823, a State Dining Room in 1895, a south bedroom wing was finished in 1902, and the servant's quarters were added in 1903.

The house was designated a National Historic Landmark on January 12, 1965, and was therefore administratively listed on the National Register of Historic Places with its establishment on October 15, 1966. The national historic site was established on November 10, 1978, and is administered under Fort Necessity National Battlefield.
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Directly Related Pages: Other pages with content (PA -- Friendship Hill NHS) directly related to this one: [Display ALL photos on one page]:
- 2008_PA_Friendship: PA -- Friendship Hill NHS (30 photos from 2008)
- 2003_PA_Friendship: PA -- Friendship Hill NHS (15 photos from 2003)
- 2001_PA_Friendship: PA -- Friendship Hill NHS (28 photos from 2001)
Same Subject: Click on this link to see coverage of items having the same subject: [History 1800s (excl wars)] [Park (National Park Service)]
2013 photos: Equipment this year: I mostly used my Fuji XS-1 camera but, depending on the event, I also used a Nikon D7000 and Nikon D600. Trips this year: three Civil War Trust conferences (Memphis, TN, Jackson, MS [to which I added a week to to visit sites in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Tennessee], and Richmond, VA), and my 8th consecutive San Diego Comic-Con trip (including sites in Nevada and California). Ego Strokes: Aviva Kempner used my photo of her as her author photo in Larry Ruttman's "American Jews & America's Game: Voices of a Growing Legacy in Baseball" book. Number of photos taken this year: just over 570,000.
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