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Vail House.
The original structure that became the Vail House was probably built in the 1790s by Thomas Kinney. Stephen Vail, the proprietor of the nearby Speedwell Ironworks, acquired the property in the 1830s. In 1844, Stephen extensively renovated what was probably a simple farm house into what he called his Mansion.
At Speedwell, the Whippany River cuts a deep ravine that was easily dammed to power an early saw mill, bloomery forge, and slitting mill. A dwelling house was built on the hillside overlooking the river. In the late 1700s, the property was owned by Thomas Kinney, one of Morristown's wealthiest citizens. The land near the river was acquired by Stephen Vail in the early 1800s, and became the famed Speedwell Ironworks. Vail gradually increased his holdings to include the tract of land on the west side of Speedwell Avenue that contained the old Kinney House. By the 1840s he had become a successful businessman and the owner of a large estate. Now in his 60s, Stephen Vail converted the old house into a conservative but comfortable home for his old age. A man of modest taste, he rejected the latest styles in favor of a traditional Georgian exterior. Inside he installed a central heating system and indoor plumbing. There was a large dining room on the first floor, an office on the second floor and a kitchen in the basement. You might compare Stephen's home with the much more stylish house his son George built at about the same time, just across the street.
As part of a 1960s restoration, all modern additions were removed and the front facade was returned to its 1850s appearance. The interior was renovated and many pieces of Vail family furniture and memorabilia were returned to the house.
Stephen Vail:
In 1807, Stephen Vail, a Morristown blacksmith, along with partners William Campfield and Isaac Canfield, started building an Ironworks at Speedwell. By 1815, Vail had become the sole proprietor and gradually increased his holdings. During most of his early years, he lived in what was called the Brick House, on the west side of Speedwell Avenue close to the Ironworks. A skilled mechanic and inventor, Stephen was the kind of well-ground businessman who always had capital to invest, even in times of economic depression. A man of vision, he was involved in the construction of the S.S. Savannah, the first steam powered ship to cross the Atlantic Ocean. He financed the development of the telegraph and was an early promoter of railroads. A prominent citizen, he was a Justice of the Peace, a Judge in the Court of Common Pleas, a Jacksonian Democrat and a slave owner. He married three times. Stephen Vail died in 1864 at the age of 84.
In 1837, Stephen's son Alfred worked at Speedwell with Samuel F.B. Morse to perfect the electromagnetic telegraph. During one of his visits, Morse, a renowned portrait artist, Stephen and his first wife Bethiah. Today, the painting still hang in the hall of the Vail House. |