Articles

1980. E. SPINGARN
      of TROUTBECK
      AMENIA, NY
      1875 – 1939

      A simple, albeit large, stone slab measuring about 8 ½ feet long, 5 feet wide and 3 ½ inches in depth along with an American Legion grave marker memorialize the Section M Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery resting place of the earthly remains of Joel E. Spingarn, of Troutbeck.

      The first paragraph of his local obituary published in the Evening Star June 27, 1939 reads:
      J. E. Spingarn Dies in New York

      “Joel E. Spingarn, 65, resident of Amenia and New York city, who was the country’s leading authority on clematis, former university professor and literary scholar, a poet, soldier, horticulturist and uncompromising critic in diverse fields died yesterday at his New York home, 110 East 78th street, after having been ill since January.”
      The headline of his obituary in the New York Herald Tribune on the same day reads:
      Col. Spingarn, Donor of Award For Outstanding Negroes, Dies
      “Author, Horticulturist and Soldier, He Battled for Liberties of Individuals”
      As this obituary continues. . . . .:
      “He was a delegate to the first convention which founded the American Legion and was the first commander of the Legion post at Amenia, N.Y.”

      The preface of a 1972 work by B. Joyce Ross entitled J. E. Spingarn and the Rise of the NAACP 1911-1939 describes Joel Elias Spingarn as an incorporator of the NAACP, Chairman of its Board of Directors, Treasurer and President.

      Much of the above is how those of us in Dutchess County recall to mind this famous person with an Amenia country estate. His first Dutchess purchase according to Dutchess County Deed records having occurred October 2, 1909 when Joel Elias Spingarn of the City, County and State of New York purchased from Martha E. Avery of the Borough of Brooklyn “part of the lands of William A. Benton, deceased”. The description in part abstracted as follows: 202 5/10ths acres in Amenia with exceptions including (among others), a family burial ground for the descendants of Caleb Benton, enclosed by a stone wall.

      However, as I gazed upon J. E. Spingarn’s grave and as a family historian, I wanted to know more about his family than what was told in the closing paragraph of Col. Spingarn’s 1939 Tribune obituary. “Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Amy Spingarn; two sons, Stephen J. and Edward D. W. Spingarn; two daughters, Hope and Honor Tranum Spingarn; his mother and three brothers. It was announced yesterday that his burial would be in Dutchess County and would be private.”
      ​
      As briefly as possible, I will attempt to share with you here what I have researched thus far.
      Amy Einstein, daughter of wealthy New York manufacturer David Lewis Einstein was born in 1883 in New York City, married abt. 1906 Joel E. Spingarn, first of four son of wholesale tobacconist Elias and his wife Sarah (Barnett) Spingarn, and died June 25, 1980. After her husbands death Amy was a patron of the “Harlem Renaissance and supported the work of many black artists and writers, such as Langston Hughes.”

      From Federal Census records it can be determined that Joel and Amy’s first child, Hope Spingarn was born about 1907. The New York Times announcement of her November 1, 1957 marriage in Bombay to Hitindra Malik of Bombay states that Hope studied at Sweet Briar College, the Sorbonne and the University of Grenoble in France. As a consultant in public relations, she went to India in 1955 served as a public relations consultant to the Family Planning Association of India. At this time the only further information on Hope comes from her sister Honor’s 2008 obituary which states Honor visited her sister annually in England and that she was predeceased by her.

      Stephen J. Spingarn was born September 1, 1908 in Bedford, New York, graduated from the University of Arizona in 1930 and the University’s Law School in 1934. He was an administrative Assistant to President Harry S. Truman 1949-50 and served with John F. Kennedy on the Democratic National Committee’s Small Business Advisory Committee 1956-57. Stephen died in August 1984

      Honor Spingarn was born in 1910 and educated and raised in New York City. On August 14, 1937 at Troutbeck in Amenia, she married Carl Tranum. Together the couple resided in the Virgin Islands. Honor, having started painting at the age of 5, became a painter herself and designed textiles. During the “New Deal” she painted frescoes in New York City as a part of WPA projects. She was also an avid gardener. Honor Spingarn Tranum died Sept. 9, 2008 in St. Thomas, the Virgin Islands. She was survived by her son Joel, 3 grandchildren, and 3 great grandchildren, she was predeceased by her son Mark. Honor was the last surviving child of Joel and Amy Spingarn and was predeceased by her sister and two brothers.

      Edward D. W. Spingarn was born October 22, 1911 in New York and spent his early years at Troutbeck. He graduated from the Kent School in Kent, Connecticut in 1929 and Bowdoin College in Maine in 1933. He also earned a master’s degree in modern history at Harvard and was an economist and educator specializing in Asian Affairs in the International Money Fund. Edward married Elizabeth Gray Morison January 25, 1941. Edward died in Washington, DC May 7, 2005 at the age of 93. He was survived by his wife and a daughter Phillida Morison Alcantar of Hawaii. He was predeceased by his son Christopher L. M. Spingarn on June 3, 2000.

      Research thus far has still left me wondering why Joel E. Spingarn, a son, a brother, a husband, father and more, is the single burial in the Spingarn Plot in Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery which he himself purchased July 9, 1938 approximately one year before his death. It certainly seems his children travelled far and wide and were very accomplished in their own right. This may very well explain why their father rests alone beneath the large slab of stone with the simple inscription that titles this article. Rest in Peace our friend and adopted Dutchess County son.
      Prepared for Friends of Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery by Virginia A. Buechele, Oct.19, 2008
      
      Sources:

• Office Records – Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery
• Honor Tranum [Obituary] – The Virgin Islands Daily News – Wed. Sept. 17, 2008
• Hope Spingarn is Married – The New York Times – November 13, 1957
•  http://www.jfklibrary.org – John F. Kennedy Presidential Library – Inventory of His Personal Papers – Biographical note – Stephen J. Spingarn
• Tranum – Spingarn [Marriage] – New York Times – August 15, 1937
• Amy E. Spingarn [Obituary] New York Times – June 28, 1980
• Edward Spingarn [Obituary] The Washington Times – May 11, 2005
• Court to Interpret Einstein’s Will – New York Times – November 24, 1913
• J. E. Spingarn Dies in New York – Evening Star – Poughkeepsie – June 27, 1939
• Col. Spingarn, Donor of Award For Outstanding Negroes, Dies – New York Herald Tribune – June 27, 1939
• Dutchess County Deed 362:295 – Joel Elias Spingarn Grantee; Martha E. Avery Grantor
• J. E. Spingarn and the Rise of the NAACP 1911-1939, B. Joyce Ross, Studies in American Negro Life, August Meier, General Editor, New York ATHENEUM, 1972 [Adriance Memorial Library, Local History, Poughkeepsie]
• J. E. Spingarn by Marshall Van Deusen, University of California, Riverside, Twayne Publishers, Inc., New York, 1971 [Adriance Memorial Library, Local History, Poughkeepsie]
•  Died – Spingarn, Elias [Obituary] – New York Times – November 20, 1916
• 1900 U S Federal Census, Manhattan, NY City, NY County, NY State
• 1910 U S Federal Census, Manhattan, NY City, NY County, NY State [West 73rd Street]
• 1920 U S Federal Census, Manhattan, NY City, NY County, NY State

Wesley Smead (1800-1871) “Finally” at Rest 1879
The Smead Mausoleum resembles a church in appearance and is located on a knoll in the Center of Section E. As one gazes upon this imposing structure which can’t be missed on a leisurely walk through the cemetery, one can’t help but wonder who is interred within its walls, what life events preceded the interments in this ionic structure with its stately columns and, was there a story behind the mausoleum’s erection?  Let us now explore the answers based on the author’s research.
 When Spring arrives and the plantings in the cemetery are in bloom, a walk up to the opened cemetery door reveals two large sarcophagi just inside with a marble bust of Wesley Smead on a stand between them.  The inscriptions on each sarcophagus read as follows;

Wesley Smead                                                                     Delia Smead
Born 23 December 1800                                                    Wife of Wesley
Died 6 January 1871                                                            Died 26 December 1909

Cemetery office records confirm two interments in this massive structure.

Wesley Smead was born in Westchester County, worked as a newsboy, became a printer and later studied medicine at Ohio Medical College.  Soon realizing the practice of medicine was a slow way to accumulate wealth, he practiced there as a druggist, very quickly accumulated wealth and loaned it with interest.  In Cincinnati he also served as president of the Citizen’s bank and in 1850 founded the Widow’s Home there.  His obituary published New York Times Jan. 7, 1871 reads “Death of Dr. Wesley Smead at Poughkeepsie . . .Poughkeepsie, N. Y., Jan. 6. – Dr. Wesley Smead died in this city to-night. He celebrated the seventieth anniversary of his birthday at the Morgan House [Poughkeepsie], two weeks ago, on which occasion he gave $5,000 to the Widows’ Home in Cincinnati, making $37,000 he has given to that institution in all. He has also given liberally to charitable institutions in this city.”

At present it is not known exactly what brought Wesley Smead to Poughkeepsie. According to various published genealogies, Delia was not Wesley’s one and only wife.  She is however believed to have been his last wife.  Wesley Smead’s 1864 will, proven January 30, 1871 in Dutchess County Surrogate Court, names wife Delia as his executrix.
In 1910 several heirs of Delia sought to break her will.  A November 22, 1910 Poughkeepsie Daily Eagle news article regarding the subject states “….Mrs. Smead, was born in Ireland.  She had lived many years in this city, coming here in early life.  She married Dr. Wesley Smead, an old man, whom she had served as a nurse for many years.”  A widowed Delia Smead age 40 is enumerated in the 1880 Census for Poughkeepsie.

 Although it is not known for certain where Dr. Smead’s earthly remains rested from the time of his death in 1871 until July 28, 1879 when they were finally laid to rest in his sarcophagus in the mausoleum, it may be conjectured they rested in the cemetery vault.. 

Cemetery office records reveal Mrs. Delia B. Smead took title to eleven (11) lots in Section E January 28, 1879. Through various newspaper articles the story of the erection of the Mausoleum is found.

Poughkeepsie Daily Press  – April 6, 1874 – A Costly Sepulcher – “We learn that a mausoleum of Quincy Granite is to be constructed for the estate of Wesley Smead who died in this city in 1871. . . . .at about $50,000. . . . .expected, will be one of the finest in the country.”

New York Times – April 8, 1874 – Costly Memorial of the Dead – “The exterior dimensions of the structure will be about eighteen feet above the ground.”

 Poughkeepsie Daily Press – August 31, 1874 – Building Notes – “Mr. Broas [George E. Broas] has also been awarded the contract for setting the granite vault of the late Dr. Wesley Smead.. . . stones were cut in Boston . . . . . of large size and closely resembles a church in appearance.”

 Dutchess Farmer – April 27, 1875 – “The Dr. Smead vault at the Cemetery is now completed, and adds another to the many beautiful and imposing structures which adorn the city of the dead.. . . . . some trouble between the contractors and the owner of the vault about the price. . . . involves about forty-thousand dollars will probably come before the courts. . .”

 Poughkeepsie Daily Press – October 21, 1878 – The Smead Mausoleum – “The Smead mausoleum in the cemetery has been levelled [sic] to the ground and will be rebuilt. The cause of its demolition was the refusal of the widow of Dr. Smeade [sic] refusing to accept the work because she was dissatisfied with one or more of the blocks of granite used. Contractor is a Boston man.  The huge granite blocks that were brought from eastern quarries required the united strength of six teams of horses to hall them to their destination.  It is a big and bothersome job, the contractor has in hand.”

Poughkeepsie Daily Press – July 28, 1879 – A FINAL Resting Place – “The remains of the late Dr. Smead will be disinterred and placed in the sarcophagus designed for them at the Rural Cemetery to-day.  Dr. Smead died about 10 years ago.”

Considering the imposing size of Dr. Smead’s final resting place, one directive in Delia Smead’s will seems unusual.  Delia directs that after her interment in the mausoleum there are to be no further burials ever in the “Tomb” and no flowers shall at any time ever be placed in said tomb.  The keys and deed to the twelve (12) plots of land surrounding it are to be delivered to her nephew, Thomas W. Burke, to be held by him forever.

There are still many questions to be answered regarding the life and times of Wesley and Delia Smead.  However, it is certain they both rest in peace in an impressive ionic church-like structure in Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery among “many beautiful and imposing structures which adorn the city of the dead” or,  what we prefer to term Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery.

Prepared for Friends of Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery by Virginia A. Buechele, April 12,  2008 – The author wishes to acknowledge the assistance of Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery Office Manager Vicki Fells  and James Storrow for their assistance in providing resources used in the preparation of this article.