tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23925148.post4842540361130808361..comments2024-03-19T19:48:17.585-04:00Comments on New York Daily Photo: Clement Clarke MooreBrian Dubéhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12579167361224067819noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23925148.post-20245889619554584422012-03-02T11:37:33.939-05:002012-03-02T11:37:33.939-05:00Well we must also thank Thomas Moore for adding hi...Well we must also thank Thomas Moore for adding his special touch to the Chelsea neighborhood. Now, nearby <a href="http://www.citizennyc.com/" rel="nofollow">Citizen</a> is a little more proud to be part of a section of the city that brought forth one of the most beloved stories in our holiday history.Citizenhttp://www.citizennyc.com/http://www.citizennyc.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23925148.post-24339417118432584922011-04-04T14:09:27.462-04:002011-04-04T14:09:27.462-04:00Hi Brian,
I´m very pleased making a tour on your b...Hi Brian,<br />I´m very pleased making a tour on your blog in order to complete some plans for my travel to NYC.<br />I´ve never seen this building. It´s amazing<br />Thanks<br />Elisa, from ArgentinaElisahttp://elisaorigami.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23925148.post-59470513756412234252011-03-06T14:48:15.172-05:002011-03-06T14:48:15.172-05:00The New York Times has led you astray. Thomas Cla...The New York Times has led you astray. Thomas Clarke, Clement Clarke Moore's grandfather, was not a "retired British naval officer." He was, in fact, the captain of a company of New York militia. The Times seems to have confused him with Sir Peter Warren, an Irish officer in the Royal Navy who married into New York's wealthy Delancey family and established Manhattan's first gentleman's country seat in what is now the West Village. Hence, no doubt, your (or the Times's) failure to identify correctly the size of Clement Clarke Moore's property -- although here you seem to have been misled in part by Wikipedia's entry for Moore. Moore's estate extended roughly from what is now West 19th Street to West 26th Street and from what is now 8th Avenue to the Hudson River -- which, when Captain Clarke bought the property in 1750, lapped the shore at about the line of 10th Avenue. In any case, no part of Moore's property was exempted from the rigors of the 1811 Commissioners' Plan; the grid was imposed, little by little, over the whole of it. (By the way, Moore did not end up with the whole of Captain Clarke's Chelsea estate: the northern part, from about 24th Street to about 28th Street, went to a cousin. Moore's father, Benjamin Moore, Bishop of New York, added the block between 19th and 20th streets.) <br /><br />For a map showing Moore's holdings in 1819, see <br /><br />http://maps.nypl.org/warper/maps/9246#Preview_Rectified_Map_tab<br /><br />The matter of Captain Clarke and his career is more complicated. The web merely repeats over and over again the error that he had been an officer in the British army. Here is a relevant paragraph from W.W. Abbot, ed.,<br />The Papers of George Washington: Colonial Series; vol. 1: 1748-August 1755, page 149, footnote 2:<br /><br />2. Thomas Clarke (Clark) was captain of one of the New York independent companies. Clarke was<br />commissioned captain sometime before 1745. In 1746<br />he was appointed major for the duration of the proposed attack on Canada and, after the abortive campaign, reverted to his original rank. Capt. John Rutherfurd (1712-1758) was captain of the other New York independent company but was in England in 1754. As a result Clarke was senior commanding<br />officer of both New York companies that arrived in Alexandria. He was<br />also one of the New York officers who signed a letter disclaiming responsibility for GW's defeat at Fort Necessity (Penuyluania Gazette[Philadelphia], 10 April 1755). In order to brevet Clarke, which conferred only temporary rank<br />and no increase in perquisites or pay, Dinwiddie had to give Clarke "my Como. . . . this Expedient was agreed to by Capt. Clark & wds the only Method<br />I cd think of to keep up Harmony amongst them" (Dinwiddie to Sharpe,<br />20 June 1754, ViHi: Dinwiddie Papers).<br /> <br />This paragraph explains why Captain Clarke sometimes turns up on line as "Major Clarke."<br /><br />Alex ScalaAlexander Scalanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23925148.post-75066298694044526722011-02-23T16:44:32.295-05:002011-02-23T16:44:32.295-05:00I have often wondered about these little buildings...I have often wondered about these little buildings-thanks!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23925148.post-7700136438660589592011-02-23T12:34:53.847-05:002011-02-23T12:34:53.847-05:00Fascinating as usual, Brian. I've never seen t...Fascinating as usual, Brian. I've never seen this side of Chelsea. On my admittedly limited visits, I've only known it as the rather ugly, vaguely industrial neighborhood that's home to the galleries and auto repair shops. Thanks for sharing its prettier side.Terry at Blue Kitchenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13504693954312787975noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23925148.post-35802916302831431012011-02-23T11:07:05.329-05:002011-02-23T11:07:05.329-05:00I enjoy coming to this site to see photos every da...I enjoy coming to this site to see photos every day. This photo reminds me of the old days in New York back in the late 80s when things weren't too modern but were just becoming that way. Just a magical charm.MMGhttp://www.mmgnyc.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23925148.post-70422568584562453622011-02-23T04:50:08.567-05:002011-02-23T04:50:08.567-05:00Aha, very interesting. Especially since I gave a c...Aha, very interesting. Especially since I gave a copy of the book to my little grandchild who resides in NYC at the moment, and read it to him every night before Christmas last year. My daughter also brought it out this year to read again. The story never grows old. <br /><br />Although when she was talking about Christmas this coming year, to be celebrated in Australia, there would a tree, and lights and presents..."but no Santa" he chimes in. I think he is a bit young for a scary man in a red suit yet.Anniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10698343129217681652noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23925148.post-14806200820960852011-02-23T00:29:04.092-05:002011-02-23T00:29:04.092-05:00This is so cool learning all this history! Chelsea...This is so cool learning all this history! Chelsea is still one of the quaintest areas of Manhattan. I think it means so much more to me now than when I lived there. Jeez, Jim would have loved your blog...Lesliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00769298443717603329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23925148.post-80463138653554681932011-02-23T00:13:33.162-05:002011-02-23T00:13:33.162-05:00MattC, Ken Mac, Jeni, Jack, Sue - thanks all. So s...MattC, Ken Mac, Jeni, Jack, Sue - thanks all. So surprising to get these comments. Typically, history and architecture stories never seemed to be those that were of great interest. Of course, this is part of the fabric of the city.Brian Dubéhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12579167361224067819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23925148.post-54674997973311259432011-02-22T23:40:25.227-05:002011-02-22T23:40:25.227-05:00Wow, Brian, just yesterday I was explaining to my ...Wow, Brian, just yesterday I was explaining to my husband and kids how the village was spared the grid system that most of Manhattan is built on! I didn't know the exact details, so thanks for that. Great bit of history.Kendigramhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09793690118308907817noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23925148.post-67120080434681962632011-02-22T23:19:52.987-05:002011-02-22T23:19:52.987-05:00A most interesting post, Brian. I knew of Moore a...A most interesting post, Brian. I knew of Moore as the writer of the famous Christmas poem, but I knew nothing about him or his impact on the geography of a special part of Manhattan.Jackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03323811980627840654noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23925148.post-70434227925640876492011-02-22T22:52:42.121-05:002011-02-22T22:52:42.121-05:00I know this corner :)!! I used to work at 23rd be...I know this corner :)!! I used to work at 23rd between 10th & 11th, the 17th at 10th and now I'm in Union Square. <br />I love this history. A good friend of mine Luanne Rice is from this area too and she wrote about it in her book and movie "Silver Bells".<br /><br />Love your history lessons!Jenihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01522255680842120938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23925148.post-44244593120356393882011-02-22T20:39:09.067-05:002011-02-22T20:39:09.067-05:00ninth at 21st. I am amazed I don't know this c...ninth at 21st. I am amazed I don't know this corner. Love that faded sign.Ken Machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09100185198750536244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23925148.post-79377547552778808922011-02-22T19:30:28.198-05:002011-02-22T19:30:28.198-05:00Brian, love your photos, blog and stories behind e...Brian, love your photos, blog and stories behind each photo. I grew up in Brooklyn and live in upstate NY, photos bring back many memories, but also so many things I never knew or took for granted way back then. Keep up the great work. Checking this stories and the links.... many people may not know the origin of "stoop". I always thought it to be unique to NYC.MattCnoreply@blogger.com