Two weeks ago, only 2 readers knew that the pay phone in our photo challenge was located in the Sherwood Diner parking lot.
But it took Art Schoeller only 4 minutes to post that last week’s Lynn U. Miller image — showing a collage of scenes from Staples Players’ shows — can also be found at the diner. This one is just inside the front steps, in the waiting area, foyer or whatever you call it.
Madison Malin, Bill Holden, Phil Hurd, Drew Angus, Mark Lassoff, Jeanine Esposito, Rebecca Wolin and Andrew Colabella all followed quickly. (It was Andrew’s 2nd straight Sherwood/photo challenge win.) Click here for the image, and all the guesses.
I guarantee the rest of you will never again not notice that Players photo at the diner. Or the pay phone.
This week’s photo challenge is a bit different.
It’s easy to tell what this is: a portrait of some guy.
He hangs in a private home. But who is he?
If you think you know, click “Comments” below.
Beloved me jessup… of jessup everything
Close — but not right.
Aaron Burr
Bedford?
Also close. Also wrong.
horace staples?
Nope!
John Kerry? (snicker … tee hee! Does kinda look like him, don’t it?).
😎
I like Sharon’s guess, but I’ll guess he’s a Coley.
Jedediah Woog?
Who’s left — Jennings? Sherwood? Burr?
You are all missing a big Westport name.
Henry Burr Sherwood?
Jonathon trumbull
looks like john kerry
It’s a Gault
“A big Westport name” was Gault. That must be it.
Still wrong. Everyone is missing a major Westport name. Here’s a hint: He has a street named after him.
I wish to file a formal protest with the Commissioner’s Office of “06880.” As much as I enjoy the weekly “Photo Challenge”–and as appreciative as I am that you have decided to use several of my photos for this Sunday feature–I think this week’s pic and the one from two weeks ago seem to run far afield from the original scope of the challenge (which I thought was to see how observant loyal “06880” readers are about their surroundings).
This week’s picture “hangs in a private home;” two weeks it was of a pay phone that could have been in several locations in Westport. (I don’t think there was anything in the picture to distinguish the “winning location” from others in town–although admittedly I was wrong about Coleytown El, which apparently lost its pay phone a while back.)
I recommend public visuals that are unique. (And I promise not to make a federal case out of it if the Commish rules against my protest.)
Sorry, Fred, you lose. The idea is to mix things up, and keep people on their toes. The idea is to see how observant people are about every aspect of life here — including famous dead people. If every week’s photo was of some cleverly cropped piece of a building, the Photo Challenge would be no fun. This one is #116; if you didn’t like it, wait for #117. This feature is like Darwin’s world: Evolve, or die.
Daniel Freelove Nash
Nope. Here’s a hint: He has a street named after him.
Taylor
Taylor place
Not it.
Mr. Myrtle.
Or, Mr. Washington.
Or, Mr. Gray.
Or, Mr. Jennings, or, Mr. Frost…
Herb Baldwin
I was going to say, “Doc Doubleday” which the field on Riverside Ave at Saugatuck school is named after. But, there is no street named after him so I must be wrong. Could it be someone from the Green (s) family???
Is it Morris Ketchum?
Yes! It is Morris Ketchum!
The photo (circa 1850s) comes from Bob Ketchum — Morris’ great-great-grandson. it hangs in Bob’s house, far from Connecticut. Bob sent it to me, saying, “very little family lore was passed down” before his father — also named Morris — died.
Bob’s great-great-grandfather helped bring the railroad to Westport. According to Woody Klein’s book he lived a couple of miles away, on a 500-acre estate called Hockanum. Consisting of parks, farmlands, wheat fields, vineyards, forests and gardens, it was considered one of the nation’s most beautiful estates. It was designed by Ketchum’s friend, Frederick Law Olmsted (who also designed Central Park).
Born in 1896 in New York state, he came to Westport as a youth. Married to a member of the Burr family, Ketchum made his money in the cotton trade. He founded one of the first cotton commission houses in the country, in New York City. That led to his interest in the newly developing transportation network of railroads (with another wealthy Westporter, Horace Staples). That led to his role as a titan on Wall Street.
Hockanum — known now most as the place Abraham Lincoln allegedly slept at while here to raise money for the Civil War — still stands, on Cross Highway. Ketchum’s land — from Roseville Road all the way north to the Merritt Parkway and Lyons Plains — has been largely developed.
Morris Ketchum Jesup — who provided funds for the Westport Public Library building on the Post Road in 1908, shortly before his death — was Morris Ketchum’s godson. Morris Ketchum had been a close friend of Jesup’s father, who died when Jesup was young.
Got all that?!
Ebenezer Adams
Morris Ketchum Jesup?
I think Barbara is ight. it’s Mr. Jesup, thought he also looks a lot like a former neighbor of mine who does not have a street named after him.
Close — it is Morris Ketchum! For the relationship between Morris Ketchum and Morris Ketchum Jesup, read on.
The photo (circa 1850s) comes from Bob Ketchum — Morris’ great-great-grandson. it hangs in Bob’s house, far from Connecticut. Bob sent it to me, saying, “very little family lore was passed down” before his father — also named Morris — died.
Bob’s great-great-grandfather helped bring the railroad to Westport. According to Woody Klein’s book he lived a couple of miles away, on a 500-acre estate called Hockanum. Consisting of parks, farmlands, wheat fields, vineyards, forests and gardens, it was considered one of the nation’s most beautiful estates. It was designed by Ketchum’s friend, Frederick Law Olmsted (who also designed Central Park).
Born in 1896 in New York state, he came to Westport as a youth. Married to a member of the Burr family, Ketchum made his money in the cotton trade. He founded one of the first cotton commission houses in the country, in New York City. That led to his interest in the newly developing transportation network of railroads (with another wealthy Westporter, Horace Staples). That led to his role as a titan on Wall Street.
Hockanum — known now most as the place Abraham Lincoln allegedly slept at while here to raise money for the Civil War — still stands, on Cross Highway. Ketchum’s land — from Roseville Road all the way north to the Merritt Parkway and Lyons Plains — has been largely developed.
Morris Ketchum Jesup — who provided funds for the Westport Public Library building on the Post Road in 1908, shortly before his death — was Morris Ketchum’s godson. Morris Ketchum had been a close friend of Jesup’s father, who died when Jesup was young.
Got all that?!
Good one Dan! Is it John Green ?????
A big name in Westport with a street named after him? How about Charlie Saugatuck? Sam Post? Mr. Green of Greens Farms?
Adams or Peabody?
Maybe Bulkley or Wakeman?
I’m so impressed with everyone’s knowledge (first names) I only can think of Coley because I grew up on Coleytown Road!!
Alan Raymond
William, Ernest, or one of the many Bradley’s of Compo Beach fame.
Or, Mr. Meeker. (yawn)
Wilbur Cross.
Adams? Sylvan? Whitney? Gorham? And how are we supposed to recognize the person anyway, if the painting is in a private home?
We’re supposed to research.
Burnham or Hill?
Yes! It is Morris Ketchum!
The photo (circa 1850s) comes from Bob Ketchum — Morris’ great-great-grandson. it hangs in Bob’s house, far from Connecticut. Bob sent it to me, saying, “very little family lore was passed down” before his father — also named Morris — died.
Bob’s great-great-grandfather helped bring the railroad to Westport. According to Woody Klein’s book he lived a couple of miles away, on a 500-acre estate called Hockanum. Consisting of parks, farmlands, wheat fields, vineyards, forests and gardens, it was considered one of the nation’s most beautiful estates. It was designed by Ketchum’s friend, Frederick Law Olmsted (who also designed Central Park).
Born in 1896 in New York state, he came to Westport as a youth. Married to a member of the Burr family, Ketchum made his money in the cotton trade. He founded one of the first cotton commission houses in the country, in New York City. That led to his interest in the newly developing transportation network of railroads (with another wealthy Westporter, Horace Staples). That led to his role as a titan on Wall Street.
Hockanum — known now most as the place Abraham Lincoln allegedly slept at while here to raise money for the Civil War — still stands, on Cross Highway. Ketchum’s land — from Roseville Road all the way north to the Merritt Parkway and Lyons Plains — has been largely developed.
Morris Ketchum Jesup — who provided funds for the Westport Public Library building on the Post Road in 1908, shortly before his death — was Morris Ketchum’s godson. Morris Ketchum had been a close friend of Jesup’s father, who died when Jesup was young.
Got all that?!
Photo?
Tom Leyden: thanks for thinking the gentleman in the portrait was a Bradley, but I doubt it. Whomever, the coat & tie (cravat?) look like the late 1700s & he is considerably more handsome than any photo I’ve seen of the male
“Bradleys of Compo Beach.” I have photos of my ancestors Gershom Bradley (died 1860), followed by Scudder, followed by David, all on the onion farm in Westport at the beach. In 1901 David lost the entire beach portion of the property to the town of Westport in a lawsuit in CT Superior Court. About that time a rectangle of land between Compo Beach Road & Hillspoint was sold off the farm for “beach cottages” thus creating Bradley Street & the “Avenues” – like the Mills (see an earlier post) we named the street after ourselves. Angry and disillusioned at losing the beach (I assume – he was a man of very short temper), David Bradley & family, including James and twins Ernest & Irving, moved to northeast New Jersey. David’s grandson James Peters Bradley moved back to Westport in the 1920s & built a house in Owenoke. His son, my father J. Kenneth Bradley, married, bought & renovated a little house in Owenoke too, where our families lived until 1999 when I was the last Bradley to leave the “Beach.”
And sorry, I’ve never heard of a “Bill” Bradley in our family…
Bonnie: We’ve lived on Bradley Street since 1971. I have researched the beach properties and traced things back to Irving and Ernest mapping the area, ( I have a copy of that map by the way
) subdividing their property and then selling off the lots to among others Sam Roodner who bought my property in 1920 from them. We are the fourth and longest in time owner of the property. Your family was important down here and we are proud to live on a Street named after your forebears. Tom
Thanks for this history Bonnie. Your Dad, J. Kenneth Bradley, was wonderful. You know that of course but for the record I’ll mention it here and remind everyone about the legal work he did to save much of the beauty of the area when I95 went through.
I should have added, I’m glad there is a Bradley Street.
Gee, is it Morris Ketchum? Just a long shot. No idea where that idea came from…
You’re good!
That is my Uncle Louis!
Hi Tom – thanks for your interesting & enthusiastic reply! As the years passed and my grandfather & then father died, I snatched up every scrap of paper, photo & memorablia that I could get my hands on. I wish I had more, but it seems as though almost no close family members had similar interests. I’m sure I have that map of the “subdivision” too – somewhere!
I have a copy of an incredibly complete & informative (full of details of events & activities) handwritten genealogy compiled by a cousin, Petey Evans, I believe, done sometime before 1940. On it is noted that twins Irving & Ernest “carved ship models, built & sailed a sandbagger (a type of single masted working sailboat) “Shadow,” of which I have 2 photos. The house at the east corner of Compo Beach Road & Appletree Trail “Twin Gables”) was David Bradley’s farmhouse. Two or three houses across Appletree Trail, around the little pond, were the farm barns later converted into houses. I have had to laugh when one or another has been advertised for sale over the years & the real estate ads promote it as a “former ship captain’s house.” Onion storage more likely.
I’m so glad that you love & appreciate your house on Bradley Street. My grandfather & father always felt a special bond to the farm and our family which came before, a bond which I share.The people long gone, with their dreams, their actions & their way of life impact & enrich us all.
Many thanks for the kind words, Mary! He was a remarkable person and I attribute much of the happiness in my life to his care and the influence he provided to me as a girl.