I found this postcard of the Warner House at Constitution Island, NY when cleaning out some items at my grandparent’s house. It was tucked between the pages of one of the many books they own.
Upon checking with my mom I discovered she went to Constitution Island through school so it most likely came from that trip.
I love collecting postcards so she was fine with me adding it to my collection!
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New Found Postcard
So let’s start learning more about this photograph!
The caption under the black and white picture states: Sitting Room in Revolutionary Wing, Warner House, Constitution Island, N.Y.
There are no markings or notes on the back of the card, aside from the production information: Produced by Post Card Co., 225 Fifth Ave., New York, NY.
After a quick google search, I was unable to find anything informative about the company. I may search more at another time.
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Constitution Island, N.Y.
I had never heard of Constitution Island so I turned to the internet to begin my research.
According to Google Maps, “This island in the Hudson River is the site of Revolutionary War fortifications & the Warner House” located in Philipstown, NY/ West Point NY.
The land is across from the West Point Military Academy, with the Hudson River flowing in-between.
Map Image for reference:
After that, I began reading articles from the website https://www.constitutionisland.org/ and learned the following:
“The story of Constitution Island is the story of the people who once lived here: the Warner Family and the many West Point cadets who found a haven away from home; the American Revolutionary War soldiers; the early Dutch settlers and before them; the Nochpeem Tribe of Native Americans.”
”For forty years, during the 19th century, Anna and Susan Warner taught bible classes to cadets who rowed across the river, landing, coincidentally, at the same place where the Great Chain was anchored in 1778, protecting the Hudson River and our Independence.”
Okay so now I knew where this postcard was from and a little bit of information, but I wanted to learn more.
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Click the book image to view it on Amazon:
Constitution Island (Images of America: New York) by Ronnie Clark Coffey
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Warner House
After reading a few posts on the Constitution Island website I learned a lot about the Warner Family. (This is a brief overview, but links are listed below for more information!)
Their home is the location in which the postcard photograph was taken.
The Warner family included: Henry Whiting Warner (Father), Susan Bogart Warner (daugher, b.1819 -d.1885), Anna Bartlett Warner (daughter, b.1824 – d.1915). Frances Warner (Henry’s sister), and Thomas Warner (Henry’s brother)
Henry Warner, a widow after the passing of his wife, Anna Marsh Bartlett, was visiting his brother Thomas, a Chaplain at West Point. Where he then purchased the cottage property in 1836.
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After creating a large addition to the structure, Henry and his family moved in to their new home in 1837. Fanny helped care for the children after Henry’s wife passed away a year after baby Anna’s birth.
As they got older Susan and Anna Warner began writing careers to help support the family financially. You may recognize their works of the novel “The Wide, Wide World,” and the popular hymn “Jesus Loves Me.”
According to the Constitution Island website, ‘The Wide, Wide World’ was picked up by George P. Putnam and became one of the best-selling books of 1851.”
Click the book image to view it on Amazon:
The Wide, Wide World by Susan Warner
Susan and Anna taught Bible classes at their home for the West Point Cadets for 40 years. They shared bible versus but also had personal friendships with the cadets. They allowed them to enjoy their land, away from their daily responsibilities.
The classes took place all the way up to Anna’s death in 1915.
Per the Constitution Island website- ” The gift of faith was not the only gift from Anna Warner to the Military Academy. In 1908, through the generosity of Mrs. Russell Sage, she was able to make the gift of her property, Constitution Island, to be added to the military reservation of West Point.”
There is so much more to discover about the Warner Family!
George Washington Portrait
I now knew where the photo was taken and who resided in the home, but I was still left wondering about some of the items pictured in the room.
In particular the portrait of George Washington stood out.
So I searched on.
I came across these paragraphs on the Constitution Island website:
“Somehow, although they were never completely free from debt, they [Warner family] managed to hold on to their historic island with its fortifications. One wall of the room where they did most of their writing was once a part of the barracks erected in the autumn of 1775. Hanging over the fireplace on this wall was an original portrait of George Washington by Gilbert Stuart. This cherished possession was one they never parted with, no matter how destitute they became.”
“Anna Warner died in 1915. In her Will she bequeathed to the cadets the treasured Gilbert Stuart portrait of George Washington, which now hangs in the West Point Museum. The sisters are buried in the cemetery at West Point. Their graves overlook the river and Constitution Island, which they loved so well.”
Unfortunately this still does not answer the question of how the Warner family originally obtained the George Washington portrait but I have learned at least some of the story to start out.
Memorials
Susan and Anna Warner’s resting place is at the United States Military Academy Post Cemetery in West Point Orange County, NY.
Click here to view the virtual memorials honoring them are located on FindAGrave.com:
These obituary clippings are from the website Newspapers.com
Constitution Island Sources:
There is so much more to learn and discover about the Warner Family and Constitution Island.
I hope to visit the location this upcoming year when they re-open for tours. I will be sure to document and share what I can.
The following sources provided a great deal of information that is shared in this article:
- https://www.constitutionisland.org/
- https://www.westpoint.edu/news/community-news/constitution-island-historical-haven-paradise-cadets-enjoy
Thank you!
Thanks so much for reading! Sharing this postcard is the first of a monthly series I would like to begin this year! So please stay tuned next month for another photo and research article.
Have a great day!
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What an interesting story about something I might not have thought about at all when looking at that postcard.
Happy to share! Thanks for reading!
The photo of the black and white postcard brought me to your page. I’m always captivated by black and white photos. There is always such interesting history behind them. I haven’t had the change to visit NY yet but I believe I’ll add this to my list.
I hope you have a great time if you visit NY! Thanks so much for reading!
This is so interesting, thank you for sharing. Looking forward to more!
Thanks for reading!
Wow what a great informative post! I’m intrigued and definitely want to know more!
Thanks so much for reading!
I love learning fascinating things about history! And potential places to visit! Thank you for sharing 😊
Thanks for reading!