VanCroft Mansion / Knights of St. George / Aspen Manor
August, 2000
On Saturday August 19th, the Brooke County Genealogy group, along with friends visited the former Knights of St George Home. This is now called the Catholic Knights of America.
This property has a fascinating history. Original ownership in the courthouse lists William L. Miller as the purchaser in 1848 from John Lewis and in 1859, an additional parcel from Charles Devinney. In 1901, the wealthy industrialist Joseph B. Vandergrift bought the 448 acre Miller farm and added 35 ½ more acres in purchasing part of the Saunders Farm.
Vandergrift named the property Vancroft and immediately built what was known as a playground for the “rich and famous”. It was reported to be the site of “bejeweled women”, horse racing, cock fighting, gambling, drinking and all sorts of earthly revelry.
Passing along through ownership by the Brinker family during which a silent film was made on the property, to the Knight of St George and the William Penn Society was a fascinating transition from sensual pleasures to spiritual nourishment.
After being vacant since closed by the William Penn Society in 1991 the property has been purchased by the Catholic Knights is a fraternal benefits society with emphasis on family, church and community. (From the Brooke Review Jan 28, 1999) Termed by one local newspaper the “Monte Carlo of the Ohio Valley” the property known as Vancroft also boasted cock-fighting, fox hunts, and horse racing on the only figure eight tack in the country at the time…..Other pastimes available to guests were bowling, cards, billiards and swimming parties……The few Wellsburgers admitted to the guesthouse reported accounts of fabulous rooms decorated along various national themes , the Chinese, Indian, Turkish and Presidents rooms…all furnished with authentic pieces representing each country. ….Chinese art such as weaving, (see photo listed as #5 below) bamboo work, painting and carving on the paneled walls. The Turkish room is a balcony overlooking the huge dining table which seats 24. In this Turkish room party goers could draw from the central opium Hookah ( water pipe)….Great solid wood cabinets, sideboards, tables and leather covered chairs and other pieces of furniture still rest on the expensive Oriental carpeting. …..Vancroft boasted its own electrical power generator and the 20 some buildings were electrified and connected to the main mansion with a closed circuit telephone system……A serious fire damaged the mansion while owned by Vandergrift and the section damaged was rebuilt, but in 1904, Vandergrift sold the hideaway to Joseph Speidel and for the next seven years, under two owners, little is known of the place called Vancroft. ……….
If you would like further details, contact the Brooke Review. This story ran for several weeks in this newspaper.
Our group found the work of the Catholic Knights of America to be most interesting. The Independent and Assisted Living section of the home is beautiful.. The room are light, with pleasant views from the windows. Furnishings are up to date, clean and well kept. We did tour this area of the home first.
Out next stop was the Chapel. We were reminded that this chapel was built OVER the area where the swimming pool had originally been. One photo shows St George, and then in the bottom right of the photo, is a picture of the home.
We went down the hall and saw the Japanese room. All through the house you will find furniture made by Gustav Stickley. This is VERY heavy, solid furniture.
We went out into the courtyard. The old mansion part of the building is a square, with a courtyard center, rooms off the four halls.
When your in the courtyard, you can look up to the roof, and look close at the dormer window to the left there are bars on it! This was the jail, for the unruly guests.
Looking down from the balcony room (The Turkish room) you see the living room area. Again, the Stickley furniture is here. Each room had a fireplace, with a distinct design. No two the same!
From the living room you could move to the outside front door, or to the courtyard.
Down the hall from the living room is the Indian room. There is a LARGE collection of Indian portraits with the names of each Indian on the photo. We were asked not to take pictures of this room….
Near this room is the billiards room. With the original table, that was made in Wheeling.
The next room is the Presidents room, with signed photos of each president. This room has a most interesting quarter sawed library table. At the end of this hall is a sun porch. Beautiful! So pleasant….
Across the hall is the dining room , again the Stickley furniture. The sideboard with a dish rack was HUGE!
A SPECIAL THANKS TO Eric Shoup, the administrator of this C. K. of A. Center for a most interesting tour. Watch for special events they he is planning to hold in the future.
Vandergrift story:
Edith Alberta Patterson Whiteman recalled going home after school with the daughter/daughters of Vandergrift. She said they had an entire house that was their play house. It was a real house, larger than Eddie's home, but small to the vandergrift children.
It was so much fun, so many playthings, dolls, children's furniture in everyroom.
When she was recalling the memories, she wanted to call them Vanderbilts, but I now see the correct name. She thought they were from New York, she knew they were wealthy and many people visited.
Someone ask her dad, Charles Rubin Patterson, about her being able to go to the home. When it was time for her to go home, either someone from the home took her or her dad came for her. I can't imagine they would let their children go to the public school. (any records?)
Fran Whiteman
On Saturday August 19th, the Brooke County Genealogy group, along with friends visited the former Knights of St George Home. This is now called the Catholic Knights of America.
This property has a fascinating history. Original ownership in the courthouse lists William L. Miller as the purchaser in 1848 from John Lewis and in 1859, an additional parcel from Charles Devinney. In 1901, the wealthy industrialist Joseph B. Vandergrift bought the 448 acre Miller farm and added 35 ½ more acres in purchasing part of the Saunders Farm.
Vandergrift named the property Vancroft and immediately built what was known as a playground for the “rich and famous”. It was reported to be the site of “bejeweled women”, horse racing, cock fighting, gambling, drinking and all sorts of earthly revelry.
Passing along through ownership by the Brinker family during which a silent film was made on the property, to the Knight of St George and the William Penn Society was a fascinating transition from sensual pleasures to spiritual nourishment.
After being vacant since closed by the William Penn Society in 1991 the property has been purchased by the Catholic Knights is a fraternal benefits society with emphasis on family, church and community. (From the Brooke Review Jan 28, 1999) Termed by one local newspaper the “Monte Carlo of the Ohio Valley” the property known as Vancroft also boasted cock-fighting, fox hunts, and horse racing on the only figure eight tack in the country at the time…..Other pastimes available to guests were bowling, cards, billiards and swimming parties……The few Wellsburgers admitted to the guesthouse reported accounts of fabulous rooms decorated along various national themes , the Chinese, Indian, Turkish and Presidents rooms…all furnished with authentic pieces representing each country. ….Chinese art such as weaving, (see photo listed as #5 below) bamboo work, painting and carving on the paneled walls. The Turkish room is a balcony overlooking the huge dining table which seats 24. In this Turkish room party goers could draw from the central opium Hookah ( water pipe)….Great solid wood cabinets, sideboards, tables and leather covered chairs and other pieces of furniture still rest on the expensive Oriental carpeting. …..Vancroft boasted its own electrical power generator and the 20 some buildings were electrified and connected to the main mansion with a closed circuit telephone system……A serious fire damaged the mansion while owned by Vandergrift and the section damaged was rebuilt, but in 1904, Vandergrift sold the hideaway to Joseph Speidel and for the next seven years, under two owners, little is known of the place called Vancroft. ……….
If you would like further details, contact the Brooke Review. This story ran for several weeks in this newspaper.
Our group found the work of the Catholic Knights of America to be most interesting. The Independent and Assisted Living section of the home is beautiful.. The room are light, with pleasant views from the windows. Furnishings are up to date, clean and well kept. We did tour this area of the home first.
Out next stop was the Chapel. We were reminded that this chapel was built OVER the area where the swimming pool had originally been. One photo shows St George, and then in the bottom right of the photo, is a picture of the home.
We went down the hall and saw the Japanese room. All through the house you will find furniture made by Gustav Stickley. This is VERY heavy, solid furniture.
We went out into the courtyard. The old mansion part of the building is a square, with a courtyard center, rooms off the four halls.
When your in the courtyard, you can look up to the roof, and look close at the dormer window to the left there are bars on it! This was the jail, for the unruly guests.
Looking down from the balcony room (The Turkish room) you see the living room area. Again, the Stickley furniture is here. Each room had a fireplace, with a distinct design. No two the same!
From the living room you could move to the outside front door, or to the courtyard.
Down the hall from the living room is the Indian room. There is a LARGE collection of Indian portraits with the names of each Indian on the photo. We were asked not to take pictures of this room….
Near this room is the billiards room. With the original table, that was made in Wheeling.
The next room is the Presidents room, with signed photos of each president. This room has a most interesting quarter sawed library table. At the end of this hall is a sun porch. Beautiful! So pleasant….
Across the hall is the dining room , again the Stickley furniture. The sideboard with a dish rack was HUGE!
A SPECIAL THANKS TO Eric Shoup, the administrator of this C. K. of A. Center for a most interesting tour. Watch for special events they he is planning to hold in the future.
Vandergrift story:
Edith Alberta Patterson Whiteman recalled going home after school with the daughter/daughters of Vandergrift. She said they had an entire house that was their play house. It was a real house, larger than Eddie's home, but small to the vandergrift children.
It was so much fun, so many playthings, dolls, children's furniture in everyroom.
When she was recalling the memories, she wanted to call them Vanderbilts, but I now see the correct name. She thought they were from New York, she knew they were wealthy and many people visited.
Someone ask her dad, Charles Rubin Patterson, about her being able to go to the home. When it was time for her to go home, either someone from the home took her or her dad came for her. I can't imagine they would let their children go to the public school. (any records?)
Fran Whiteman