Comments on: Gerrit Smith Estate, Peterboro, NY

By: Rick

Rick — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 02:24:01 +0000

HI, I recently discovered an 8 x10 black and white photo of the Gerrit Smith Residence in Peterboro, NY. The photo is labled “1910.” Do you know of someone I can contact who might have an interest? Thanks, Rick

By: Mrs. Mecomber

Mrs. Mecomber — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 14:10:50 +0000

Hi, Kay! I will certainly be looking at the website. I hope to see more displays on the site sometime. I would LOVE to see a reenactment! Will there be one in 2011?

Beth: Thanks for visiting, and thanks for your comment. Whoops! I’d forgotten that Peter was the father, not the son! Corrected.

By: Beth Spokowsky

Beth Spokowsky — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 17:00:29 +0000

Your site was just forwarded to me. I am the President of the Peterboro Historical Society. I congratulate you on the accuracy of the articles you have written. There is only one small error which I’d like to correct. Gerrit Smith did not have a son named Peter. The Peter referred to in other documents and signs was Gerrit Smith’s father. Peterboro is named after him.
Please consider correcting this error if possible.
Thank you.
Beth Spokowsky

By: Kay Rorer

Kay Rorer — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 20:03:22 +0000

Hey, there!
I am a volunteer with the Peterboro area historical organizations and stumbled onto your site through a Google search — good commentary and fun photos: thanks.

If you are a history buff and live anywhere near P’boro, I encourage you to come back next summer [2009] when we will have new, more detailed signage thanks to a New York State grant initiative to further develop its Underground Rail Road historic trail.

The Smith family provided three generations of truly remarkable people in this small hamlet of Peterboro — patriarch Peter Smith, admiring friend of the Iroquois and longtime business partner with Jacob Astor; Peter’s son Gerrit, renowned abolitionist, and Gerrit’s wife Ann Carroll Fitzhugh Smith, [a direct descendant of the great revolutionary thinker George Mason of Virginia]; their children Elizabeth Smith Miller [suffragist who created the "Bloomer" pantaloon for women] and Greene Smith [collected and donated thousands of bird specimens to help establish the ornithological collections at Harvard and Cornell]; and Elizabeth’s son Gerrit Smith Miller [first to bring the Holstein cow to America, revolutionizing milk production-- also captain of the first "football"/soccer team in the United States and in the Soccer Hall of Fame].

See what I mean? And there’s a lot MORE…Once you do a bit of Googling on THEM, I am confident you’d find the history of Peterboro interesting enough to warrant a visit.

We are working hard to create Peterboro as a more user-friendly historic site, so stay tuned — and check our website for our calendar of special events: http://www.sca-peterboro.org.

Thanks again for the Peterboro piece,
Kay

By: Kay Rorer

Kay Rorer — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 18:39:43 +0000

Hey, there!
I am a professional grantswriter who volunteers with the Peterboro area historical organizations and stumbled onto your site through a Google search — good commentary and fun photos: thanks. If you are a history buff and live anywhere near P’boro, I would be happy to give you a little tour sometime in WARM weather! The Smith family provided three generations of truly remarkable people — I am confident you’d find them interesting enough to share with your readers.

We are into a 10-year plan to create Peterboro as a MUCH more user-friendly historic site — working on a National Endowmwnt for the HUmanities grant to this end, as we speak. It is very frustrating to us that people like you come and can’t get farther into this history than a sign or two, especially when the museums are closed. Sooner rather than later, I hope, this will change.

Thanks again for the Peterboro piece,
Kay Rorer