The house that Hambletonian built

William Rysdyk’s house sheltered generations, lives on as historic bed and breakfast, By Ginny Privitar Chester — Hambletonian House is one of those old houses that sets you to wondering about its history, and the people who lived there. Also known as the Rysdyk house, situated at the corner of High Street and Hambletonian Avenue in Chester, this Victorian home now doubles as a bed and breakfast, restored and refurbished by its current owners, Alan and Rosemary Eckard. But what of its origins? In the 19th century, Chester was known for its dairy products, delivered to New York City by the Erie Railroad. But William M. Rysdyk (pronounced RYES-dick) and his stallion, known as Hambletonian, also put Chester on the map for harness racing. Rysdyk was born in 1809. Not much is known about his early life, but as a young man he worked as a farm hand on the property of Jonas Seely. He was said to be a hard-working, dour, reserved man with a good eye for horses. In 1849, he saved enough to buy a mare and her colt for $125 from Seely. To Rysdyk’s eye, the bay colt with a white star on his forehead and white hind ankles seemed promising, and his lineage was good. Rysdyk showed the horse at the Orange County Agricultural Society Fair in Goshen in a fine white bridle and martingale — part of the harness that goes around the horse’s girth, with a strap going up between the forelegs. The horse attracted a lot of attention. When the colt was three years old, Rysdyk entered him in a timed trial harness race at Union Course on Long Island, where he ran a mile in 2:48 ½ — a very fast time for an inexperienced horse and driver. According to most accounts, this is the only official record of a timed race run by Hambletonian, although some old-time Chesterites say they heard he also ran occasionally in local races on a small track that was behind the area now occupied by ShopRite. After the Long Island race, demand grew for Hambletonian’s stud services. The original $25 fee grew to $500, as his offspring inherited his speed and won many races. Hambletonian is considered the progenitor of more than 95 percent of the trotters and pacers living today. A ‘ferocious’ love Hambletonian’s owner cherished him. Unattributed handwritten notes in the Harness Racing Museum in Goshen say people were surprised at the taciturn Rysdyk’s “ferocity of [his] affection for the horse.” Further, Rysdyk “liked nothing better than to imperiously turn away local horsemen who had once sneered at ‘The Dutchman’s Bull,’” as Hambletonian was called by some who now sought to mate their mares to him. Eventually Rysdyk grew rich. During his lifetime, Hambletonian earned his owner more than $185,700 — several millions in today’s dollars. Sometime between 1860 and 1865, Rysdyk bought this property in Chester and built his home. Hambletonian’s fees paid for the $21,800 home in three months. The fine woodwork, plasterwork, and original floor-to-ceiling pier mirrors in the front parlors testify to the care that went into its construction and furnishing. Rysdyk married twice. He married Mahala Hall in 1829 and they had two children, William T. Rysdyk and Elizabeth Rysdyk Roe. After his first wife’s death, he married Elvira Sproull (sometimes spelled Sproule or Sprowle) in 1841. They had several children, none of whom lived to adulthood. Rysdyk took ill in 1870 and was bedridden for a time. The story is told that he had Hambletonian walked by his groom, Harmon Showers, in front of the house on High Street, so his owner could see him from his bedroom window. Rysdyk died on April 3, 1870, and left most of his property to his widow, Elvira. The famous Hambletonian died in 1876. Seventeen years later, a granite monument in his honor was erected on Hambletonian Avenue, paid for by private citizens and members of the harness racing community. Rysdyk’s children from his first marriage contested his will but the courts eventually found in Elvira’s favor. When she died, she made provisions in her will for the care of Hambletonian’s gravesite, and gave a nearby house an acre of land to Harmon Showers. That house still stands, right next to Route 94, shrouded in trees and now with an interwoven branch fence. Elvira gave bequests to her adult stepchildren and a number of others. The Rysdyk house then passed into the hands of her nephew, George F. Andrews, an avid diarist (see his account of the death of Hambletonian, right). After the Rysdyks The new owner of the property, George F. Andrews, left some interesting diaries now held by the Chester Historical Society. He had his own home across the street and appears never to have lived in the Rysdyk house. As one of the executors of his aunt’s will, Andrews sold the house to Charles Parshall Smith, M.D., in 1878. The doctor’s last wife and widow was Susan Randolph. A biographical sketch of Dr. Smith gives us a picture of an accomplished man, beloved by his community. He became a teacher at 16 and later put himself through medical school. After his death, his sons, Harry B. Smith and Charles P. Smith (also a doctor), sold the home in 1904 to George M. Roe, who together with his brothers owned the Roe feed and lumber store in the large building in downtown Chester across from the Erie Railroad Station. At one time, a rail spur stopped right next to the building. Cattle and dairy products t were transported by train to and from Chester. Today the Roe descendants own Roe Building Supplies in the Village of Florida. Happy memories of childhood In 1935, George Roe’s brother, John, bought the home for his recently married daughter, Elizabeth Roe Bieling. She and her husband, Jobst Arnold Bieling, raised four children there: John, Seward, J. Arnold, Jr. and Elizabeth. Arnold, born in 1936, is the present owner of Roe Building Supplies. He lived in the house for many years and has fond memories of the good times he had as a boy. But his mother must have worried about him, since he could be a little too adventurous. His mother told him the story of how a neighbor saved his life when he was an infant. He had crawled out an upstairs bedroom window and out on the porch roof on the right side of the house. He was reaching for something in the roof gutter when a neighbor who lived across High Street happened to look in that direction. She ran over and banged on the door, gasping “Baby on roof, baby on roof!” Bieling’s shocked mother ran upstairs, climbed out on the roof, and grabbed him before he could fall. Still, Arnold continued with his daredevil ways. As a boy, he and his friends would jump off the barn into a pile of dried manure to cushion their fall. This tradition was followed in turn by his son, Scott. Soon afterward, when keeping cows ceased, so did the barn-jumping tradition. Arnold remembers playing hide-and-seek with his friends, with the aid of the original large pier mirrors in the two front parlors of the house. He and his siblings also enjoyed swinging on the lower branches of a large spruce tree, which still stands. Bieling lived there alone for a time, after his mother remarried and moved to Monroe. He brought his wife, Christine, there when they married. And they in turn raised two boys, Scott and Tim. Once, a babysitter said she heard a ghost and never babysat for them again. Arnold said he never heard or saw anything, although another member of his family thought there was something there. Arnold and his wife eventually moved to Warwick and the family home was sold to the Henrys in 1979. John G. Henry and his wife remolded the house, adding a solarium to the back of the kitchen and a pool to the grounds. Neighbors say the Henrys mostly kept to themselves. The couple at one time owned the Bull’s Head Inn. They later divorced, and their house was purchased in 1987 by Pasquale and Denise Grippo. An hospitable house Not much is known about the Grippos, who moved out of state. In 1992 the house was purchased by Alan and Rosemary Eckard, who live there still. After a major remodeling, the house opened as a bed and breakfast. During the remodeling, the Eckards made a series of interesting finds — but no ghosts. Removing the original wood molding to strip off old layers of paint revealed the name “Rysdyk” in charcoal on the back, presumably from the mill that made it for the first owner. They also came across old love letters from one of Arnold’s brothers, some of which they returned to his family, others were left in the wall where they were found. In back of an old closet they discovered a safe, possibly dating to the 1880s. When they opened it, they found old photographs of the neighborhood that they donated to the Chester Historical Society. The Eckards are an engaging and hospitable couple, but take note — Rosemary can be fierce in protecting her home. Once, when she was helping a neighbor get ready for a yard sale, a vagrant slipped into the house. She saw him, grabbed a poker from the fireplace, and sent him running out the door. Two days later, he was caught by the police. If you’re out walking in the neighborhood, stop to admire this house and think of its place in Chester’s history. To really get a taste of what life was like in the past, call the Eckards and book a room for a night with history. For more information and to see objects associated with Hambletonian, visit the Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame of the Trotter in Goshen or go online to view some of the items in the Chester Historical Society Collection at web.mac.com/chester_historical and click on Collections.

Rysdyk took ill in 1870 and was bedridden for a time. The story is told that he had Hambletonian walked by his groom, Harmon Showers, in front of the house on High Street, so his owner could see him from his bedroom window.

Once, when they had engaged a neighbor as a babysitter, the young woman said she heard a ghost and never babysat for them again. Arnold Beiling said he never heard or saw anything, although another member of his family thought there was something there.

The death of Hambletonian
A page from the diary of George F. Andrews
Monday, March 20th, 1876 Cold raw day. Hamlet Sproull and wife took dinner with us. Left on the afternoon train. Snow commenced falling about 4 oclock this afternoon.
Tuesday 21
Snow turned to rain about midnight and came down in torrents until about 9 this AM. Everything is flooded.
Wednesday 22
I visited New York City. Found all well. Returned the same day. Prayer meeting well attended. Our Pastor still endeavoring to explain the Book of Revelation. For one I shall be glad when he gets through. All I have spoken to on the subject agree with me that there is nothing either instructive nor edifying in guessing at the meaning of prophecies.
Friday 24
Beautiful day. Mary spending the afternoon at Mr. Colfax’ with Mrs. Rowe.
Sabbath 26
Very wet underfoot. Moderate attendance at the House of God. Collection taken for disabled ministers. Our Pastor continued his exposition of the Life of Christ. Evening attendance slim. Left. “Then Cometh the End.”
Monday 27 Hambletonian was found by his groom Harmon T. Showers dead this morning. Could not have been dead very long. I boxed him and buried him on the farm in all respects conforming express wish of my uncle on his death bed. This disease very much resembled glanders. At all events it was the result of epizootic. Aged 26 years, 1 month & 8 days.

A night with history
For more information about the Hambletonian House bed and breakfast, located at 19 High St. in Chester, call 469-6425or e-mail eckarro@netscape.net. Photo from Web site: www.hambletonian-house.com.