Gallatin letter donated to Friendship Hill in Sunday ceremony
Photo courtesy of West Overton Village and Museums.
Looking over an 1823 letter written by Albert Gallatin, early American statesman whose Springhill Township estate is now Friendship Hill National Historic Site, are (from left) Stephanie Koller, West Overton registrar; the Rev. George Relic, president of the Friendship Hill Association; and Chip Nelson, chief ranger and unit manager at Friendship Hill. The photograph was taken at West Overton Village and Museums near Scottdale where it was rediscovered in the archives. The letter is being donated by the Friendship Hill Association, which paid for its restoration.
(Photo courtesy of Friendship Hill Association)
Albert Gallatin's 19th century country estate in Springhill Township became a national park known as Friendship Hill National Historic Site. An 1823 letter written by Gallatin that was found at West Overton Village and Museums near Scottdale is being donated to the National Park Service by the Friendship Hill Association.
Photo courtesy of Friendship Hill Association.
This sculpture of Albert Gallatin stands at his Springhill Township country estate, now a national park known as Friendship Hill National Historic Site. An 1823 letter written by Gallatin that was found at West Overton Village and Museums near Scottdale is being donated to the National Park Service by the Friendship Hill Association, which paid for its restoration.
(Photo courtesy of Heinz History Center)
An 1823 letter written by Albert Gallatin, early American statesman who lived in Springhill Township in an estate that's now a national park known as Friendship Hill National Historic Site, was found at West Overton Village and Museums near Scottdale and is being donated to the National Park Service by the Friendship Hill Association, which paid for its restoration.
Albert Gallatin was 62 years old and serving as minister to France when he wrote a letter concerning maritime trade on March 14, 1823 and sent it through the French Postal Service to his acting council in the port city of La Rochelle.
Nearly 200 years later, the public will be able to view that letter, which bears Gallatin’s signature, as it is formally presented to the National Park Service in a 2 p.m. ceremony on Sunday at Friendship Hill National Historic Site, Gallatin’s country estate that runs along Route 166 in Springhill Township near Point Marion.
The letter was rediscovered in the archives of West Overton Village and Museums near Scottdale in nearby Westmoreland County and is being donated by the Friendship Hill Association, which paid for its restoration.
Brian Reedy, park ranger and chief of interpretation for Friendship Hill and Fort Necessity National Battlefield in Wharton Township said, “Folks are excited. It’s nice to have something that was in the hands of Gallatin. We have the house and grounds but it’s smaller objects that attract attention.”
He noted the park service appreciates “anything that helps us interpret Gallatin and bring him to life. This is a tangible object from that period.”
Gallatin was a Swiss immigrant who came to America in 1780 when he was just 19.
The park service explained in a press release that Gallatin “became a moderating influence during the Whiskey Rebellion of 1794. He went on to hold a 13-year tenure as Secretary of the Treasury during the Jefferson and Madison administrations. Under his guidance, the expanding nation reduced the national debt, purchased the Louisiana Territory and funded the Lewis and Clark Expedition.”
The letter written by this remarkable man concerns a clarification over trade.
“It regards recent trade agreements between France and America,” explained Reedy. “Some American ship captains didn’t understand the regulations. French officials were requesting original papers. Ship captains said we want to make copies. Gallatin said they must show the originals but the French can’t keep them. It’s specifically sent to a gentleman, who was an acting council, a lawyer representing the U.S. government. Ship captains were coming to the council.”
The letter, addressed to J.D. Garesche, Esq., along with an envelope that includes the French postmark and remains of the original wax seal, had been stored in the archives of West Overton Village and Museums, an early 19th century industrial village in nearby Westmoreland County that’s also known as the birthplace of industrialist Henry Clay Frick.
Stephanie Koller, West Overton registrar, explained the letter was rediscovered two years ago by dedicated volunteers who went through the collection. There were records about the letter but the current staff didn’t know about it.
“It’s definitely exciting when you get that close to history on the larger scale,” said Koller. “Albert Gallatin was a statesmen and so important to the early United States so getting to see something of his is really fantastic and exciting.”
West Overton contacted the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh where the letter underwent minor restorative work by its Museum Conservation Center, which was paid for by the Friendship Hill Association, the friends group that supports the mission of the National Park Service.
“All my life, I’ve been a history geek so I’ve been prejudiced about this from the get-go,” said the Rev. George Relic, association president, of the letter. “You can be in the presence of something that was touched by Albert Gallatin – it transcends centuries.”
Gallatin’s signature was authenticated by the Rabb Collection, LLC, which is internationally known for authenticating historical autographs, such as Abraham Lincoln, James Madison and Benjamin Franklin.
West Overton formally transferred the letter and a duplicate copy to the Friendship Hill Association on March 1.
The public presentation to the park service takes place at Sunday’s ceremony on the rear side porch of the mansion at Friendship Hill but will be moved indoors in case of inclement weather. Scheduled speakers include Koller, Reedy and Dr. Toni L’Hommedieu, association vice president. Chip Nelson, chief ranger, will act as master of ceremonies.
Stephen Clark, superintendent of Western Pennsylvania’s national parks, commented in a press release, “We are deeply grateful to the Friendship Hill Association and West Overton Museums for their efforts to bring this letter to Friendship Hill. Tangible bits of history like his really help people connect with our nation’s stories – our history.”
Koller said, “It was so great working with the Friendship Hill Association and National Park Service. It’s so important for the museum to make history accessible to everyone.”
“I’m very enthused and I feel this is such a wonderful addition to our collection,” aid Relic in the press release. “How can we thank West Overton for thinking of us?”
Gallatin’s letter will be on display a few days before being put into museum storage. The duplicate will then be on view for visitors to see.
Reedy said Gallatin wrote the letter as he was finishing his seventh year in France. He moved briefly to Baltimore before returning to Friendship Hill from 1823-25 when he put a new addition – the stone house – onto the mansion and hosted Marquis de Lafayette during his historic visit to America. Gallatin left Friendship Hill to move to New York briefly before becoming minister to Great Britain from 1826-27. Afterwards, he returned to America to live in New York where he helped found New York University. He died there in 1849 at age 88.
May 1 also marks the first day of Friendship Hill’s summer hours when the mansion will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The grounds remain open from sunrise to sunset.