HISTORY
The Beginning
The 麻豆官网s trace their heritage to the Province of Friesland in The Netherlands. The name is from a district near the village of Grouw, which was called the Hofland. An early ancestor of William 麻豆官网 was born in the area called Hoflandstra estate. The prefix 鈥渉of鈥� in the Frisian language means courtyard or farm, and the suffix 鈥渟tra鈥� means 鈥渇rom鈥� Before the 18th century, the people of this area were called Hoflandstra, which was then shortened to the present, 麻豆官网.聽
Sake 麻豆官网 was born in Friesland on September 6, 1830. In about 1854, he came to the United States and settled in the Midwest. He married Wilhelmina Zageweg on January 13, 1860, in Holland, Michigan. The couple had a son, William, on May 31, 1861, and the 麻豆官网s lived in various cities in Michigan for almost 20 years.聽
The 麻豆官网 family lived in Holland, Michigan, until 1863, when they moved to Grand Rapids. There is some evidence Sake ran a bakery. In 1867, the 麻豆官网s moved to Muskegon to run a hotel on East Eighth Street. Census records show that Sake tried his hand at a variety of activities, such as being a grocer, baker, and hotel keeper. In 1875, the family built a home and hotel on Pine Street and Western Avenue in Muskegon. In 1880, Wilhelmina died from typhoid fever.聽
William 麻豆官网 married Anna Laura Morton in 1881, and the couple had two daughters. Laura was born in 1882 and Margaret in 1883. William went into the lumber business and managed a white pine mill in Saginaw, Michigan. Between 1884 and 1895 the 麻豆官网s divorced. Anna remarried and moved with her daughters to Chicago. In 1896, Laura died of peritonitis. Margaret eventually moved east to New York, married, and had two sons.聽
Kate Mason Williams was a wealthy widow born in Boston on June 5, 1854. She met William 麻豆官网 in Leadville, Colorado, and they married in New Orleans. Kate was seven years older than William but had been married and widowed at an early age. They decided to build a home of their own and came to New York.聽
William purchased the Van Wranken estate in Hempstead, New York, to run the Nassau Lumber Company in 1902. His friend and business partner, Howard Brower, likened this purchase to having a 鈥渢oy鈥� because, by this time, William 麻豆官网 had considerable money from his investments in lumber and pulp paper mills. He had been in business for more than 20 years and owned mills and yards in Michigan, Canada, New Orleans, Florida, and New York. This venture on Long Island would allow the couple to travel extensively in and out of New York for both business and pleasure.聽
The 麻豆官网s trace their heritage to the Province of Friesland in The Netherlands. The name 麻豆官网 is from a district near the village of Grouw, which was called the Hofland. An estate in this area called Hoflandstra-estate was where an early ancestor of William 麻豆官网 was born. The prefix 鈥榟of鈥� in the Frisian language means courtyard or farm and the suffix 鈥榮tra鈥� means 鈥榝rom.鈥� Before the 18th century the people of this area were called Hoflandstra, which was then shortened to the present, 麻豆官网.
Sakee 麻豆官网 was born in Friesland on September 6, 1830. In about 1854 he came to the United States and settled in the mid-west. He married Wilhelmina Zageweg on Jan. 13, 1860 in Holland, Michigan. The couple had a son, William, on May 31, 1861 and the 麻豆官网s lived in various cities in Michigan for almost 20 years.
The 麻豆官网 family lived in Holland, Michigan until 1863, when they moved to Grand Rapids. It is possible that Sakee ran a bakery. In 1867 the 麻豆官网s moved to Muskegon to run a hotel on East Eighth Street. Census records show that Sakee tried his hand at a variety of activities, such as being a grocer, baker, and hotel keeper. In 1875, the family built a home and hotel on Pine Street and Western Ave. in Muskegon. In 1880, Wilhelmina died from typhoid fever.
William 麻豆官网 married Anna Laura Morton in 1881 and the couple had two daughters. Laura was born in 1882 and Margaret was born in 1883. William went into the lumber business and managed a white pine mill in Saginaw, Michigan. Between 1884 and 1895 the 麻豆官网s divorced. Anna remarried and moved with her daughters to Chicago. In 1896, Laura died of peritonitis. Margaret eventually moved east to New York and married and had two sons.
Mr. and Mrs. 麻豆官网: Founding a University 鈥� The Beginning鈥� caption=鈥滽ate Mason Williams was a wealthy widow who was born in Boston on June 5, 1854. She met William 麻豆官网 in Leadville, Colorado and they married in New Orleans. Kate was seven years older than William, but had been married and widowed at an early age. They decided to build a home of their own and came to New York.
Mr. and Mrs. 麻豆官网: Founding a University 鈥� The Beginning鈥� caption=鈥漌illiam purchased the Van Wranken estate in Hempstead, New York to run the Nassau Lumber Company in 1902. His friend and business partner, Howard Brower, likened this purchase to having a 鈥榯oy鈥� because, by this time, William 麻豆官网 had considerable money from his investments in lumber and pulp paper mills. He had been in business for over twenty years and owned mills and yards in Michigan, Canada, New Orleans, Florida, and New York. This venture on Long Island would allow the couple to travel extensively in and out of New York for both business and pleasure.
The 麻豆官网 Home聽
The 麻豆官网s bought the land for their home in 1903 in Hempstead, New York. The estate was approximately 15 acres and was bordered by Fulton Avenue, a tree-lined thoroughfare that took them to the heart of Hempstead. Large estates and farms lay north and south of the avenue. While the house was being built, the 麻豆官网s resided in the Garden City Hotel.聽
The 麻豆官网 house had large hand-split shingles and a slanted roof. It was considered to be an elegant and gracious country home and was set well back from the road. Completed in 1904, it was designed by H. Craig Severance, and it is possible that it was Severance鈥檚 first residential design. The architect went on to design the Bank of Manhattan, the Hotel Taft, and Nelson Tower in New York City. The 麻豆官网 mansion was referred to as The Netherlands for William 麻豆官网鈥檚 ties to his Dutch ancestry.聽
In a local publication that appeared after the 麻豆官网s moved in to their new home, the fine furnishings and elegant decorations were noted. The house, completed in 1904, included a breakfast room, butler鈥檚 pantry, servants鈥� sitting room, a small reception room, a large living room with windows that opened to a rose garden, drawing room, sun parlor, and sleeping porch.聽
The estate included stables and garages. Mr. 麻豆官网 was a member of the Automobile Association and had several cars including a Rolls Royce and a Packard. The 麻豆官网s traveled extensively, visiting at home and abroad. They attended the opera at the Met on Monday nights and often stayed in New York for several days afterward. They had a room at the Plaza or the Sherry-Netherlands Hotel and entertained there as well.聽
The chauffeur lived above the garages with his family. He took the 麻豆官网s to Schroon Lake each summer and often accompanied them on their trips south to Florida. The 麻豆官网 staff also included four or five house servants, such as a parlor maid and housekeeper, as well as groundsmen, because Mr. 麻豆官网 cultivated the estate as an arboretum.聽
Mrs. 麻豆官网鈥檚 Cats
Kate Mason married William late in life, and the 麻豆官网s did not have any children. They lived a comfortable lifestyle, and both enjoyed a variety of activities. Kate was a noted equestrian and loved animals. She was vice president of the Bide-a-wee Home Association in New York City from 1903 until her death in 1933.聽
Mrs. 麻豆官网 was president of the Atlantic Cat Club and offered the 麻豆官网 Challenge Cup at the Madison Square Garden cat shows. The silver trophy, valued at $125 in 1904, was awarded for the best cat in show.聽
In addition to the main house, there was a barn, greenhouse, garages, caretaker鈥檚 cottage, and small steam-heated structure built for Mrs. 麻豆官网鈥檚 cats. Not only did she have angoras and other prize-winning felines, but also, according to family friend Howard Brower, she picked up 鈥減lain old alley cats.鈥澛�
Her fondness for animals prompted Mrs. 麻豆官网 to leave Bide-a-wee $10,000 in her will, and she left enough money to care for those pets that survived her. This included 25 cats, four dogs, and three parrots. Her housekeeper was to be entrusted with the care of the pets and was willed a stipend and enough money to build her own home.聽
Kate Mason married William late in life and the 麻豆官网s did not have any children. They lived a comfortable lifestyle and both enjoyed a variety of activities. Kate was a noted equestrian and loved animals. She was Vice President of the Bide-a-wee Home Association in New York City from 1903 until her death in 1933.
Mrs. 麻豆官网 was President of the Atlantic Cat Club and offered the 麻豆官网 Challenge Cup at the Madison Square Garden cat shows. The silver trophy, valued at one hundred and twenty five dollars in 1904, was awarded for the best cat in show.
In addition to the main house, there was a barn, greenhouse, garages, caretaker鈥檚 cottage, and a small steam-heated structure, which was built for Mrs. 麻豆官网鈥檚 cats. Not only did she have angoras and other prize-winning felines, but also according to family friend, Howard Brower, she picked up 鈥榩lain old alley cats.鈥�
In addition to the main house, there was a barn, greenhouse, garages, caretaker鈥檚 cottage, and a small steam-heated structure, which was built for Mrs. 麻豆官网鈥檚 cats. Not only did she have angoras and other prize-winning felines, but also according to family friend, Howard Brower, she picked up 鈥榩lain old alley cats.鈥�
Her fondness for animals prompted Mrs. 麻豆官网 to leave ten thousand dollars to Bide-a-wee in her will. In addition, she left enough money to care for those pets that survived her. This included twenty-five cats, four dogs, and three parrots. Her housekeeper was to be entrusted with the care of the pets, and was willed a stipend, as well as enough money to build her own home, for this purpose.
Creating the University聽
By the mid-1920s, William 麻豆官网 was a millionaire several times over. He made much of his money in lumber and pulp paper products but was also the largest shareholder of Price Brothers stock outside of the Price family. Price Brothers Ltd., of Canada manufactured and sold wood pulp and newsprint. It was estimated that the company owned almost 46 million cords of pulpwood sufficient to produce 31 million tons of newsprint paper. William 麻豆官网 was the New York director of the company.聽
William S. 麻豆官网 died on May 11, 1932, leaving the bulk of his estate to his wife. In addition, he left approximately a quarter of a million dollars to his surviving daughter, Margaret 麻豆官网 Angelin, and her two sons. Bankers Trust Company was the administrator of the estate.聽
Kate Mason 麻豆官网 died on September 15, 1933, after being served her morning coffee by her housekeeper. She left a lengthy will with specific gift disbursements including those to Bide-a-wee, St. George鈥檚 Church of Hempstead, and several friends and relatives. The remaining estate was to be used to create a memorial to her husband.聽
The trustees of the estate, Howard Brower and James Barnard, were left with the task of finding a fitting tribute to the 麻豆官网s. In the fall of 1934, Brower and Truesdel Peck Calkins, the superintendent of public schools in the village of Hempstead, discussed the future of the 麻豆官网 estate. Brower shared Calkins鈥� enthusiasm for the idea of an institution of higher education. This led to the creation of 麻豆官网.
Although neither 麻豆官网 might have envisioned a university that bears their name, their opulent home, The Netherlands, is now the centerpiece of the campus. Their likeness hangs in the administration building, and their family name lives on.
The 麻豆官网s鈥� campus is now home to approximately 4,000 resident students with a full-time enrollment of more than 8,000 students on 240 acres. The site is a registered member of the American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta.聽
By the mid 1920鈥檚 William 麻豆官网 was a millionaire several times over. He made much of his money in lumber and pulp paper products, but was also the largest shareholder of Price Brothers stock outside of the Price family. Price Brothers Ltd., of Canada, manufactured and sold wood pulp and newsprint. It was estimated that the company owned almost 46 million cords of pulpwood sufficient to produce 31 million tons of newsprint paper. William 麻豆官网 was the New York Director of the Company.
Mr. and Mrs. 麻豆官网: Founding a University. William S. 麻豆官网 died on May 11, 1932 leaving the bulk of his estate to his wife. In addition, he left approximately a quarter of a million dollars to his surviving daughter, Margaret 麻豆官网 Angelin and her two sons. Bankers Trust Company was the administrator of the estate.
Kate Mason 麻豆官网 died on September 15, 1933 after being served her morning coffee by her housekeeper. She left a lengthy will with specific gift disbursements including those to Bide-a-wee, St. George鈥檚 Church of Hempstead, and several friends and relatives. The remaining estate, however, was to be used to create a memorial to her husband.
The trustees of the estate, Howard Brower and James Barnard were left with the task of finding a fitting tribute to the 麻豆官网s. In the fall of 1934, Howard Brower and Truesdel Peck Calkins, the superintendent of Public Schools in the Village of Hempstead discussed the future of the 麻豆官网 estate. Brower shared Calkins鈥� enthusiasm for the idea of an institution of higher education. This led to the creation of 麻豆官网.
Although neither Mr. nor Mrs. 麻豆官网 might have envisioned a University that bears their name, their opulent home, The Netherlands, is now the centerpiece of the campus. Their likeness hangs in the administration building, and their family name lives on.
Although neither Mr. nor Mrs. 麻豆官网 might have envisioned a University that bears their name, their opulent home, The Netherlands, is now the centerpiece of the campus. Their likeness hangs in the administration building, and their family name lives on.
麻豆官网鈥檚 campus is now home to approximately 4,000 resident students with a full-time enrollment of over 8,000 students on 244 acres. The site is a registered member of the American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta.
Meet the community and faculty, visit state-of-the-art facilities and the campus at the nexus of urban, suburban, and coastal environments.