36 Main St, Roslyn, NY, 11576

Ellen E. Ward Memorial Clock Tower

Tower Place, Roslyn

Date Built1895
Original UseClock Tower
Restoration StatusCompleted Restoration Date1995
Roslyn Landmark Society Covenant No
View House Tour Details 1997

Historial Properties in the Roslyn Community 11 6 2019 Page 47 copy

The Ellen E Ward Clock Tower was commissioned by her children and dedicated to her memory in 1895. Ellen Eliza Cairnes Ward was born in 1826 and grew up in Roslyn Harbor at “Clifton” now known as “Willowmere”. She married Midshipman Robert Stuart, USN in 1848. The couple had three children and resided in Roslyn harbor at “Locust Knoll” now known as “Mayknoll” Lt. Stuart resigned his commission in 1857 and died in 1863. Three years later, Ellen married Elijah Ward who had been Judge Advocate General of New York State. He died in 1882.

Mrs. Ward was deeply interested in, and dedicated to, the Roslyn community. She dedicated a window in Trinity Church in memory of her husband and in 1885 she donated the Roslyn Watering Trough which is located on the triangle at the intersection of Old Northern Boulevard and Bryant Avenue. Her children donated a litney desk and Brass Eagle Lecturn to Trinity Church in their mother’s memory.

There was extensive media coverage regarding the building of the Clock Tower with articles in the Roslyn News from March 1895 to its completion in December 1895. The architects for the design of the Clock Tower were Lamb & Rich of New York. Mr. Hugo Lamb was the architect of Theodore Roosevelt’s home “Sagamore Hill”. Mr. HarrySkewes was the mason in charge representing the firm of George Mertz and Sons of Port Chester, N.Y. He relocated his family to a house on East Broadway to be closer to his work. The design of the Tower was referred to as “Egyptian” but was in actuality known as “Richardsonian Romanesque” named for the architect H.H. Richardson (1838-1866).

The clockworks were made by Andrew S. Hotchkis of Seth Thomas Manufactury, Thomaston, Conn. and the clock and four faces were placed in the third level of the Tower and set in operation by Mr. King of Thomaston. The clock is a weight driven SethThomas # 17, eight-day strike. The first keeper of the clock was a local citizen, Charles H. Pearsall. Today it is maintained by the Village Of Roslyn. It underwent extensive restoration in 1995 and again in 1999. A descendent of the Ward family, Mr. Marshall Ward volunteered interior carpentry restoration in 1995. Above the entrance door is the memorial which reads;

In Loving Memory of

Ellen E. Ward

A.D. 1895

To Whom Roslyn and Its People

Were Dear

She Fell Asleep January 18, 1893

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Circa 1900

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Then & Now (1914 and 2012): Girl pioneers, a precursor to the Girl Scouts, parading passed the Clock Tower in 1914.

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Then (1900) & Now (2020)

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Memorial Day, 1988 at the Roslyn Clock Tower. Photo by Ray Jacobs Studio. Ray is in the middle of the photo.

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