FRED AND THERESA KUSER'S "COUNTRY HOME"

 Newkirk Avenue (New Street) wasn't laid out in 1875. The

map shows Benjamin Goldy's Farm house which is believed to be

on South Olden Avenue behind the QUIK CHEK store.

This area is also Camp Olden territory. Note the  
* misspelling: R. Kusner.

.

 Above: Could it be that Anthony R. Kuser worked with his brother

Fred to negotiate a deal to purchase what today is known 

as Kuser Farm Park? Probably.

 Above: Even "historians" can be confused. Was George Goldy an

employee of Rudolph and Rosalie Kuser?  Kuser Farm as

we know it today was still 6 years in the future. Here we have George Goldy

placing a want ad for help at what I presume is the Rudolph and Rosalie Kuser Farm

on Kuser Road (today's Homestead Inn). Was George Goldy the son

of Benjamin? Perhaps George or Eleanor Goldy Guear can provide an
answer to this mysterious moment in time.

 Above: WRONG! Make that 1896. 

The diary kept by Frederick Kuser conflicts with the

Trenton press. I am going with the Trenton newspaper

accounts which you will read further down this page. 

They are written is stone. Considering the fact that there
numerous articles heralding the opening
of the "Kuser Country Home." Docents have suggested that
the Kuser diary has pre-1896 entries which leads me
to conclude that those entries were written while the Kusers
occupied the structure that was originally on the property.

 See the preceding article relating to 1892 vs.1896.

"...for the erection of a handsome new residence on

the latter's farm." I make that out to be the

current "Kuser Country Home."

KUSER COUNTRY HOME, 1896

Below are the relevant news reports on which

I base my belief the the "Kuser Mansion

was built in 1896, not 1892. 

  

 

 Chambersburg's Henry Ahrendt and his employees were the builders of the

Kuser home. As can be seen in the above ad, he was also

a distributor for a monument company.

 Helen Mack (Sutterlin) on the front lawn of the Kuser Home

Circa 1910

 Herman and Helen Mack (Sutterlin) on the front lawn of the 

Kuser HomeCirca 1910. According to an interview I had with 

Mrs. Helen Mack Sutterlin back in the 1980's, their father Christian built most of the

existing buildings on the farm including the carriage house, 

laundry, garages, stables and chicken coops.
ONE OF TOM GLOVER'S CLASSIC SENIOR MOMENT WAS 
CAUGHT THANKS TO MARY ELLEN HIRST DEVLIN. I 
ERRONEOUSLY SAID THAT HERMAN BUILT THE ABOVE 
MENTIONED BUILDINGS, BUT IS WAS THEIR FATHER. THANKS 
AGAIN FOR THE CORRECTION,  MARY ELLEN; YOU'RE THE BEST!

 Believe it or not, back in the 1920's, the Kuser family

sold the old Trenton City Hall to Mr. Nissner who

wanted to open a retail store on the site

 The above faded and aged article on the new Kuser home

is a treasure trove of information on the early years of Fred and Theresa

Kuser's "Country Home," and is by far the most accurate account of the

interior of the home, the color scheme, etc.; very valuable information

for future renovations.

Tom - "G. O. Goldy" as named in this blog was George Oliver Goldy, 8th child out of 11 of Benjamin and Jane Ann Barber Goldy, the original owners of the Kuser Farm. According to the dates, George O was probably working for the Kusers who maybe bought the farmland first and then had the mansion erected later. George O's father, Benjamin, had already died in 1887 and the family was probably selling off the property.
Lakesdie Girl

Sunday, April 28, 2013

ANOTHER GOLDY HEARD FROM. THANKS VERY MUCH GEORGE!

Tom

I'm sure that Eleanor will be in touch with you regarding your question about the subject. Here is what I know (thanks to my wife)

 

Benjamin Goldy He owned the land which was purchased by the Kusers. He was also a Township committeeman in the centenial year of 1876.

 

George Oliver Goldy - He was a son of Benjamin and could very well have worked for the Kusers. He ran a truck farm from the farm before it was sold to the Kusers to my knowledge.

 

Mabury Goldy - Another son of Benjamin who operated a coal yard on the site of the Goldy store at 833 South Broad which you has been shown in some of your photos.

 

Mabury had 3 sons - Leon, Harold, and George Neil.

   Leon ran the store on Broad Street after Mabury retired

   Harold died young

   George Neil lived at Saint Elmos and was my grandfather.

 

George Neil had 4 sons

    George Reed Goldy Sr - my father

    John Mabury

    William Nauman

    Richard Dick

 

I'm George Reed Goldy Jr. and have 2 childern

     George Reed Goldy III

     Lee Ann

     I have 1 sister who is Eleanor Goldy Guear  (Lakeside Girl)

 

I hope this helps clear up the family lineage for you. If you have any more questions let me know.

 

George Goldy Jr.  

    

2012: "PREVIEWS OF COMING ATTRACTIONS"

Above is an invitation to those in the local Mercer County area who are interested in singing and listening to "The Music We Grew Up With." If any visitors to this website were Sunday visitors to the Kuser Gazebo this summer. this is a continuation of that program with the added feature that some of the lyrics will be projected on the Kuser Farm CinemaScope screen for an old fashioned sing along. All are invited, but you must reserve as seating is limited. I hope to see you there!

2004: DENISE ZEMLANSKY AND TOM AT KUSER MANSION

It would have preferred that someone from Hamilton Township formally tell me that my community programs at Kuser Mansion were being discontinued, but alas, 3 unanswered emails and a query at this year's Winter Wonderland still resulted in no response. However, as Louise Baird my high school vocal music teacher told us, "when one door closes, another usually opens." And indeed, another door is being opened. I have spoken with Hamilton Library Director George Conwell, and have been assured that a room will be available to me for future music and local history programs. We are currently working on a January 2012 program.
Stay tuned for future details.

1896: FRED KUSER'S "COUNTRY HOME"

These are historically significant pieces of history that establishes the actual date of the contracting and building of the Kuser Mansion. In his later years, Fred "Fritz" Kuser gave information to Hamilton Township that the mansion was built and opened in 1892. In fact, as seen by the article above, and subsequent articles I have found over the ensuing years, the mansion was opened to the family in 1896; not 1892 as is noted on a wooden KUSER MANSION sign outside the building. This article fills in many heretofore unknown facts on the construction of the building. Especially interesting is the revelation that Fred Kuser had an earlier structure on the property which was dismantled and replaced by the current Kuser Mansion.

Gordon Kontrath said...

This answers the question about why the blue prints for the house are dated 1895. this was a big puzzle when I was trying to date the and match the blue prints with other info that didn't match.

Thanks

Tuesday, October 04, 2011

GREAT TO HEAR FROM YOU GORDON! AS TO THE CORRECT DATE, I SENT A MUCH EARLIER POST VIA EMAIL (TWICE) TO THE TOWNSHIP POINTING OUT THAT THE SIGN THE BOY SCOUTS POSTED WAS IN ERROR, AND THE DATE SHOULD BE CHANGED. NO ONE EVER RESPONDED. THE DOCENTS SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF THE CHANGE IN DATES AS THEY LEAD PEOPLE THROUGH THE MANSION. DECEMBER, 2012: THE OLD SIGN HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED, AND STILL NO RESPONSE FROM THE TOWNSHIP AND THE INCORRECT SIGN REMAINS.

TOM GLOVER