Harris Wilder

Jul 4

Chapter 14

As Addy and her parents continued their visit to New York, they took a tour that brought them to the stylish Gramercy Park area.

The magnificent houses and park reminded her of Savannah. However, she was intrigued by the fact the Park itself was under lock and key.

As the family approached #2 Gramcery Park West. Mr. Wilder pointed out that is where his Great Uncle Harris Wilder had lived. Addy had never heard of him before now. So, her father started telling her his story.

Harris Wilder was born on December 31st, 1899. His mother took it as a sign that he would “have a foot in each century.” She believed that he would be of a personality that would embrace tradition, but have an eye for the future. She could have not been more correct.

His family had a home and sprawling land holding outside of Savannah. It was over 2000 acres, to be exact. The timber and the lumber yard on the property gave the family a very comfortable lifestyle and there was never a sense of lack.

Harris spent his teenage years. working in the forests harvesting timber and cutting lumber in the mill. His father wanted his son to grow up with an appreciation that with wealth comes responsibility and a duty to be respectful to those who worked for them.

The hard physical work developed Harris into a fine and what those would consider a “strapping” young man. He had inherited his father’s lean muscular build and his mother’s patrician looks. He also possessed a brilliant and inquiring mind along with a wicked sense of humor.

Harris had two passions. The first was architecture. He was fascinated with downtown Savannah and the beautiful homes around the squares. To him, they spoke of a life that was different from his bucolic upbringing. He decided he wanted to study architecture. When it came to his choice of schools, he had his pick. He decided on Cornell. It had a renowned architecture program. But if truth be known, he was fascinated by the idea of being so close to New York City.

His second passion began when he was three years old. He loved horses. It was for that birthday, his father bought him a ruddy little pony named Jasper. When he was set astride the animal, he felt as if it was the most natural thing on Earth. His father would lead the pony and son on treks through the fields and forests surrounding their home. By the time Harris was five, he had a growth spurt and so did Jasper. It was a bit amusing to see this young boy on the large creature, but he rode with aplomb. Along with his old dog Molly, the three would ride off and explore the woods and creeks on their own. Harris would inevitably find his way to the large creek just east of his house. There he would find a mossy spot to eat the lunch his mother had packed. His favorite was her cold fried chicken, potato salad and tomato corn relish. The sound of the bubbling creek and the sight of the scurrying tadpoles provided him a continued source of happiness. His life was good.

By the time Harris was fifteen he had started buying and selling horses. In fact, his hobby started to become profitable. Although, his family had more than adequate financial ability to send their son to college, Harris decided he wanted to pay for part of it himself. By the time he was 18 years old, he had amassed two years’ worth of tuition.

When the time came for Harris to head to Ithaca, his parents and his sister Clatie accompanied him. They all wanted to stay in New York for a few weeks before he started classes. The sights of the New York called to Harris like a siren. He did not reveal this to his family, but he felt he had found a new home.

As Mr. Wilder’s story grew to an end, Addy was fascinated and wanted to know more. How did Harris end up here? Why had she never heard of him? And what was the story with this magnificent house?