Cornelius H. DeLamater
Encyclopedia
Cornelius Henry DeLamater (August 30, 1821 – February 2, 1889) was an industrialist who owned DeLamater Iron Works in New York City
. The steam boilers and machinery for the ironclad was built in DeLamater's foundry during the Civil War
. Swedish marine engineer and inventor John Ericsson
considered DeLamater his closest, most intimate friend.
.
At an early age, DeLamater developed an unusual ability in solving problems that were then developing in regard to steam engineering and machinery. During the Civil War
he worked with Capt. John Ericsson
in the development of the ironclads and which were constructed in an incredibly short space of time. In time, the DeLamater Iron Works became known as the asylum where inventors and capitalists could go to experiment and attempt new feats. The Iron Witch was next constructed, the first iron steamboat. The hot air engine
of Capt. Ericsson was first introduced in the ship Ericsson which was built entirely by DeLamater. The DeLamater Iron Works was also the place where the first submarine boat, first self-propelled torpedo, first torpedo boat, and the engines for the original Monitor were built.
At the time of his death, the DeLamater Iron Works employed over 1000 men.
DeLamater's leisure moments were spent at Beacon Farm on Eatons Neck, Long Island
, New York where he had 1250 acres (5.1 km²) of choice land on the North Shore of Long Island Sound, and the "finest blooded stock in America" as described by the New York Times. The DeLamater Estate included everything beyond what is today #325 Asharoken Avenue. This includes the upper half of Asharoken Beach, the Morgan Estate, the Eaton Harbors
or Two Acre Zone of Eaton's Neck, and the Bevin Road peninsula in Asharoken. The DeLamater Mansion
still stands today on the Eatons Neck peninsula, and was rented in 1942 by French author Antoine de Saint Exupéry who wrote The Little Prince
while at the mansion. The children and grandchildren of DeLamater also built mansions over time in Eaton's Neck and Asharoken that still stand today, namely "The Point", "The Nest", "The Crest", and "The Hill
". The DeLamaters also renovated two existing colonial structures for family estates, namely "Cherry Lawn" and "Oak Leaf".
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The steam boilers and machinery for the ironclad was built in DeLamater's foundry during the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Swedish marine engineer and inventor John Ericsson
John Ericsson
John Ericsson was a Swedish-American inventor and mechanical engineer, as was his brother Nils Ericson. He was born at Långbanshyttan in Värmland, Sweden, but primarily came to be active in England and the United States...
considered DeLamater his closest, most intimate friend.
Life
Cornelius H. DeLamater was born on August 30, 1821, in Rhinebeck, New York, his family moving to New York City when Cornelius was three years old. His father was hired by a very small iron foundry, the Phoenix Iron Works of James Cunningham on West Street, as cashier and confidential advisor. At 16, Cornelius entered the Phoenix Foundry, and at age 20, upon the death of Cunningham, he formed a co-partnership with Peter Hogg under the name Hogg and DeLamater. This firm continued from 1842 to 1857, when Hogg retired from the business. The firm was re-formed as the DeLamater Iron Works, and moved to the foot of West 13th Street on the West side of ManhattanManhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
.
At an early age, DeLamater developed an unusual ability in solving problems that were then developing in regard to steam engineering and machinery. During the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
he worked with Capt. John Ericsson
John Ericsson
John Ericsson was a Swedish-American inventor and mechanical engineer, as was his brother Nils Ericson. He was born at Långbanshyttan in Värmland, Sweden, but primarily came to be active in England and the United States...
in the development of the ironclads and which were constructed in an incredibly short space of time. In time, the DeLamater Iron Works became known as the asylum where inventors and capitalists could go to experiment and attempt new feats. The Iron Witch was next constructed, the first iron steamboat. The hot air engine
Hot air engine
A hot air engine is any heat engine which uses the expansion and contraction of air under the influence of a temperature change to convert thermal energy into mechanical work...
of Capt. Ericsson was first introduced in the ship Ericsson which was built entirely by DeLamater. The DeLamater Iron Works was also the place where the first submarine boat, first self-propelled torpedo, first torpedo boat, and the engines for the original Monitor were built.
At the time of his death, the DeLamater Iron Works employed over 1000 men.
Eaton's Neck Estate
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, New York where he had 1250 acres (5.1 km²) of choice land on the North Shore of Long Island Sound, and the "finest blooded stock in America" as described by the New York Times. The DeLamater Estate included everything beyond what is today #325 Asharoken Avenue. This includes the upper half of Asharoken Beach, the Morgan Estate, the Eaton Harbors
Eaton Harbors Corporation
The Eaton Harbors Corporation is a New York business corporation created in 1927 by the heirs of Cornelius H. DeLamater to hold title to and maintain approximately of private roads and beaches located in Eatons Neck, New York...
or Two Acre Zone of Eaton's Neck, and the Bevin Road peninsula in Asharoken. The DeLamater Mansion
Delamater-Bevin Mansion
The Delamater-Bevin Mansion, also known as The Bevin House, is a historic 22-room Victorian mansion on the north shore of Long Island, at 76 Bevin Road, within the Incorporated Village of Asharoken, New York...
still stands today on the Eatons Neck peninsula, and was rented in 1942 by French author Antoine de Saint Exupéry who wrote The Little Prince
The Little Prince
The Little Prince , first published in 1943, is a novella and the most famous work of the French aristocrat writer, poet and pioneering aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry ....
while at the mansion. The children and grandchildren of DeLamater also built mansions over time in Eaton's Neck and Asharoken that still stand today, namely "The Point", "The Nest", "The Crest", and "The Hill
Harry E. Donnell House
The Harry E. Donnell House, also known as The Hill, is a historic 33-room Tudor mansion located on the north shore of Long Island, at 71 Locust Lane, Eatons Neck, Suffolk County, New York. The mansion was designed by prominent New York City architect Harry E. Donnell for his wife, Ruth Robinson...
". The DeLamaters also renovated two existing colonial structures for family estates, namely "Cherry Lawn" and "Oak Leaf".
Death
On February 2, 1889 Cornelius DeLamater died at his home in New York City, and over 600 of his employees attended his funeral, with 500 of them accompanying the casket on board a special train that took the funeral procession from Manhattan to Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx.See also
- Eatons Neck
- John EricssonJohn EricssonJohn Ericsson was a Swedish-American inventor and mechanical engineer, as was his brother Nils Ericson. He was born at Långbanshyttan in Värmland, Sweden, but primarily came to be active in England and the United States...
- Delamater-Bevin MansionDelamater-Bevin MansionThe Delamater-Bevin Mansion, also known as The Bevin House, is a historic 22-room Victorian mansion on the north shore of Long Island, at 76 Bevin Road, within the Incorporated Village of Asharoken, New York...
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Suffolk County, New York