H. H. Hunnewell
Encyclopedia
Horatio Hollis Hunnewell (July 27, 1810 - May 20, 1902), was a banker, railroad financier, philanthropist, amateur botanist, and one of the most prominent horticulturists in America in the nineteenth century. Horatio Hunnewell was a partner in the private banking firm of Welles & Co. Paris, France controlled by his in-laws which specialized in trade finance between the two countries. Practicing horticulture for nearly six decades on his estate in Wellesley, Massachusetts
, he was perhaps the first person to cultivate and popularize rhododendron
s in the United States.
in 1862-1871, railroad entrepreneur in Kansas beginning in the 1860s, and president of the Kansas City, Fort Scott and Gulf Railroad and Kansas City, Lawrence and Southern Railroad around 1880. He died on May 20, 1902 from a heart attack at age 91. Hunnewell was buried in Mount Auburn Cemetery
, Cambridge, Massachusetts
, among his family.
, Walter Hunnewell Arboretum
, pinetum, a complex of specialty greenhouse
s, and one of the first topiary
gardens - the 'Italian Garden' - in America, all of which are still standing.
The estate is part of the Hunnewell Estates Historic District
, which includes the estates of many of his descendants. Among other miscellaneous activities, Hunnewell owned the home in which Horatio Alger's father lived until his death, now called the Horatio Alger House in Natick, Massachusetts
. Oliver Bacon had built this house about 1824, and sold it in 1869 to Hunnewell. In 1909, Hunnewell deeded the property to the First Unitarian Church of South Natick as a parsonage.
revise and complete his Flora of North America. He also funded the conifer collection at Arnold Arboretum, Boston, Massachusetts, and donated the Arboretum's administration building (now Hunnewell Building) in 1892.
Hunnewell was a friend and neighbor of Henry Fowle Durant
(1822-1881), who founded Wellesley College on Lake Waban directly across from Hunnewell's estate. Hunnewell made a donation to the College for Eliot Dormitory in 1887, and endowed the College's Chair of Botany
in 1901.
The town of Wellesley's greatest benefactor, Hunnewell built and donated the Town Hall and Free Library building (completed 1885). (The Wellesley Free Library has since moved to a new building.) He was also a frequent donor, often anonymously, to many town causes.
and Hunnewell, Missouri
were named in his honor. The Wellesley College Botanic Gardens
has a distinct Hunnewell Arboretum, named in his honor, across the lake.
Wellesley, Massachusetts
Wellesley is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of Greater Boston. The population was 27,982 at the time of the 2010 census.It is best known as the home of Wellesley College and Babson College...
, he was perhaps the first person to cultivate and popularize rhododendron
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
s in the United States.
Biography
He was born on July 27, 1810. Hunnewell was a director of the Illinois Central RailroadIllinois Central Railroad
The Illinois Central Railroad , sometimes called the Main Line of Mid-America, is a railroad in the central United States, with its primary routes connecting Chicago, Illinois with New Orleans, Louisiana and Birmingham, Alabama. A line also connected Chicago with Sioux City, Iowa...
in 1862-1871, railroad entrepreneur in Kansas beginning in the 1860s, and president of the Kansas City, Fort Scott and Gulf Railroad and Kansas City, Lawrence and Southern Railroad around 1880. He died on May 20, 1902 from a heart attack at age 91. Hunnewell was buried in Mount Auburn Cemetery
Mount Auburn Cemetery
Mount Auburn Cemetery was founded in 1831 as "America's first garden cemetery", or the first "rural cemetery", with classical monuments set in a rolling landscaped terrain...
, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
, among his family.
Estate and arboretum
Both the town of Wellesley (founded 1881) and Wellesley College (chartered 1870) are named for Hunnewell's estate, "Wellesley", which he named for the family of his wife, Isabella Pratt Welles. The estate includes a prominent 1852 house and attached conservatory (greenhouse)Conservatory (greenhouse)
A conservatory is a room having glass roof and walls, typically attached to a house on only one side, used as a greenhouse or a sunroom...
, Walter Hunnewell Arboretum
Walter Hunnewell Arboretum
The Walter Hunnewell Arboretum is a arboretum in Wellesley, Massachusetts, containing over 500 species of woody plants in 53 families. The former estate also contains the renowned and distinctive topiary garden, called the 'Italian Garden' by creator Horatio Hollis Hunnewell, with 140-year-old...
, pinetum, a complex of specialty greenhouse
Greenhouse
A greenhouse is a building in which plants are grown. These structures range in size from small sheds to very large buildings...
s, and one of the first topiary
Topiary
Topiary is the horticultural practice of training live perennial plants, by clipping the foliage and twigs of trees, shrubs and subshrubs to develop and maintain clearly defined shapes, perhaps geometric or fanciful; and the term also refers to plants which have been shaped in this way. It can be...
gardens - the 'Italian Garden' - in America, all of which are still standing.
The estate is part of the Hunnewell Estates Historic District
Hunnewell Estates Historic District
The Hunnewell Estates Historic District is a historic district between the Charles River and Lake Waban in Wellesley, Massachusetts, near Boston on the west...
, which includes the estates of many of his descendants. Among other miscellaneous activities, Hunnewell owned the home in which Horatio Alger's father lived until his death, now called the Horatio Alger House in Natick, Massachusetts
Natick, Massachusetts
Natick is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. Natick is located near the center of the MetroWest region of Massachusetts, with a population of 33,006 at the 2010 census. Only west from Boston, Natick is considered part of the Greater Boston area...
. Oliver Bacon had built this house about 1824, and sold it in 1869 to Hunnewell. In 1909, Hunnewell deeded the property to the First Unitarian Church of South Natick as a parsonage.
Philanthropy
H. H. Hunnewell made a donation in 1873 that helped Asa GrayAsa Gray
-References:*Asa Gray. Dictionary of American Biography. American Council of Learned Societies, 1928–1936.*Asa Gray. Encyclopedia of World Biography, 2nd ed. 17 Vols. Gale Research, 1998.*Asa Gray. Plant Sciences. 4 vols. Macmillan Reference USA, 2001....
revise and complete his Flora of North America. He also funded the conifer collection at Arnold Arboretum, Boston, Massachusetts, and donated the Arboretum's administration building (now Hunnewell Building) in 1892.
Hunnewell was a friend and neighbor of Henry Fowle Durant
Henry Fowle Durant
Henry Fowle Durant was an American lawyer and philanthropist. Durant was born in Hanover, New Hampshire.He graduated from Harvard in 1841, studied law, and subsequently practiced in Boston...
(1822-1881), who founded Wellesley College on Lake Waban directly across from Hunnewell's estate. Hunnewell made a donation to the College for Eliot Dormitory in 1887, and endowed the College's Chair of Botany
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
in 1901.
The town of Wellesley's greatest benefactor, Hunnewell built and donated the Town Hall and Free Library building (completed 1885). (The Wellesley Free Library has since moved to a new building.) He was also a frequent donor, often anonymously, to many town causes.
Legacy
The railroad towns of Hunnewell, KansasHunnewell, Kansas
Hunnewell is a city in Sumner County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 67.-History:Hunnewell was named for Boston financier and railway owner H. H. Hunnewell....
and Hunnewell, Missouri
Hunnewell, Missouri
Hunnewell is a city in Shelby County, Missouri, United States. The population was 227 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Hunnewell is located at ....
were named in his honor. The Wellesley College Botanic Gardens
Wellesley College Botanic Gardens
The Wellesley College Botanic Gardens are botanical gardens located on the campus of Wellesley College in Wellesley, Massachusetts...
has a distinct Hunnewell Arboretum, named in his honor, across the lake.
See also
- Walter Hunnewell ArboretumWalter Hunnewell ArboretumThe Walter Hunnewell Arboretum is a arboretum in Wellesley, Massachusetts, containing over 500 species of woody plants in 53 families. The former estate also contains the renowned and distinctive topiary garden, called the 'Italian Garden' by creator Horatio Hollis Hunnewell, with 140-year-old...
- Hunnewell Estates Historic DistrictHunnewell Estates Historic DistrictThe Hunnewell Estates Historic District is a historic district between the Charles River and Lake Waban in Wellesley, Massachusetts, near Boston on the west...
External links
- Arnoldia Bulletin — "The Hunnewell Arboretum, 1852-1951" - article in the Harvard Arnold Arboretum bulletin.
- Arnoldia Bulletin — "Private Pleasures Derived From Tradition, The Hunnewell Estates Historic District"