Samuel Taylor Suit
Encyclopedia
Samuel Taylor Suit was a Maryland
politician and landowner. Suit was born in Bladensburg, Maryland
, the son of innkeeper Fletcher Suit. At age 14 he left home and traveled first to Keokuk, Iowa
, and then to Louisville, Kentucky
. In Kentucky
Suit became involved in distilling whiskey
, eventually owning a distillery and making his fortune. During this time he became a Kentucky colonel
and was known as Colonel Suit from that time onward. While in Kentucky he married his first wife, Sarah Ebenezer Williams, who bore one child, then died at the age of 20.
Suit left Louisville and moved to New York City
, where he obtained a seat on the New York Stock Exchange
. In New York he met Aurelia Wilmarth, daughter of Home Life Insurance Company of New York president Arthur Wilmarth, and they were married in 1859. A son was born in 1861, but the marriage proved contentious. Suit apparently joined the Union army during the American Civil War
, but the honorific "Colonel" derived from his tenure in Kentucky.
In 1867, Suit moved back to Maryland with his family, and purchased a more than 300 acres (1.2 km²) estate near Washington, D.C.
. The property, which became known as Suitland, is now the town of Suitland, Maryland. Suit set up a new distillery nearby under the name "S.T. Suit" and invested in railroads. The estate was visited by U.S. Presidents Ulysses S. Grant
and Rutherford B. Hayes
, and was the scene of negotiations to settle the Alabama Claims
.
From 1873 to 1877 Suit was a Maryland state senator. In 1876 the Suitland mansion was destroyed by fire, causing Suit to declare bankruptcy. While Suit recovered his properties and finances, the Suitland house was never rebuilt. In 1878 Aurelia left, and they were divorced by 1879.
At about this time, Suit met Rosa Pelham at the spa
in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia. She was the daughter of U.S. Representative
Charles Pelham
of Alabama
. They were married in 1883, when Samuel was 51 and Rosa was 22. They soon had three children.
The Suits were regular visitors to Berkeley Springs. In 1885, they started construction of their own private residence there: the Samuel Taylor Suit Cottage
or "Berkeley Castle".
Suit died in 1888, at his residence on New Jersey Avenue in Washington. He is buried in St. Barnabas Cemetery, Oxon Hill, Maryland
"Berkeley Castle" was not complete at the time of Samuel's death, but Rosa completed the house in the 1890s. She sold the Suitland estate in 1902 to pay debts. The castle was sold in 1913.
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
politician and landowner. Suit was born in Bladensburg, Maryland
Bladensburg, Maryland
Bladensburg is a town in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 7,661 at the 2000 census.Bladensburg is from central Washington, DC...
, the son of innkeeper Fletcher Suit. At age 14 he left home and traveled first to Keokuk, Iowa
Keokuk, Iowa
Keokuk is a city in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Iowa and one of the county seats of Lee County. The other county seat is Fort Madison. The population was 11,427 at the 2000 census. The city is named after the Sauk Chief Keokuk, who is thought to be buried in Rand Park...
, and then to Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
. In Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
Suit became involved in distilling whiskey
Bourbon whiskey
Bourbon is a type of American whiskey – a barrel-aged distilled spirit made primarily from corn. The name of the spirit derives from its historical association with an area known as Old Bourbon, around what is now Bourbon County, Kentucky . It has been produced since the 18th century...
, eventually owning a distillery and making his fortune. During this time he became a Kentucky colonel
Kentucky colonel
Kentucky colonel is the highest title of honor bestowed by the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Commissions for Kentucky colonels are given by the Governor and the Secretary of State to individuals in recognition of noteworthy accomplishments and outstanding service to a community, state or the nation...
and was known as Colonel Suit from that time onward. While in Kentucky he married his first wife, Sarah Ebenezer Williams, who bore one child, then died at the age of 20.
Suit left Louisville and moved to New York City
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...
, where he obtained a seat on the New York Stock Exchange
New York Stock Exchange
The New York Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located at 11 Wall Street in Lower Manhattan, New York City, USA. It is by far the world's largest stock exchange by market capitalization of its listed companies at 13.39 trillion as of Dec 2010...
. In New York he met Aurelia Wilmarth, daughter of Home Life Insurance Company of New York president Arthur Wilmarth, and they were married in 1859. A son was born in 1861, but the marriage proved contentious. Suit apparently joined the Union army during the American 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...
, but the honorific "Colonel" derived from his tenure in Kentucky.
In 1867, Suit moved back to Maryland with his family, and purchased a more than 300 acres (1.2 km²) estate near Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
. The property, which became known as Suitland, is now the town of Suitland, Maryland. Suit set up a new distillery nearby under the name "S.T. Suit" and invested in railroads. The estate was visited by U.S. Presidents Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
and Rutherford B. Hayes
Rutherford B. Hayes
Rutherford Birchard Hayes was the 19th President of the United States . As president, he oversaw the end of Reconstruction and the United States' entry into the Second Industrial Revolution...
, and was the scene of negotiations to settle the Alabama Claims
Alabama Claims
The Alabama Claims were a series of claims for damages by the United States government against the government of Great Britain for the assistance given to the Confederate cause during the American Civil War. After international arbitration endorsed the American position in 1872, Britain settled...
.
From 1873 to 1877 Suit was a Maryland state senator. In 1876 the Suitland mansion was destroyed by fire, causing Suit to declare bankruptcy. While Suit recovered his properties and finances, the Suitland house was never rebuilt. In 1878 Aurelia left, and they were divorced by 1879.
At about this time, Suit met Rosa Pelham at the spa
Spa
The term spa is associated with water treatment which is also known as balneotherapy. Spa towns or spa resorts typically offer various health treatments. The belief in the curative powers of mineral waters goes back to prehistoric times. Such practices have been popular worldwide, but are...
in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia. She was the daughter of U.S. Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
Charles Pelham
Charles Pelham (congressman)
Charles Pelham was a U.S. Representative from Alabama.Born in Person County, North Carolina, Pelham moved with his parents to Alabama in 1838. There, he attended the common schools and later studied law...
of Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
. They were married in 1883, when Samuel was 51 and Rosa was 22. They soon had three children.
The Suits were regular visitors to Berkeley Springs. In 1885, they started construction of their own private residence there: the Samuel Taylor Suit Cottage
Samuel Taylor Suit Cottage
The Samuel Taylor Suit Cottage, also known as the Berkeley Castle, is located on a hill above Berkeley Springs, West Virginia. The castle-like house was built for Colonel Samuel Taylor Suit of Washington, D.C. as a personal retreat near the spa town, beginning in 1885...
or "Berkeley Castle".
Suit died in 1888, at his residence on New Jersey Avenue in Washington. He is buried in St. Barnabas Cemetery, Oxon Hill, Maryland
Oxon Hill, Maryland
Oxon Hill is part of the Oxon Hill-Glassmanor census-designated place in southern Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. Oxon Hill is a suburb of Washington, DC located southeast of the downtown district and east of Alexandria, Virginia...
"Berkeley Castle" was not complete at the time of Samuel's death, but Rosa completed the house in the 1890s. She sold the Suitland estate in 1902 to pay debts. The castle was sold in 1913.
External links
- Biography of Suit at the U.S. Census Bureau, whose headquarters now occupy part of the Suitland estate
- Detailed biography of Suit at the Federation of Historic Bottle Collectors, discussing jugs and bottles produced by Suit's distilleries in detail