dh-hfp-acknowledgements

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS From the author Ellen Donald No undertaking of this magnitude is possible without the help and support of numerous people. First and foremost, I would like to thank the Board of The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America, who, in adopting a mission statement which emphasized the story of Joseph Nourse and his family during the years that they lived at Dumbarton House, recognized the importance of the Nourse story to the history of early Washington. Their engagement in and patience with the research and analysis process that resulted in this report were tremendously supportive and greatly appreciated.

A report of this complexity called for an ongoing dialog with The Dumbarton House museum staff. Director Karen Daly’s cheerful participation in developing the “Big Picture” for this report was tremendously helpful, as was her willingness, when needed, to focus on the small details. A special debt is due to Curator Scott Scholz, whose generous and unstinting help with everything from brain storming to fact checking to the assembling of the final report made this work possible. It is fair to say that without his assistance the Dumbarton House Historic Furnishing Plan would not have reached completion.

Also due special thanks is former curator Brian Lang whose belief in the importance of a furnishing plan for Dumbarton House was vital to launching the project. His knowledge of Joseph Nourse and possible surviving Nourse family furnishings significantly shortened the learning curve which is an inevitable part for all authors not previously immersed in the history of a site. His ongoing willingness to assist with nagging details and overlooked sources was invaluable both to the completeness of the report and the peace of mind of the author.

I would also like to acknowledge the insightful work of Oscar P. Fitzgerald whose essay in the catalog which accompanied the 1994 exhibition “In Search of Joseph Nourse: 1754-1841, America’s First Civil Servant” served as the cornerstone for our understanding of Joseph Nourse.

I would also like to thank him particularly for his willingness to share both his recollections of the exhibition materials and his files and notes from that groundbreaking enterprise.

Friends who are willing to read through the draft of a report such as this one with a knowledgeable eye and a judicious editor’s red pencil are friends indeed. Susan Borchardt’s thoughtful questions and willingness to help rephrase more than one awkward sentence made for

a more complete and readable report. The Dumbarton House Historic Furnishings Plan benefited greatly from the depth of her experience in the field of eighteenth and early nineteenthcentury material culture.

And finally, but certainly not least, reports such as this one owe a deep and continuing debt to librarians and archivists whose work makes possible access to both the primary and secondary source materials which underpin the work of all historians. Special thanks is owed to Jamie Simmons at the West Virginia State Archives and Library for her enthusiastic assistance in finding the estate inventory of James Nourse; to Catherine Wilkins at the Virginia Historical Society for her willingness to help pin down the last frustrating footnote; to Susan Collins, Curator of the Jefferson County, West Virginia Museum in helping to pursue, albeit unsuccessfully, an elusive piece of furniture with a James Nourse provenance; and to Heather Clewell, Archivist and Records Manager of the Winterthur Museum archives in helping to begin the hunt for a documented Thomas Hurley wallpaper referenced in a long ago Winterthur newsletter. I would also especially like to thank George Combs and Leslie Anderson of the Alexandria Library Special Collections Branch for being a constant source of support and encouragement and perhaps most importantly, friendly faces on those days when one more session at the microfilm reader seemed more than the eyes or brain could bear.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS From the Contributor BRIAN J. LANG This project could not have been realized were it not for the vision and dedication of numerous individuals. First and foremost, I wish to acknowledge the Dumbarton House Board, which is committed to restoring and interpreting Dumbarton House to more accurately reflect life in the early City of Washington as seen through the eyes of its first occupant, Joseph Nourse.

During the past decade, the Board has been fortunate to be guided by Mrs. John Robert Allen and Mrs. Thomas J. Fairhurst—both of whom wholeheartedly embraced this vision from the outset and were so instrumental in firmly guiding the Board in this direction—and to current Chairman, Mrs. Philip Heeth Grantham, who carried their mantle and continued to strengthen the leadership of the Board. Each of these ladies ensured continuity for the project, having previously served as Chairmen of the Museum Property Committee of the Dumbarton House Board; after years of discussion and research, current Chairman, Mrs. Richard Frederick Trismen, shepherded the project to its completion.

At Dumbarton House I was fortunate to have the generous assistance of current and former staff. In particular, I wish to acknowledge former Director, William S. Birdseye, who unfailingly worked during his tenure to elevate the stature and professionalism of the museum and always provided unflagging support for this project; Karen, L. Daly, former Director of Education and current Executive Director, also shared this commitment and has the enviable task of implementing the findings contained in this report; and S. Scott Scholz, Museum Curator, who quickly jumped in with both feet and graciously provided additional research materials as requested and who carefully edited and formatted the manuscript to its present form.

Certainly, I also wish to acknowledge Ellen Donald, whose many years of research into the social and cultural life of the early City of Washington provided invaluable context for Joseph Nourse and his residency at Dumbarton House. Grateful thanks are also extended to Dr. Oscar P. Fitzgerald, who together with the members of the former Manuscript, History, and Research Committee organized the exhibition, In Search of Joseph Nourse, 1754-1841: America’s First Civil Servant. Through the use of rare, surviving tangible objects, the exhibition and its companion catalogue brought the Nourse family to life and increased recognition for this little-known—though highly important—civil servant during the formative years of the young

Republic. A debt of gratitude is also owed to the many descendants of James and Sarah Nourse, who remain instrumental in protecting and promoting the Nourse family legacy. Chief among these is R. Scott Nourse, whose many hours of genealogical research have helped to fill many gaps in the family’s history. Having worked closely with Scott for nearly seven years, I consider him an authority on Nourse family history and have the further distinct privilege of counting him a personal friend. Gratitude is also extended to the many Nourse family descendants who have safeguarded numerous Nourse family artifacts and have generously loaned them to Dumbarton House. In particular, I wish to acknowledge Mrs. George Barry Bingham and the Rosa Williams Memorial Trust.

Last, and certainly, not least, I wish to acknowledge my wife, Kristin, and sons— Jameson, Hayden and Joseph—for their understanding and support during the many hours needed to complete the project.