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Dear Forum Members,
Under the theory that it is the squeaky wheel gets the grease, and since I have been unable to contact direct descendants of Dr. Benjamin Rush, I am asking for your help. I need to build a community that is interested in lobbing for the preservation and adaptive reuse the house, which Dr. Benjamin Rush built in Oxford Township, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania in 1782. The property is now known as Greenwood Cemetery. In 1869 the Rush farm was turned into a cemetery with the intention of servicing Civil War veterans and their families, which it did. At the present time the property is privately owned.
I am merely requesting that you to contact Pennsylvania State Senator Christina Tartaglione for the purpose of asking her to take a stand in favor of preserving and adaptively reusing the Rush house. Senator Tartaglione may be contacted the following addresses:
Postal Mail: The Honorable Christina M. Tartaglione
Senate Box 203002
Harrisburg, PA 17120-3002
E-Mail: tartaglione <mailto:tartaglione@pasenate.com>
Telephone: (717) 787-1141
Thank you for your help in lobbying to preserve the last remaining Benjamin Rush residence.
Very truly yours,
Leslie Potter
P.S. The following is the letter, which I have sent to Senator Tartaglione about Dr. Rush's country home and sole surviving residence.
The Honorable Christine M. Tartaglione
Senate of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Senate Box 203002
Harrisburg, PA 17120-3002
In re: Dr. Benjamin Rush's country estate, a/k/a Greenwood Cemetery, 930 Adams Road, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Dear Senator Tartaglione:
A couple of years ago, my friend, Dr. Phyllis Cole, who teaches at the Brandywine Campus of The Pennsylvania State University, asked me to assist one of her students by straightening out and verifying the chain of title to premises 930 Adams Avenue, a/k/a Greenwood Cemetery. As an attorney, I can certify unequivocally and without any hesitation that premises 930 Adams Avenue was the country estate of Dr. Benjamin Rush (1746-1813). Dr. Rush owned the property from 1780 to December 31, 1792 and built the house around 1782. Dr. Rush occupied this house during the most prolific period of his professional life (1780-1792). On Tuesday, July 24, 1787, Dr. and Mrs. Rush served tea to George Washington and Annis Boudinot Stockton (1736-1801) in this house.
In addition to signing the Declaration of Independence, serving in the Continental Army, founding Dickinson College, being a founding trustee of Franklin and Marshall College, serving as a member of the Pennsylvania Convention to ratify the U.S. Constitution, an early abolitionist and supporter of the Rev. Absolom Jones (1746-1818), Dr. Rush is generally deemed to be the "father" of American psychiatry. Despite the Rush's accomplishments and his significance service to our nation during its the early period, he has been largely ignored in Philadelphia. His birthplace was demolished so that the Roosevelt Blvd. could be constructed. All of the other houses in which he resided in Society Hill have been razed as well. I, for one, feel that both Dr. Rush and his last remaining residence deserve more recognition and better treatment. At the very least I feel that the Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission should be asked to erect a road side historical marker indicating the location of Dr. Rush's country estate at 930 Adams Avenue.
Unfortunately, the Rush house was severely remodeled in the 1830. Consequently, the 1830 vintage stucco, dormer windows and cornice, as well as, the 2/2 double hung Victorian window sash and the 20th century porch all serve to obscure the 18th century architectural elements of the building. The steep pitch of the roof is correct for an 18th century building, but completely wrong for a 19th century house. However, because the building does not currently present an accurate appearance of a well maintained 1782-vintage Pennsylvania field stone dwelling, the present owners, some of the staff of the Bureau for Historic Preservation and some of the members of the Northwood Civic Association have dismissed the documentary evidence regarding the historical significance of both the dwelling house and the site of Dr. Rush's country estate.
It would appear that neither the present owners, nor most of the neighbors, nor the Northwood Civic Association seem to appreciate the historical significance of the site or the antique house on the property. The 18th century residents of your district played a noble and significant role in our nation's early history. The question is whether the current residents are going to embrace and defend that history proudly or simply ignore it and destroy the remaining artifacts belonging to that history. I feel that all Philadelphians should be made aware that there are important historical sites and antique buildings in Philadelphia County, which are located outside Society Hill and Independence National Historical Park.
Since there does not appear to be a non-profit historic preservation organization functioning in what had been Oxford Township, Philadelphia County, I would welcome the opportunity to meet with you and present my research findings to you.
Thank you for your kind consideration in this matter.
Very truly yours,
Leslie B. Potter
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