A SAGA of ANDREW & BRIDGET McCORMICK'S SCHROON LAKE ESTATE

By Paul Weiner 1988

Andrew planned to establish a summer resort. Additions were made to the house, a barn, an ice house, a tennis court, one golf course hole and even an out house. With the luck of the Irish, Andrew returned from a trip to San Francisco just weeks before the great earthquake was to devastate that city in 1906. Our luck soon changed when Andrew was lost to us at mid life. He died of pneumonia only two years later in 1908.

Bridget was left to manage THE BIG HOUSE to support herselt and six children. THE BIG HOUSE was run as a boarding house for summer visitors. It was named Iydlewyld Pines.

In the years 1913 and 1919 Bridget sold land to A.M. Harris. That land is now the Davis Motel and A.R. Sheridan etc. properties. Then in 1920 and 1927 land was sold to W. Eck, now the Greenslades. On Oct. 4 1924 land was deeded to Mary E. Rowan (Aunt Minnie). The Rowan bungalow was soon built. Now it is in the care of our Pat (Rowan) Bennison. On Oct. 26 1931 Bridget deeded the balance of her property to her children. The decision as to who would receive what was not made quickly, but after much discussion and exhortation.

We do not have a record of these talks, but if you stand by the big maple tree, the one that was nearest the porch of THE BIG HOUSE, and if the night is dark and the air still, you might hear something like this echo through the trees. Out of some general mumbling a voice will come clearly.

Aunt Minnie --
"I don't feel I should be involved, since I have all I need, the children, the bungalow and 100' on the lake to give me a headache. However, before I leave you to thrash things out, I will say I think Edith should have THE BIG HOUSE. Good night for now. Let me know how you work things out."

Others --
"Good night, good night, watch yourself in the dark."

Someone --
"I think we can all agree on that."

All --
"Yes, yes we agree."

Uncle Elliott --
"It's funny we should be having this discussion. I used to hate Schroon Lake. It meant hard work. Open the house in the spring, clean out the underbrush. The outhouse needed tending when the days were hot. It never was a vacation."

Aunt Edith --
"If I have THE BIG HOUSE, I think I should have some way to get to the beach."

Aunt Belle --
"Momma has to give me the McGinnis bungalow. I have a big family. (McGinnis received permission from Bridget to build their own bungalow, where they then paid rent.)"

Uncle Richie --
"You are not the only one with a big family, Ruth has five."

Aunt Ruth --
"Leave me out of any argument. Let momma decide. I'll be happy with what ever momma does."

Uncle Richie --
"After all, I am the oldest after Minnie, I should have first choice, after Edith is provided for. I want the McGinnis bungalow. I like that screened in porch."

Aunt Belle --
"In that case, I want the three room cabin." ( A cabin with three side by side rooms, all on a long porch, was located about where the Williford lower house is now.)

Aunt Ruth --
"That's OK I'll take the one room cabin." ( The start of the Weiner cabin )

NOTE: That the interest was, which building one would get, not which piece of land.

Bridget decided the distribution of the land, after hearing all concerned. She had the help of Charles Weeks, with I suspect a dressmakers measuring tape. Mr. Weeks, Schroon Lake's notary public. I guess land boundaries were not of critical concern in those days of cheap land in Schroon Lake.
Bridget's decision went something like this:

Bridget --
"Mr. Weeks."

Mr. Weeks --
"Yes Mrs. McCormick."

Bridget --
"I have decided to deed my property over to my children. I want you to make up the necessary transfer papers."

Mr. Weeks --
"Yes. I can do that."

Bridget --
"As you know my Minnie (Mrs. Rowan) has her bungalow on a strip of land from the road to the lake next to Mr. Harris. I want to give the rest of the lake side land to others with small children."

Mr. Weeks --
"Yes fine."

Bridget --
"Richard, the next oldest, will have the McGinnis bungalow.
Elliot, never liked Schroon but he should have something. He can have some of the property on the west side of the road.
Belle, will get the three room cabin she wants.
Edith, has stayed with me since my stroke and has been running THE BIG HOUSE every summer. I want her to have THE BIG HOUSE and the land on the west side of the road, except for the piece for Elliot and a small piece for Catherine Conner. Plus Edith should have a row to the lake.
Ruth, says she will be happy with the small cabin and Dud is handy. He can make a nice camp there. He did build the main stairs, the big window and the stone chimney for THE BIG HOUSE, you know."

Mr. Weeks --
"Is that so"

Bridget --
"Yes. Now, Mr. Weeks, the space between Minnie's bungalow and the one I am giving Ruth is the biggest, so that's where I want you to locate a ROW to the lake for Edith."

Mr. Weeks --
After some silent consideration."OK, Mrs. McCormick, I have measured the property and looked at the old survey maps and I have come up with the following property lines. If it meets with your approval I'll make up the papers for your signature and record them in Elizabethtown."

Bridget --
"Very good. Let's hear your suggestion."

Mr. Weeks --
"This is how I have set it up. Since Mrs. Rowan's property is a strip from the road to the lake, just to the south of the Harris property and Mrs. Rowan's south property line is parallel to the Harris line. I have made all the other lakeside property lines parallel to the Harris line. I have measured the width of these properties along the center of the road (old 9), rather than like Mrs. Rowan's property which is measured along the contour of the lake shore."

Bridget --
"Yes, go on"

Mr. Weeks --
"First, south after Mrs. Rowan, I have located a 20' wide strip, the ROW to the lake for Miss Edith McCormick.
Next, the strip for Mrs. Weiner which will include the small bungalow is 90' wide.
Then, a 75' strip for Mrs. Williford. This should squeeze a line between the last two bungalows.
And the last lake front piece for Mr. Richard McCormick, as you know is bounded on the south by the property you deeded to Mr. Eck in 1927. This piece will take up any variation in measurements and will be slightly tapered because the Eck line is not parallel to the Harris line."

Bridget --
"Yes, and on the west side of the road."

Mr. Weeks --
"First for Mr. Elliott McCormick, I measured 100' along the center of the road for the width of a strip parallel to the property you deeded to Mr. Harris in 1927 for access to his lands to the west. This strip next to the Harris access property will run from the road about 550' to the west end of your property.
Next, just south of Elliott's strip, I located the 50' wide strip as you directed for Catherine Conner. The 50' width was measured along the road. It is also about 550' to your west boundary line.
Lastly, for Miss Edith McCormick, all the remaining property on the west side of the road. It measures more than 700' along the road, from Catherine Conner on the north to Mr. Eck on the south. From the road to your west boundary it is 600' more or less.
Mrs. McCormick I believe that covers it."

Bridget --
"Charlie, that sounds very good. Draw up the papers for me to sign, but include a stipulation that these properties are not to be sold without the approval of the others or in turn their heirs."

Mr. Weeks --
"Yes I'll take care to include that. Goodbye, Mrs. McCormick."

We know Charles Weeks did take care of the papers. Then there followed for me wonderfull years of summers. From my preteens, at the start of the great depression, when we were poor, but at the lake we didn't know it, until I finished high school. I became bonded to Schroon Lake. It had become my real home. Parents, relatives and friends all melded into the beauty of the landscape memory.

During these years there were occasional discussions over the property boundaries. Sometimes feeling were bruised. Like, "your house is one foot on my property". This was childish because Bridget's intention was the gift of the house which must include the land under it. The biggest problem we had came from the Harris vs. Rowan boundary. Harris put up a fence, allegedly to contain his sheep, about a dozen, but it was located in error. It was set too far to the south, on Rowan property. About 5' at the road end and about 38' at the lake. Unfortunately Uncle Ed (Rowan) did not wish to complain about the fence ( I don't think he knew how gross the error was at the lake). This condition in addition to its effect on the Rowan property, had an impact on the other lakeside properties. With properties defined by their width, one from the other, going from north to south, the assumption was that like dominoes the lines would all shift south causing the R. McCormick property to squeeze the Ecks to the south. This was never the case, and has subsequently been resolved and documented. But at the time panic set in. We know Bridget purposely left Uncle Richie's property undefined by measurement, to take up the slack of any measurement error. This would somewhat balance the gift of the McGinnis bungalow.

These conditions had little effect on my generation. What ever talk there was, was forgotten when we left in the fall for home and school. We would say our good byes, especially to the Willifords. We envied the Willifords. They had moved up from New York City (the Bronx) and now lived and went to school in Schroon Lake.

The 1940s in Schroon Lake, during WWII, saw little of the McCormick progeny, except for the Willifords who were now entrenched at Schroon. With Uncle Roy and Aunt Belle holding a monopoly on the mass communications to and from Schroon Lake, ie, the newspapers, the telephone and Western Union Telegraph. Due to the war there was a paper shortage. Long lines of people formed on Sunday in front of the Williford's store waiting for a newspaper. (Pictures were taken).

In 1948 my parents Uncle Dud and Aunt Ruth felt a move was financially prudent. After the snow melted they left New York for California. Their Schroon Lake was left in my care. Things in Cal. didn't work out well and in the winter of 1950 I was asked to sell our piece of Schroon Lake. This was hoped would provide some relief to the cash shortage. I hated to see this happen and offered to help. Mom and Dad would not let me take on this added burden. I had a growing family with all the related expenses. They gave me orders to sell, but first I would have to obtain written approval from all of the relative property owners. My requests were answered. All were sad that this would split up the property but I was given approval by all except Mary (McCormick) Leonard. She was acting as executrix of the Richard McCormick Estate. Mary and Dick had lost their parents, Uncle Richie and Aunt Belle McCormick. Mary didn't answer my request but felt it better to send a letter of explanation to my mother (Aunt Ruth). Mary regretted that she couldn't consent to the sale because they would lose half of their property. This idea was due to the misconception that property lines are determined as distance from the Harris fence, instead of, the proper Harris line.

In time things on the west coast eased up. I didn't buy the property, as it would have been unfair to my siblings. All has been forgotten, almost. I didn't hear from Dick or know if he was aware of the situation at the time. In truth Mary did us all a big favor, considering the numbers using the property. We thank her and insist on returning the favor. Mary was one of my favorite cousins and we have been without her for some time but the R. McCormick branch abounds.

During the 50s Francis and Eleanor Rowan turned THE BIG HOUSE into the Rowanberry Inn. With the charm of their personalities and their many talents they made the Rowanberry Inn an only by reservation hostel. People would row across the lake to partake of the cuisine and stay in the lounge for an evenings entertainment supplied by Francis, his stories and guitar.

About 1955 NYS roads were being improved and route 9 in the vicinity of Bally Cormac was straightened out. This cut a 135' swath across Edith's, Elliot's and Catherine's properties. Cutting each of them into 2 parts east and west of the new road. We still have the old road it's almost our private road.

In 1973 Edith's will deeded her property to her nieces, Alice (McCormick) Stoneham, Betty Rowan and Isabelle (Williford) Signorelli. Her executrix had a survey made in 1974. Map #2453 shows the property divided into three sections. Each section runs from east to west and each consists of a parcel on each side of the new road. In addition, Edith's 20' ROW from the old road to the lake was included in the will and each beneficiary of a section received an undivided 1/3 share.

To date, Aug 1988, the following boundaries of the McCormick Clan properties have been established by survey and/or deed and registered with the county clerk in Elizabethtown:
---Along the north on the west side of the old road is Alice Stoneham's property. The adjoining property survey was make for Thirkield by Coulter & McCormack Jan & July 1980.
---Along the west and south, on the west side of the old road, was Edith's property. It was surveyed by Johston & Kratz in Aug of 1974 and recorded as map #2453. The map also shows the 20' ROW to the lake and defines it unmistakably by headings and distances from a marker stake located in the center of the road (old route 9). From the ROW all lake side properties can be defined.
---Along the south on the lake side of the old road, the McCormick line, is documented by the deed of the Greenslade's in book 722 page 90 dated Sep 27 1982. This, the northerly boundary of the Greenslade's property, runs on one heading from the lake to the west, across both new and old roads. On the west side of the old road this line is identical to the southerly boundary line of Edith's property as defined on survey map #2453. (In locating this line, ie.the McCormick Greenslade line, be advised that you do not erroneously choose the wrong iron stake at the lake, for the starting point. But rather locate the proper stake by extending the southerly boundary line of Edith's property east to the lake shore.) From my calculations of the location of the McCormick Eck line, I find the McCormick property to be about 11' wider at the lake than at the road.
---Back along the north, on the east side of the old road, from the road to the lake, the Rowan's property is partly defined by the Davis Motel. This line is described in the W.H. & D.M. Halbohm deed, in book 785 page 289, dated May 18, 1983. This covers the first 307' from the old road center easterly toward the lake. The remaining 575' of Pat's boundary is shared with A.R. Sheridan, whose property is loosely described as bordering on the land of Edward Rowan and Mary E. Rowan. I believe there is still time to negotiate a compromise with Mr. A.R. Sheridan and resolve that Rowan boundary.