Mary Morton was the youngest daughter of Levi P. Morton(5/16/1824-5/16/1920), Vice President under Benjamin Harrison (1889-1893) and Governor of New York(1895-1897) and his wife, Anna Livingston-Reade Street Morton(5/18/1846-8/14/1918). Mary was one of their five very accomplished daughters. Her sister Alice Morton Rutherfurd married Winthrop C Rutherfurd of New York City. The couple built the Rutherfurd Country Manor Home in Allamuchy, New Jersey, known as Rutherfurd Farms. Mary and her sister Helen continued the families humanitarian efforts for the rest of their lives.
Mary launched "Holiday Farm" the family's first philanthropic effort in Rinecliff. Its purpose was to give tenement children recently released from New York City hospitals a chance to recuperate in a friendly, fresh air environment. She fitted up the old Hutton house north of the depot with running water, plumbing, a decent kitchen and, eventually, central heat. In May 1902, it opened with 12 little patients. The first annual report called the charity a "resounding success," except for a bout of whooping cough. "Kindness," it said "worked wonders on their only too often hardened little natures."
The following year there were 70 children and every year thereafter both the numbers and scope of the program grew. Hamlet residents pitched in. Henry H. Pearson took the children to the amusement park at Kingston Point and the Methodist Church provided seven tickets for the Dutchess County Fair. The Rhincliff Needlework Guild made garments for them. When, in 1912, the New York Central moved its railroad station uphill from the riverfront, it also took 30 feet of Holiday Farm's river bluff to double its tracks, and Mary Morton realized it would make sense to move to more spacious quarters. With the help of the Vincent Astors they built a handsome building in Rhinebeck. Renamed the Astor Home for Children, the organization still provides a top-ranking live in facility for the children with special needs. It was also at this time that Mary donated land at the junction of the Rhinecliff Road and Orchard Street for a hamlet playground that included a tennis court. For many years it was a center of outdoor activity for Rhinecliff residents.
Mary Morton never married. She had two adopted children: Lewis Peter Morton (1925-1978) and Mirian Morton (1929-1973). Mary Morton owned Bynden Wood, her summer home in South Heidelberg, Berks Co, Pa from 1920 until her death in 1932. She also maintained a house in Riverside California. She died at the Clinique General in Geneva Switzerland on April 20, 1932 while vacationing. Her body was shipped back to the US aboard the SS Leviathan in May of 1932. Her gross estate was valued at $1,011,513, the majority of which she inherited from her father Levi Parsons Morton. Her children were named in her will as well as bequests to Winnie Gerhard and Temple Perry who received $50,000 and $25,000 respectively both of Wernersville. Winnie Gerhard was the caretaker of her and her children. She was buried in the Morton Family plot in Rhinebeck Cemetery, Rhinebeck, NY
Mary launched "Holiday Farm" the family's first philanthropic effort in Rinecliff. Its purpose was to give tenement children recently released from New York City hospitals a chance to recuperate in a friendly, fresh air environment. She fitted up the old Hutton house north of the depot with running water, plumbing, a decent kitchen and, eventually, central heat. In May 1902, it opened with 12 little patients. The first annual report called the charity a "resounding success," except for a bout of whooping cough. "Kindness," it said "worked wonders on their only too often hardened little natures."
The following year there were 70 children and every year thereafter both the numbers and scope of the program grew. Hamlet residents pitched in. Henry H. Pearson took the children to the amusement park at Kingston Point and the Methodist Church provided seven tickets for the Dutchess County Fair. The Rhincliff Needlework Guild made garments for them. When, in 1912, the New York Central moved its railroad station uphill from the riverfront, it also took 30 feet of Holiday Farm's river bluff to double its tracks, and Mary Morton realized it would make sense to move to more spacious quarters. With the help of the Vincent Astors they built a handsome building in Rhinebeck. Renamed the Astor Home for Children, the organization still provides a top-ranking live in facility for the children with special needs. It was also at this time that Mary donated land at the junction of the Rhinecliff Road and Orchard Street for a hamlet playground that included a tennis court. For many years it was a center of outdoor activity for Rhinecliff residents.
Mary Morton never married. She had two adopted children: Lewis Peter Morton (1925-1978) and Mirian Morton (1929-1973). Mary Morton owned Bynden Wood, her summer home in South Heidelberg, Berks Co, Pa from 1920 until her death in 1932. She also maintained a house in Riverside California. She died at the Clinique General in Geneva Switzerland on April 20, 1932 while vacationing. Her body was shipped back to the US aboard the SS Leviathan in May of 1932. Her gross estate was valued at $1,011,513, the majority of which she inherited from her father Levi Parsons Morton. Her children were named in her will as well as bequests to Winnie Gerhard and Temple Perry who received $50,000 and $25,000 respectively both of Wernersville. Winnie Gerhard was the caretaker of her and her children. She was buried in the Morton Family plot in Rhinebeck Cemetery, Rhinebeck, NY
Mary Morton was the youngest daughter of Levi P. Morton(5/16/1824-5/16/1920), Vice President under Benjamin Harrison (1889-1893) and Governor of New York(1895-1897) and his wife, Anna Livingston-Reade Street Morton(5/18/1846-8/14/1918). Mary was one of their five very accomplished daughters. Her sister Alice Morton Rutherfurd married Winthrop C Rutherfurd of New York City. The couple built the Rutherfurd Country Manor Home in Allamuchy, New Jersey, known as Rutherfurd Farms. Mary and her sister Helen continued the families humanitarian efforts for the rest of their lives.
Mary launched "Holiday Farm" the family's first philanthropic effort in Rinecliff. Its purpose was to give tenement children recently released from New York City hospitals a chance to recuperate in a friendly, fresh air environment. She fitted up the old Hutton house north of the depot with running water, plumbing, a decent kitchen and, eventually, central heat. In May 1902, it opened with 12 little patients. The first annual report called the charity a "resounding success," except for a bout of whooping cough. "Kindness," it said "worked wonders on their only too often hardened little natures."
The following year there were 70 children and every year thereafter both the numbers and scope of the program grew. Hamlet residents pitched in. Henry H. Pearson took the children to the amusement park at Kingston Point and the Methodist Church provided seven tickets for the Dutchess County Fair. The Rhincliff Needlework Guild made garments for them. When, in 1912, the New York Central moved its railroad station uphill from the riverfront, it also took 30 feet of Holiday Farm's river bluff to double its tracks, and Mary Morton realized it would make sense to move to more spacious quarters. With the help of the Vincent Astors they built a handsome building in Rhinebeck. Renamed the Astor Home for Children, the organization still provides a top-ranking live in facility for the children with special needs. It was also at this time that Mary donated land at the junction of the Rhinecliff Road and Orchard Street for a hamlet playground that included a tennis court. For many years it was a center of outdoor activity for Rhinecliff residents.
Mary Morton never married. She had two adopted children: Lewis Peter Morton (1925-1978) and Mirian Morton (1929-1973). Mary Morton owned Bynden Wood, her summer home in South Heidelberg, Berks Co, Pa from 1920 until her death in 1932. She also maintained a house in Riverside California. She died at the Clinique General in Geneva Switzerland on April 20, 1932 while vacationing. Her body was shipped back to the US aboard the SS Leviathan in May of 1932. Her gross estate was valued at $1,011,513, the majority of which she inherited from her father Levi Parsons Morton. Her children were named in her will as well as bequests to Winnie Gerhard and Temple Perry who received $50,000 and $25,000 respectively both of Wernersville. Winnie Gerhard was the caretaker of her and her children. She was buried in the Morton Family plot in Rhinebeck Cemetery, Rhinebeck, NY
Mary launched "Holiday Farm" the family's first philanthropic effort in Rinecliff. Its purpose was to give tenement children recently released from New York City hospitals a chance to recuperate in a friendly, fresh air environment. She fitted up the old Hutton house north of the depot with running water, plumbing, a decent kitchen and, eventually, central heat. In May 1902, it opened with 12 little patients. The first annual report called the charity a "resounding success," except for a bout of whooping cough. "Kindness," it said "worked wonders on their only too often hardened little natures."
The following year there were 70 children and every year thereafter both the numbers and scope of the program grew. Hamlet residents pitched in. Henry H. Pearson took the children to the amusement park at Kingston Point and the Methodist Church provided seven tickets for the Dutchess County Fair. The Rhincliff Needlework Guild made garments for them. When, in 1912, the New York Central moved its railroad station uphill from the riverfront, it also took 30 feet of Holiday Farm's river bluff to double its tracks, and Mary Morton realized it would make sense to move to more spacious quarters. With the help of the Vincent Astors they built a handsome building in Rhinebeck. Renamed the Astor Home for Children, the organization still provides a top-ranking live in facility for the children with special needs. It was also at this time that Mary donated land at the junction of the Rhinecliff Road and Orchard Street for a hamlet playground that included a tennis court. For many years it was a center of outdoor activity for Rhinecliff residents.
Mary Morton never married. She had two adopted children: Lewis Peter Morton (1925-1978) and Mirian Morton (1929-1973). Mary Morton owned Bynden Wood, her summer home in South Heidelberg, Berks Co, Pa from 1920 until her death in 1932. She also maintained a house in Riverside California. She died at the Clinique General in Geneva Switzerland on April 20, 1932 while vacationing. Her body was shipped back to the US aboard the SS Leviathan in May of 1932. Her gross estate was valued at $1,011,513, the majority of which she inherited from her father Levi Parsons Morton. Her children were named in her will as well as bequests to Winnie Gerhard and Temple Perry who received $50,000 and $25,000 respectively both of Wernersville. Winnie Gerhard was the caretaker of her and her children. She was buried in the Morton Family plot in Rhinebeck Cemetery, Rhinebeck, NY
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