This painting done by Rufus Grider depicts the mantel at the Bouck House, once inhabited by William C. Bouck. William C. Bouck was the Sheriff of Schoharie County beginning in 1812, and he was the thirteenth governor of New York. Grider was born in Lititz, Pennsylvania on April 13, 1817. He, his wife, and his two daughters lived in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania from 1870 to 1883. He, his wife, and only one of his daughters moved to Canajoharie New York in 1883 where he taught art at the Canajoharie Academy until 1898. His works beginning in 1886 relate heavily to New York history, and he wanted to make a collection showcasing the Mohawk Valley although he included work from other areas, including Schoharie. His works were either of things he saw or things that, if they no longer existed for him to observe, he could paint or draw based on the memory and descriptions of people who had seen them.
Accompanying this painting are some remarks (see bottom right) made by Grider himself on March 12, 1889. In his notes, he writes about how the mantel moved from the Bouck House to the Frey House. He writes that after William C. Bouck died, the house was owned by John Gebhard, Jr. who inherited the house. Gebhard put the land that the house sat upon up for sale in 1877, and it was bought by Mr. Sidney. Gebhard knew how valuable the mantel was and offered to donate it to anyone in the county who would take it and preserve it. With no takers from Schoharie County, Samuel Ludlow Frey from Palatine Bridge bought it for $100, which amounts to about $2,800 today.
According to Grider, the residents of Schoharie County were so outraged at the mantel being taken away that it was written that Frey “’went off with it, like a thief in the night.’” It is hard to know if Grider did this painting before the mantel was removed from the Bouck House or if he painted it from the descriptions of people who had seen it. It is likely that it was done between July 29, 1887 and September 18, 1888 as that is when he created volume eight of his works that focused on Schoharie County.
The 18th-century Delft tiles in our collection are the same tiles that are depicted in this painting.
Transcription of Rufus Grider’s notes on Bouck Mantel, March 12, 1889:
The JOHN BOUCK house in SCHOHARIE VILLAGE, inhabited & afterwards inherited by JOHN GEBARD, contained a famous MANTEL– shown below. It was 10 1/2 ft high 9 feet wide- it was made of dark wood portions of it carved, and had 108 real DELFT TILE inserted which were ornamented with hand painted scenes in Holland.
When the house lot was sold in 1877 & the house had to be removed, Mr. Gebhard wished the Mantel to remain in Schoharie, he offered to donate it, if some person would put it up & preserve it, no one embraced his liberal offer. He then sold the house with the Mantel to Mr. Sidney- he having it for sale Mr. S. Ludlow Frey of Palatine Br. Village purchased it for One hundred dollars & paid the Cash.
Mr. Frey was assisted by Mr. A. G. Richmond of Canajoharie, they at once proceeded to take it down. Mr. John Gebhard who was present, was pleased & said “I AM GLAD YOU GET IT MR. FREY” it soon became known that the Mantel was to be taken away, then indignation was expressed by many, sorrow by others. it was packed on a Wagon & taken into the Hotel Stable to remain there during the night. As public sentiment was unfavorable, & as the evening & night was Moonlit, they concluded to leave the Village & drive home during the night, they reached home safely.
The Mantel is now in the Frey Mansion at Palatine Bridge. The SCHOHARIE REPUBLICAN of Sept. 27th, 1877, which was issued soon after the removal, contained an article on this subject, it found fault with their people for their want of public spirit…
The purchasers, from the Mohawk, were also taken to task for purchasing, what was offered for sale, and taunted with – “THEY WENT OFF WITH IT, LIKE A THIEF IN THE NIGHT.” We have not heard that the people of Schoharie returned public thanks to the valiant Editor for his ill tempered article, neither is it of record that he himself spent his time & means for benefit of the public,- he did however add to the history of the JOHN BOUCK MANTEL.
Rufus A. Grider
Canajoharie Mar. 12th 1889