Dr. Hartwell Carver

Well I was exercising this Am, I began to think of Hartwell Carver.
Dr Carver was a bachelor that in 1816 started his adult life in Pittsford, NY. He had graduated from Harvard and he is an ancestor of the esteemed Carvers(John Carver) aboard the Mayflower.

This is the house he built. It was unique and very fashionable for it's time.


He was a village doctor that dreamed of other things. He wanted to connect the east coast with the west coast by railroad. He is called the "Father of the Transcontinental Railroad."
He spent most of his time pursuing that dream into a reality. He was away from his medical practice quite often, much to the frustration of his patients and Village. When I spoke with the Town of Pittsford Historian- she mused that he was always off playing trains with those Mormons See he participated in the driving of Golden Spike in UT... he is the tall one on the left shaking hands



Anyways here is where I come in.... well my ancestors do at least. See, Hartwell had a live-in widow house keeper, Mary and her son Richard. Hartwell taught Richard his trade of being a Dr., well enough to appease his neighbors while he was away "playing with trains with those Mormons." Richard was my mother's great grandfather.
Hartwell was intriguing to me for many years.... We tried to do Richard's work for him and his Mom, but something always came up where it wouldn't happen...it was either lost, or a problem a rose. During that time, I was hungry to know more about Richard,Mary and Hartwell. I could not get enough information about them- I always wanted more.
I added Hartwell's name to Temple ready and waaaa laaaa! We had the privileged of going through in his behalf.

I learned all I could about the man, Hartwell. I read all he wrote to Congress, spoke with historians here and in RI, searched the records at Harvard.Spoke with his brother's descendants.I visited his grave near by here.He has the tallest monument in Mt. Hope It was donated with "thanks from his rail road brothers." All for a man I couldn't get out of my mind, that was no relationship to me.
He was a funny and good man.It is said that one time as a young man he, didn't have fond relationship with a teacher. He would bring her a green apple everyday. When I heard that,I thought that to be odd. I mean he was being nice....but the teacher hated green apples. She couldn't be rude, but it was a thorn in her side. Years later he admitted to knowing her disgust for apples.

I haven't really thought of him since...except today
he has been on my mind all day.