The Federal Drawing Room
1800-1825

This drawing room is called the Patron's Room since it contains gifts from various donors or patrons of the Historical Society. A drawing room is a formal reception room.

The hall entrance door itself is a colonial six-panel pine door that has been faux/grain/feather painted to make it appear to be a rosewood door. This rare paint treatment was discovered under layers of paint and has been restored to its original appearance.

The windows have interior shutters that were used in place of window shades and also acted as storm windows. These interior shutters are installed on most of the windows in the house. Security was provided by the brackets into which hardwood bars could be fitted to lock the shutters closed.

The fireplace has an open Franklin stove insert that has a thirteen star design representing the original states. This stove bears the legend "Wilson Patent Stove" - 1816. After Benjamin Franklin invented these stoves, they enjoyed immense popularity since they gave a great deal of heat with a minimum of fuel.

Between the windows is a mahogany Sheraton secretary by J. Lesley flanked by a pair of Sheraton side chairs with lyre design backs.

Above the desk hangs a fine convex girandole mirror that has a Scottish label. The convex shape reflected candlelight around the room. Most mirrors during this period were imported since the American craftsmen had difficulty making smooth glass let alone convex glass.

The curved arm sofa is Duncan Phyfe style. It is upholstered to match the curtains, as was the style of the period. Above the sofa are two framed engravings of the Battle of Lake Erie entitled "Ships in Battle". They commemorate Commodore Perry's role in the War of 1812.

The portrait over the mantle is of Anne Croasdale Jouet of Elizabeth, New Jersey. She was born in 1777 and was married in 1806 to Isaac Halstead Williamson, who was the Governor of New Jersey from 1817 to 1829. Anne was descended from French Huguenots who came to America in 1690. Anne died in 1853.

The two fancy painted Sheraton chairs are from the Governor's Mansion Ballroom and were used there when Lafayette was entertained.

The mahogany card table is Philadelphia Hepplewhite. The wingback armchair and the table set for tea are both Sheraton. The tea set is the Sprig China pattern. The portrait of Lt. Colin Campbell Starr in British Naval attire. Rumor has it that it was done in Canada.

The corner cupboard holds a collection of the Williamson's Chinese Export Armorial Porcelain dinnerware that belonged to the Jouet family and bears the Jouet coat-of-arms. At the time wealthy families would order their china by taking a drawing of their coat-of-arms to an agent in Philadelphia or New York. The agent would send the order and drawing to China. The Chinese artists would complete the order within 2-3 weeks of receipt. The china would be packed in barrels with dried leaves between each piece to prevent breakage on the voyage back to America. When the china was unpacked in the U.S., the leaf packing material would be thrown away and thus from the discarded leaves and seeds many indigenous oriental plants were introduced into American soil.

The small portrait is Rachel Parry's father, Richard Randolph.