National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior

Historical Overview
Despite a long oral tradition within the NPS, there is no evidence that the Vanderbilts
provided any educational expenses for any of their estate employees. Alex Knauss did not recall
any employees or their children receiving medical benefits or educational expenses for their
children. 414 And, Herbert Shears' daughter, who was believed to have been sent to college by the
Vanderbilts, asserts that her father paid her college tuition, and the Vanderbilts had no part in
her education. 415
Lastly, Frederick provided for his Hyde Park employees who had been in service for
more than ten years in his will. He made a generous cash bequest to these employees and gave
Herbert Shears the Wales residence. 416
EMPLOYEES' LEISURE ON THE ESTATE
Employees who lived on the estate with their families socialized together, raised their
children on the estate, and clearly identified themselves strongly with the place. Peggy Newman
remembered life on the estate in the 1920s and 1930s, "We were all friendly with . . . the people
who lived in the houses. . . . You would go back and forth to the different homes to visit but the
men roomed with us just came and went their own way." 417 The more transient farm laborers
were single men without families, and they did not participate in the estate's social life. They
boarded with estate families or in the village and were less rooted to the estate and its social life.
Vanderbilt employees enjoyed the freedom to walk the grounds both when the
Vanderbilts were in residence and when they were away. When employees had guests, they
frequently toured them around the estate, both out of curiosity, it seems, and pride. Peggy
Newman also remembered an unspoken invitation to the public in her years on the estate from
1921 to 1938:
Everyone drove through and walked through. They never closed it off so you couldn't. It
was open to the public always, you know. . . . We used to drive up and park at the lookout to
look at the scenery. They never told anyone to keep out. Not that I remember. 418
The openness of the estate grounds apparently was extended as well to residents of the
village, at least some of the time. S. Dickinson of Hyde Park recalled:
About 1927, I was walking with a few of my school class. In those days one was allowed in
the Vanderbilt estate when Mr. V. was not in residence. As we strolled up the road toward
the gardens, Mr. Van Allen [sic] came rushing at us, wildly waving his arms! We left in a big
hurry! 419
Margaret Marquez, who grew up playing with many of the estate children, but lived in the
village remembered:
I met Mr. Vanderbilt on the circle in front of the house. He just stopped and asked us where
we were going because we were just a bunch of little kids and we said we were going down to
414 Knauss, 1973, 4.
415 Elizabeth Shears Hambilton.
416 Snell, "Preliminary Report," 3-3a. Snell cites Will of F.W. Vanderbilt, 250; Poughkeepsie Sunday
Courier, July 17, 1938, 3; New York Times, October 4, 1939, 21; Andrews, 329.
417 Peggy Newman, 15.
418 Peggy Newman, 11.
419 Dickinson.
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