shadowlawn

Quote: "John A McCall...who died under a cloud." What in the world does that mean???

If this is the same property referenced in this New York Times article, he paid a full $100,000 for the estate property - that was a whopping big sum in 1902.

There was a big investigation into insurance company practices in New York State in the middle of that decade, which led to insurance reforms -- which were fought by New York Life Insurance Company, of which McCall was president. The impression I get from a few NYTimes articles is that he was often attacked for the things he said.

Hi synchronism: According to the associated newspaper article for this image, John A. McCall, president of the New York Life Insurance Company built this elaborate home (called Shadow Lawn) in New Jersey to entertain his guests in high style. Unfortunately, amidst insurance investigations came his untimely death "many believe from a broken heart." More information about this is available in the Chronicling America web site. See: chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030214/1908-08-02/ed-...

Shadow Lawn was the summer White House for Woodrow Wilson. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadow_Lawn_(New_Jersey)

Thank you swanq. We'll add some of this information to the caption the next time we update.

Similar to the previous photos, there was a large crowd on hand for President Woodrow Wilson accepting the Democratic nomination for President for the 1916 election. The caption for the photo in the Washington Times claims over 30,000 people present at Shadow Lawn for the event. A photo from the event is seen here: The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]), 03 Sept. 1916. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. (chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84026749/1916-09-03/ed-...)

I made a similar comment here www.flickr.com/photos/library_of_congress/14709949112/ This image appears to be taken September 2, 1916, following Woodrow Wilson's notification that he was nominated as the Democratic candidate for President for the 1916 election. The photo was taken at the Shadow Lawn estate in New Jersey, which served as Wilson's summer White House. The house burned down in 1927. A photo from the event is seen here: The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]), 03 Sept. 1916. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. (chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84026749/1916-09-03/ed-...)

Thanks Dean Z. We'll add this information at the catalog record.