The first time I went to the Artman Home was when I performed with the Wissahickon Summer Pops Orchestra for the seniors. I remembered performing in the Artman home living room, and we were trying to fit every musician in that one little corner.
I never really got to know the place a lot until I did research on it now. It turns out the original home still exists and the retirement home expanded surrounding the old home ever since its establishment in the early 20th century.
Joseph Haywood
Joseph Haywood (1835-1910) was born on March 20th in Philadelphia to Claudius William Haywood, a practical businessman who came to America from England in 1832. Joseph was the only surviving child out of 12 children in his family.
He was educated by his father due to the public school system not being good enough for his children. Joseph was taught the three "R's" (reading, writing, and arithmetic) and in music, specifically in playing the flute and violin.
Fun Fact #1: His father was cultivated in music, and encouraged his children to play any type of instrument.
Joesph was then employed in farming, starting with a small tract of land until having at least 65 acres of land, all within the borough of Ambler.
Fun Fact #2: Before Joseph owned this big acres of land in Ambler, there were people before him who owned the land, dating back to as early as before the American Revolution.
He was involved in the organization of Ambler, and was one of the organizers for the First National Bank of Ambler. He served on its board of directors for 25 years. He had interest in the Ambler Presbyterian church while his wife Caroline served as a charter member who died 8 years before his death.
Even though he was much involved in politics, he served three years as chief burgess, then elected as a councilman from the 1st Ward. He was unanimously re-elected as councilman by both parties.
The Artman Home
The Artman Home was established by a man named Major Enos R. Artman (1838-1912) who wanted to establish a home for "poor and deserving Lutherans of all ages and both sexes." In his will, he created the board foundations for the place, and requested $100,000 for the establishment of the home for Lutherans.
Fun Fact #3: Enos Artman served in the Civil War in the 104th Regiment, Pennsylvania Infantry Company D as a 2nd Lieutenant. He was promoted to 1st Lieutenant on December 24th, 1861. He commanded the 213th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment and sent them to capture George Atzerodt, one of the conspirators with John Wilkes Booth, on April 20th, 1865. He was rewarded $10,000 from the US House of Representatives for the capture of John Wilkes Booth, other conspirators, and Jefferson Davis.
His trustees began to search for a suitable tract of land for Major Artman's vision. They searched around Montgomery and Bucks Counties to find a tract of land from 1912-1916. It wasn't until they selected 510 acres of land in Sellersville, PA, consisted of 7 adjoining farms, residences, barns, and out-buildings.
Camp Artman opened in the summer of 1916 for a boys' camp and a boarding house for working women with small income. St. Martha's Cottage was also opened.
The Artman home was formally granted on November 28, 1916. A year later, the Vacation House was opened where 300 people were entertained. They had set up a 3-fold purpose for the home:
Maintain a home for Lutherans
Establish an agricultural/farm school for boys from Lutheran congregations
Provide a colony for summer vacationists
From 1917 to 1922, the large acreage of farmland and the expenses from guests became an issue from the board members. They ended up selling several farms on the property, reducing the acreage of land they originally had, and discontinuing farming. They also had to purchase a suitable property that is closer to the city of Philadelphia. That was when they selected Ambler.
The Artman Home was moved from Sellersville to Ambler in March 1924 where Caroline Artman, Enos's wife and one of the trustees of the home, purchased the former Joseph Haywood property.
The activity of the home was changed to caring for people who no longer able to take care of their own homes.
Architecture
Based on when Joseph Haywood purchased the land and the look of the building, I can conclude that the historic home has the style of a Second Empire home.
Right away, I see 2 bay windows on each side, which is a very common feature in any Victorian home. Another common feature in any Victorian home is the one-story porch.
Other features that are important to identify:
Concave mansard roof
Paired windows in the center of the front facade
Honey comb-shaped roof shingles
Eaves with decorative brackets under roof
Metal roof cresting
Stone structure
Keystone on windows
Decorative dormers
Bibliography
"Artman, Enos R." National Parks Service. Accessed April 27, 2021. https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-soldiers-detail.htm?soldierId=F634E97C-DC7A-DF11-BF36-B8AC6F5D926A.
"Artman Home to Observe Birthday." Ambler Gazette. June 11, 1936. Page 1, 5. http://digitalcollections.powerlibrary.org/cdm/compoundobject/collection/wivp-gazett/id/21129/rec/8.
Davis, William Watts Hart. History of the 104th Pennsylvania Regiment, from August 22nd, 1861, to September 30th, 1864. (Philadelphia: Jas. B. Rodgers, 1866): 344, 362.
“Google Maps Area Calculator Tool." DaftLogic. Accessed March 24, 2021. https://www.daftlogic.com/projects-google-maps-area-calculator-tool.htm.
"Jos. Haywood is Buried." Ambler Gazette. January 20, 1910. Page 1. http://digitalcollections.powerlibrary.org/cdm/compoundobject/collection/wivp-gazett/id/6077/rec/2.
Klinge, Frank H. M. Montgomery County 1927 Reading Main Line Vol 1, Plate 29, 1927.
"Local History Sketch. Interesting Local Matter Collected by 'E.M.' The Haywood Property--David Roberts--Peter Buch--John Bringhurst--Thomas Lukens--John Rutter--David Smith--Joseph Haywood." Ambler Gazette. October 5, 1911. Page 3: http://digitalcollections.powerlibrary.org/cdm/compoundobject/collection/wivp-gazett/id/10762/rec/4.
McAlester, Virginia Savage. A Field Guide to American Houses. (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2017): xv-xxv, 317-330.
"Our History." Artman. Accessed April 27, 2021. https://www.artmanhome.org/history.
Roberts, Ellwood. Biographical Annals of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Containing Genealogical Records of Representative Families, Including Many of the Early Settlers and Biographical Sketches of Prominent Citizens, Volume 2. (New York, Chicago: T.S. Benham & Co. and The Lewis Publishing Co., 1904): 14-15.
Smith, J.L. Montgomery County 1893, Ambler Borough, 1893.
The Reports of the Committees of the House of Representatives, Made During the First Session Thirty-Ninth Congress, 1856-66: Reward for the Capture of Booth. (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1866): 1-12.
"Whittock's Whitpain." WIssahickon Valley Historical Society. Accessed March 24, 2021. https://www.wvalleyhs.org/whittocks-whitpain/.
"Wissahickon Valley Public Library's Ambler Gazette Collection." POWER Library: Pennsylvania's Electronic Library. Accessed April 27, 2021. http://digitalcollections.powerlibrary.org/cdm/landingpage/collection/wivp-gazett.
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