Sarah and William A. Rogers House

131 St Marks Place | St. George | built 1920

Open on the map4 entries

Written with AI from the source each entry cites, then fact-checked.

1. 1886

   Harper's Weekly cartoonist William A. Rogers builds his house

   In 1886 cartoonist William A. Rogers bought this lot from John M. Pendleton and began building at once. While he lived here he was among the leading cartoonists at Harper's Weekly, drawing political cartoons and pictures of current events. The Queen Anne and Shingle Style house has often been credited to Edward A. Sargent, but the Landmarks Preservation Commission found no documents to support that attribution.

   Source: NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission

2. 1890

   Former minister to Persia Samuel G.W. Benjamin moves in with his wife Fannie

   Samuel G.W. Benjamin, an author, art critic and marine painter who had served from 1883 to 1885 as the first United States minister to Persia, made the house his home in 1890. He and his wife, author Fannie Nichols Weed Benjamin, stayed about five years and entertained often; guests included Harper's Weekly editor George W. Curtis and Tribune drama critic William Winter. In his autobiography Benjamin recalled it as a pleasant and artistic house.

   Source: NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission

3. 1902

   Schools superintendent Darwin L. Bardwell and his wife Alice buy the house

   In 1902 Dr. Darwin L. Bardwell, newly named district superintendent of schools for Staten Island, bought the property with his wife, Alice. He was charged with merging the island's mostly rural schools into New York City's system after Consolidation, and in 1909 he became district superintendent of high schools for the city, serving until his death in 1915. His family lived here until at least 1930.

   Source: NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission

4. 1970

   The party wall between this house and No. 135 collapses

   In 1970 a party wall shared by Nos. 131 and 135 St. Marks Place collapsed. Part of the rear yard was probably dug out at that time to make the driveway that now runs around the back and east side of the garage. A retaining wall of dry rubble and wire mesh, topped by a cyclone fence, curves around the drive.

   Source: NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission

Nearby

• Henry H. Cammann House125 St Marks Place | 3 entries
• 135 St Marks Place3 entries
• 123 St Marks Place2 entries
• 119 St Marks Place2 entries
• Stephen H. Brown House115 St Marks Place | 3 entries
• 109 St Marks Place2 entries

All 47 buildings with stories in St. George