James Leal Greenleaf
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James Leal Greenleaf (July 30, 1857 – April 15, 1933) was an American
landscape architect A landscape architect is a person who is educated in the field of landscape architecture. The practice of landscape architecture includes: site analysis, site inventory, site planning, land planning, planting design, grading, storm water manageme ...
and
civil engineer A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering – the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructure while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing ...
. Early in his career, he was a well-known landscape architect who designed the gardens and grounds of many large estates in
Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...
,
New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
, and New York. He was appointed to the
United States Commission of Fine Arts The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) is an independent agency of the federal government of the United States The federal government of the United States (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) is the national government of the U ...
in 1918, and served until 1927. He was the landscape architect for the
Lincoln Memorial The Lincoln Memorial is a U.S. national memorial built to honor the 16th president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. It is on the western end of the National Mall in Washington, D.C., across from the Washington Monument, and is in the ...
(finished in 1922), and a consulting landscape architect for the
Arlington Memorial Bridge The Arlington Memorial Bridge is a Neoclassical masonry, steel, and stone arch bridge with a central bascule (or drawbridge) that crosses the Potomac River at Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. First proposed in 1886, the bridg ...
(designed in 1925 and finished in 1932).


Early life

Greenleaf was born in 1857 in
Kortright, New York Kortright is a town in Delaware County, New York, United States. The population was 1,675 at the 2010 census. The town is in the northern part of the county. History Kortright was formed from the town of Harpersfield in 1793. The West Kortrig ...
. His father, Thomas Greenleaf, was a member of the prominent Greenleaf merchant family, but had retired to Kortright due to failing health.Birnbaum and Karson, p. 146. His mother, Eleanor Leal, was of Dutch and Scottish descent.Chamberlain, p. 558. He was the fourth of five children, and the only son, born to Thomas and Eleanor. The Greenleafs were
Huguenot The Huguenots ( , also , ) were a religious group of French Protestants who held to the Reformed, or Calvinist, tradition of Protestantism. The term, which may be derived from the name of a Swiss political leader, the Genevan burgomaster Be ...
s who fled France, anglicizing their family name (Feuillevert) to Greenleaf. Greenleaf's great-great-great-great-grandfather, Edmund, was born in 1574 in
Ipswich Ipswich () is a port town and borough in Suffolk, England, of which it is the county town. The town is located in East Anglia about away from the mouth of the River Orwell and the North Sea. Ipswich is both on the Great Eastern Main Line r ...
, Suffolk, England. His great-great-grandfather, Enoch, was born there in 1647, and the entire family emigrated to
Salisbury, Connecticut Salisbury () is a town situated in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The town is the northwesternmost in the state of Connecticut; the Massachusetts-New York-Connecticut tri-state marker is located at the northwest corner of the town ...
, in 1650. His great-grandfather, Thomas, was the founder and editor of '' Greenleaf's New Daily Advertiser''."James Greenleaf Dies at Age of 75." ''New York Times.'' April 16, 1933. He was a distant relative of
James Greenleaf James Greenleaf (June 9, 1765 – September 17, 1843) was a late 18th and early 19th century American land speculator responsible for substantial of the newly designated capital of Washington, D.C. after 1790. A member of a prominent and weal ...
, the infamous Washington, D.C., land speculator and whose sister married
Noah Webster Noah ''Nukh''; am, ኖህ, ''Noḥ''; ar, نُوح '; grc, Νῶε ''Nôe'' () is the tenth and last of the pre-Flood patriarchs in the traditions of Abrahamic religions. His story appears in the Hebrew Bible (Book of Genesis, chapters 5– ...
(whose newspaper later merged with the ''New Daily Advertiser''). Greenleaf later credited his childhood in the
Catskill Mountains The Catskill Mountains, also known as the Catskills, are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains, located in southeastern New York. As a cultural and geographic region, the Catskills are generally defined as those areas c ...
for giving him a love of landscape architecture. His father's wealth enabled Greenleaf to be educated at
Delaware Academy Delaware Academy Delaware Academy is a K-12 school in Delhi (village), New York, northwest of New York City. History 19th century The school was founded in 1819. On April 12 of that year, approval was given for the school to be built. The first ...
in
Delhi, New York Delhi ( ) is a town in Delaware County, New York, United States. The population was 4,795 at the 2020 census.US Census Bureau, 2020 Census, Delhi town, Delaware County, New York https://www.census.gov/search-results.html?searchType=web&cssp=SERP ...
. He entered the
School of Mines A school of mines (or mining school) is an engineering school, often established in the 18th and 19th centuries, that originally focused on mining engineering and applied science. Most have been integrated within larger constructs such as minera ...
at
Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
, graduating with a
bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...
in
civil engineering Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including public works such as roads, bridges, canals, dams, airports, sewage ...
in 1880. After graduation, Greenleaf was hired by the United States Census to engage in a two-year survey of water power. He worked primarily in the areas around
Niagara Falls Niagara Falls () is a group of three waterfalls at the southern end of Niagara Gorge, spanning the border between the province of Ontario in Canada and the state of New York in the United States. The largest of the three is Horseshoe Falls, ...
, the
Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...
, and in
Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...
.


Career

Greenleaf took a teaching position as an Assistant at the Columbia School of Mines in 1882. He was promoted to Tutor, Instructor, and Assistant Professor. Increasingly engaged in the practice of civil engineering, he became an Adjunct Professor, and then left the school entirely in 1894 to become a full-time civil engineer. In the late 1890s, Greenleaf turned to the practice of landscape architecture."James Neal Greenleaf." archINFORM.net. February 12, 2013.
Accessed 2013-04-18.
Working primarily on
Long Island Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United Sta ...
and in Connecticut, New Jersey, and
Westchester County Westchester County is located in the U.S. state of New York. It is the seventh most populous county in the State of New York and the most populous north of New York City. According to the 2020 United States Census, the county had a population o ...
, he designed estates for
Frederick William Vanderbilt Frederick William Vanderbilt (February 2, 1856 – June 29, 1938) was a member of the American Vanderbilt family. He was a director of the New York Central Railroad for 61 years, and also a director of the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad and o ...
("
Hyde Park Hyde Park may refer to: Places England * Hyde Park, London, a Royal Park in Central London * Hyde Park, Leeds, an inner-city area of north-west Leeds * Hyde Park, Sheffield, district of Sheffield * Hyde Park, in Hyde, Greater Manchester Austra ...
" in
Hyde Park, New York Hyde Park is a town in Dutchess County, New York, United States, bordering the Hudson River north of Poughkeepsie. Within the town are the hamlets of Hyde Park, East Park, Staatsburg, and Haviland. Hyde Park is known as the hometown of Frankl ...
),
C. Ledyard Blair Clinton Ledyard Blair (July 16, 1867 – February 7, 1949) was an American investment banker and yachtsman. Early years Blair was born in Belvidere, New Jersey, on July 16, 1867. He was the son of DeWitt Clinton Blair, a philanthropist and ind ...
("Blairsden" in
Peapack-Gladstone, New Jersey Peapack-Gladstone (also written as Peapack and Gladstone) is a borough in Somerset County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the borough's population was 2,582,Mortimer L. Schiff Mortimer Loeb Schiff (June 5, 1877 – June 4, 1931), sometimes Mortimer Leo Schiff, was an American banker and notable early Boy Scouts of America (BSA) leader. His son, John Mortimer Schiff, was also involved with the BSA. He was also the fath ...
("Northwood" in
Oyster Bay, New York The Town of Oyster Bay is the easternmost of the three towns which make up Nassau County, New York, United States. Part of the New York metropolitan area, it is the only town in Nassau County to extend from the North Shore to the South Shore o ...
),
Jacob Schiff Jacob (; ; ar, يَعْقُوب, Yaʿqūb; gr, Ἰακώβ, Iakṓb), later given the name Israel, is regarded as a patriarch of the Israelites and is an important figure in Abrahamic religions, such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Jac ...
("Seabright" in
Red Bank, New Jersey Red Bank is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. Incorporated in 1908, the community is on the Navesink River, the area's original transportation route to the ocean and other ports. Red Bank is in the New York Metropolitan A ...
), and a number of estates for the Pratt family: Pratt Oval (
Charles Pratt Charles Pratt (October 2, 1830 – May 4, 1891) was an American businessman. Pratt was a pioneer of the U.S. petroleum industry, and he established his kerosene refinery Astral Oil Works in Brooklyn, New York. He then lived with his growing fam ...
),Griswold, Weller, and Rollins, page 102. The Braes (
Herbert L. Pratt Herbert Lee Pratt (November 21, 1871 – February 3, 1945) was an American businessman and a leading figure in the United States oil industry. In 1923, he became head of Standard Oil of New York; his father Charles Pratt was a founder of Astr ...
), Welwyn (
Harold I. Pratt Harold Irving Pratt (February 1, 1877 – May 29, 1939) was an American oil industrialist and philanthropist. A director of Standard Oil of New Jersey, he also served on the Council of Foreign Relations from 1923 to 1939. Early life He was bor ...
) The Manor House (
John Teele Pratt John Teele Pratt (December 25, 1873 – June 17, 1927) was an American corporate attorney, philanthropist, music impresario, and financier. Early life Pratt was born in Brooklyn, New York, on December 25, 1873. He was one of six children born ...
), Poplar Hill (
Frederic B. Pratt Frederic Bayley Pratt (22 February 1865 – 3 May 1945) was an American heir, the president of the board of trustees of Brooklyn's Pratt Institute for 44 years, from 1893 to 1937, and president of the United States Olympic Committee in 1910. ...
), and
Killenworth Killenworth is a historic mansion in Glen Cove, New York constructed for George Dupont Pratt in 1912. It was purchased by the Soviet Union in 1946 to become the country retreat of the Soviet, and later Russian, delegation to the United Nations. ...
(
George Dupont Pratt George Dupont Pratt (August 16, 1869 – January 20, 1935) was an American conservationist, philanthropist, Boy Scout sponsor, big-game hunter and collector of ancient antiquities. Early life Pratt was born on August 16, 1869, and raised ...
). Killenworth is considered his greatest achievement. Pratt's most visible landscape design, however, was for the
Lincoln Memorial The Lincoln Memorial is a U.S. national memorial built to honor the 16th president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. It is on the western end of the National Mall in Washington, D.C., across from the Washington Monument, and is in the ...
, which he did for memorial designer
Henry Bacon Henry Bacon (November 28, 1866February 16, 1924) was an American Beaux-Arts architect who is best remembered for the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. (built 1915–1922), which was his final project. Education and early career Henr ...
between 1913 and 1916. President
Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was an American politician and academic who served as the 28th president of the United States from 1913 to 1921. A member of the Democratic Party, Wilson served as the president of ...
appointed Greenleaf to the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts in 1918. He served on this body, which had statutory approval authority over the design and siting of memorials and monuments in Washington, D.C., as well as advisory authority over building design in the city, until 1927. After World War I, he authored the landscape design for seven American battlefield cemeteries in France and Belgium:
Aisne-Marne American Cemetery and Memorial The Aisne-Marne American Cemetery and Memorial is a World War I cemetery in Belleau, Northern France. It is located at the foot of the hill where the Battle of Belleau Wood was fought, with many American fatalities. The cemetery also contains bu ...
,
Flanders Field American Cemetery and Memorial Flanders Field American Cemetery and Memorial is a World War I cemetery in the city of Waregem, Belgium. Originally a temporary battlefield burial ground, Flanders Field American Cemetery later became the only permanent American World War I ceme ...
, Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery and Memorial,
Oise-Aisne American Cemetery and Memorial The Oise-Aisne American Cemetery and Memorial () is an United States of America, American military cemetery in northern France. Plots ''A'' through ''D'' contains the graves of 6,012 American soldiers who died while fighting in this vicinity duri ...
,
Somme American Cemetery and Memorial The Somme American Cemetery and Memorial in Picardie, France, is an American Battle Monuments Commission cemetery, situated ½ mile southwest of the commune of Bony, Aisne in northern France. It is located on a gentle slope typical of the ope ...
, St. Mihiel American Cemetery and Memorial, and
Suresnes American Cemetery and Memorial The Suresnes American Cemetery ( French: ''Cimetière américain de Suresnes'') is a United States military cemetery in the Suresnes, Hauts-de-Seine, France. It is the resting place of 1,541 American soldiers killed in World War I. A panoramic ...
. During his time on the Commission of Fine Arts, Greenleaf consulted on landscape design in a number of national parks. In 1924, he was elected into the
National Academy of Design The National Academy of Design is an honorary association of American artists, founded in New York City in 1825 by Samuel Morse, Asher Durand, Thomas Cole, Martin E. Thompson, Charles Cushing Wright, Ithiel Town, and others "to promote the fin ...
as an Associate Academician. After his retirement from public service in 1927, Greenleaf rarely worked. However, he did consult with the firm of
McKim, Mead and White McKim, Mead & White was an American architectural firm that came to define architectural practice, urbanism, and the ideals of the American Renaissance in fin de siècle New York. The firm's founding partners Charles Follen McKim (1847–1909), Wil ...
on the landscape design around Arlington Memorial Bridge in 1931 and 1932. In retirement, Greenleaf devoted himself to landscape painting, working primarily in
Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
and on the
Isle of Skye The Isle of Skye, or simply Skye (; gd, An t-Eilean Sgitheanach or ; sco, Isle o Skye), is the largest and northernmost of the major islands in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. The island's peninsulas radiate from a mountainous hub dominated ...
. His work was exhibited at the
National Academy of Design The National Academy of Design is an honorary association of American artists, founded in New York City in 1825 by Samuel Morse, Asher Durand, Thomas Cole, Martin E. Thompson, Charles Cushing Wright, Ithiel Town, and others "to promote the fin ...
in New York City.


Personal life

Greenleaf married Bertha Potts of New York City on June 14, 1899. She was the daughter of George A.H. and Helen (Hard) Potts, whose wealthy mining family founded
Pottsville, Pennsylvania Pottsville is the county seat of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 13,346 at the 2020 census, and is the principal city of the Pottsville, PA Micropolitan Statistical Area. The city lies along the west bank of th ...
. They had a son, Donald Leal Greenleaf, born June 5, 1890. Bertha Potts Greenleaf died in 1911. Greenleaf was a
Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
, but not active in party politics. He was a member of the Columbia University Club, the
Cosmos Club The Cosmos Club is a 501(c)(7) private social club in Washington, D.C. that was founded by John Wesley Powell in 1878 as a gentlemen's club for those interested in science. Among its stated goals is, "The advancement of its members in science, ...
, and the Century Club. He was an associate of the National Academy of Design, and served several times on juries for the
American Academy in Rome The American Academy in Rome is a research and arts institution located on the Gianicolo (Janiculum Hill) in Rome. The academy is a member of the Council of American Overseas Research Centers. History In 1893, a group of American architects, ...
. He was a long-time fellow of the
American Society of Landscape Architects The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) is a professional association for landscape architects in the United States. The ASLA's mission is to advance landscape architecture through advocacy, communication, education, and fellowship ...
, and served as its national president from 1922 to 1927. Greenleaf moved to
New Canaan, Connecticut New Canaan () is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 20,622 according to the 2020 census. About an hour from Manhattan by train, the town is considered part of Connecticut's Gold Coast. The town is bounde ...
, around 1918. He contracted
pneumonia Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severity ...
in 1932, and although he recovered he remained in poor health. A few months before his death, he moved in with his son (also a resident of New Canaan). Greenleaf suffered from
appendicitis Appendicitis is inflammation of the appendix. Symptoms commonly include right lower abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and decreased appetite. However, approximately 40% of people do not have these typical symptoms. Severe complications of a rup ...
, and had his
appendix Appendix, or its plural form appendices, may refer to: __NOTOC__ In documents * Addendum, an addition made to a document by its author after its initial printing or publication * Bibliography, a systematic list of books and other works * Index (pub ...
removed on April 3, 1933. He never recovered from the
shock Shock may refer to: Common uses Collective noun *Shock, a historic commercial term for a group of 60, see English numerals#Special names * Stook, or shock of grain, stacked sheaves Healthcare * Shock (circulatory), circulatory medical emerge ...
of the surgery, and died in
Stamford Hospital Stamford Hospital, residing on the Bennett Medical Center campus, is a 305-bed, not-for-profit hospital and the central facility for Stamford Health. The hospital is regional healthcare facility for Fairfield and Westchester counties, and is th ...
in
Stamford, Connecticut Stamford () is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut, outside of Manhattan. It is Connecticut's second-most populous city, behind Bridgeport. With a population of 135,470, Stamford passed Hartford and New Haven in population as of the 2020 ...
, on April 15. Funeral services were held at the
Congregational Church Congregational churches (also Congregationalist churches or Congregationalism) are Protestant churches in the Calvinist tradition practising congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its ...
in New Canaan, and he was buried at the New Cemetery in
Somerville, New Jersey Somerville is a borough and the county seat of Somerset County, New Jersey, United States.New Je ...
."Jersey Burial for James L. Greenleaf." ''Syracuse Herald.'' April 15, 1933, page 22.
Accessed 2013-04-18.


References


Bibliography

*Bergen, Tunis G., ed. ''Genealogies of the State of New York: A Record of the Achievements of Her People in the Making of a Commonwealth and the Founding of a Nation.'' New York: Lewis Historical Pub. Co., 1915. *Birnbaum, Charles A. and Karson, Robin. ''Pioneers of American Landscape Design.'' New York: McGraw Hill, 2000. *Chamberlain, Joshua L., ed. ''Universities and Their Sons: History, Influence and Characteristics of American Universities, With Biographical Sketches and Portraits of Alumni and Recipients of Honorary Degrees.'' Boston: R. Herndon Co., 1899. *Greenleaf, James Edward. ''Genealogy of the Greenleaf Family.'' Boston: F. Wood, Printer, 1896. *Griswold, Mac; Weller, Eleanor; and Rollins, Helen E. ''The Golden Age of American Gardens: Proud Owners, Private Estates, 1890-1940.'' New York: H.N. Abrams, 2000. *Kohler, Sue A. ''The Commission of Fine Arts: A Brief History, 1910-1995.'' Washington, D.C.: United States Commission of Fine Arts, 1996. *Sclare, Liisa and Sclare, Donald. ''Beaux-Arts Estates: A Guide to the Architecture of Long Island.'' New York: Viking Press, 1980. *Snyder, Alan K. ''Defining Noah Webster.'' Washington, D.C.: Allegiance Press, 2002. *''The Studio Yearbook of Decorative Art.'' New York: Viking Press, 1916. *Zaitzevsky, Cynthia. ''Long Island Landscapes and the Women Who Designed Them.'' New York: Society for the Preservation of Long Island Antiquities, 2009. {{DEFAULTSORT:Greenleaf, James Leal 1857 births 1933 deaths People from Delaware County, New York Engineers from Washington, D.C. Architects from New York City People from New Canaan, Connecticut Columbia School of Mines alumni American landscape architects American urban planners American landscape and garden designers American civil engineers Deaths from appendicitis Engineers from Connecticut Engineers from New York (state)