Discover Tisdale Mansion's Rich History

Explore the architectural beauty and stories of the past.

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Discover Tisdale Mansion's Rich History

Explore the architectural beauty and stories of the past.

Learn More

Discover Tisdale Mansion

Historic Architecture

The Tisdale Mansion is a fine limestone structure within the village of Sackets Harbor, NY. Built by George Leonard Tisdale, son of George Tisdale, a revolutionary war soldier from Massachusetts.

The mansion stands on 1.2 acres of land where Fort Virginia, one of the five blockhouses that protected the village during the war of 1812 once stood.

Construction of the mansion began in 1815 and finished in 1818

The Tisdale mansion constructed of Chaumont limestone has a front gable, side hall entrance. Each gable end of the Tisdale mansion has a fan window surrounded by an elliptical stone arch with key stone.

The front gable entrance has a wide fan light of dressed stone. The entrance has its original front door and sidelights. The chimneys, quoins and splayed lintels are made of smooth dressed limestone. Identical side stone wings once displayed balustrades across their fronts. The stone walls are two feet thick.

All the rooms but one are twenty feet by twenty-four feet with eleven-foot ceilings. Seven Fireplaces heated the rooms and a stone beehive oven for baking is connected to the kitchen fireplace. The wood support structure is of Mortice and tenon design with main beams measuring 18” X 18”. The floor beams are 4” X 8” with floor boards 2” thick.

Rumor says; Boyer breaks chandelier in LR – replaces with chandelier from Flower mansion – this and the other matching Chandelier are still mounted in the parlor and dining rooms.

The Tisdale house is listed on the National Register USN# 4558.00019.

https://cris.parks.ny.gov/Login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2f

History of The Tisdale Mansion

Past notable owners of the mansion include

Thomas L Rankin, a well-known inventor and friend of Thomas Alva Edison. Rankin invented the ice-making machines and the loop – the – loop ride that graced the midway of the Worlds Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893
Brig. General James Boyer a prominent state military leader who saw service in World War 1
Caroline C Robbins, descendant of the famous Schuyler family

Past owners from Abstract of title

1863 – Richard Conlin & Wife from Amelia M Tisdale
1868 – Caroline C Robbins
1893 – Mrs. A.L Rankin
1919 – Isabelle Rogers Wilson
1920 – Daniel E Sheahan
1921 – J. Wyatt Uhlein & Grace Hass Uhlein his wife
1929 – Brig. General James S Boyer & Clara his wife
1947 – Milfred E Bisnett & Grace Ann his wife
1955 – Alexander A Colhoun JR & Elizabeth his wife
1965 – David V Tarrant & Ruth H his wife
1996 – Dana S Davis & Anita J his wife
2024 – Koch Family Properties LP

Past owners from various records

1818 – Property Records and local historical society state built
1819 – Historical marker in front states the house was constructed in 1819
1827 – County records show Tisdale purchased 1 acre 34 poles of land from Thomas Ludlow for $500
1832 – “Stone Houses of Jefferson County” state home was built 1832
1838 – George Leonard Tisdale dies at age of 51 years
1848 – George A Tisdale sells to Amelia Maria Tisdale for $3,000
1868 – Mrs. Caroline C Robbins Purchases home
1893 – BA Griffin purchases home from Robbins
Watertown Times ** Apr. 25, 1893
1893 – Mrs. TL Rankin purchases home
Watertown Times *** - August 1st, 1893
1921 – J Wyatt and Grace H Uhlein purchases home
1929 – Brig. General James Boyer purchases home
1947 – Boyer sells to Bisnett
Watertown Daily Times ****
1955 – Bisnett sells to Alexander A Calhoun
Watertown Daily Times *
1986 – David Tarrant – shown as “at location”/ property records
1993 – Ruth Tarrant – shown as “at location” / property records
1996 – Dana and Jo Davis purchase home
2024 – Koch Family Properties purchases home

History of The Tisdale Family

Tisdale Family History

George Tisdale – 1755 – 1828

Son of Loved and Mary (Leonard) Tisdale Born at Taunton Mass on October 17, 1755. George fought in the revolutionary war and died in Sackets Harbor October 3, 1828 in his 73rd year

Ranah (Hodges)Tisdale – 1762 – 1840

Wife of George Tisdale

George Leonard Tisdale – 1786 – 1838

Son of George and Ranah. Born at Taunton Massachusetts on June 19, 1786 and died in Sackets Harbor July 2, 1838 in his 52nd year. It is said George started the Tisdale mansion when he was 29 years old.

Amelia Maria (Graham) Tisdale – 1789 - 1871

Wife of George Leonard Tisdale.

James A Tisdale – 1821 - 1893

Son of George and Amelia. Born October 3, 1821 and died November 7, 1893 in Clevland Ohio

Maria Tisdale – 1823

Daughter of George and Amelia. Born June 13, 1823 and died 12 hours later.

James Leonard Tisdale – 1825 - 1826

Son of George and Amelia. Born August 1825 and died July 11, 1826 at 11 months

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Tisdale Mansion 1818-2024

Discover Tisdale Mansion's Rich History

Discover Tisdale Mansion's Rich History