Why can't you buy a car on Sundays in Minnesota? "They tell me that you have more millionaires in Duluth than any city in the Northwest," Gov. As you tour the grounds, you will see the Congdons lived a lifestyle unknown to most. In 1883 at the age of thirty he started his own practice and traveled to Duluth on the shores of Lake Superior where he became interested in mining. "Will to Murder: The True Story Behind the Crimes & Trials Surrounding the Glensheen Killings" by Gail Feichtinger; 2005. Ouse said he doesn't have any concrete evidence that the claims in the editorial are true. This page was last edited on 31 March 2023, at 00:30. Velmas body was as cold as concrete. By more information on current conditions explore the source materials that contributed to the. Named "Glensheen", its construction came with a hefty price tag of $854,000 ($25.8million in 2021 dollars) and was finished in February 1908the family had moved in a few months prior. June 2009). "It's a promotional thing," he said. If you want to set up a glorious Glensheen wedding or check out the tours and other special events, visit the official Glensheen Mansion website. Exactly 40 years ago on June 27, 1977 Elisabeth Congdon, who never married but adopted the two girls as infants in the 1930s, was smothered with a pillow in her bed inside the 39-room . Chester purchased this piece for $175.oo, which today would be over $4,100 with inflation. Like her mother, she was active in humanitarian work, active in the church, and gave generously of her funds. Yet she destroyed the lives of all those around her. The next day the house caught fire. She appealed, was let free on bond and, after a year of setbacks and delays, she was finally remanded to Shakopee Womens Prison in Shakopee, Minnesota. Listen: Does Minnesota really have the 'World's Oldest Rock'? After all, it should be part of a complete picture of the mansions history, which also includes the remarkable story of Chester Adgate Congdon, Elisabeths father and the builder of Glensheen. The beautiful Glensheen Mansion was marred by sadness. If you want to take yourself back in time, Glensheen, the historic Congdon Estate, awaits you! All of this is immaculately maintained by Emily. One of Elisabeths crowning achievements was when she started a womens health clinic with her dear friend, Dr. Elizabeth Bagley. Marjorie was the "black sheep" of the family, as she constantly borrowed money from her mother and married numerous times. On June 27, 1977 at 3:00am, Elisabeth Congdon and her nurse Velma Pietila (born April 26, 1911) were found murdered. He then smothered Elisabeth, the youngest child of Chester. (function(d, s, id) { She eventually paid her lawyer out of the income from her $750,000 trust fund. Marjorie could not have been pleased. She knew they were unlikely to front her the cash, so she sent Roger to make the plea. js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; She is known for her amazing leadership skills and is an integral part of the #gamechanging that is happening at Glensheen. They are cold-hearted, deceitful, manipulative, and cruel. Clara was active with the First Methodist Church. She is a professional multi-tasker who never fails to make time for the small stuff. This post is riddled with false statements about both the mansion and the family. A garden hose was found running from the gas stove in the kitchen to their bedroom. The beauty and style is unsurpassed. Born in 1853, the son of a Methodist minister, Chester showed ambition and drive at an early age. It first opened for tours in the summer of 1979, and has been a main tourist attraction ever since. Required fields are marked *. "Emerging from ramshackle pioneer villages that attracted the ambitious, hardworking and the well-connected, Duluth evolved into a suburban metropolis between 1890 and 1910," according to a report commissioned by the Duluth Heritage Preservation Commission in the mid-2000s. He was a member of various professional, historical, scientific, social, and fraternal societies and associations. She saw Velmas legs hanging off the bench underneath the landings stained glass window. However, that didnt mean she didnt want children. Chester L. Congdon was born in 1892. Local historian Tony Dierckins has spent decades researching Duluth's history and maintains the Zenith City Press website on the topic. When she was alerted to the fire, she was nonchalant. Elisabeth Mannering Congdon, Chester Congdons third daughter, didnt prefer the company of men, at least not to the extent that she would marry one. Thank you for your assistance Chester Congdon, an East Coast transplant and lawyer for Oliver Mining who was an investor in the Mesabi Iron Range, must have been left off. The staff rarely saw her. In 1905, Chester began building Glensheen Historic Estate, a 39-room mansion on their 22-acre (89,000m2) estate in Duluth, Minnesota, seeing it finished 3 years later. Helen served on the Mayors Committee on Human Relations, the boards for the Association for Papago Affairs, the NAACP, and the YWCA. The wreck of Chester A. Congdon was a tremendous financial loss. Her journal is filled with various notes and reminders along with parental worries such as childhood diseases. But in reality it was just the opposite. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. They are friendly and engaging. As far as the costs to take a tour of Glensheen goes, they have several options. Whether or not he had taken the pills of his own volition was never determined. The Gateway to Hell in Tagus, North Dakota, The Creepiest Town in America: Danvers, MA. In 2015, a musical titled Glensheen based on the murders was created by Jeffrey Hatcher and Chan Poling.[5]. She resides in Tucson, Arizona. The terms are not interchangeable. Ask Sally! As her personality emerged from behind a wall of introversion, it was aggressive and unpleasant, and she made people uncomfortable. Yet even now somebody is sitting down over a friendly cup of coffee with a psychopath somewhere. Why did Finnish immigrants come to Minnesota? Author Joaquin Miller, writing for the New York Independent in the late 1880s, predicted that Duluth would someday surpass the size of Chicago and become the greatest city on this side of the Rocky Mountains. All his paternal ancestors were English, while his maternal ancestors were English and Dutch. She was seventy-one years old. Buoy on bow, attached at stern in 65 feet. Grandchildren: Charles and Jacklyn Fisher, Jenna and Andrew Crowell, and Catherine and Sarah Johnson. A second daughter, Jennifer Susan Congdon, was adopted in 1935. Marjorie's second marriage was to a man named Roger Sipe Caldwell. Her regrets would be of a different, more vexing nature. A satin pillow was lying over Elisabeths face. They consider the legacy of Chester Congdon and his family too important to be tainted by the troubling story of her atrocious behavior. His wife, Clara, and their children remained in the home for a period of time, but the upkeep was difficult. We had bought two books and toured the home three times and the books have fallen apart. Rookwood is responsible for one of the most awe-inducing rooms in the mansion, the breakfast room. Livingston. The Glensheen Mansion offers various holiday brunches throughout the year, along with special musical events. When authorities called Marjorie to tell her what had happened, she said nonchalantly, It isnt our house. Some of these names resonate in northern Minnesota more than a century later. He took over the role from his grandfather, Chester Congdon, who was . Is there a movie about the Glensheen Mansion? History has done a fine job of remembering Chester and his accomplishments as a lawyer, investor, and politician. The opposition succeeded in stopping the legislation, but Minnesota would eventually pass a tonnage tax in 1921.[4]. How lumberjacks harnessed an 'ocean of pine' to build Minnesota. Marjorie used her inheritance to acquit her of the murder of the person who controlled her inheritance. Its open every day in the summer and early fall, but only on weekends in the offseason. Today we want to focus on something a little more personal; her family and her activism. When Marjorie was three, Elisabeth adopted a second daughter who she named Jennifer. Opponents, led by Congdon, argued that such a tax would inhibit the development of lower-grade iron ore properties, something Congdon was heavily invested in. In 1966, he joined St. Mary Land and Exploration Company (SM Energy), serving as president for nearly 25 years. Interesting. John A. Johnson said to an overflow crowd at Duluth's Lyceum Theatre in 1906. For the ship named after him, see, Duluth and St. Louis County, Minnesota; Their Story and People: An Authentic Narrative of the Past, with Particular Attention to the Modern Era in the Commercial, Industrial, Educational, Civic and Social Development, Volume 3. The medal was for excellence in humane and cultural pursuits., The oldest daughter of the Congdon family, Marjorie was known to be more soft spoken than many of her siblings, and she carried with her a calm presence. She was divorced after twenty years of marriage. See where The Glensheen Mansion is on the map, I would like to know if my mother In law Jennie L Ives is listed as a servant there. Sadly, Chester spent only eight years in his home, passing away from a heart attack in 1916. It was built in 1908 by Chester and Clara Congdon. Roger Caldwell was identified by a Duluth cab driver who remembered taking him out to Glensheen on the night of the murders. Chester Congdon went from being a school teacher in Wisconsin to being the wealthiest Minnesotan at the time of his death in 1916, worth 40 million dollars. He is known for his investments in government, dirt mining, and jewels. In 1920, with Skyline Drive fever still in motion, Mayor Snively works with Clara Congdon, the wife of Chester. Together they had seven children: Walter Bannister Congdon, Edward Chester Congdon, Marjorie, Helen, John, Robert, and Elisabeth Congdon. Marjorie Congdons sudden magnetic appeal to men is remarkable in light of the fact that she was in no way conventionally attractive. But in the big picture a greater public service could be done by acknowledging the tragedy and handing out information on psychopathology. Sociopaths have a conscience, but their moral compass is weak. As a returning legislator, Congdon had more influence and served on eleven committees. Marjorie was acquitted in 1979. The nurse hurried up the stairs to Elisabeths bedroom. From the outside, it may have looked like her spending was out of control. In 1950 Clara was awarded the Syracuse University awarded her the coveted George Arents Pioneer medal. Those who know her find her friendly and engaging. Marjorie kept on spending, writing bad checks and driving her new husband deeper and deeper into debt. When Congdon came to the boomtown known as Duluth in 1892, he entered law practice and became a key figure in iron mining and banking. It was a pattern that would repeat itself throughout her life. It remains well-known local lore today. Withdrawing further, Marjorie began to act strangely, pulling out her own hair and laugh in an odd manner. Who is Kate Hudso Who is Daniel Ings? But it didnt stop there. Rookwood was renowned for its stunning designs painted onto pottery. Congdon also voted against recall elections, against temperance measures, for limitations on workers going on strike, and for free public transport to policemen and firefighters. Some think it happened in Elisabeth's room, which was furnished with expensive articles of furniture from France. "It would not be a difficult thing to assemble the names of most of them, but their publication in a newspaper would offend, in most cases," he reportedly said. js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1&appId=180027192065175"; Three years later on March 2, 2007 she was caught trying to forge the signature of a recently deceased friend on an inheritance check. Before the contract came due, she sold the house but didnt immediately vacate. In the meantime, Congdon had extended his efforts to various lines of commercial, industrial, and financial enterprise in Duluth. The elderly Elisabeth Congdon did what she could to help lessen the damage by covering at least $350,000 of her daughters indebtedness, but it wasnt enough to prevent Dick LeRoy from being ruined. He confessed to both murders on July 5, 1983 and was released. Christa Lawler covers Duluth and surrounding areas for the Star Tribune. I am fascinated by the story of the Congdon family, their triumphs and ways of life! Roger Caldwell was tried first and convicted in 1978. They were also involved in local politics and society, and engaged in business . Thomas Congdon, 84, of Denver, the last surviving grandson of Chester and Clara, also felt the time warp. After Chester passed in 1916, Clara took her time to mourn and then we see her humanitarian efforts begin to increase. He was a prominent figure in the development of the mining industry in northern Minnesota, and served as a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from 1909 until 1913. The 1902 editorial from the News-Tribune appears to be in response to the millionaires list. Chester Adgate Congdon accrued a fortune working as a lawyer for the Oliver Mining Company and through investments in the Mesabi Iron Range. "A well posted man was discussing Duluth's great prosperity yesterday," the editorial stated. 800 East Lakeshore Drive She had been smothered to death. You can even get married here! A little known fact is that a movie was filmed in and around the Glensheen Mansion in 1972. "There is a very general antipathy among Duluth's wealthy men to any public notoriety, and most people will agree that it is very sensible in them," according to the editorial. Glensheens Daughter: The Marjorie Congdon Story. She was arrested again, on March 23, 2007, in Tucson, Arizona, at her residence at an assisted living facility on charges of computer fraud and several other counts. The construction of the great Glensheen Mansion began in 1905 and was completed in 1908. Chester Adgate Congdon (1853-1916) was a wealthy capitalist and overlord of Duluth, MN. Compulsive spending was Marjorie Congdons modus operandi. Chester Adgate Congdon accrued a fortune working as a lawyer for the Oliver Mining Company and through investments in the Mesabi Iron Range. Marjories mother and the rest of the Congdon family put their foot down and refused to send her money to bail her out. Chester Adgate Congdon was a go-getter. The combination of Antabuse and alcohol can produce seizures, congestive heart failure and even death. On September 29, 1881, in Syracuse, New York, Chester Congdon was married to Clara Hesperia, a daughter of the Rev. In a record of the 1911 Legislature, Congdon was described as an intelligent and strong legislator who nevertheless sacrificed all his fine qualities to work with "brewery representatives and professional politicians", missing an opportunity to make the "legislature truly representative of the people".[5]. Chester Congdon met Clara Bannister at Syracuse University where they were both members of the first graduating class. As a result, Lucas Congdon's net worth is about $4 million. Emily leads six students in maintaining the grounds, growing vegetables often given to local food pantries, and is keeper of the bees. Marjories problem wasnt caused by others. Required fields are marked *. David Ouse, a longtime reference librarian at the Duluth Public Library, highlighted a 1902 editorial in the Duluth News-Tribune that contains some of the earliest specific claims regarding the city's millionaire population. A nineteenth century masterpiece of hand-carved oak, stained glass, damask wall coverings and handmade rugs, it sits on twelve acres of land that slopes gently to the shores of Lake Superior. Partially paralyzed by a stroke for more than a decade, eighty-three-year-old Elisabeth Congdon required around the clock care. But new information suggests that she and Pietila were not the only victims of a violent killing on the grounds of the historic estate. Your email address will not be published. Mr. Sammis had been under her care before his death, and some suspect Ms. Congdon of foul play. A truly all-around catch for Glensheen. Thank you, We have toured Glensheen twice,and I would gladly do it again. The promise of a big pay combined with plenty of publicity may have been factors that led Ronald Meshbesher to take her case. Ouse said the accuracy of that statement is questionable, however. Psychopaths are in complete control of reality. She got along swimmingly with the other inmates, and she sent a bouquet of flowers to the warden every week. He was also the US Attorney of Minnesota. The estimated Net Worth of Earl E Congdon is at least $231 Million dollars as of 31 October 2019. Only Miller, who built the aforementioned Lyceum Theatre, appears on an updated list a decade later alongside six new alleged millionaires. The motive was initially unclear because few valuables were looted from the room. Chester Congdon. A contemporary biographer has said of him: "Those who really knew Mr. Congdon found in him a man of tender heart and warm, human sympathies. Marjorie did not attend a single day of his trial. Melissa Venema. She warned Roger if he wouldnt do something about his drinking, she would. Then he graduated as class valedictorian from seminary school before taking a law degree at Syracuse University. Even the state's governor was promoting it albeit a slightly modified assertion. An autopsy subsequently revealed Walter Hagen had died of a drug overdose. He was the general counsel of the Oliver Mining Company before its consolidation with other companies (now forming the United States Steel Corporation), the president of the Chemung Iron Company and the Canisteo Mining Company, and the vice-president of the American Exchange National Bank of Duluth. 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