228:
248:
31:
236:
348:
1114:
267:
style by Alfred's father, John O. Deshong, Sr. It was willed to the people of
Chester after Alfred's death. The land was turned into a public park named Deshong Park and an art museum was built on the property. The mansion and art museum fell into disrepair in the 1980s. The trust was dissolved and
322:
Between 1976 and 1979, teenager
Laurence McCall from Chester, Pennsylvania, stole paintings from the art gallery. The museum had limited security and McCall was able to steal paintings valued at the time at $ 300,000, by simply taking them off the wall and sliding them out of the museum's windows.
212:
was built by
Deshong and donated to the Chester Hospital. After his death, he left in trust his art collection, mansion and 22-acre estate to the city of Chester. The value of the donation would be estimated at $ 24 million in current dollars. The bequest resulted in the establishment of the
338:
leased the building and restored the museum. In July 1984, the remaining trustees who managed the art museum dissolved the trust. The Asian and impressionistic art collection and $ 500,000 of the trust were given to
Widener University, where the collection is currently displayed.
286:
The
Deshong Memorial Art Gallery was built in 1914 after his death on the same property as the Deshong Mansion. The building was designed to be fireproof with exterior walls of Dover marble. The large main gallery for paintings was modeled after the
126:
Deshong donated liberally to support the
Chester Hospital and upon his death, donated his 22 acres (8.9 ha) property, mansion and art collection to the city of Chester which resulted in the creation of
1203:
362:
Deshong was known as a lavish host and entertained artists, musicians and political figures at the
Deshong mansion. He never married and became reclusive toward the end of his life.
272:
Industrial
Development Authority. The mansion suffered a partial collapse in 2013 and was demolished in 2014. In 2018, 60% of the park was sold for commercial development.
295:. It housed over 300 pieces of art including carved Japanese ivory figures, Chinese carved hard stone vessels and 19th century American and European paintings including
319:
At one time it was the only public art gallery on the East Coast. From 1961 to 1978 the building was operated as a library, but over the years, it fell into disrepair.
922:
499:
208:
Deshong donated liberally to support
Chester Hospital, located at 9th and Barclay Streets in Chester. The Alfred O. Deshong sanitary cottage for the treatment of
1173:
1168:
1208:
1198:
1193:
1188:
798:
644:
987:
1040:
721:
426:
170:
1178:
1013:
331:. McCall was eventually caught, sentenced to fifteen years in prison, and served three. A majority of the artwork was recovered.
155:
227:
247:
852:
749:
269:
197:
190:
120:
507:
450:
773:
557:
634:
533:
535:
Historic Homes and
Institutions and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs of Chester and Delaware Counties, Pennsylvania
148:
1183:
370:
352:
613:
303:
296:
264:
147:
and Emmeline L. (Terrill) Deshong. He was educated in the local schools and attended the Bolmar Academy in
366:
356:
313:
75:
263:
The Deshong mansion was built in 1850 on 22 acres (8.9 ha) off Edgemont Avenue in the Greek Revival
958:
953:
888:
883:
104:
51:
823:
185:
In 1865, he entered into partnership with his brother, John O. Deshong, Jr., and operated the Deshong
1163:
1158:
174:
307:
252:
193:. The partnership was successful and lasted for 30 years until John's death on November 1, 1895.
30:
335:
288:
281:
256:
240:
159:
132:
696:
390:
640:
475:
422:
1143:
674:
581:
235:
299:
144:
112:
292:
96:
347:
1152:
328:
166:
108:
100:
668:
316:
cast in bronze. The statues were placed flanking the doors of the Deshong mansion.
949:"Painted in a corner by his past: Art thief pays for his crime, and pays, and pays"
879:"PAINTED IN A CORNER BY HIS PAST: ART THIEF PAYS FOR HIS CRIME, AND PAYS, AND PAYS"
222:
209:
128:
324:
1065:
962:
892:
416:
948:
878:
162:
under Captain Thatcher. He was honorably discharged on September 27, 1862.
154:
In 1862, Deshong enlisted as a private in Company K, Tenth Regiment of the
373:. It was commissioned by Deshong and installed the year before his death.
972:
902:
186:
95:(September 30, 1837 – April 19, 1913) was an American businessman,
1089:
135:. At current valuations, the donation would be worth over $ 24 million.
173:, Emergency Corps, known as the "Slipher Phalanx". He served in the
143:
Deshong was born on September 30, 1837, in Chester, Pennsylvania, to
116:
639:. Charleston, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing. 2008. p. 19.
346:
246:
234:
226:
16:
American businessman, philanthropist and art collector (1837-1913)
559:
JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association, Volume 47
480:. Chester, Pennsylvania: Press of the Chester Times. p. 132
107:. Deshong came from a wealthy family including his grandfather
1070:. Philadelphia: Pennsylvania History Club. 1909. pp. 11–12
754:. New York: The William T. Comstock Company. 2016. p. 163
614:"Chester community celebrates redevelopment of Deshong Park"
452:
History of Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-5, Volume 5, Part 2
418:
Chester (and Its Vicinity,) Delaware County, in Pennsylvania
369:. His grave is marked by the bronze sculpture, "Sorrow" by
1090:"OldChesterPa.com: Chester Rural Cemetery Interment Index"
421:. Philadelphia: WM. H. Pile & Sons. pp. 376–377.
799:"Pieces from Deshong collection go on display at Widener"
697:"Crews undertake demolition of decrepit Deshong Mansion"
169:
invaded Pennsylvania. He enlisted in Company A of the
455:. Harrisburg: B. Singerly, State Printer. p. 1259
1121:. Smithsonian Institution Research Information System
123:. He invested his fortune in the collection of art.
1067:
Publications of the Pennsylvania History Club Vol. 1
847:
845:
538:. New York: The Lewis Publishing Company. p. 65
119:
business with his brother and was a director of the
1144:
The Widener University Art Collection & Gallery
82:
71:
59:
37:
21:
988:"Languishing Deshong property frustrates Chester"
1204:People of Pennsylvania in the American Civil War
1041:"The Fight to Bring Chester Back From the Brink"
312:Deshong's last art purchase was a pair of large
177:and was honorably discharged on August 4, 1863.
778:. C. Scribner's Sons. January 1916. p. 223
365:He died on April 19, 1913, and was interred at
196:In 1895, Deshong was elected a director of the
673:. Chester, Pennsylvania: H. V. Smith. p.
8:
477:History of the Delaware County National Bank
323:Many of the stolen items were sold through
231:Grounds and Entrance of the Deshong Mansion
916:
914:
912:
29:
18:
923:"Former art thief could really use a job"
607:
605:
603:
213:Deshong Park and the Deshong Art Museum.
382:
259:Art Museum Alfred O. Deshong Collection
612:Rodgers, Loretta (27 September 2014).
527:
525:
1174:20th-century American philanthropists
7:
1169:19th-century American businesspeople
986:Schafer, Mari A. (10 January 2010).
751:Architecture and Building, Volume 48
268:the property was taken over by the
1014:"The City - Stolen Art Identified"
797:Schaefer, Mari A. (14 July 2010).
165:In 1863, Deshong re-enlisted when
14:
1209:Philanthropists from Pennsylvania
1199:People from Chester, Pennsylvania
1194:Burials at Chester Rural Cemetery
947:Woestendiek, John (4 May 1986).
877:Woestendiek, John (4 May 1996).
582:"Widener University Art Gallery"
921:Spencer, Gill (July 29, 2011).
1189:American mining businesspeople
1119:www.sris-artinventories.si.edu
722:"Resilence Through Recreation"
474:Ashmead, Henry Graham (1914).
251:Meadows in Winter painting by
1:
355:sits atop Deshong's grave at
198:Delaware County National Bank
191:Ridley Township, Pennsylvania
121:Delaware County National Bank
78:, Chester, Pennsylvania, U.S.
1039:Waltzer, Jim (21 May 2015).
824:"Chester Magazine fall 2014"
276:Deshong Memorial Art Gallery
115:. He operated a successful
994:. The Philadelphia Inquirer
1225:
415:Martin, John Hill (1877).
351:The sculpture "Sorrow" by
279:
220:
149:West Chester, Pennsylvania
449:Bates, Samuel P. (1871).
93:Alfred Odenheimer Deshong
28:
1179:American art collectors
297:American Impressionists
532:Cope, Gilbert (1904).
367:Chester Rural Cemetery
359:
357:Chester Rural Cemetery
260:
244:
232:
76:Chester Rural Cemetery
1115:"Sorrow, (sculpture)"
1045:www.mainlinetoday.com
954:Philadelphia Inquirer
884:Philadelphia Inquirer
350:
250:
238:
230:
105:Chester, Pennsylvania
52:Chester, Pennsylvania
1094:www.oldchesterpa.org
670:Chester and Vicinity
667:Smith, H.V. (1914).
586:www.visitdelcopa.com
395:www.oldchesterpa.com
175:Battle of Gettysburg
156:Pennsylvania Militia
86:Quarry owner, banker
853:"Alfred O. Deshong"
729:www.chestercity.com
562:. 1906. p. 787
391:"Alfred O. Deshong"
308:George Loftus Noyes
253:George Loftus Noyes
1018:The New York Times
927:www.delcotimes.com
701:www.delcotimes.com
360:
336:Widener University
289:Emperor of Germany
282:Deshong Art Museum
261:
257:Widener University
245:
241:Deshong Art Museum
233:
160:Battle of Antietam
158:and served in the
133:Deshong Art Museum
48:September 30, 1837
1020:. 18 October 1979
830:. 3 November 2014
695:Sullivan, Vince.
646:978-0-7385-6348-0
510:on 7 January 2018
293:gallery at Cassel
90:
89:
23:Alfred O. Deshong
1216:
1184:American bankers
1131:
1130:
1128:
1126:
1111:
1105:
1104:
1102:
1100:
1086:
1080:
1079:
1077:
1075:
1062:
1056:
1055:
1053:
1051:
1036:
1030:
1029:
1027:
1025:
1010:
1004:
1003:
1001:
999:
992:www.inquirer.com
983:
977:
976:
970:
969:
944:
938:
937:
935:
933:
918:
907:
906:
900:
899:
874:
868:
867:
865:
863:
849:
840:
839:
837:
835:
820:
814:
813:
811:
809:
794:
788:
787:
785:
783:
770:
764:
763:
761:
759:
746:
740:
739:
737:
735:
726:
718:
712:
711:
709:
707:
692:
686:
685:
683:
681:
664:
658:
657:
655:
653:
631:
625:
624:
622:
620:
609:
598:
597:
595:
593:
578:
572:
571:
569:
567:
554:
548:
547:
545:
543:
529:
520:
519:
517:
515:
506:. Archived from
500:"Deshong Family"
496:
490:
489:
487:
485:
471:
465:
464:
462:
460:
446:
440:
439:
437:
435:
412:
406:
405:
403:
401:
387:
66:
47:
45:
33:
19:
1224:
1223:
1219:
1218:
1217:
1215:
1214:
1213:
1149:
1148:
1140:
1135:
1134:
1124:
1122:
1113:
1112:
1108:
1098:
1096:
1088:
1087:
1083:
1073:
1071:
1064:
1063:
1059:
1049:
1047:
1038:
1037:
1033:
1023:
1021:
1012:
1011:
1007:
997:
995:
985:
984:
980:
967:
965:
946:
945:
941:
931:
929:
920:
919:
910:
897:
895:
876:
875:
871:
861:
859:
857:www.widener.edu
851:
850:
843:
833:
831:
822:
821:
817:
807:
805:
796:
795:
791:
781:
779:
772:
771:
767:
757:
755:
748:
747:
743:
733:
731:
724:
720:
719:
715:
705:
703:
694:
693:
689:
679:
677:
666:
665:
661:
651:
649:
647:
633:
632:
628:
618:
616:
611:
610:
601:
591:
589:
580:
579:
575:
565:
563:
556:
555:
551:
541:
539:
531:
530:
523:
513:
511:
504:www.widener.edu
498:
497:
493:
483:
481:
473:
472:
468:
458:
456:
448:
447:
443:
433:
431:
429:
414:
413:
409:
399:
397:
389:
388:
384:
379:
345:
300:Edward Redfield
284:
278:
270:Delaware County
225:
219:
206:
183:
145:John O. Deshong
141:
113:John O. Deshong
64:
55:
49:
43:
41:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1222:
1220:
1212:
1211:
1206:
1201:
1196:
1191:
1186:
1181:
1176:
1171:
1166:
1161:
1151:
1150:
1147:
1146:
1139:
1138:External links
1136:
1133:
1132:
1106:
1081:
1057:
1031:
1005:
978:
939:
908:
869:
841:
815:
803:www.philly.com
789:
765:
741:
713:
687:
659:
645:
626:
599:
573:
549:
521:
491:
466:
441:
427:
407:
381:
380:
378:
375:
344:
341:
304:Robert Spencer
280:Main article:
277:
274:
221:Main article:
218:
215:
205:
202:
182:
179:
140:
137:
97:philanthropist
88:
87:
84:
80:
79:
73:
69:
68:
67:(aged 75)
63:April 19, 1913
61:
57:
56:
50:
39:
35:
34:
26:
25:
22:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1221:
1210:
1207:
1205:
1202:
1200:
1197:
1195:
1192:
1190:
1187:
1185:
1182:
1180:
1177:
1175:
1172:
1170:
1167:
1165:
1162:
1160:
1157:
1156:
1154:
1145:
1142:
1141:
1137:
1120:
1116:
1110:
1107:
1095:
1091:
1085:
1082:
1069:
1068:
1061:
1058:
1046:
1042:
1035:
1032:
1019:
1015:
1009:
1006:
993:
989:
982:
979:
974:
964:
960:
956:
955:
950:
943:
940:
928:
924:
917:
915:
913:
909:
904:
894:
890:
886:
885:
880:
873:
870:
858:
854:
848:
846:
842:
829:
828:www.issuu.com
825:
819:
816:
804:
800:
793:
790:
777:
776:
769:
766:
753:
752:
745:
742:
730:
723:
717:
714:
702:
698:
691:
688:
676:
672:
671:
663:
660:
648:
642:
638:
637:
630:
627:
615:
608:
606:
604:
600:
588:. Visit Delco
587:
583:
577:
574:
561:
560:
553:
550:
537:
536:
528:
526:
522:
509:
505:
501:
495:
492:
479:
478:
470:
467:
454:
453:
445:
442:
430:
428:9785871484241
424:
420:
419:
411:
408:
396:
392:
386:
383:
376:
374:
372:
371:Samuel Murray
368:
363:
358:
354:
353:Samuel Murray
349:
343:Personal life
342:
340:
337:
332:
330:
329:New York City
326:
320:
317:
315:
310:
309:
305:
301:
298:
294:
290:
283:
275:
273:
271:
266:
258:
254:
249:
242:
237:
229:
224:
216:
214:
211:
203:
201:
199:
194:
192:
188:
180:
178:
176:
172:
171:37th Regiment
168:
167:Robert E. Lee
163:
161:
157:
152:
150:
146:
138:
136:
134:
130:
124:
122:
118:
114:
110:
109:Peter Deshong
106:
102:
101:art collector
98:
94:
85:
83:Occupation(s)
81:
77:
74:
72:Resting place
70:
62:
58:
53:
40:
36:
32:
27:
20:
1123:. Retrieved
1118:
1109:
1099:30 September
1097:. Retrieved
1093:
1084:
1072:. Retrieved
1066:
1060:
1048:. Retrieved
1044:
1034:
1024:22 September
1022:. Retrieved
1017:
1008:
996:. Retrieved
991:
981:
971:– via
966:. Retrieved
952:
942:
932:22 September
930:. Retrieved
926:
901:– via
896:. Retrieved
882:
872:
860:. Retrieved
856:
832:. Retrieved
827:
818:
806:. Retrieved
802:
792:
782:22 September
780:. Retrieved
775:Architecture
774:
768:
756:. Retrieved
750:
744:
732:. Retrieved
728:
716:
704:. Retrieved
700:
690:
678:. Retrieved
669:
662:
650:. Retrieved
635:
629:
617:. Retrieved
590:. Retrieved
585:
576:
564:. Retrieved
558:
552:
542:22 September
540:. Retrieved
534:
512:. Retrieved
508:the original
503:
494:
482:. Retrieved
476:
469:
457:. Retrieved
451:
444:
432:. Retrieved
417:
410:
398:. Retrieved
394:
385:
364:
361:
333:
321:
318:
311:
285:
262:
239:The defunct
223:Deshong Park
217:Deshong Park
210:tuberculosis
207:
204:Philanthropy
195:
184:
164:
153:
142:
129:Deshong Park
125:
92:
91:
65:(1913-04-19)
1164:1913 deaths
1159:1837 births
111:and father
1153:Categories
968:2023-09-03
963:1829490456
898:2023-09-03
893:1829490456
758:21 October
619:16 October
592:16 October
566:21 October
459:21 October
377:References
265:Italianate
139:Early life
44:1837-09-30
1125:23 August
1074:23 August
1050:6 January
998:27 August
862:6 January
834:6 January
808:6 January
734:18 August
706:6 January
652:6 January
514:6 January
434:6 January
400:6 January
334:In 1979,
325:Sotheby's
255:from the
973:ProQuest
959:ProQuest
903:ProQuest
889:ProQuest
314:Foo dogs
187:quarries
131:and the
680:2 March
636:Chester
484:1 March
243:in 2018
961:
891:
643:
425:
181:Career
117:quarry
54:, U.S.
725:(PDF)
103:from
1127:2023
1101:2021
1076:2023
1052:2018
1026:2018
1000:2023
934:2018
864:2018
836:2018
810:2018
784:2018
760:2018
736:2023
708:2018
682:2018
654:2018
641:ISBN
621:2022
594:2022
568:2018
544:2018
516:2018
486:2018
461:2018
436:2018
423:ISBN
402:2018
306:and
99:and
60:Died
38:Born
327:in
291:'s
189:in
1155::
1117:.
1092:.
1043:.
1016:.
990:.
957:.
951:.
925:.
911:^
887:.
881:.
855:.
844:^
826:.
801:.
727:.
699:.
675:80
602:^
584:.
524:^
502:.
393:.
302:,
200:.
151:.
1129:.
1103:.
1078:.
1054:.
1028:.
1002:.
975:.
936:.
905:.
866:.
838:.
812:.
786:.
762:.
738:.
710:.
684:.
656:.
623:.
596:.
570:.
546:.
518:.
488:.
463:.
438:.
404:.
46:)
42:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
