Archive Record
Images
Metadata
Title |
Alfred Kay Portrait, charcoal and pastel |
Scope & Content |
Alfred Kay Portrait, charcoal and pastel The materials relate to Elizabeth D. Kay and Alfred G. Kay, their family, research and publications on plants, history and travel. In addition, materials related to Kay properties are included in this Collection. These documents are an excellent source of information for researchers interested in the Kay's writing and research, horticultural work and personal life. |
Object Name |
Drawing |
Catalog Number |
KC2021.001.0001 |
Collection |
Elizabeth D. Kay Collection |
Physical characteristics |
1 framed charcoal portrait |
Creator |
Conan, Bruce |
Other Creators |
Signed |
Biographical History |
Alfred Goddard Kay (1889-1973), the son of Fredric and Jana O'Hara Kay, was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was a prominent student at Princeton University from 1906 to 1912. He was head editor of the Horae, treasurer of the Missionary Society and a member of the Concordian. Mr. Kay was also an accomplished athlete. He was part of the Princeton football team (1907), golf team (1906 to 1907), and captain of the Tigers Hockey team (1908 to 1912). After his graduation in 1912, he established himself as a member of the New York Stock Exchange with the stock brokerage firm Childs, Kay, and Woods; later Kay and Richards & Co. In 1915, Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Kay married. They moved to Chester, New Jersey in the 1920s. They lived in Chester during the spring, summer and fall, on their 233-acre estate "Hidden River Farm". The property encompassed an array of habitats, including fields, deciduous forests and hemlock gorge set along the Black River. The couple wintered in Palm Beach, Florida at their home "Casa Ananda". They had two daughters: Audry Kay, later Audry Dines, and Anita Kay. They also owned property in Guatemala. Alfred and Elizabeth Kay were very active in their communities. They helped found the Palm Beach Day School and St. Mary Hospital; presided over the Palm Beach Civic Association and Everglades Club; and helped rescue the Pine Ridge Hospital. In addition, they helped establish The Seeing Eye Center, Morristown, NJ. In 1960, Mrs. Kay donated the architectural plans for the Pine Jog Environmental Science Center in West Palm Beach, FL. Elizabeth Kay was deeply dedicated to environmental conservation, ecology, and the national education of science. She was a past president of the Garden Club of America. In addition to their community involvement Mr. and Mrs. Kay were gifted writers that penned numerous articles. The Kays also ghost wrote an autobiography of David Fairchild "The World Was My Garden" and edited "The Plant World in Florida" based on the notes by Dr. Henry Nehrling. Alfred Kay died in 1973. When Elizabeth Kay died in 1987, she bequeathed "Hidden River Farm" to the Morris County Park Commission. In 1994 the Park Commission dedicated the property as the Elizabeth D. Kay Environmental Education Center. |
Year Range from |
1930 |
Year Range to |
1973 |
System of arrangement |
The Kay Family Collection is organized into 5 series relating to various aspects of Elizabeth D. Kay and Alfred G. Kay's life. Series 1: Plants and Travel Series 2: Elizabeth D. Kay Series 3: Alfred G. Kay Series 4: History Series 5: Kay Property |
Subjects |
Portrait drawings Portraits |
Copyrights |
Records may be copied for use in individual scholarly or personal research; however, as with all materials in the Morris County Park Commission, researchers are responsible for obtaining copyright permission to use material from the collection. |
Level of description |
Item |