The 1899 James A. O'Gorman House - 318 West 108th Street

 

image via apartments.com

Architects Janes & Leo had a close relationship with Joseph A. Farley, designing several rows of speculative, upscale rowhouses for the developer in the 1890s.  On October 7, 1898 the firm filed plans for another project: four resplendent homes at 316 through 322 West 108th Street for Farley.  

Completed late in 1899, 318 West 108th Street was faced in red brick above a limestone-clad base.  The centered entrance atop a two-step stoop sat within a dignified Georgian-style portico.  The three-story midsection included a bowed oriel at the third floor.  The fourth floor sat atop a dentiled and bracketed cornice, while a much more modest terminal cornice completed the design.

The entrance originally sat between the service entrance and a window.  via the NYC Dept of Records & Information Services.

In January 1900, Joseph A. Farley sold 318 West 108th Street, "a new 5-story American basement dwelling," as described by the Record & Guide, to Justice James Aloysius O'Gorman.  He paid $42,500 for the 22-foot wide house, or about $1.64 million in 2025 conversions.  (O'Gorman had negotiated the price down.  On January 9, The Sun noted, "Mr. Farley was asking $45,500 for the house.")

In reporting the sale, The Sun added, "The buyer is a well-known lawyer."  Born on May 5, 1860, O'Gorman was born "in the upper west side of the great city, not very far from where his present residence, No. 318 West 108th street, is situated," according to The Red Book in 1911.

O'Gorman graduated from New York University School of Law in May 1882.  He juggled his law practice with politics and in 1896 was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention.  He had become justice of the District Court in 1893 and just after purchasing 318 West 108th Street, was elected as a justice of the New York Supreme Court's 1st District.

James Aloysius O'Gorman, from the collection of the Library of Congress

O'Gorman married Anne M. Leslie in 1884.  The couple had seven daughters and a son.  Moving into the 108th Street house was the justice's widowed mother, Ellen.

Ellen O'Gorman suffered a stroke just after New Year's in 1905.  She died early on the morning of January 19.  The Evening World reported that O'Gorman's "secretary telephoned the tidings from the home of the Justice...to Clerk Early, of Part 4, Special Term, of the Supreme Court.  The court was adjourned in consequence."

Like most well-to-do New Yorkers, the O'Gormans spent time in Europe.  The Ithaca [New York] Daily News mentioned, "He has several times taken the entire family abroad, spending no less than $3,500 for steamship tickets alone."

The toughness that James O'Gorman learned as a boy on the streets of his Irish neighborhood came into play as an adult on April 4, 1908.  When he returned home that night, as reported by the Ithaca Daily News, "he discovered a big negro in the house, beating and robbing his butler."  The invader was no match for the 48-year-old jurist.  The article said, "Justice O'Gorman beat the man into subjection with his fists, and then turned him over to the police."

On September 27, 1908, the O'Gormans invited "a number of friends" to the house.  During the evening, the engagement of Mary O'Gorman, the eldest daughter, to Dudley Field Malone was announced.  The wedding took place in the Church of the Ascension on West 107th Street on November 14.  The wedding breakfast followed in the West 108th Street house.

Ellen Katherine O'Gorman was married to William J. Duffy in the Church of the Ascension on March 28, 1910.  The reception followed at 318 West 108th Street.  At the reception, Edith Patricia O'Gorman's engagement to Assistant District Attorney James Edward McDonald was announced.  Their wedding was to take place at the Church of the Ascension in 1911.

On June 18, 1910, the entire O'Gorman family sailed for Europe.  While they were in a little Swiss town, James McDonald sent a telegram to the family "that he could not wait, and said that he would go to Switzerland on the next steamship," reported the New-York Tribune.

On September 9, The New York Times reported that the wedding "took place yesterday morning at the Church of St. Leonhard, Brunnen, Switzerland."  The wedding breakfast was held at the Grand Hotel where the O'Gorman family was staying.  The Times said, "Mr. and Mrs. McDonald will return to this country in October after a honeymoon spent in England and on the Continent."

Shortly after the wedding, Edith became ill.  When the newlyweds returned to New York, according to the New-York Tribune, Edith, "felt too ill to go to an apartment which her husband fitted up for her, and they went to live with her father."  Tragically, the 23-year-old bride died in the 108th Street house on November 18, 1910 "from heart disease."  Her funeral was held in the drawing room on November 21.

The following spring, James A. O'Gorman was elected to the U.S. Senate.  He would split his time between Washington D.C. and 318 West 108th Street until the end of his term on March 3, 1917.

In December 1911, the O'Gormans were "in the midst of the family's preparations for the Christmas festivities," when daughter Anna fell ill.  The New York Times said, "she was removed on Dec. 22 from the O'Gorman home" to St. Luke's Hospital.  There she was diagnosed with typhoid fever.  The newspaper said, "Her illness has led to a postponement of the O'Gormans' plans to leave for Washington this month with the idea of making that city their home for the Winter."  Happily, on December 31, the Washington D.C. Herald reported that Anna "had responded to treatment and is progressing as favorably as could be expected."

The O'Gorman family was in Washington in the spring of 1912.  In their absence, on the night of May 21 their 22-year-old New York chauffeur, Frank Hallett, took the O'Gorman's vehicle for a spin.  The next day, The Sun reported that the senator's chauffeur "was locked up in the West 125th street police station last night on charges of reckless driving, intoxication and disorderly conduct."  

When stopped by police lieutenant Meehan, Hallett said, "I'm Senator O'Gorman's chauffeur and I guess he's somebody.  You don't dare to arrest me.  You'll be out of a job if you do."   The Sun reported, "Senator O'Gorman and his family were all in Washington and at a late hour last night a member of the Senator's household said he guessed Hallett would have to stay in the station house until morning."

Anne Leslie O'Gorman, The Evening World, March 13, 1913 (copyright expired)

The family had another medical scare in 1913.  They were in Washington on March 11 when Anne became ill.  Dr. Howard Hume diagnosed her with "an attack of ptomaine poisoning" and advised "a complete rest," as reported by The Evening World.  Anne brought Alice, Dolorita and Anna back to New York.  The article said that she, "has no plans for her return to the capital and will absent herself from all social activities for several weeks."

Dolorita was the next to marry.  Her wedding to John Anthony Maher took place in the chapel of St. Ignatius Loyola Academy at Park Avenue and East 83rd Street (where the groom had attended) on May 23, 1913.  At the reception in the 108th Street house were the mayor and his wife, the governor and his wife, and the lieutenant governor and his spouse, a judge, Tammany leaders, and a U.S. Senator and his wife.

James A. O'Gorman, Jr. was one of the "junior rookies from schools, academies and colleges all over the United States," as reported by the New-York Tribune, who gave up their summer vacation by going to the military training camp in Plattsburg, New York.  As part of a recruiting campaign, the program gave the preppies the experience of "living the lives of soldiers."  Somewhat sarcastically, the New-York Tribune remarked that well-heeled recruits, "who brought tennis rackets, golf sticks and musical instruments found that they had no time or inclination for the lighter labors of sports."

At the end of his term on March 3, 1917, O'Gorman returned to his law practice as a partner in O'Gorman, Battle and Vandiver.

In 1921, now 23 years old, James, Jr. found himself behind bars.  The Evening World reported on June 6 that Patrolman Rerle, "charged that his prisoner, who wore a tuxedo suit, was abusive toward him."  Rerle had commanded him to move his vehicle from a no parking zone and O'Gorman refused.

The following day, James A. O'Gorman, Jr., appearing repentant, told Magistrate Silberman "that he had not heard a patrolman tell him to 'move along.'"  Whether his father's stature was an influence or not, the judge accepted his story and dismissed the charges.

Agnes O'Gorman was married to Joseph Sanford Shanley in the Notre Dame Chapel on Morningside Drive on June 15, 1922.  The reception would be the last for the family in the West 108th Street house.  On October 13, 1923, The New York Times reported, "Senator James A. O'Gorman sold his five-story American basement dwelling."

The residence was home to several families over the next few decades.  In the 1930s it was home to Harold Keller and his wife.  A journalist, Keller was with the New York American until it closed in 1937.  The newspaper's closing prompted a significant change in Keller's career.  On December 31 that year, the Daily Worker reported that the newly elected District Attorney Thomas E. Dewey had appointed the 31-year-old Keller as one of his two confidential secretaries.

By 1940, carpet merchant Frank J. Gilroy occupied the house.  That year, on September 22, he married Marion Gertrude Higgins in St. Ursula's Church in Mount Vernon, New York.

Mrs. Julie Stern occupied the house at mid-century.  The 84-year-old suffered a gruesome death at the corner of Amsterdam Avenue and 110th Street at 5:15 on the afternoon of January 14, 1951.  She was hit by a black sedan and thrown onto the street.  A woman on the sidewalk waved frantically at a oncoming taxicab driven by Frederick Burke.  So distracted by her attempts to warn him that Mrs. Stern was on the pavement, he did not see her.  The New York Times reported that she, "was killed...after she was struck by a hit-and-run car and then run over by a taxicab."  

image via apartments.com

In 1970 the former O'Gorman home was converted to eight apartments.  In the remodeling, the doorway was moved to the side and the former entrance converted into a window.   A subsequent renovation in 2010 resulted in three duplexes, one of which extends into the new penthouse level, unseen from the street.