Legend says that Madame America Vespucci designed the home now known as the Bishop’s Residence.This double house, built for $25,000 in 1855, was the home of two prominent families as well as several bishops of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ogdensburg. In the center was the land office for the Parish iron and lead mines of Rossie.
The Rosseel family occupied the east house. John Rosseel was born in Ogdensburg in 1822, son of Joseph and Louisa Rosseel. His father,Joseph, was the land agent for the Parish estate for 50 years and later John followed in his father’s footsteps . In 1849 he married Lydia Raymond who was born in 1817 in Potsdam, NY and they had 3 children. As a child Mr. Rosseel was sick and became crippled as a result, but went on to captain two of Parish’s schooners until his father’s death when he took over as land agent. He served on the Board of Trustees in the 1850s for the village of Ogdensburg and was mayor of the city in 1875. Mr. Rosseel died in 1888 and is buried in the Ogdensburg Cemetery.
Lydia Rosseel was very active in the Presbyterian Church. She was president of the local Women’s Foreign Missionary Society and a lifetime member of the National chapter. She died in Ogdensburg in 1890 and is buried in the Ogdensburg Cemetery. Their son Frank Rosseel was a well respected writer and artist.
The Westbrook family resided in the west side of the house. Charles R. Westbrook was a prominent attorney, who was born in 1827 in Fishkill, NY. In 1851 he married Sarah Seymour and they had 5 children. He was admitted to the bar at age 20, but could not practice until he reached the age of 21. Mr. Westbrook moved to Ogdensburg and practiced law from about 1855-1881. His wife Sarah was born in Peekskill, NY in 1831. Charles died in 1900 and Sarah in 1906. Both are buried in the Ogdensburg Cemetery.
Bishop Wadhams purchased the house from George Parish for $5,475 in 1879 making extensive repairs. Because the Diocese of Ogdensburg was not incorporated at the time, all property was owned by St. Mary’s Cathedral with most of it deeded to Father Mackey, who was not inclined to change this. Priests who assisted Father Mackey at the cathedral had to live in the Bishop’s house rather than the rectory, including Father Conroy who later became bishop himself. No one wanted to upset the old priest. Finally Father Mackey signed the release for the mortgage in 1883 which separated this house from St. Mary’s Cathedral properties. In 1922 the property was renovated and the interior was partitioned. Today the Bishop of Ogdensburg still resides there.
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