The items had been owned by the Chautauqua County Historical Society, which recently decided to gift its Fenton collection to the history center where Fenton and his family used to live.

An event to mark the collection coming home was held Saturday at the mansion, 67 Washington St.

“In the summer we made a request to the Chautauqua County Historical Society for two portraits of Gov. Fenton’s wife, Elizabeth Scudder Fenton, and his daughter, Jospehine, to have those for our gala,” said Jane Babinsky, Fenton History Center executive director. “I think that’s what prompted them to give us this collection because, at the time, I told their president if they ever didn’t want the portraits we would love to have them.”

Babinsky said it was after that that the county Historical Society president called her and said their Collection Committee decided to give the Fenton all of the items that they had.

Pictured are some of the smaller items included in the Fenton collection, such as china, a chess board and a water pitcher. Submitted photo

The collection includes a variety of large and small items such as Fenton’s desk; a chess set; two sets of China, including one complete set that the family used when Fenton was governor; an ivory cigar case; a deer hoof stamp case; a framed photo of Fenton’s mother; other photos of the governor; a cross necklace made from his wife’s hair for one of their daughters; corsets; shawls and other clothes; a water pitcher; sterling silver utensils; and a crib with a swan figure head.

“These items were given to the Chautauqua County Historical Society before the Fenton existed,” Babinsky said. “Most came from the Minturn Estate, who were direct descendants of the governor.”

The Chautauqua County Historical Society purchased the silver utensils in 2013, but the rest of the items were donated in the 1950s. Babinsky said the Fenton History Center has continuously expressed a desire to have the collection at the museum, and she noted that getting the items now is historic.

“One of the things that the Chautauqua County Historical Society and we want to express is that museums in Chautauqua County can work together,” Babinsky said. “Artifacts can be loaned or, if they might work better in other collections, museums can work together and collaborate. The Fenton artifacts are coming home.”

Trustees with the county Historical Society officially turned the items over during Tuesday’s event. The items will now be on display and open to the public.

Pictured is the drawing room inside the Fenton History Center, which now features the portraits of the Fenton family. Submitted photo

Michelle Henry, past county historian and past president of the county Historical Society, spoke during the weekend gala.

“Minturn family members belonged to the county Historical Society and donated the Fenton collection many years ago to ensure that the items would be held in the public trust in perpetuity,” Henry said. “The historical society takes this responsibility seriously and has maintained the Fenton collection in the McClurg Museum in Westfield where the public has been able to appreciate the items, as well as many other collections from all communities in the county.”

“The Chautauqua County Historical Society’s board recognizes the Fenton History Center as a professionally run educational entity, committed to preserving the Fenton collection according to the standards set by the American Association of Museums,” she added. “We are happy to collaborate with the Fenton History Center by transferring to them the Fenton collection.”

“I see this as something historical,” Babinsky said. “The fact that we’re getting the artifacts that belonged to Gov. Fenton and his family, where we’ve previously only had a handful. In April 2022, the family gave us a set of their Victorian furniture.”

Having all of the portraits is also nice, Babinsky said, and she added that there is now a “family reunion” in the drawing room. She called the gift from the Historical Society “historic and generous.” While the collection is large, she added that some items are still in archives and museums in Albany and New York City.

“I feel that the Fenton History Center is the perfect home for these artifacts that were in the family or a part of their lives,” Babinsky said. “It helps us to be able to tell their story.”

Babinsky said most items will be on display permanently, but some of the more fragile ones will go to storage for now.

“It’s a momentous occasion that these two museums in Chautauqua County can work together and it is historic because the artifacts are coming home,” Babinsky said. “They will also be on display, so if someone can’t make it to the event they can come during our regular hours to see them.”