Clayton -- The former Captain Simon G. Johnston residence, 507 Riverside Drive, Clayton has been placed upon the National Register of Historic Places. It is the first property in Clayton to receive the prestigious national recognition for historical and architectural significance.

Capt. Johnston was a prominent Claytonian residing in the village from 1851 until his death at the age of 88 in 1916. His community contributions included membership on the village governing board, village assessor, and school board trustee. Through his efforts the Clayton municipal water works were developed. He was a leader and principal stockholder in the company which built the railroad from Theresa to Clayton in 1873 resulting in the town’s rapid development as a center for tourism in the Thousand Islands region.

Captain Johnston’s business enterprises included ownership of the Merrick, Fowler, and Esseltine’ shipyard. The yard fronting on the St. Lawrence River occupied land bounded by John, Merrick, and Hugunin Streets. Under his ownership from 1870 to 1890 the firm employed approximately 100 workmen and constructed one to two large vessels plus numerous luxury yachts each year. Ships were launched from two stocks located in proximity to the present village dock facilities. The captain owned controlling interest in the Reindeer Line, a fleet of 14 freight schooners operating between various ports from Montreal to Oswego. Among the captain’s favorite boats was the first vessel he built for his own account in 1852. “The schooner Greyhound was a fast sailer making the round trip between Oswego and Ogdensburg in six days.”

The last ship he built was the excursion steamer “Nightingale” commissioned in 1890. He believed his most famous boat was the palatial excursion boat the “St. Lawrence” which was the last major ship built in Clayton. The 154-ft. vessel had a capacity for approximately 600 passengers. It was launched March 24, 1884 and delivered to its owners the Thousand Islands Steamship Line of Kingston, Canada.

Records indicate, that over the captain’s career as a shipbuilder, he constructed 40 lake and river class vessels, aggregating 40,000 tons and having a worth in excess of $2,000,000. The last of his ships to survive was the side wheeler steam yacht “Sport” salvaged in Canada in 1942. During the heyday of shipbuilding in Clayton, from 1832 to 1890, over 200 large steam or sailing vessels were constructed. Approximately 300 of Clayton’s 1,900 residents were involved in this industry. Captain Johnston played a major roll as business and civic leader during this dynamic period in Clayton’s history. Henry C. Johnston, the Captain’s son, was 19 years old when the family moved into their new home on Riverside Drive in 1882. He resided in the house for 64 years until his death in 1946. Henry Johnston is remembered as author of the book The Thousand Islands of the St. Lawrence River published in 1937. He was owner and captain of the popular steamer, the Nightingale, which ferried between Clayton, Round Island and Finview (sic) from 1890 to 1911. He was also involved in the family’s shipbuilding business and was vice president of the Clayton Exchange Bank. During the World War I he supervised construction of warships in the Clayton shipyards. Henry Johnston retired from the river and sold the Nightingale after the catastrophic Frontenac Hotel fire in 1910 which he believed was a turning point for the Thousand Islands tourist industry.

The Johnston house is one of the finest examples of American Rural Italianate Victorian architecture in the Thousand Islands area. The building, containing 12 rooms on 3,800 square feet of living area, is in about 95 per cent original condition. The interior of the structure features walnut and pecan wainscotting and cupboards. The ornate circular staircase and balastrade are also black walnut. Interior doors are comb-grain painted. The ceilings in the main living rooms are adorned with gold medallions four feet in diameter from which are suspended chandeliers of the period.

From the 45-foot tower on the facade the Thousand Islands Bridge is visible six miles down stream. The exterior bearing walls are approximately one-ft. thick and the window lights in the main building are three feet by ten feet high. The dwelling is situated upon half-acre site landscaped with over 40 rare specimen shrubs and trees. The cedars flanking the front portico were reportedly planted by Simon Johnston around the turn of the century.

In 1965 the title to the property was coveyed (sic) from the Johnston estate to Jacquline Vrooman, a Clayton business person operating the Century Antique Shop and Clan Woollens store. The Kemp family acquired the property in 1975 and it presently serves as their residence and the principal business office of R. Kemp Realty. The Kemps submitted the property for consideration to the National Register about five years ago. The official acceptance was received in July of 1982. They hope “the Captain Johnston house” will serve as a living memorial to a prominent Claytonian during an important and colorful era in the Village’s history.

Typist’s Note: The above article was found among a pile of clippings sent to me. There is no evidence from which newspaper this article was derived. I have to assume that it published in the “1000 Sun” rather than the “Watertown Daily Times.”