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The Family Stephen M. Clement, Jr. dies on March 26, 1913 before the building is completed in 1914 The portrait of widowed Carolyn Tripp Clement is by Cecelia Beaux, and was restored by Stephen Merrell Clement III, a great-grandson Mrs. Clement with children and grandchildren Photo courtesy of Peter Clement Stephen Merrell Clement, Jr., built 173 Summer Street (NE corner of Summer & Oakland Place ) for his bride, Carolyn Tripp, of 1884, but date of construction is unclear. Edward B. Green was the architect.   They lived here until his father SMC1 died in 1892, when they moved into 737 Delaware. This house still stands as apartments. 173 Summer Street Photo taken 2006 Clement summer and winter homes Clement Monument (obelisk) in Forest Lawn built by Stephen M. Clement for the family

The 786 Delaware Avenue Site Frank Goodyear House once stood where the Red Cross building parking lot is now William H. Gratwick House once stood next to the Frank Goodyear House where the Red Cross building parking lot is now. Augustus Tripp sold a portion of the property to William H. Gratwick, for his house, designed in 1886, by Henry Hobson Richardson, the architect of the State Asylum on Forest Avenue. Prosser House, 786 Delaware Avenue Built 1855 - Sold to Carolyn's father in 1881 - Carolyn married Stephen here in 1884 - Father died in 1908 and left the house to Carolyn - Carolyn demolished it in 1911 Photo courtesy of Peter Clement The house shown in the photo was built in about 1855 by Hon. Erastus Sabinus Prosser (1809-1888). Prosser was an investor in businesses related to the Erie Canal. He was involved in shipping and forwarding on the canal, built and owned canal boats and pulling stock (horses and mules), numbering at one time 1500 animals. He built steam powered canal boats before retiring from canal business. He was elected to the State Senate in 1858 and served through 1861. He was considered an authority on transportation issues, and favored turning the canal over to the government in the face of competition from the railroads. He owned the Prosser Block at West Seneca and Pearl Streets. He was married in 1834 to Lucy Wilbur, and had three children. The house he built in "suburban" Buffalo was unnumbered until the City Directory of 1868. Prior to that time he was listed as living "on Delaware above summer." The house was described as a showplace, with well-manicured gardens, that served as a focus of Buffalo social life.  The house was sold to Augustus Franklin Tripp in 1881. Tripp was a partner in Sidney Shepard and Company, manufacturers of tin and metalware. He had three children, George Augustus Tripp, Emma Hannah Tripp Frost and Carolyn Jewett Tripp. Carolyn Tripp was married to Stephen Merrell Clement [SMC2], in the parlor of the house, in 1884. Augustus Tripp sold a portion of the property to William H. Gratwick, for his house, designed in 1886, by Henry Hobson Richardson, the architect of the State Asylum on Forest Avenue. When Tripp died in 1908, 786 Delaware Avenue was given to Stephen and Carolyn Clement. The fireplace that served as the centerpiece of the drawing room where they were married was removed when the couple tore down the house in 1911. It was installed in the master bedroom of their new house, where it remains today. Original working drawing from E.B. Green's office Drawing courtesy of Peter W Clement, AIA Photo courtesy of Peter Clement Photo courtesy of Peter Clement Photo courtesy of Peter Clement Photo courtesy of Peter Clement House to the left is the Gratwick House, designed by H. H. Richardson as his last commission (demolished 1919) Photo courtesy of Peter Clement Photo courtesy of Peter Clement House to the left is the Gratwick House, designed by H. H. Richardson as his last commission (demolished 1919) Façade                 Photo courtesy of Peter Clement Rear of house          Photo courtesy of Peter Clement Rear of house          Photo courtesy of Peter Clement This Steinways photo was probably taken for a Denton Cottier & Daniels ad in the 1930's. (The Steinway Company doesn't recognize it as one of their publicity shots.) There were two concert grand pianos in the Music Room, along with an Austin Organ and a harp. Carolyn Tripp Clement & her sister Emma Tripp Frost used to play duets there that were widely admired. Photo courtesy of Peter Clement

COMPLETED:	1914. Erected at a cost of $300,000, the home was the scene of many important social functions and the gathering place of leaders in the city's life for 30 years. It was built on the lot of three previous homes.
ARCHITECTS:	Green & Wicks
ORIGINAL OWNER:	Carolyn Jewett Tripp Clement was born in Buffalo July 19,1861. Her father, Augustus, [see below], a prominent businessman, was the original partner of Sidney Sheppard in the firm of Sidney Sheppard & Co., later known as the Republic Metalware Company. Mrs. Clement graduated from the State Normal School, now the Buffalo State Teachers' College on Elmwood, and then spent a year in Europe studying piano and traveling. An accomplished musician, she played the harp and organ as well as the piano. She always was deeply interested in gardening and travel. On March 2, 1884, she was married to Stephen M. Clement, a man who achieved great eminence in community affairs, not only through his banking interests (he was president of Marine Bank), but also through his devotion to educational, religious,and industrial affairs. She and Mr. Clement had six children. He died March 26, 1913, the day before their 29th wedding anniversary and before the Delaware residence was completed. See The Lackawanna Steel Company and the Buffalo and Susquehanna Iron Company for reference to Clement's involvement with the Buffalo and Susquehanna Iron Company. Perhaps the institution closest to Mrs. Clement's heart was the Westminster Church (on the next block between Summer and North streets), of which she had been a member for 67 years. In 1914, she and her family gave the land for Westminster Church's parish house. In memory of her daughter, she opened a summer camp for underprivileged children in Angola in 1918, calling it the Marion Clement Tener Vacation House. Mrs. Clement contributed a total of $80,000 to the University of Buffalo and served on the University Council from 1920 to 1941. Clement Hall (online October 2012) is named after her. Her most notable contribution to the community was the gift of her palatial home at at 786 Delaware Avenue to the American Red Cross in June 1941. She died in 1943. Family Connection to Elam R. Jewett Elam R. Jewett was married to Caroline Wheeler. Caroline Wheeler's mother, Polly Johnson, was the sister of Emma Johnson Tripp.  Emma's son, Augustus Franklin Tripp, came to  Buffalo in part because of his cousin Caroline.  Augustus owned the original 786 Delaware Ave., and left it to his daughter Carolyn Jewett Tripp,  Mrs. Stephen Merrell Clement.  See "Third Generation" in the Christopher Johnson Register Report. - Research by Peter Clement
AUGUSTUS TRIPP FAMILY RESIDENCES:	According to the city directories, the Tripps lived at many addresses before they arrived at 786 Delaware. So it looks like Carolyn was in her early 20s when the family moved to 786 Delaware. The city directories are not online for every year. Augustus Tripp    b. 1822    d. 1908 Daughter Carolyn Tripp    b. 1861    d. 1943 Residences of Tripp family:       40 W. Eagle      1861    40 W. Eagle      1862    40 W. Eagle      1863    40 W. Eagle      1864    58 Pearl             1867    122 Pearl St.      1868    122 Pearl St.      1870    122 Pearl St.      1871    122 Pearl St.      1872    122 Pearl St.      1873    55 Allen             1874    55 Allen             1875    964 Delaware     1877    964 Delaware     1878    Palace Hotel       1880    489 Prospect      1880    786 Delaware     1881    786 Delaware     1884   Carolyn marries and moves to new-built 173 Summer St. 786 Delaware     1888    786 Delaware     1905    Augustus dies and leaves house to Carolyn - Research by Cheryl McDonald
STYLE:	Tudor Revival (English medieval manor). Its Tudor architecture permitted such unusual features as a 1.5 story music room, with organ; interior walls of limestone, and garage heating plant connected to the house by a 4-foot tunnel. Accenting the medieval character of the house is the use of gray sandstone in the construction The interior contains Indiana (Bloomington) limestone floor marble blocks laid diagonally in a diamond pattern.