One of the mysteries of this whole Breckinridge Diaries project has been James and Susannah Preston Lees’ home Hazelwood. Back in November 2018, I blogged about the house and where it was – Where’s Hazelwood. Many letters from and to KCB were addressed from Hazelwood or Hazelwood, High Bridge, New York. When I was working on my thesis, I’d found out that the house was located in modern-day Bronx. But didn’t have access to databases to find the exact location. Had to wait for technology to catch up and stuff to get digitized. So using city directories and fire insurance maps, I was able to find the exact location of the Lees’ house.

Then after I posted, I was contacted by a gentleman from North Carolina who had photos of Susannah Preston Lees and the house. His wife was related to the Carsons and Wallers and therefore the Lees. After all Susannah Preston Lees’ maiden name was Waller and her sister was Catherine Waller Carson, KCB’s mother.

Well recently he sent me the photos!

Susannah Preston Lees is the aunt KCB lived with in New York during the last years of the Civil War. Lees also left KCB a significant sum of money in her will when Lees died in 1902.

And here is the house! I don’t know why I so wanted to know what it looked like. But a new piece of the puzzle is found.