The Moorsfield Press was founded by architect and historian Hugh McLellan in April of 1919 in the Village of Champlain, New York.  Hugh's goal was to print historic papers from his father's Abraham Lincoln collection as well as letters from the Pliny Moore Papers that he had recently transcribed (Hugh was the great-great grandson of Pliny Moore). Hugh wanted to print these historic documents in the same style as publications printed in the 18th century. This included using the Caslon Olde-Style typeface, Old English typeface and hand-made paper.  Hugh printed a number of pamphlets related to his Champlain relatives as well as Town of Champlain history. As the Moorsfield Press was the only printing press in town it quickly became a commercial printing business.  Historical publications were sporadically printed between 1919 and 1980.  Between 1937 and 1938, the Moorsfield Antiquarian was published as an eight volume set. 

    When the Moorsfield Press was founded, Hugh asked his friend, Winfred Porter Truesdell, for advice.  Truesdell became the mentor of Hugh in the early years of the press as he had printing and publication experience. Hugh even printed Truesdell's Print Connoisseur magazine for several years.  Hugh's son, Woody, was 12 years old when the press was founded and later took over the business.  He worked at the press from 1919 to after 1980.

    A comprehensive history has been written about the founding of the Moorsfield Press and Hugh's friendship with Winfred Porter Truesdell.

A Short History of the Moorsfield Press

Publications of the Moorsfield Press
(1919-1980)

Moorsfield Press Movie Posters

Moorsfield Press Champlain Posters

      Winfred Porter Truesdell was an internationally known art publisher who lived in New York City. He first published 12 books about famous bookplate artists in the early 1900s. He then focused his attention to photographs and engravings of Abraham Lincoln as well as prints and engravings of famous Revolutionary, Civil War and Spanish-American War soldiers and politicians.  By 1916, he had become good friends with architect Hugh McLellan as McLellan's father was a major Abraham Lincoln collector of "Lincolniana."  Truesdell published an art magazine called the The Print Connoisseur starting in 1920 and moved to Champlain, New York in 1924 where he continued to print it until 1932.  Truesdell also spent several decades preparing a four volume set of books about Abraham Lincoln's photographs and engravings.  He printed one volume in 1932 but died in 1939 before printing the other volumes.

Winfred Porter Truesdell: Biography and Publications

    Harriet Stewart Miner (1840-1895) was an amateur botanist and painter of flowers and was related to the Moore, Nye and McLellan families of Champlain, New York. Harriet lived most of her life in Syracuse, New York and spent years studying and painting orchids. She had access to collections in the Syracuse area, Albany, New York City, Boston, Philadelphia and Cincinnati and in 1885 published the first color book on orchids in America called: "Orchids: Royal Family of Plants". The book contained 24 large-format chromo-lithographs that were printed using a special French lithographic process.  The scientific name of each flower was given as well as details of its growing location and life history.  Many reviews of the time were favorable. The book became a major resource for botanists as well as lovers of flowers.  Today, her book is found in libraries around the world as well as online.

    Found in the collections of the Clinton County Historical Association in Plattsburgh, New York, are at least seven additional paintings of flowers made by Miner that were not included in her book. These paintings, as well as others that may be by her, are presented here.

Harriet Stewart Miner: Painter of Orchids
 

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One of the many Christmas cards
issued by Hugh and Woody McLellan between 1926 and 1981

More cards
Still more cards

        The Champlain Historic Calendars were published between 2003 and 2017 and focused on the history of the Village and Town of Champlain, New York.  The calendar series included 12 large-format images as well as a comprehensive caption. An original essay was written in the back of the calendar and grew from three pages to 17 pages and included numerous photographs and other images. Many topics were covered including the founding of Champlain by Pliny Moore in 1785, Champlain in the War of 1812, the evolution of the village and town of Champlain, the cemeteries of Champlain and a history of Point au Fer at Rouses Point.  The 2009 calendar was dedicated to the 400 year anniversary of the exploration of Lake Champlain by Samuel de Champlain and the building of two Champlain monuments in Plattsburgh and Crown Point by architect Hugh McLellan. All of the historic information presented in the calendars had been collected by Hugh McLellan who lived in Champlain. His collection of historic material, including the Pliny Moore Papers, is now found at Special Collections, Feinberg Library, SUNY-Plattsburgh and the Clinton County Historical Association, among other places. Other material used in the calendar series is courtesy the Samuel de Champlain History Center in Champlain. The calendars were well-received and several hundred people in the village and town of Champlain, as well as people in other states with ties to the area, purchased the calendars. The calendars are still available today and are as relevant now as they were when they were first published.

Concept painting of the "White House" at Point au Fer by Elaine Rochester Cloutier, used by permission.

• The 2003 calendar had a three page history of the Village of Champlain but is not available.
  
• 2004 had a seven page historical essay on the former Savoy Hotel and mansion of Champlain that burned down in 2003.
  
• 2005 had a seven page historical essay on the burning of the Champlain Presbyterian Church in 1844 and how it relates to the building of the Session House (current Knights of Columbus Hall) in 1848, new Presbyterian Church (old Village Hall) and other buildings.
• 2006 had a seven page history that detailed the Village of Champlain’s extensive role in the War of 1812.
• 2007 had an expanded 11 page history on the founding of the Village and Town of Champlain by Pliny Moore.
  
• 2008 had a 11 page history that detailed the settlement of Champlain in 1788 and building of its first sawmill.
  
• 2009 had a 15 page history that detailed the building of the Crown Point and Plattsburgh Champlain Memorials.
  
• 2010 had a 11 page history that detailed the history of Dewey's Tavern in the Town of Champlain.
  
• 2011 had a 11 page history that detailed the history of the early settlements in Champlain Town including the Village of Champlain, Rouses Point, Perrys Mills and Coopersville.
• 2012 had a 15 page history that detailed the history of the cemeteries and burying grounds in Champlain Town.
  
• 2013 had a 15 page history that described the establishment of the early roads and bridges in Champlain Town.
  
• 2014 had a 15 page history that described the canal boat industry along the Great Chazy River.
  
• 2015 had a 19 page history that described the early iron industry including the Champlain Agricultural Works and the Sheridan Iron Works (which had a 158 year history).
  
• 2016 had a 19 page history that noted some of the earliest photographers in the Town of Champlain including Bert F. Paine.  His portraits made c1904-1907 are found at the Clinton County Historical Association and were printed.  Additional subjects include photographers L.P. Case of Champlain, Gates Photography of Plattsburgh, photographer W.B. Pierce of Rouses Point, Pliny Dunn, the WWI Armand Catelli funeral, Bill Earl, the Mansion House in the Village of Champlain, the Costello Apartment House, the Windsor (Saxony) and Marnes Inn and Dock (made by Dr. Charles Marnes), Slingsby's Dock and the Station House Hotel in Rouses Point.
  
• 2017 had a 19 page history that described the history of Point au Fer at Rouses Point, NY on the shore of Lake Champlain.  This was a post that had been controlled by the French, British and American forces at different times during the French and Indian War and Revolutionary War.  The historic essay includes recently discovered information never before published related to President George Washington's involvement with British harassment of landowners in the Town of Champlain long after the Revolutionary War ended.