The homes have an inspirational connection with both education and family . Saint David ’ s mission of education and service has a direct correlation with that of the Cutting family ’ s history .
William Delano ’ s retrained neoclassical style is reminiscent of the 18th century Scottish architect Robert Adam ; the Cutting Houses seem quite austere compared with the exuberance of the nearby mansions on 91st street built for Andrew Carnegie , Otto Kahn , and James Burden .
Within the Cutting family were the iconic fashion designer Mary Josephine McFadden , interior decorator Justine Bayard Cushing , pianist Mary Josephine Cutting Blair , the aviatrix Hope Cutting Auchincloss , and the artist Justine Bayard Harari ; all women who were considered well ahead of their time ; but the family was predominantly known for its devotion to scholarship , the church , and philanthropy . The builder of the houses , R . Fulton Cutting ( 1852-1934 ), was known as the “ First Citizen of New York ”; he was the longtime warden of St . George ’ s Church on Stuyvesant Square and he helped to finance The University Settlement House , The Citizen ’ s Union , The New York Bureau of Municipal Research , The City and Suburban Homes Company , the Cooper Union , The Metropolitan Opera and Real Estate Company , the Hartley House Social Settlement , The Association for the Improvement of the Poor , Cuttington University in Liberia , and The American Society for the Control of Cancer ; simply a remarkable impact . In fact , many of these institutions survive and flourish to the present day ; this impact should be seen in context of the colossal contribution of Andrew Carnegie , whose gift of over 1,700 libraries to the nation ,
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R . Fulton Cutting