SERENDIPITY
Receiving an invitation to Mrs . A . V . S . Olcott ’ s for a dinner party was an invitation into a world of art , literature , culture , and wit . It was a salon where great minds met … and Mrs . Olcott was its grande hostess . The famed historic estate , Glebelands , served as the perfect setting – for it was much like its owner : formal , but not ostentatious .
Although Mrs . Olcott passed away in November 2018 , the luxurious Glebelands estate remains … nestled in the hills above Manchester Village , surrounded by a charming and bucolic forest glade . Seated on 28 + acres , the prestigious property features two picturesque ponds ; an apple orchard ; hidden , enchanting gardens ; specimen plantings ; and a reflecting pool .
Glebelands has been shaped and remodeled by several families , but its most recent owner , Mrs . A . V . S . Olcott certainly left her mark – on the estate and her beloved Manchester . Through a lifetime of self-described “ Chronic Volunteerism ”, Mrs . Olcott helped to make Manchester – and the world beyond – a beautiful place to live .
We , at Manchester Life , are thrilled to celebrate Mrs . Olcott ’ s life and accomplishments - and share an inside look at the historic property .
Diana ’ s Family
Diana Morgan was born on November 25th , 1928 to Professor Sherley Warner Morgan and Ethel Josephine Palmer Morgan . She was the youngest of their 4 children .
Professor Sherley Morgan was a renowned architect , having designed several well-known buildings , including the Princeton Hospital , the E . R . Squibb & Sons laboratories in Brooklyn , and the interior of the American
Numismatic Society ’ s Museum in New York City . In 1928 , he was named the Director of the Princeton University School of Architecture . Among his students was Jimmy Stewart , who would later abandon his architectural studies to pursue an acting career .
Mrs . Olcott ’ s mother , Ethel Josephine Palmer Morgan , was born in Brooklyn , New York to Lowell Mason Palmer and Grace Humphreys Foote Palmer .
Lowell Mason Palmer was a businessman , but his passion was horticulture . His summer house in Stamford , Connecticut sat on 100 acres of land . Each of Lowell ’ s four daughters had their own garden there . Ethel always explained to her daughter , Diana , that the property should have been turned into an Arboretum . She explained that the grounds contained a number of unusual plants and exotic trees that Lowell brought in from all
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