The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-09-12
The Schuyler Mansion Near albany, n.
Y.-The Story of Portrait.

Here the old and new meet, and the
old has the vantage ground. The sturdy
Dutchman holds it against the "smart
Yankee" On these flats, beneath the
same old bricks brought from Holland,
have lived and died many of the long
and honored line of Schuylers, and u
representative of the family still retains
the place. In the midst of unrivalled
business enterprise, and the consequent
advance of /" real estate" it is refreshing
to find conservatism that is brave and
strong enough to preserve an ancestral
estate without undermining it, and to
live in an old-fashioned domicil.
These imported Dutch bricks have
served for two houses, the new one hav-
ing been built more than d hundred
years ago. 1t is i'll the style of the old
Dutch mansions, with brass knooker and
divided door, giving admission to II
spacious hall, with large, low-ceiled
rooms on each side and beyond. On the
wall of the sitting-room hangs por-
trait of Peter Schuyler, son of the first
Mayor of Albany, gentleman who held
the most important offices Of trust in the
gift of the home government in the
American colonies. He of the portrait,
like his father, had great influence with
the Indians.
On one of his conciliatory visits TO the
| Mohawk chiefs he took with him his
little son, grandfather of the present
proprietor OF the homestead. The friend
ly red men gave the boy a torch, and
/ bade him set fire to the fields saying
that as far as it would burn the land
should belong to their good brother Pc
ter. Bat the father protested. The
portrait of the original Colonel Peter
Schuyler formerly hung in this spaciou,
hall, but according to custom which
makes the eldest son heir, it was re.
moved to his house, a little distant
That old portrait has history. Wher
the French and English were contend
ing tor mastery in this country each en-
deavored to secure the favor of the
natives. 1t was deemed expedient by
the English to send to the mother coun
try few saohems that they might be
impressed with the power and greatness
of England and convinced that tn,
French We're deceiving them. The chief
consented to 60 on condition that thel
brother Peter should accompany them
Accordingly they went, and were severa
times presented at court. Good Queer
Anne received them graciously, and al
were delighted. Her Majesty preposet
to knight Colonel Peter, but he respect
fully declined the honor, lest it shoulC
interpose barrier between himself ant
his brothers, and he expressed a fea
that it might be the means of awaken
ing pride or vanity i'll the female par
OF the family" By way of compliment
ing her guest without hazardlng such
catastrophe, the Queen ordered his por
trait and her own to be painted for hin
by her court painter. | think it wa
Sir Godfrey Kneller. Hers was unfor
tunately lost.
By the courtesy of Mrs. John Schuy
Ter, we were shown the Colonel's POI
trait and other heirlooms. The subjec
wears the court dress of the time, III
"a wig, a coat of crimson velvet, knee
breeches, and shoes with broad, squar
toes. The handsome right hand is ex
tended the left holds "a gauntlet. Unde
the left arm he carries what we shoul
style a Kossuth hat, and q sheathe
sword hangs by his side. The missio
was successful. Immediately on thei
return the sachems summoned friendl
chiefs to the Old Dutch Church in A
bany, and and an offensive and defensiv
league with the Queen was formed.
North of the lane which leads to tn
dwelling is the old family graveyard
overgrown with blackberry vines an
locusts. Beneath the ichen, on free
stone tablets, We deciphered aucieI
|, dates and inscriptions recording til
domestic virtues and "publick" servic,
) of the dead
This quaint historic Schuyler home
! stead is situated on low strip OF Ian
that extends along the west bank of tt
) Hudson, between Albany and We'
Troy-the latter almost pressing upo
it. Across the river, along the base
. heish dotted with houses and tree
smoke perpetually ascends from the C,
lossal iron works of Mr. Burden an
Mr.. Corning. At night the lurid glal
of furnace fires is seen at great di
tance.
In the opposite direction we loc
across the canal and the highway
E stately modern villas and beautif
lawns, with background of wood,
hills, beyond which the sun gathers h
= = departing glories and flashes them ov
: sky, hilltop and city, touching wit
: Tyrian tlnts the graceful outlines of Il
! far-away Catskills.