The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-08-20
TINES CHANGES UP TOWN..
NJ URRIY MIL IN THE DAYS WIEN
NEW YORK VAS YOUNG.

NEW YORK VAS YOUNG.
The Old Kip Farm aud It's ChnnRes- Cato. tho
Uolorrd Caterer. und Ills Charming Caro-
iine-How Thieves Cheated widow.
The present residents OF Murray Hill
aud its vicinity see little else than brown stone
fronts, plate glass windows, and trim court
yards; but there are few OF them VINO rcmem-
Der the locality "Kip's Farm" and the
streets as bearing the names Of the children OF
Samuel Kip, who owned many broad acres 'front.'
ing on Kips bay and spreading out northward
in highly cultivated fields, prolific orchards and
tasteful gardens As his children attained their
majority, and married, ana left the house-roof,
he built houses for them, portioned on the
farm, and gave tho names OF Louisa, Maria, FL
bert, aud his other children to the roads that
bounded their various divisions. Time brought
changes TO the Kip family they needed money
and parcel by parcel the farm passed into other
hands, among the number being Thomas Arm
strong, Esq, whose descendants still own and
occupy a cosey frame dwelling between what
was once called Louisa and Ebert streets. Ibis
gentleman Is type Of the pure-souled, HIN.
minded man, whose life has been blameless;
while the wife Of his youth displays all those
eraces that the Rentewomen OF olden times
Their recollection Of bygone times is like a
romance. What could he more romantic than
for party OF gay ana happy girls to tiudge on
shrubs afforded the cosest OF dressing rooms,
and the sandy shore the choicest OF bath houses.
aud IN charming innocence gambOl ike 30 many
mermaids In the refreshing waves.
The only houses near the shore were the coun-
storms. Hunters Point, opposite, was, to ali
intents and y irpnses, foreign Shore, mac
cess'6e save oy rowboat and none cared i9T ne
welrs) Island Afforded all the enjoyment that
the simple tastes OF that day required.
There also were the country residences OF
George Waite, Mir. Brewster, John u. Coster.
who was PRECEDENT Of the Manhattan Bank;
Francis Thompson, shipping merchant lisa c
Wright and Jeremiah thompson. also shipping
merchants and ggodly Quakers, all OF whom re-
sided on Murray Hill with their houses fronting
what ia now Lexington avenue. and large gar
dens extending to Third avenue, where their
1--WE brothers." were well and comfortably
furnished, and were occupied by their owners 50
long ms the pleas summer weather lasted,
when they were closed anu the families returned
to their houses In town.
At that time " Cato's" was the best tavern on
the road. about where Ffty-seyenth street now
Is, and was patronlzed by the elite Of the city.
Cato had been a slave, either In south America
or IN the South. lie had II daushter named
Caroline, Of whom he was very fond She re
ceivcd rs good AN education as the daughters OF
the gentlemen OF that day, and was a great
favorite with old DR.. kissam, who was ire
uuent guest at her ather's hostelrie. IL was not
unusual for the Doctor to take Caroline home
with him 10 his clrIlaee aud entertain her Tor
When O,roiine attended school the young
ladies turned up their noses and snubbed their
| cloudy sister: and when she reached mar
riageable age all the fortune. hunting young gem
tlemen were referred TO Cato who, 1t was said,
would give a dover OF many pounds to the
| white man willing to WOO and win the dusky
! daughter.
| Cato took care that those OF his own hue
should not have an opportunity to meet his
| child on terms Of equality, Tor he was never
| known to entertain either "A common white or
a colored man at MS inn. White gentlemen.
| their families, and their servants were his only
guests. His exclusiNeness Ia nowise harmed
MN. for he made money. and used II To further
| the fortunes OF family VINO were his friends,
and who desired to purchase part OF Thomas
Armstrong; property, located where Is now the
| horse-cM depot IN rhird avenue, between Thirty
third and Tbirty fourth streets.
| these people had teen tenants OF Mr.. Arm
strong for years. lie had built houses and a
large barn for them; they paid their rent
promptly, and from time to time begged to oe
! allowed the privilege OF owning the property
themselves. The Balls HeaI tavern was then
On the site OF tue Old Dowery. Mr.. Armstrons
finally agreed to sell. Just before the deeds
were made out he learned that tue Bulls Head
was to remove 10 Iwenty-fourth street, It's pres
Ont site. Real estate was rising ipidy in value,
but he. being the soul OF honor. stood TO his
agreement, aud let the property 20 at the price
named between himself and his tenants, VINO
immediately sold IL 10 neighbor Of his at the
| Increased valuation. Their heirs have since re-
ceiyed $llQODO from the raiiroad company for IL.
From tue records Of certain transactions of
city authorities OF that date, one may infer that
! suuiless corporations are not the production OF
| our day. but NAV boast OF more ancient lineage.
! Ihe Armstrong homestead stood between ihir-
ty-hrst and lhirty-second streets. A large gar
/ uen surrounded It, a stone wall surm ouuteu Oy
| the middle Of Tniriy.arst street Mr. ARM
| strong's widow was cailed upon to pay an Assess
! meat Of S1U for The opening VI tue street She
| paid IL. bat on looking over some papers found
| that her husband had settled the matter before
| his death. Sne consulted Peter Cooper who
promised 70 do what he could for her Tue
Commissioners listened TO Mr.. Cooper, aud ad
United the facts, but paid back nothing.
Ghiry-nrst street runs TO the East river: the
I little homestead i nestled among the houses Of
/ bltck aud stone that surround the square. Geo.
" atte's house does duty A. the Peabody Home
for Aged aud lnuigent Females 1t has been
moved ~ tue corner u lhltty-tnird street aud
Lexington avenue. where It's arched windows
front the street, aud the gable with It's hail win
dows overlook the avenue. ). u, Coster > house
Is prOpped up on a substantial stone basement
at the corner Of lhlrN-six. h street and Third
avenue; JeTenlAh Iuompsun5 mousse at the
corner Of Ihitty-seyenth street and Lexingto on
avenue, Is used hospital for women the
houses Of Frances Thompson aud Isaac Wright
are occupied by families; kip's Bay" 10 no
longer safe place Tor bathing; the farm
Yields other iruit than III the days when IL W d;
noted for It's pears, pies. and fragrant flowers
where second avenue aud ihirty-hrst street IN
tersect are huge vaults f0- the living, many OF
whom care little that the family vault Of tbs
ktps once occupied the ground. and that Samue
HI. "wno looked like kine saul" now lies as
low as the bescar In his grave. Could ne awaken
from his sleep, he would lind That change is as
busy now as when he with other lovers crossed
kissing bridge aud thought themselves far
out II town.
Murray Hil is no longer the court eud" OF
the city, as was predicted some sixteen years
ago. when Jacob NanderDOel, Esd Ouili MS eIe-
giant mansion in Madison aycnIe, between .hir-
tieth ami rnirtY-hrSt streets. Toward the tide
OF population stu takes It's way, and lefOre
many years IL may he that estc4estcr couu y
VIII contain the residences of the wealtniesl
people. II may be That many Of those who tnHs
Zee from the homes ~ thel childhood lee from
unple saint mem RES, me Noung lndY Of TON
does not like % DO told thar her great-aunt
dressed IN homespun, and that her grandeur 10
made his millions IN toe tannery in "Sunhsh
pond"
4 NIU FIRE fNTING ETSHER