The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1877-06-21
OLD HOUSES OF NEW YORK.
some Ancient Mansions which Have n His
tpry.

lUc COruCr OF Oeutlr anu GreenW1cn
streets holds the Oldest residence ir the
city, being what was called the Beech
house" writes New York correspondent
of the Rochester Democrat and Ciroai-
Gle. This spot is 700 feet { ON the Hud.
son river, being all made gcouod. Ori9i.
nally it was the ferry house, when the
trips to New Jersey were made by canal
boat. At the Beach house, it is said,
George Washington landed on bis fl st
arrival in this city, in 1856, when be was
twenty -fJdc years old. He came on
horseback tlom Mount Ve' 1on, az eee-
ble to tue custom oi ,llat me, attended
by his servants, re ia oed be,e few
days, god thea we1t 10 ,6oc. BE was
ente GJiaed Oh this s;s't by Beve y Rob-
! iason. "a ro5ed W. wao lad set
tied IN ibis ely add rql ma led Mss
PbilGpse. 1be latter e1d her sister
Mary were the lie; 10 the immerse
Phjllipse estate, wr;ch e-te lded about
! twenty-five m''e' 90 each side of the
Hudson and was about iel miles il
width. 1t IS sad that Wash' y, tol was
disposed 20 make My Tn'iose his
bride, but the a.tec.G Il Do6 G 10 bu Y
herself in the V'g.1ia " lde less. She
a!tecwa'd married Cap;. Eo5e-' Mo."is,
an officer i'll the B';tish a"Dy, who Tor a
while ecioyed possession OF be imme lse
estate, which was a'terwa d co q &c; ted.
The Beach hor5e is now to DE Dr led
down and the sic W u be covered by Il
| grocery ard :e3ene 1T hou2e. Tue
frame IS remarkably 81 oo5, be pg made
of oah, and would lact for ce eltu" es
There a.e three anc;ent dwel' ines,
standing on direct l;oe. but at Gis-
! tance OF n mile apart, WITCH have lie-
est'ng histo' ical ASSOCIATIONS. 1he fist
Is the Thocne mansion at N;ne; ehh
street, neac the Eightn age1ue. I5s
was il its day grand es,ab' sbmelt, a ID
is e1te ell through a stately bail with
spac ods pa"lors and other s;oas OF TO =
lner dig lity. 1t is now, however, a la3e !:
beet establishment, with vast DO og
pavilion ald bar-room 13e grornds
form foe place 70. picnic pa't;es, end
sometimes $50 are there at oace. L we1t
Though the stately ,oons, add thor9ht
what tales they cOdld elate (it walls had
language) of the spleIdid sceres Of for
mer g,alde1r. This was the resort OF
the b ,t:sh Officers and geni'.v of the city
When the TborUes bed here theic country
seat, aud DO doubt saw moe OF high l;te
| tdau any mausion OF The L .nd il this city.
1t is built to last, and, ihodgh q wooden
structure, seems not foc day, but for
| all time.
Hamittou's Grange is passed daily by
multitudes who have no idea of its ey ST
| eace. SO lille do New Yo 'kers know Of
| theic ow1 city that few of the travellers
on tue Eighth avenue road ever heard
OF the house, or even of its iIlusty;ous
proprietor Tue Eighth avenue, after
! you pass the Thore mapsiou, sl-:rts a
ridge of high aud rocky land which is to
a large degree covered with seco1d-
| growth trees. The passenger on ibe
.cas, if informed of tue fact, may easily
designate amid the geoeral foliage tail
group which differs rom all is SUI
roundin6s. The foliage is compact, aod
its limbs are rsalmostipterwoven, towering
up as a g'aSd mass OF greenery. They
are tbe thirteen place tees planted by
Hamilton jn bouor of tbe thitteen
States. This was done on ihe formation
of our present 9Ove'pOeot in 1887.
They have al tior' shed, apG While, Ike
the States they rep"esect, !peir size is
unequal, they ace as a mass a gtard
spectacle.
The Thorne maosion is cOroer Eighth
avenue aud Ni"etieth street. while ibe
Hamilton Grange is ON the same avenue
One Hondred and Fo'ty-thi d street.
The Grange is isolated and lonely
as ever. To reach it f,om aoy direction
one must go Though grove of wild
and neglected character. Tue Grange,
like the Thorue maosiou, is a square
structure with a spac;ors hall. IT is OF
! two Ct,rio, loI
The view overlooking the E E'ghth avenue
road aud Harlem plains is ve"y fue, and
no doubt this led Hami'tol to choose
such spot FOR his cou ltry seat. The
house is built of wood, I'd has all the
ornaments of jfs day. The pa,lor is
spacious, the kitchen is on the basement,
and the upper or second story is devoted
to sleeping rooms. 1t evidently was
meant to be festive place, and saw
some gay scenes, bat all this was stopped
by the duel. The duel occurred on The
eleventh OF July, 1854 a season when
Hamilton would naturally be at his
country seat. Ftom this place lie drove
down to the poiot where the stiff was
awaitiog him, and where both he and his
second, as well as the surgeon, embarked
for the scene OF blood. The former oil
these two companions was Nathanie
Pendleton aud the latter was Dr.
Hosack. Hamilton never saw the Grange
again. Being brought from the tielt
fatally wouaded, he was conveyed to tn,
house of friend (William Bayard)
where he died. Baya'd's house sill
stands, its locality being JaDe street
The dreadful inteli;g ;gence was conveyed
to the Grange, and Ms, Hamilton will