Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1877-12-22
AstOr's Great Land Speculation.

Nelc York Correspondence al TrOU Times
just half century has elapsed since John
Jacob AStor. who was then in his sixty fourth
year, brought an action against a farmer. and
this being a test ease il included the most emf
nent talent ever employed before jury. The
Plaintiff had Thomas Adds Emmett. David
Ogden and Aaron Burr. while the defence EN-
plOyed Martin Van Buren, and Daniel Webster
The plaintiff succeeded and the decision of
that jury annulled the title of a Thousand land
holders who occupied a tract ri 5l.01 acres.
ya!ued at nearly million of dollars. The de
fence was conducted by the State, which set
tied with Aston by giving him a half million
dolars in State bonds. He had purchased this
claim for 100000 10 which was 10 be added an
equal amount OF interest. Hence il was the
best land speculation the old gentleman ever
made.
AT the time Astor bought the claim il was
in the hands of the heirs of an old lady past
four score. who had played an important part
in social history. When young she had been
a New York belle and heireSS and had. as
tradition says, declined the hand of Washing
ton when he came to this city in his twenty
eighth year. Her choice was Captain Morris.
of the British army, and after marriage he
built the present Jumel mansion. which Mary
Norris occupied until driven of by the army
of her former suitor. AS Mary Philiipse. She
inherited the tract above referred To. but her
right was only a life estate The property
was confiscated and sold To settlers, but the
Land Commissioners overlooked the import
ant TACT they could only convey the same title
that belonged 10 the woman. She survived
Washington twenty years. and lived to see the
colonies become great nation, On her death
the tract became the property of John Jacob
Aston. and the state was compelled to make
good the title in the manner above mentioned
Nine. Jumel at that time occupied the Jumel
mansion. Near by is Trinity Cemetery, i'm
which she found grave, and the same plot
contains the Aston tomb. Mary Morris. how
ever. died in England. Her history is memor-
able for two decisions, which some would call
mistakes. By one she lost the hand of the
greatest general of the age, and by the other
she became hostile to the colonies and lost the
best rural estate in America.
While thus engaged i'm retrospective
glance. may refer to the facts suggested by
the recent death of Robert Tyler (SOn of the
eXPresident). He married the daughter of
Mary Fairlie. the Sophie Sparkle" Of Sama-
gundi, and at one time the leading belle of this
city. Miss Fairlie was so intimate with Wash
ingtOn Irving that they held correspondence
but his heart was i'm the tomb with Matilda
Hoffman, and hence their friendship never
went farther, unless il were that on her part
it became as Crabbe says:
The kind OF friendship women have with men,
Mary Fairlie afterward married Cooper, the
tragedian and manager of the old Park Thea
ter. He never made the profession profitable.
and in his latter days became very poor. His
daughter, however, had become Mrs. Robert
Tyler, and the latter improved his fathers
presidential power to give the decayed palaver
4 handsome berth. A granddaughter of Mary
Fairlie came before the public last year as
reader with much success.