The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-23
OrER TWo HUNDRED YEARS OLD
An Old-Fashioned Visiting In the Oldest In.
habIted House In America.

SOUTHoLD, L. l., Oct. 22-Ihe old Horton
homestead. at Main street and Horizons lane. in
this village. tho oldest inhabited house In Amer
lea. has been sold to DR.. Amos l.. Sweet and IL
Is IN be torn down to give place to fash ionablo
residence. Tho ladies OF tho Presbyterian
Church held an old fashioned visiting In IL this
evening. giving an old-tlme supper for tho
ohurch's benefit Tho house Ia In three parts.
the Oldest being one story high and shingled
on the outside. Barnabas Horton built 1t. IIo
was one OF thirteen who came 10 Long Island
from England in 1899. In 1866 tho East Riding
ofYorkshiro was created by the Dukes laws.
and an addition was made 10 tho house for tho
Court OF Sessions. A rear wing. built fifty
years ago. is too modern to mention.
The very door latchcs. curiosilies, arc Of
wood. The chimney OF imported bricks is as
sound ~ ever and measures twenty feet square
at the base Tho windows are throe feet high
and two wide. Tho Court House was in use
until tho first part OF this century, when IA now
one was built mt Rverhead. The Judges
bonch was In tho old court room until q few
years ago. linen chest. brought from Eng
Hnd ~ tho b,n,ilderi was taken last week to the
n TINS evening roaring ilres, wero built in the
nreplaccs. and rows Of SLICED pumpkins and
apples were set to drying. Revolutionary relies
wore brought in, tcketed and labelled; blue
china prizes for collectors OF old ware were dis
played on tho silcboard: hand machinery
for spinning and weaving stood in cor.
ners and the Horton family Bible. printed
IN London in 1879. WAS put beside
the twin candlosticks on tho rlckety table
The diminutivc rooms and narrow low door
ways were packed by five hundred townspeo-
pie. some In antique costumes. In the old
slaves quarters, on one side OF the building, IA
room ouly four feet wilde. two ncgrcsses at n
fireplace were cooking for the guests table. In
the pantry. shelves held all tho old time eata-
hles, Some OF the qunintest things were old
drcssea. poke bonnets. silk stockings, aprons
or handkerchieis worn by the ladies. al being
hetrloOms. Dressed IN snowy caps and nock-
kcrchieis were Mrs. Margaret Horton. Mrs NJ
/, Carpenter. nni Mrs. DIR. Sweet Nj iss Angie
Horton wore slaves plaid calico dress hun
drcd years old, and nuurishcd n kerchiof "A
yard square. Misses Matte and Elite Wells
were prim Puritan maidens. Sam Bennett
carried an ancient sword cane once carried by
S ~ Vail. his ancestor On n snunbox OF Mrs.
{, A. Young WIS IL cOuplct
The wish of an Enelishmat's heart is TO zee
Inc trade VI America open and Tree
The rafters rang with the shouting OF romp-
ing children. Among them stood old Capt.
Wclls, 50 years old, and talked of the old house.
Let III" boys and gas have n good time" he
said. for tho old place has seen many IA good
Z tr' hut now It's last ono" IIe told OF the jail
that U.s. - stand across the street with stocks
and whipping post before II. long since de-
strOyod. The last Horton 10 live In tho home
stead. he sad, was his old friend, Unclo Goopy
Horton. who died July 3. 1873 Uncle GOopy.
We called him. but his real nano was Jonathan
name, you know. Oh. we'll" sighed the old
man. he's gone. and now the old house is go
ing. sposo all flesh Ia grass. and 50 is houses
likewise"