New-York tribune., 1878-11-30
A VISIT To JOHNSON HALL.


THE BARONIAL MANSION AT JOHNSTOWN.
A LETTER FROM THE REV. DR. ALBERT BANKER -
REMINIsCENCrs OF SIR WILLIAM JOHNSON HIS
HOME AND MS LIFE THERE.
LITTLE FALLS Nov. 1.-The former residence
of SIR William johnson, at JOhnstown, in the MowhaWk
Valley most nteTe ting locality to the historian anu
the ptouarap the scene OF stirring events before and
during the Revolutionary War. am myself nelShoor
OF tnr Hall" and have visited 1t several tunes re-
Gently The ConvOcatOn of Albany met lately
in St. Johns Episcopal Church. In tho village
OF Johnstown, Montgomery County. This sacred edi-
fee itself closely connected with the famous baronc
a. he was the first warden OF the parish gave large gI's
for it9 maintenance, and woIshipped in the pWlihR
which or giually occupied the present site, Whe aer
his death his remains placed in vault beneath
the Old church. in accordance with European customs
His grave now lies beside the front door Of the sanctu
ary the position OF the second church having been re-
ycrsed Several years since the vault was opened and
the bones were found, together with handsome ring
belonging to Sir William. The identity OF these relics
having been thus established the tomb was sealed once
more md remains covered with grassy mound nut
unmarked by the slightest monument Ike that Ol ths III
nous oyai-t's contemporary, General Nicnolas Her
kimrr At Little FtllI. SIR William was also promi-
nent Freemason and St ParIck's Lodge tJohnstown.
owes its existence to him who founder, nOurishcd ITS
infancy carry years.
The dstrc, in which the baronct lived was then called
Tryou Court named after william Tryon, then Governor
Of the Province IL included all OF Central and western
N.w-York and stretched out westward Ike an EMPIRE
to Lake Lre J,hn-town the sErc town OF this IN
mcnse tract and IL was presided ana owned 20 q
LARGE extent by Sir william. who lived here at the
Hal In haronial splendor with the famous Mohawk
Princess, Molly Brant. and their dusky children
lie was then His Britannia Maesty's superintendent
Genera, Of Indian Affairs In North America
Colonel Of the Six Nations and MAJOR
General IN the British service. He was also the
prominent churchmau OF the state, and all tho Lngsh
churches III valley at that day received gifts from
hmbi- own parish st. Aun's, Amsterdam, then called
Fort Hur.c and -. Georges, Schenectady
one afternoon after the religious services of the con
ycniion, "a brother rector asked me 10 walk down
with him and look that relic OF 4 past
century Johnson Hail." aud the soft and hazy igh
OF AN October afternoon fell over the beautiful and fer
tile Mo.awk vale wcudcd our way mile west OF the
THRIVING town, and entered tue broad avenue which
winds u to the entrance OF the only baronal hall III this
country Here We met Mr. Wells the present pro-
pictur Of the estate whose family has held It for three
generations seyentyhye years, nj whose father
and grandfather ed beneath tins ancient roof He Is
a genial aud friendly gentleman, who delights to show
tl- g,.nt OLD mau-lou To tho visitor and he walked
with u4 over the grUund and through the antique
rooms scou siug freely the traditions " the place
by tnc way building plain In exterior large ana
MASSIVE, with doorway In the centre, entering a
roouly and hiRu-ccllcd hall which runs through the
cdIii,c Mr. Wells has somewhat modernlzed tho man
on by adding y-windOws putting an observatory on
the roof and making other slight alterations, but the
general appearance It presented IN It's founders day Is
well pre-eryed sond wall OF masonry once enclrced
II for protection and two fOrfcatOns formerly
nankcl cIthcr sidc-communicatng 10y subterrancan
passage with the main edce One has been destroyed
that on the left remains, pierced with port
holes, and is apparently used as Kitchen. Enter
ing the wide vostinuc. We we're impressed with the
,oldly Of tho walls staircase. doors and wainscOtng
running around the rooms. Mr. Wells conducted us into
the chamber the right, where the royallS leader
bcathcd hs last and Thought Of the sceno there pre-
,cnod whru Spring day In the year l77i. Sir VII
liam held his final grand council with tue Six
Nations every detail filled with unusual pomp
and ceremony. After speech or remarkable elo-
aucnCo and power tho dying barOnet was car
rird back to his bed, exhausted by his effort,
and he expired before the smoke mad ceased 10 rise from
the council fires Again passed through the dining
and draw rooms where the lord OF this manor dis
pcu,cd right genial and regal hospitality. Here many
n scion of tho English nobility SIT hi board, passed
week. -, hs guest. like Lord Hollands niece, Lazy
me mn, si,t"r Of The Mohowk chcftain Joseph Bnt
Herr the Of the tribes held their thlks WIN
the agent OF Their grL mI anInei wno EeT r wn
himself painted and pumcd. and arrlyed Ike the du-ky
warriors. Many night trad tOn informs u. the noor
of tIe hallway covered with the sleeping forms O
Indian braves, wrapped In their hinket- aud armed
with hatchet and scapingknlfc The hnnd-ral he
STAIRS hacked with Dooh"s from top to 'otom shld To
be tho work ~ Grants tJmahawk after the Johnson
family expelled from their possessions secret
s To protect tho building from the savages IN thcir
ma audug expeditions. Or. as another version runs
I g uatkz made IN anger BY an lnfurlated cDltI
Who cuIa:cd al some interview WIN the DarOhtt cur
and sla-hrd the rail he strode down the stair
case -
/ could con-ume columns OF your valuable paper
With these Historic "reminiscences, but the length
rhls article has rracAef warns me 70 con
cudc. We lett the hhaho" OF the q" hn'ls
venerable rurlll deeply impressed with our visit, and
tuuss anon lc stn -ular character o. The remarkable
man Nh once was its m1Sier-I mixed dispositions
,,",t md and mart evil; "A compound of nobility Of
mi and ID ser traits lie to have Dccn metcltuly
ken away id.t before the ,lumbvrIug nrcS ot The ReNo
i,,ii,n Eur-f forth 40 man can s1y which cause
in v,uld have espoused had he vod 10 see the ialr
valley Oi nj, stained with Tue booo OF heHhDoIs
J f Lr,trcn HIS son east in hi, lo with the Tory
Sariinn ana was sent with family and followers, eXleS
Ior,yer a"t0Ns tine Canadian tlohtler' "hle MS
,r,nr.iy uos.rs,ons were scattered like cbatf A. d.