The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-05-04

Presbyterian faith, and more than divide the suf-
frages OF the Dutch Reformed community. In the |
seventy five years which had elapsed since tho |
arrival OF their progenitors. both the Livingston
and De LanceY stocks had been sngularly pro- |
life; but the former had struck deeper root in |
tho soil. through intermarrage with the Eng
lish as we'll as the Dutch element. whereas the |
De Lanceys could not show drop OF English
blood In the second generation. although In the
persons Of James. Oliver. and Peter they
touched at that epoch the apoRee Of thoir influ-
ence. Thus we find the first. Chief Justice and
Lieutenant Governor; the second. member Of
the Council and BrlRadier- General: the third.
member OF the Assembly for Westchester and
married to a daughter Of John Watts another
member Of the Council; while their children
and their sons law are by 17G5 placed every
where in posts OF the highest honor and emolu
ment On the whole. 1t may be said that in the
contention which preceded and ongendered the
Revolution the Livingstons were intrenched in
the landed interest Of the river counties and In
the Presbyterian Church while the De Lanceys,
strong in Long Island. Westchester and Man
haitian Island were backed by all the influence
OF the Anglican Communion and all the pa
tronage OF the Grown. To contemporary OBJ
servers the political principles at stake were
quite obseured by the obvious and ubiquitous
collision Of these two clans. The bearing OF
| their discussions on the questions In dispute
with the British Govern ment Is pointed out. for
instance. in an account OF the Province Of New
York printed In London in 1850. For a long
time" we are told by this anonymous writer
whose personal leaninRs are scarcely disQuise
| two factions baye existed In this province. the
De Lanceys and the Livingstons. On the break
ing out OF the present disturbances the Lv
| inRstons waited TO soc what side the De Lanceys
would take and when that family attached
themselves u Government the LiyinRstons in
stantly Joined the other party"
Who was Mr. Thomas Jones' whose history
written between the years 1883 and 1888 is now
resurrected after lying so long in manuscript;
what was his relation to the De Lancey party.
whose principles and policy he uphods with
the energy and zeal Of a devoted partisan
The author Of this narrative would have been
described in his lifetime as the Hon. Thomas
Jones Of Fort Neck. Queens County Long
Island. graduate OF Yale College. Recorder Of
| the city. and one Of the judges OF the Supreme
Court OF the Province OF New York. His grand
father the ancestor OF the we'll known family Of
Jones and Ployd-Jones was as the name i'm.
plies. originally OF Welsh extraction. but was
born in Ulstor County. Ireland After migra-
tory life he settled at Oyster Bay. whore he mar
ried Rreelove Townsend. and built. in 1896. a
mansion called. from that time until It was
Nlhtu uONn, l4V JtHTb lhteF. Tue BFlek house.
His elder son. David Jones. became a success
full lawyer. was chosen Speaker In 1745. and.
having found means to commend himself to
the controlling faction in colonial politics. was.
in 1853. appointed Justice Of the Supreme
Court OF New York by Lieut. Gov. De Lancey.
when he resigned his seat fifteen years after
ward he was succeeded on the bench by his
son Thomas. the author of this narrative who
had meanwhile fortified himself with the party 10
authority by marrying one OF Gov. De Lancoy +
daughters. BY his WIFE, Judge Thomas Jones
acquired two acres OF land on u height between
the Bowery and the East River which he named
Mount Pitt. in honor of the great commoncr
who became Earl Of Chatham. In the exercise
OF his duty he presided in the last court
held under the king for Westchester County.
at White Plains. in April 1776. and II Is worth
noting that he discharged from custody several
persons arrested for their loyal sentiments by
the Wing Committee OF that district as being
Ruiltless OF any crime against the law OF the
land. This. he tells us. was afterward given az
a reason for inserting his name in the Act OF
Attainder by which his life was declared for
feited and his estate confiscated. Two months
later. he arrested on an order to ." show
cause why he should be considered a friend OF
the American cause. " but was discharged on his
own recognizanoe by Gouverneur Norris About
sixty days afterward. while quietly at home UNI
der this parole he was seized by a body OF ride
men, carried TO New York. and sent the next
J day into Connecticut IA a prisoner to the Amer
lean army. There he was kept by the Con
neetieut authorities until the following Decem-
Der. when. the prospects of American success
being very dark. he was liberated upon
pledge not to act m offensive part against tht
so-caled United States. Thereupon Judge
Jones went back 10 Fort Neck. and there resided
in retirement for some three years. until In
November 1878. he was seized by a party oil
. kidnRppsrs hurried across Long Island. ant
thence carried TO Fairfield Connecticut wher
he was held a hostage for Gen. Silliman. No
3 until April 1880 was the exchange OF thess
} prisoners effected. and year later Judge Jones
finding his health materially impaired. sailed
for Southampton with his wife and niece
Elizabeth Floyd. He expected TO return under
I the stipulations made in favor OF the loyalsti
by the treaty OF peace. but as is wei
known. those articles were absolutely
4 nulliaod In New York by the mainte.
nance OF the Act OF Aualnder and further
I hostile legislation. He remained accordinRl,
r in England. and died without issue in 1892 tn,
estate at Fort Neck having been entailed. ant
! passing. therefore. under the mander claus,
to the male heirs OF his eldest sister who. IL
r conformity with the instrument assumed tht
Z double surname OF Floyd-Jones. Judge Thomas
| Jones seeuls 10 nave Dotn endowed IN no or
} binary degree with penetration. cearness ant
4 vigor Of intellect. united with sanguine
; choleric. and dauntess temperament. These
: qualities are conspicuous in his work. Hii
2 opinions are OF course eavened mora or less
5 with prejudice and moulded by circumstances
but the facts rected by him are. many OF them
j new and strikingly significant. He witnessed
4 the Commencement. the progress aud the fina
/ result Of the American Revolution as It affected
o New York. and he has given us the observa
q tions and comments OF an intelligent eye wit
' ness who was In a position official and social
; TO interpret the events. tho parties. anC
4 the persons he described. Having suffered
in many grieyous ways for his opinions. ht
3 would have been more than man had he MOI
D spoken strongly Yet bitterly as he denouncef
some Of the Wing leaders. and especially somt
OF the Wing trimmers OF the era. he judges
4 quite az sternly the eminent civilians and com.
j manders on his own side. whose double faced
: ness. corruption. and poltroonery he exposes
/ with a scathinR pen. Tho editor is justified IL
averrinR that no fair-minded person can reat