The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1880-09-16
Joseph B~onaparte.

taking MS uUle lIOuu VIC NAME "
his estates in France. 1t was in 1916
that he bought the property about Dor
dentown, n. j., one tract OF which is
now known as Bonaparte Park. Evil
IDENTIFY he came to this country with fua
rockets. 1t is within the memory OF
living witnesses how he made the money
fly during his fifteen or sixteen years
residence at Bordentown-the elegance
of his furniture and surroundings, the
abundance of costly wines, the splendor
of the ~banquets he was constantly CIV
ing to distinguished personases, his line
~euuipages, his magnificent collection OF
costly pictures and statuary, the extern
sive improvements he made to his lands
and the large retinue Of servants he al
WAYS kept on hand in addition to the
extensive force of laborers he had con-
stantly employed on his grounds.
The park alone contained about n
thousand acres, and, in addition to this
he had ten farms, all in the Immediate
n~eighborhood of Bordentown. tie had
a number Of fine yachts and pleasure
boats that always lay at anchor out on
the Delaware, Immediately underneath
the bluff that marks the terminus OF the
north side of the park. Not content
with his nearness to the river. he had a
large and beautiful lake made IN the
lower end of his park, where in Sum
mer there was always on hand anulnoer
of small pleasure boats. In the WINTER
when the lake would freeze over, he
would throw his gates open and invite
the II folks of Bordentown to come
in and skate. When the sport would be
at its height Joseph and his family
would ccnie down and amuse themselves
by looking OF. A f~avorite pastlme OF
the ex-king on these occasions would oe
to roll n and coins down On the
ice and watch the skaters scamper !or
them. :a
For a long time the only immediate
member OF Joseph Bonapartes family
who was with him in his exile was ms
dauchter. Princess Zenaide, who married
her cousin, Charles Bonaparte, a son
Iucien. A residence for this dauger
and her husband was built on the DDS
end of the park, some hundr,Gself.
from the residence of Josepheft BY
It is still standing as it wph's sec
them. After several years and sister
ond daughter Joined her faieen Julia,
in America. His wiferal times she
did, however. Join him from
undertook to set or living, but i'll
Italy, where she vented, the physi-
health invariably against it. Joseph
cans counsellngr man with the people
was a most pot the Winter his house
OF all classes thronged with guests.
was aIwa' were many of the most
among then in the country of that
Promine;y, Webster, Calhoun, Benton
Jay y other shining lights in the po-
anu 0 armament were entertained by
i'lGG king at his Bordentown home at
I-erent times. Henry Clay left a cane
..ere, which is in the possession of one
Of the old inhabitants of Bordentown
TO this day. Nor was it only among the
statesmen and wise men of the country
Joseph Bonaparte found his companions.
He was intimate with many of the old
families up in New Jersey, as well as
with Stephen Girard, and all the people
of prominence in Philadelphia Before
taking possession of his Bordentown
property Joseph had resided in Philadel-
phia, in a house on the west side of
Ninth street, between Spruce and Locust.
Afterward, with his daughter and her
husband, he occupied one Of Stephen
Girard's houses, on the site Of which
Bingham House now stands. 1t was
here the Princess Zenaide's first child
was born.
An amusing incident is related Of
Joseph and Stephen Girard. Joseph
expressed a desire to purchase the
ground between Eleventh and Twelfth
and Chestnut and Market streets, owned
by Ste 2hen Girard and as yet unoccu-
pied by buildings At a dinner gwen
by Girard to the ex-king one day,
Joseph preached the subject, and offered
to pay Girard any fair price he would
ask. "What will you givef SAID Cir
ard. '1Il tell you," said Joseph 81
will cover the block from Eleventh to
Twelfth and from Chestnut to Market
streets will silver half dollars !" eyes,
Monsieur lie Count" said Giraro, after a
moments reflection, 'if you will stand
them up edgeways-" The bargain was
pot o,oooI |