New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-05-06
TWO QUAINT LANDMARKS.

TIMOTHY DE ICHT PORTER.
Tvo old landmarks. which have been Tor years
familiar TO residents on Murray Hiu wiz oi''pps'.
within the next fortnight. lhey are u" t'
wooden houses standing back from the S'Is'. !" ,'
Ior0e LOT Of ground at LeXingon-aye. ana lhuS
seventhst Monday they were vacated ny tneH
oecrrouts who have lived there for fifteen years.
and the work Of destruction was begun AT "nVo.
Drown-stoDe fronts have gradually crepl mp arouuu
them until they appeared like relics Oh n iofs''Vo"
age and soon their place in turn VIII pe Sa SUI,
dered TO tho conventional brown-stone ai'" o'i'N
For nearly thirty years the house on 'he s'.'" -
been occupied by DR.. Timothy l'wlShI io'V0'' "
1873 he executed deed conveying sfniH ~ oI'i''
10 Yale College on condition that the college, "S-
snmed certain liabilities and paid his daughter an
anpnity. This transfer was to take effect AZ ue
fxnrafion Of three years-March r. 1851 ~
,eeus rs II the doctor had calculated the pioDaDie
length of his life for just three months before inc
time nj which he must leave his old homeS-Dseeila,
her ~ lSs0-lIe suceumbed TO the eiisc's ol 20
of PARALYSIS Yale College has sold the property 70
a bnilder who will AT once change the picturesque
appearance Of this corner 10 the ih0hVtohS Va Inv
surrounding buildings.
vJg,sS THE HOUSES WERE BUILT
II WIS about 1904 that these houses. with, after
ward. a third to the north, we're erected by Joruan
Wright and Francis Thompson, Englisnheh anu
shipbuiIders. members Of firm then well known III
the city Despite the changes which ensuing yeaiS
have brought il can still be seen that tese house'
were apparently patterned after the dwelling Oh
substantial English farmer or country squire
Though built of wood, the glimpses Oh nids'i'o
beams in the corners and the heavy rai'ers ~ Wv
seen I'm the attlcs show that the houses Woulo
sa.iir i;ye ont fine century and more. they are
two stories and half IN height, WIN nieu oas,
ments entered underneath 'hs VOWEL , oaS side Of
these high stOops, aording pleasant &C
on summer evening. while overhead Ile IU? ~? Va
the p0rtico forms a little balcony. heavy non-
bonnd shutter of solid panks attached to every
window suggest that the houses were pIcPa'vu; ~
stand siege. AT each end are quaint oiiei WIN
o"ES MIL the nos5ed brass handle of the heavy
front door the visitor finds himself IN loity spa
cious hall running through from east 70 west "h u
oneninC 10 fine west on ano her high porch once e
main entrance. From the lower nan pfGau st-it
way with AN old-fashioned baustrade ana a rooInS
,anding half way up leads to the large hall on the
second hOcr In both houses the high ana any
rooms are nearly square Brass handles anu 5 5
1eAect the visitor as he passes through te n3oFs-
In some rooms the huge open trepiaces are sun IeI.
yawnnc cayerns guarded by jambs OF stone SarNVesn
into grooves and scrolls Inc ARG room as # forSerly
used by DIR. Porter ana MS DIo'beI AHe"u0i0 S
schOolroOm.
oLD-FAsmoNED INTERIORS.
Rich as both these weatherbeaten old structures
arr in odd bits of furniture and mementoes OF
mast generation. il is TO the house on the SOUTH
where DIR. Porter himself lived almost hermits
life for wears that the greater interest attaches In
Che hall hangs large painting which came into the
possession of Theodore W. Porter many years ago.
Like all old paintings Of unknown origin the name
of a great master has been attached TO IT, and It's
former owner cherished II as one OF Rubenss
works Ii is called The Confluence OF Sciplo'
and depicts that doughty but how-legged hero
struek all of q heap" by the charms OF captured
Cartbacinian maiden whom he finally sends PACK
nnbarned 10 her weeping parents. The certain
poIuts of merit in the picture and the age which
probsbl belongs 10 il render II AZ least an interest
10 Stu1V The rooms the left OF tins hall were
unOccnpied during Or. Porters lifetime. opening
one Of the heavy shutters, the hght sIea,n'lS ~
falls upon an odd little piano, about the SIZE OF an
ordipsry double desk. with tiny carved legs not
more than two or three inches IN diameter. ms
ancient instrument rs on caStOrs ana can nc easily
pushed about with one hand Near 10y are some
solid mahogany tables and queer old desk That
Dr Porter kent stuffed with papers. For one char
acterisc Of the doctor WAS his inability To ever de
stroy scrap ct papct LeueIs I Nv i.aid
were gathered up by the lnshel. lie possst s,a
eoyuolete a e Of TaE TRIBCNE from It's beginning up
70 FateIing the rooms across the hall which have
heen in constant use, the faces OF some famous
scholars look placidy down from The walls me
pale intellectual countcnance OF JoGath,n I'd
wards, DR. POIteTs greatgIah1la'heI, WIN P"TH
dcred hair and scholastic bands; appears near the
more ruddy and jOvial face OF Dr. Porters uhcle'
Timothy Dwight, once president f ale Colrse'
Their, are pictures of DE- PoTters parents Jonathan
Edw,,rds Porter and Della Dwight both grand
children of Jonathan Edwards, and uther memorials
OF the woolseys and Yorers A"n 'See pen
the two side rooms Is massive mahogany uooI'
showing like the others brass handles ANA plates
mahogany table with huge square legs terDiinat-
ing in brass claws attracts attention IN the 'front.'
room as well as two severely upright and down
right chairs with oak frames, against the lcrpen-
AHA Inks of which Jonathan Edwards once
sought To rest his spine. OF has sOn-lh-Aw. the
father Of Aaron Burr, there Is memento III the
shane of a ring bearing his name. Some less asceilc
ancestor has handed down gorgeous satlh waist
coat embroidered with hIilliant flowers and pos
and scopccs old tables chairs and chests
OF drawersD delightful 10 the soul Of trc a-brac
lover aud two immense stoves. apparently built Ia
s,ories showing celoui,ales Of funnels. art among
fhe curioSifes Astounding Ia thls old house DutInE
the at part at os ssf' h 81 P ihe Windows in he
honss The high paling around the grounds and The
trees in front secured privacy; Few repairs were
porter who never practssed medicine because he
,ould nnt hear the sight Of blood and who had been
for wears teacher and tntor' hnaliy gave up an
business save the care Of his property ana liyed
comparatively lonely life among his rapidly ac-
cumulating papers ana books.
SCENES OF SIXTY YEARS AGO.
The auiet and even desoiatiOn that settled down
over the house were in striking contrast 20 the
scenes that prevailed there sixty years ago. Then
the bluA. genial shipbuilder, Thompson. occupied
one house, his partner Wright, another. and young
Tbompsop. who married Wrights daughter third
honse 10 the north, kong since destroyed. Their
land stretched down the side of Murray HI almost
10 tlc river The houses fr0nted the east, aud sit
cling on the porch their owneTs could hook mp aud
down the East River, over the green fields Of
Rlarl,yeirs Island and Hunters Point without n
hint of convicts or oil works. Rare Old box walks
ran from the front doors down 90 Ebert St, Were
1iird-avc now =, dividing The beds OF ieees anu
dahas hy the lines Of glossy green. Behind the
houses stage-coaelies occasionally th"ndered up
and down over the old Post road OF King
hishwava new IeKington-zve. These places we're
then known as country seats" and friends from
this city often devoted a day 10 driving ont into
TIE country and visiting the 1lIonPspns or
Wrights. If tradition be true, generous hospitality