Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-04-30
THE SCHUYLER MANSION.
historical Relic 81 tnc 1as, c.nt,,,

THE SCHUYLER MANSION.
Historical Relic of tho LGs3 Century.
At the close of sultry day in August q
lew years over century ago Gen. Philip
Schuyler sat at the portals of the old home
stead on Clinton street, surrounded by his
family. The country was still in a state
OF siege and unrest. AS dusk grew on
servant, approaching him, stated that a
stranger at the back gate wished to speak
to him. Three of the guards attendant
upon the general were asleep in the house,
while three others were in the garden.
Having been forewarned of ruse to effect
his capture, the general hastily bolted
doors and windows and collected the fami-
ly IN an upper room. Before he had fairly
time to establish defense behind his own
walls the yards about the mansion swarmed
with the attacking party, whom scrutiny
discovered to be force of tories and In
dams, under the leadership of the notori-
Gus John Walter Myer. To warn the SEN
tries in the garden, and also the town. Gen.
Schuyler fired pistol from the window.
The Indians then burst in at the doors.
AS the third daughter of the general was
escaping with babe in her arms one of
the attacking party asked her where was
her master. With rare presence of mind
she replied that he had gone to alarm the
town. The tories were by this time plumb
ering the house of the plate and other val
uables, when the general threw open win
dow and In loud voice called out: "Come
on, my brave fellows, surround the house
and secure the Williams who are plundering
me-" The marauders made a precipitate
retreat, carrying away large quantities of
the plate and the three guards who were
in the house with them. They made their
way to Baliston by daylight, and with their
booty returned to Canada. Gen. Schuyler
always believed that his little piece of
strategy saved his life. The old mansion
was built in 1850 by Mrs. Schuyler, during
| the absence of Gen. Schuyler in England.
1t is of brick, sixty feet front by forty-fve
deep, is two stories with basement in
height, surmounted by dormer windows
! end balustrade extending around the en-
tire roof, and has closed octagonal porch
or vestibule in front. 1t faces the east
and is located on an elevated plat of
ground, about twenty-five feet above the
level of the street. In front is an old
brown-stone stoop with quaint iron rail
lngs and brass ornaments. The hall is
wide and on either side are spacious
rooms, the principal ones being 20x25 feet
square, and II feet IL height. In the rear,
on the left, is the private room of Gen.
Schuyler, which is connected with retir-
ing-room. The woodwork remains as it
was put in when the house was erected.
Paneled wainscoting of unique design ex-
tends on all sides of the rooms and halls;
| and also paneled woodwork is placed over
| the principal doors and covers chimney
breasts over the mantelpieces. Cornices
of wood, deliberately finished, surround the
ceilings. In the dining-room are shelves
supported by beautifully carved brackets.
which were probably imported from Eng
! land. The grand staircase, from the main
| saloon to the second story, is marvel of
| beauty. The balusters are exquisitely
carvsd, surmounted by an elegant mahog-
any rail. On the upper side of the rail,
about eighteen inches from the newell at
the foot of the staircase, is an indentation
of about two inches in length. This is the
mark of the tomahawk hurled at the head
of the infant being protected by her sister.
the third daughter of the general, from a
savage monster on the occasion already
described. The rooms on the second floor
are similar to those of the first floor.
These rooms were occupied by Washing
ton, Burgoyne, and other celebrities, who
we're guests at this hospitable home. The
orchard still contains some of the veteran
plum and pear trees which the general i'm
ported. Tradition has it that the mansion
remained in possession Of the heirs of
Gen. Schuyler for several years after his
death, when it was sold to John Wood
worth and others. In 1915 Solomon and
Henry @. Southwick bought the premises,
and soon after sold them to John Bryan,
In 1918 Bryan gave bond and mortgage
on the property for $4,000 to Isaac Ogden,
OF Montreal. In 1916 Ezekiel c. Mcintosh,
as assignee of Isaac Ogden, deceased, pur-
chased the place at sale in foreclosure
for the amount of the mortgage, and he
afterward occupied it. John Tracey leased
the premises in October, 1858, and in 1859
purchased the life interest of Mrs. McIn-
tosh, who had become the wife of express
ident Fillmore, and since that time the
house has been occupied by the family of
Mr.. Tracey, except for brief period, when
1t was rented. Two notable marriages
took place under its historic rafteFs, that
of Alexander Hamilton, the first secretary
of the United States treasury, to Elizabeth
Schuyler: second daughter of the general,
on Dec. Il, 1880, and that of the widow of
the widow of Ezekiel G. Mcintosh to ex-
President Fillmore, some years later.
| During the Revolutionary period many
| distinguished guests we're handsomely en-
tertained within its walls, among whom
were Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Chase,
| and Charles Carroll, who visited here in
April, 1776, while en- route to Canada to
endeavor to persuade the Canadians to en-
ter the union of colonies and to organize a
republican form of government. During
1777 Horatio Gates, Burgoyne, and Riede-
sci were here entertained. Off and on
many times Gen. Lafayette was Hospitality
received, as were also Baron Steuben.
Aaron Burr, Count de Rochambeau, and
many others of note.
Urn Burial Ia England
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