The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-08-22
THREE HISTORIC HOMES.
The Country Mansions OF Hamilton.
Burr and Audubon.
The Romance OF Upper New York-old bat
tie.Fields and Ruined Forts Within
the City Limits
New York World. ]

the advantages of home. OF the thousands
who at this season fee from the city to the
mountains or the seaside, or across the ocean
TO the old cities of Europe, to many sre the
beauties, the historic memories hidden among
the hills of their own island beyond the
northern limit of the Park IS 8 closed book
( How many of those even who YEARLY clinch
the steep rocks on the summit of which
stands the OLD stone fort Just inside the
northwestern edge of the Park have heard
of McGowsn's Pass, though little less than
three-fourths of century have passed since
the ground they tread figured under that
name as sn important part in the strategic
position chosen for defense against invasion
! in the war of 1872 o! the chain of fortif-
cations that extended then across
the Bloomingdale Heights, relicc in
part of revolutionary battlei, the
old fort itself was the last link
and the key. Fairly in the heart of the cor
porate city on Manhattan Island there are
solitudes seldom trcdden by the feet OF man
INSOFAR ably connected with the fame and
deeds of the father OF his country and his
| little band who here strove with the foreign
| foe for freedom and home.
| Along the old Hserlem lane let the trsv-
eler speed his horse past Manhstt.nville and
the convent grounds, leaving bshing him to
the westward Claremont, Lord Courtenay's
country-seat, where Joseph Bonsparte lived
after the English lord had left it upon the
outbreak of the war in 1872; over the smooth
road now called St. Nicholas avenue to the
wooded heights that rise on the left beyond
One Hundred and Fortieth street. Hidden
there behind the foliage on the hill stands sn
ample mansion, square and with bread piaz-
zas, the recent paint on which i'll hides the
ravsges of time. Alexander Hamilton bailt
/ it for his home, and from the south door he
| went forth over the fields on that fata. M orn-
ing to find death at Aaron Burr's pistol on
the Weehswken rock, where six months be-
1 fore his son had been shot in duel
with George Escker. The entrance
| TO the grounds is on Ninth Avenue,
near One Hundred and Forty-fft street, and
the warning against tresspassing has no ter.
ror for the inquiring visitor. House and
grounds are much SIS the great statesman left
them.
Yonder, on the edge of corn field, is the
conservatory Hamilton built, and here at the
southeast corner of the house. the thirteen
black and gum ssplings he planned in a
| grove TO represent the thirteen States of the
Union. Saplings no longer, they rear their
stately Crowns high above the rooftree Of the
homestead. Some are straight and shspely,
others twisted in clear, crooked shapes, but
all live. A new fence has been erected about
them and some effort to preserve the proper
ty from utter decay is observable, but its age
shows and there is that in the very solitude
of the spot and the sound of her near blasts
that pressges the coming doom.
BURR's HOME.
Not so with the home of Aaron Burr, who
slew its owner. Less than three quarters of
q mile to the northwsrd it stands, between the
Avenue and the EdicOmb road, tall and
handsome, among weli-kept lawns, with
massive pillars supporting the balcony,
whence seven counties can be seen and
whence Aaron Burr's eyes, in his infrm old
age, might stray across the silvery Hudson
TO the spot where he shot to death his own
ambition and honor with the bright hops of
his country. In ali the land there is no
| grander view than from this spot, and no
building that possesses greater historical in
terest. Vsriously known as the Roger Nor
ris house and the Jumel or Burr mansion
from its successive owners this is the "Morfis
house" from which General Washington's
during the campaign on Manhattan
Island in September, 1776, were written.
OF the love story of Washington with
Mary Phillipse and how his dsshing
young comrade-at-Rrms stole a march
upon him ard won the girl, who hiss not
beard2 This is the house Mary Phillipse
brought her husband with 500 scres as her
dover, and here they lived happily for twen-
ty years before the army of the once rival
and lover drove them into exile, enemies of
the national cause. AID oil painting Of the
beautiful Mary Philippe is yet preserved at
the house-an arch and smiling maiden in
the quaint costume of her day.
Here in this spacious room, the very wall
paper of which is of q forgotten day, yet
bright and clean, Washington held his con-
ellis of war; Here it was that he dictated q
despatch to Colonel Burr when the door
opened 10 admit band of Indian chiefs who
had come TO do homage after their own
fashion to "the great warrior of his people"
Their hidden appearance frightened the
young colonel, but no movement of surprise
escaped his general, who preserved his com.
posure throughout the singular scene. The
room above was mis- sleeping-room, and from
tie platform on the roof he witnessed in 8
towering rage that is said to have w:ung
from him s wrathful oath the rout and flight
OF his militia troops Wneu LAo DIlslsA haoo
landing on the island Of Kips Bay Few
days later his bosom swelled with pride as
he watched from this same point their man
full stand in the battle OF Gross heys that
first revived the sinking courage of his troops.
Over these hills yonder they chased the
Britishers to the Bloemingdale Heights,
where Colonel Knowlton fell. In Ninth
avenue just below One Hundred and Forty
third street, opposite the Hamilton house,
they buried him. The fields are fairly soWn
with the relics of battle. Cannon-balls are
turned up by the spade in every lot, with
spurs, bayonets and military sccoutrements
of sll kinds.
The Jumel house has other curious relic;
besides these. Stephen Jumel was a friend
of Napoleon the Great in his adversely,
though the refuge he offered him here was
refused. The trunk in which the great En-
peror carried his war maps to Russia and
the simple bedstead he slept in a. st. Cloud
stand in the parlor. The trunk looks like y
section of q cannon. The weird Expresses
in the garden were sent by the Sultan OF
Egypt to Napoleon as 8 present, and were
found by Jumel on Paris dock after his
fall, uncared for and unclaimed. The gres.
brass chandelier in Wsshington's room hung
| IN Cor aral Moreau's house when he lived in