Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-09-17
CLEvELANDs GRANDMOTHER.
Something About his Family on the
Maternal Side.


Maternal Side.
In various papers there have been ac-
counts of Gov. Cleveland's paternal
ancestry, says the Springfield Republican,
but none Of the maternal, which, to this
part of the country, should be especially
interesting. At the foot of Mount TekOa
is large, twO-story dwelling known as
the FalIey house. Richard FaIley, the
prOgenitOr of the Falley families, native
Of the Isle of Guernsey, came here
with the early settlers of New England
and built the mansion still standing.
though so often remOdeled that the present
building on the original foundation could
not be recognized by the builder. Pass
ing up the Montgomery road, on the right
of the house is a deep rocky ravine. through
which, until the town of Westfield with
a sacrilegiOus hand diverted it from its
natural bed, there ran one of the purest
of mountain streams. On a spot near the
present reservoirs Richard Falley, pre-
viOus to the revolution, built a gun fac
tory, and, safely hid from British spies,
assisted by his sons Russell and Richard,
did good service to their cOuntrymen in
the manufacture of muskets.
Richard Falley was the father of seven
boys and three girls; the second of these
girls, Margaret Falley, became the wife
Of William Cleveland, Ruth Falley of
Samuel Allen, and Louisa Falley of Me-
dad Fowler, whom old inhabitants recall
as a resident of Westfield, living at the
east end OF Silver street. Among her
children was Margaret, who became the
wife Of Deacon J. III. w. Atkins, who
lived and died in the old Fowler house. on
Silver street. The youngest of her family.
Louisa, was the wife of Alvin Fowler and
still lives on Fowler street, and she and
her brother in the West are the only sur
yiving members of their generation.
When the site of the present Methodist
church was chosen another old land
mark fell under the march of modern i'm
prOvement. Westtield people recall the
old DR.. Holland house, which stood for SO
many years on the south side of the gFeen
and was known to the previous genera
tiOn as the Atwater house. Probably the
present generation are not aware that this
house was built and for many years Oc-
cUpied by the Falley family, and here it
is supposed that Margaret FalleY, the
grandmother OF Grover Cleveland, was
born, spent her early days, and was mar
Tied TO William Cleveland, then removing
from Westtield to Norwich. Conn. Some
of the FaIley family are buried in the old
cemetery and others in the cemetery on
Mount TekOa.
Westheld has not only been the home of
the immediate ancestors of Grover Cleve-
land. but is still the home of his blood
relations, Mrs. Alvin Fowler being his
own cousin. At quite a recent date the
Mount TekOa homestead of Richard Fal-
ley was visited by fifteen or twenty of his
descendants, one Of them an influential
gentleman in business circles of New
York city. whose elegant home is in Con-
necticut, where reside several others OF
the party, all eager to take their part in
electing their kinsman President Of the
United States. The party rolled along
the shady ways to the foot of the noun
tain, and rested under the two
large maple trees in front of the
house. They were most kindly
escorted about by Mr.. WillistOn, whose
family are the present occupants; they
examined the old stone walls, stood on
the huge stone steps where Russell, Rich
ard, Ruth, Margaret, and Louisa may
have eaten their bread and mOlasses or
hOminy and milk, climbed to the immense
fiat rock where they danced, and to the
sunni it Of Mount TekOa, the lookout f T
British spies; admired the remarkably
fine plum, peach, pear, and apple or
chards, first set out by Richard Falley,
and searched for the exact location of the
gun factory. but dense woods and changed
watercOuTse made the search not entirely
successful