Smyrna times., 1884-09-03
Old Belmont Hall.
THE MANSION IN WHICH THE FIRST
DELAWARE LEGISLATURE MET.

A short distance from Smyrna, on
the Dover road, stands Belmont Hall,
which, apart from its interesting his
tory, is in the most beautiful spot in
the State of Delaware. The house
still wears the imprint of its antiquity,
its modern architec-
tural decorations. The harmonious
of the old and new is also to
be found in the garden, which is
quaint and irresistible bit of fairy land.
The hall was built in 1876 by the father
of Governor Thomas Collins, the bricks
used in it's construction being brought
over from England, as were also the
door knockers and hinges, on which
can still be seen the English stamp. 1t |
was here that Governor Collins was
reared, the only executive power in
the State at that time being the Com
mittee of Safety, of which Thomas
Collins was a member. He was sub
sequently elevated to the Office of
executive of the State, and also made
commander-in-chi of the State Mill
tia, organizing and maintaining at his
own expense a brigade during the
Revolutionary struggle. He died
March 30, 1889, aged fifty-nine years.
The house remained i'll the family
G., hrr
DR.. William Collins to John Cloke,
gentleman of means and cul-
ture, who resided in it until
his death. 1t is now owned by his
daughter, the widow of the late J.
Howard Peterson, whose grandfather,
Ebenezer Cloke during the war for in
dependence, fitted out a privateer to
cruise against the British. Unfor-
tunately, a bad pilot ran him aground.
He was caught and consigned to the
hold of an English prisOn-ship, where
he languished and died.
HOMELESS LAWMAKERS.
After Delaware was made q State in
1875, and the State fathers were duly
deputized by their constituency to
make wise laws, they gathered at
Dover for that purpose. The present
capitol was then only county seat,
but bOasted of courthouse. Through
the kindness of the court officers the
, temple of justice was thrown open for
the lawmakers to meet in and start
the political machinery. Whether the
beligerent sheriff of the county, John
Clayton, was slighted when the legis
lative punch was handed around, the
dusty Delaware records do not hint
but they do declare that the sheriff be
, came offended at the condition o
things, and, on the allegation that th'
lawmakers had not complied with thu
agreement, ordered them to vacate
5 All argument with the irate count,
;, magistrate proved useless. With
Il sword in his hand and danger snappinl
> in his eye, the sheriff elected tn
{ fathers of the State from their onl
domicile. The Representatives wer
= rather in a predicament. and the new
y ly made Constitution would probabl
= have been without habitation had no
Mr.. Thomas Collins, from Kent COun
= ty, invited the Legislative body to Bel
mont Hall, which is mentioned as Z"
great house near Duck Greek CrOS
: Roads," Within the walls of the oil
= mansion, and some twelve miles frOl
John Clayton and his wicked swOrC
e the law making went on withOU
further interference. This sad exp
rience hastened an appropriation for
- State House.
- On the porch of Belmont there al
"a now standing two old-fashioned ar
- chairs, the scars of time charitabl
:, covered by coat of red paint, and
:. was in these two chairs, among other
:. that the Conscript Fathers rested wht
: Belmont Hall was the Capitol of Del
: ware. For long time these heirloom
y, laid in the attic of the residence of NJ
= Penrose Collins, of Philadelphia, WI
=, is a great-grandson of the Governor.
A CHASTITY REMINDER.
ng During the war, when Belmont Hs
lily was garrisoned because the Britt
in were getting too close for individu
tn, comfort, General Collins stationed
,or sentinel on the roof, which had be
his rallied off as an observatory. The sen
mel was shot down by a British scOl
q and in trying to reach the room belC
Der left the stains of his life's blood on t
di- stairs. These marks remained on t
asp steps for nearly century. Just p
Id vious to the Centennial, the prese
ber owner, not liking the horrible sugg
the tions made by seeing human bic
5: spots, had them obliterated. In
us room where the soldier died, and
A which it has always been impossible
to get colOred servants to sleep, tn
or hung for a long time an autograph
ugh ter of General Washington, in VIII
liar he orders General Collins to rep
/ of with his brigade at MorristOwn for S
h a vice. This valuable autograph '
ort- lost in the burning of neighb
ezy, house, to whom the letter had b
S of loaned.
,ras PATRIOTIC PAsTINIE.
Yes. In the dining-room is preserved
me individuality of the Old-time frepls
If in front of which the Governor WI
sub- his messages and planned campai
four with his staff officers. The patr
send gathered here during the struggle
and no information was trusted un
.hev vouched for at Belmont, where the
, old tenders compared notes nightly be
it in the blazing logs, while the ger
ould patriots of other households Y
pve speculating on the latest war N
I see and knitting and spinning. The
and ernor's family and Elizabeth Coo
one. near neighbor and q relative of
lend ernor Collins and also the gr
mother of Mrs. c. L. Peterson,
p the present owner, who always came
n his when the General went away
# ear slzirinish, would sit before the
S face Portable fire and mOuld bullets fOI