Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-11-12

She was charming woman, and
hermitage was visited by all the beaus.
British as well as American officers
were guests at different times. Such
social gayety did not prevail any,
where else in this region. The Wild,
ow Prevost's name was Theodosia Pre-
vost. Her husband was Capt. Fred
erick Provost Of the British navy. He
died In the West Indies.
Col. Burr came down from Suffern's
Glove to a social event at the Hermi-
tage, and was presented to the widow
He became an admirer of her at once,
and the more he saw of her the more
he liked her. Il is known that Burr
might have formed an alliance with a
powerful family, but he threw aside
this opportunity to woo the widow.
She charmed all she came in contact
with. James Monroe began a letter
to her, MY Dear Little Friend" and
Judge William Patterson, with whom
Burr began his law studies. in letter
to the latter he spoke of her as "a good
gentlewoman."
The Hohokus creek courses through
a ravlne at the termination of which
was the clust6Ir of houses called Hop
pertown. On the north side OF the
creek lived man named Hopper,
from whom the place received its
name. This house is still standing.
The wooden part, consisting of story
and a half, rests on high stone walls.
A piazza extends along the front and
is reached by broad steps. On the OPP
posite side of the creek was the Zabris-
k1e house This was a tavern. The
British encamped at Hackensack
heard that HoppertOwn was strong
hold Of patriots and came up to de-
stroy it. Word of their coming was
received. There was a young Ameri
can officer sick in the Zabriskie house.
Three young ladies, who were bellies
In the nelghborhood, undertook to
save him. When the British were
coming up the road they bore with
their OWE hands feather bed from
the ZAbrishie house to the Hopper
house across the creek. Behind it
was the American officer, who ia that
way was conducted to place of safety.
The Zabrlskie house, being a tavern
and public place, was burned, but
the rest of the place was spared. Col
Burr was informed of the invasion
Down from the Glove he clattered at
the head of troop, anxious to display
his valor before the Widow Provost.
The British had started back from
Hackensack. He pursued them, but
no engagement took place, although
when almost in their stronghold q
few shots were exchanged.
The year 1879 found Col. Burr in
command of the Winchester lines,
with headquarters at White Plains,
eight miles east of the Hudson river.
One dark night he detailed six trusty
troopers to have ready at Sunnyside
(afterward the home of Washington
Irving a large barge, full of blankets
end skins. At s o'clock he left his
camp and galloped to the river. He
led bis horse into the barge, threw it,
and bound it. The barge was pulled
to the west shore, where Col. Burr re-
leased his horse, threw himself on it's
back, and spurred it thirteen miles
through the darkness to the homo of
the fair widow. He reached the Herm-
itage at midnight, remaining until 2
in the morning when he started back
as he came. The entire distance was
beset with danger, but Col. Burr
made the trip once. if not twice, more
July 3. 1882, Col. Burr took the
Widow Provost to be his wife. The
nuptials were celebrated in the Para
mus Git was then spelled Pyramus)
church, two miles from Hopperstown,
in the valley. The church was stone
affair, octagonal in form. The steeple
ran up from the center of the roof, and
the pulpit was in the center of the
church. There were no pews in the
meeting house. The people had chairs,
the ownership Of which they deter~
mined by having their names written
on them. When there was preaching
the congregation all pulled up close
around the pulpit and listened to what
the dominic had to say. There was
preaching in Pyramus in 1926, but
the church ia which Col. Burr was
married was not built until 1885. For
time the church was used by the
British as a prison in which to keep
colonial captives. The present edi-
fee, a square stone structure. was
butt in 1900 and renodeled in 1872.
In the churchyard are graves so old
that no idea of the time of burial can
be obtained by any records or signs in
existence. For the first burialS there
were no inscriptions to tell who re-
posed in the yard. Flat stones picked
up In the fields were used to mark the
graves. Subsequently the names and
ages were carved On the stones.
When Col. Burr went to Albany to
practise law he took his wife, the
whilom Widow Provost, with him.
When his political fame was increas-
ing, it was recalled that he had mar
ried the widow of a British officer.
The feeling against the British was so
intense that this fact alone destroyed
his political chances.