Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-11-12
WHERE BURR WAS MARRIED
An Interesting Historical Spot-W ash
tngtOn's Old Headquarters on the
Farm-Aaron Burr's NIghtR3de to
See the Widow Provost.

tngton's old Headquarters on the
Farm-Aaron Burr's NIghtRide to
See the Widow Provost.
New York SUM-
Col. Aaron Burr wood and won
his bride in Hopperstown. Hotpers-
town was the name that Hohokus
bore in Revolutionary times. By his
marriage he lost the presidency in
1920, as records in existence here
prove.
The old Hoboken and Albany post
road which runs through here was
the only route from New York to Al
bany on the West side of the Hudson
river. In the winter the road on the
east side was abandoned for general
travel, and the one on the west side
used altogether, for the reason that If
was most apt to be opel. Snow block
ed the other road. The Holland
Dutch settled the road thickly enough
to keep it clear Of distractions from
Hoboken gas ffar up as the Ramapo
mountains. The mountains on eth
or side protected the road through the
Ramapo valley.
Col. Burr was the autocrat of the
post road for time. When George
Washington moved from the scene
of the battle of Trenton to Newburgh
on the Hudson, he halted a number OF
times. For seven weeks ne tarried
with his forces two and one half
miles FROM the village of Mahwah,
Which is SIX and one half miles above
HOhokuS. The tents were pitched on
land which is now part Of Mountains
side farm, belonging to Theodore A.
Havemeyer, OF New York. A fence
incloses the old camp ground which
comprises seventy five acres. At the
back of it is Mr.. Havemeyer's nam
moth barn. In the center Of the field
is spreading yellow pine. The tree
is over two hundred years old.
Under this tree was pitched the tent
of the commandment. 1t was the only
official headquarters on the camp
ground. Andrew Hopper, one of the
Holland Dutch settlers, owned all
the country for miles around. and
his house was just on the edge of the
camp. In it Gen. Washington took
up his quarters and there he wrote
al his letters, beginning ''Headquart-
ers. Bergen County" Part of the
Hopper house, as it was designed, is
preserved in the south wing of Mr.
Havemeyer's modern mansion. The
end wall is In plain sight, although
covered with cement to hold it intact.
Before going to Virginia Gen. WASH
ington presented q dinner set to Mr..
Hopper. The set descended to And
rev Hopper Hagerman, a grandson,
who is now living in Mahwah. He
gave it to Hon. Abram S. Hewitt,
who in turn gave it to the Washing-
ton headquarters at Newburgh.
to the narrow, rocky pass afording
the only entrance to the Ramapo val,
ley. When Gen. Washington reach
ed it, bis practiced eye told him that
1t was an important vantage ground
A handful Of men at this point could
keep back an army. To the northeast
Gen. Washington beheld a towering
mountain with a huge, rocky dome
which overlooked every thing. He
clambered to the top of it, and swept
the country with his glass. New
York harbor was revealed to him. He
was able to distinguish the strength
of the British fleet and obtain a val
liable observation. The mountain Is
called the TorHe. Its top is $50 feet
above the post road, and 1,087 feet
above the sea.
The regiment known as Malcom's
was stationed in the Glove to guard
the route to Newburgh. The year
was 1777, and Burr, who had just
been appointed eutenant-colonel,
was left III command of the force.
Earthworks swere thrown up across
the pass. and cannous were mounted
on top of them. Portions of the old
works still remain. Trees are grow
ing on top of them. When tae Erie
railway was built, an opening was
cut through the works for it's track.
Besides being in position to bsaI
back the British if they should at,
tempt to follow Gen. Washington,
Col. Burr performed the duty of Sc
curing from intrusion an important
undertaking. A few miles back in
the mountains were the Sterling iron
mines. They derived their names
from the fact that they were original,
ly opened by Lord Sterling, who OBJ
tanned a grant of an enormous tract of
land under royal letters. The ore was
taken out of the mines for the great
chain which was constructed to stretch
across the Hudson river at West Point
and obstruet the passage Of the British
war ships. Sonae of the old furnaces
where the ore was reduced to iron is
still standing near Sterling lake. IT
was built against the side of a hill.
What is left looks like a stone wall
covered with iron rust. Cannon balls
were cast here, and now and then one
is uncovered.
The links of the chain were fash>
Toned at a forge about eight miles
above the Glove. One of the end walls
of the forge yet remains in an up
right position. Ivy thickly over
grows it. It is short distance above
Lo1illard's Station, and the Erie rail-
ways, tracks run within few feet of
it. The shop was directly on the
bend of the river. There was spy