The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1885-11-22

NcmeIery-Ine
Irvins-The Philiipse Manor-The Romance o,
George Washington and NARY phlIIipse
Jumel Msnsion-The Old VIII.
Especial Correspondence OF TuE SUNDAY HERALD,
NEw YORK, Nov. IL, 1855
1t was a beautiful Sunday in carly summer when
leaving the station Of the New York City Northern
Railroad we found ourselves on the summit of
Castle RIDGE on the heights overlooking the village
OF Tarrytown, which here slopes down TO the shore
OF the Hudson, three hundred feet below. The air
was bright and clear; not cloud obscured the sky.
The grass and trees fresh in new robes of grecn the
fragrance OF nowers minglins with the scent OF
new-mown hay, and the peaceful calmness OF the
scene, broken only by the songs OF the birds or the
occasional peang OF the village church-bells-all
consrred 10 make 1t a hacyon day. From our situa-
ton the views up and down the river were fine and
distinct. The Hudson, here called the Tappan Sea,
Is three miles wide. II was always an uncertain part
oil tne river to the early Dutch navlgators. Upon
entering the Tappan Sea, three miles below, they
were wont to commend themselves plously to the
care OF the good st. Nicholas, TO preserve them
selves aud their little vessels from the treacherous
spirits who were In the habit OF playing the mis-
chief with their lives and property by bringing
down sudden squalls and storms upon them. The
Tappan Sea boasts Flying Dutchman In the ghost
OF Rambout Van DAM who, In spite of the entreaies
of his friends TO stop over the Sabbath, started TO
return TO his home down the river late one Saturday
night, swearing that he would get there IL II took
month of Sundays, lie rowed away and WAS never
heard of AFTER but on dark nights the sound Of his
oars may be heard as he pulls down the stream
always rowing, hut never reaching his destlnn,i IN.
and condemned TO do so until the sound OF the last
trumpet,
ON the ridge close to where we stand, is the castle
Of A. s. Hatch, Its turrets and towers standing ont
boldly against the sky. and lending a somewhat for
elgn aspect to the panorama spread ont before us.
Descending the hi-slope, we come to Broaaway,
the principal drive Of Tarrytown "A flne roadway
lined with elegant residences. Near this same
theroughfarc, three miles below, at irvlngton, are
the GUNNER homes OF jay Could Cyrus W. Field,
aud other New York milllonalres. "Sunnysde,''
the quaint cottage of Irving, in which he died, and
supposed to be the original Of woferis Roost, Ia
also at 1rvington 1t s at present occupied by some
OF his relatives.
ON broadway Christ Church, OF which Irving was
trustee and pew-holder, is noteworthy 1t Is a
plain brick structure OF drab color Further down
the street the Irving Memorial Church Is encoun-
tered. Itiswhout steepls, AMI appears to hc Ian
gushing for pecuniary assistance
Proceeding down Broadway, we come TO The m onn.
men, erected to commemorate the capture of the
spy Andre. marble base laid in 1853. with a shaft
surmounted by bronze statue Of Revolutionary so
der, by Donovau-the latter gift Of John Anderson,
added In lss3-the whole reaching height of twenty
eight feet, completes the monument. The base bears
bronze representation of the capture with the in
scripiion
on THIS Sror
MAJOR JOHN ANDRE,
Adjutant General Of the British Army, was Cap.
tured by JOHN PAuLDIHG, DAVID WILLIAMS, and
HISTORY HAS TOLD THE REST.
The People OF Westchester County have erected
Event, as to testify their high Estimation OF that
Integrity and Patriotism which rejecting every
Temptations rescued the United States from most
Imminent Peril by battling the Arts of Spy and the
Plots Of a Traitor.
DEDICATED OCTOBER Ith, 1853.
AT the time Of the capture Andre, in the British
army occupied Manhattan Island, while the Conti-
mental forces were at Peekskil!. All the country
between these two points for thirty-two miles was
debatable ground, open alike to foraging parties of
friend and foe. Tarrytown was the centre of this
ground. The British men-of-war Jay In the river
above watching for chance to slip the closely
guarded pass OF the Highlands near West Point.
This was the way matters stood when Andre, re-
turning from West Point with the proposals OF the
traitor Arnold, was by the three patriots riding
up the hill upon which they stood. He dismounted
to water his horse at little brook which runs below
the present monument, and walked over the brook
to take drink from the spring that yet bubbles up
by the road, when the three men seized him. on
the bronze relief on the monument Andre is shown
as sitting on stump with his boots of, and the men
gazing eagerly at the papers found on him. Andre
acknowledged himself a British oficer, thinking
they were Redcoats, and tried TO brbe them with
money and promises to release him. But they re.
fused his Offers, and took him across the river to
Tappan, In Rockland County, where he was tried,
condemned. and on October g l7so, hung as Spy.
Personally, Andre won the esteem even of his
enemies. His own superior officers In New York
moved heaven and earth to save him. Washington
said OF him. He was more unfortunate than
criminal; an accomplished man and gallant SOL
dier.' Forty-one years after, in 1921. Andres re-
mains were disnterred by order of the Duke of
York aud removed to England, to Westminster
Abbey, where they now repose The capture Of
Andre was one of the most important events OF the
Revolution.
Down a hill TO the left of the monument we an.
proach the bridge the Pocantco. celebrated by
Irving In his story OF the Headless Horseman in the
"Legend of Sleepy Hollow II was at this bridge
that the superstitous Yankee schoolmaster Ichabod
Crane, returning home late from Van Tassells party
after being chased from the spot where Andre was
captured, was assaled by the demon horseman ere
he disappeared But the bridge OF the Pocantico
proved no impeachment TO the I" Headless Hessian y
when chasing the terror-stricken schoolmaster, as
did the Brig O'Doon to "Cutty-Sark" and her heish
legion when in pursuit Of Tam O'Shanter. For Just
as Tchabod thought himself safe and sound over the
bridge the decaptated horseman, rising In his stir
rups lifted his arms and hurled his head at the poor
pcdagogue, knocking him senseess on his horse,
and disappearing like whrlwind. broken pun.
kin was found next morning, hut the schoolmaster
was never seen In that vicinity again.
Close by, within Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, is the
old Dutch church built in 1899 by Frederick Phil
lipse and Catharine Van Portlandt, his WIFE, 1t Is
probably to-day the Oldest church In the State OF
New York. The building ia of stone, but Is not
much used now, except for short time In summer,
or occasionally for funeral services. Tradition has
1t that the foundations of this church were begun
before the mill-dam formerly close by the str cam
before mentioned but that the latter being necessary
to obtain water to run the mill 1t was decided by the
proprietor to build 1t at once and let the church
main In stdtu quo for the time being. But the Fates
were against 1t! Three times the dam was COM
pleted, and each time destroyed At last, in despair
Phlllipse was about to give 1t up, when old negro
belonging to him dreamed that the spirits were
angry because the church was not finished first.
Old Phillipse took the hint the church was COM
pleted, and there was no further trouble, the dam
was not disturbed after the fourth attempt. This
Frederick PhillIpse was the richest man In the
American Colonies at that time. lie was a slave.
trader In Africa and pirate on the Mediterranean
Sea- Having become wealthy by his gotten gains
he became member OF the Episcopal Church, and
trled 10 onset MS former record by doing good This
was the origin Of the little church.
The older part OF Sleepy Hollow Cemetery Is
around he.chuTch. The church Ia not, as might
be inferred from the name. in Sleepy Hollow. That
celebrated spot lies over high hill to The east. Be-
yOnd this another hill lowered above the Hollow to
such height that the sunlight was prevented from
reaching 1t before O'Clock In the morning. Conse
quently the people OF the Hollow were not early
risers-whence the name.
Up the HILL near where the old cemetery ends and
the new one begins, is the grave Of Irving. It lies
within plot thirty by nIty feet, facing south to-
ward the Hudson. The spot was selected by Irving.
1t Ii inclosed by neat iron railing, almost hidden
by well-trimmed hedge. -Four trees and bush OF
immortelles shade the graves. Irving Is laid next
his mother. All the tombsones, with one exception
are plain upright marble slabs. ON his tombstone
Is the inscription;
WASHINGTON IRVING,
Born
APRIL Q, 1883,
Died
Nov. 2s, 1859.
This Is the second stone, the nrst having been so
much mutilated by relicseekers that another was
found necessary. Thepresent stone bears the marks
OF yandals, the edges being all Clipped away.
Irving was born In the city OF New York, and
while a babe his Scotch nurse followed Gen. Wash.
ington into Broadway shop, and, holding up the
child to him, sad: "May 1t please your Eycelency
here's BARN that's named after YET" Whereupon
Washington, placing his hand upon the boys head
al