New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-23
MORTON'S HOME.
OF HISTORIC RHINEBECK-

Rhfnebeck, ". Y, Dec 22.-l1 ONO o'or e"~' Wv
of hearing foreigners taunt Americans with having no
antiouites. he should visit Rhinebcck / don't mean
that be will hero find ruined castles or moss-grown
abbeys The Oldest Inhabitants may not go ecx
much further than the discovery OF Vinland oy tho
Norsemen to tell OF that cold winter when the huson
froze so deep that the Cinnamon filed their icchouses
from the under side OF It. am not aware that
turtle has ever been found hero with name moro
ancient than Tubal Gains engraved on bis cellar moor
But for all that Rhnebeck wasn't founded yesterday
by n long chalk In fact IT was founded something
more than 200 years ago, and II has 80 impro'eu i0
early advantages that It IS now full OF patrotiD
"reminiscences and places Of historic interest az
belle OF two seasons is of idy5 OF the conservatory
1t was founded by emigrants rom the Paiatiha'e
and they named It for the great river OF the" ia'ne
land But It became thoroughly American town,
and rs legends are mostly connected with the struggles
for American nationality.
The chief street. for example, IS named for Ncharu
Montgomery the hero whose tomb may DO seen III INC
ancient chapel Of St Psups in New-York he was tno
owner Of a great estate here, comprising soino
thousands of acres. He was just building fne new
house when he was summoned to set out on the faai
expedition to Quebec. Before starting he went over
the estate with his wife and planned inc "orh 'n~s
was to be done in his absence The house. the mn
est on all the banks Of the Hudson, would DO hnsneu
before he returned, he thought And IL was put not
for him. for he fell at Quebec. His VIE spent the
carly years Of her widowhood here. She WI Janet
Livingston, a daughter of Robert Livingston and
sister OF Chancellor Livingston. The Montgomery
house IS stfll In existence 1t has been remodeilca
and enlarged and with IT'S spacious grounds Is c3ieo
Grassmere 1t IS now the property OF Lewis H.
Livingston. When Mrs. Montgomery left RhinenecR
she went to the town of Red Hook, on the Hud0oh'
and built there the mansion st known as Montgomery
place While living there she received from Europe
n ouantlty OF locust Seeds with which she planted
considerable area at Montgomery Place. and It Is sam
that all the locu trees In this country owe ther
origin TO that stock. Mrs. Montgomery survived her
husband ffty-three years, and died at Ked hooA III
1923.
Another historic character connected Win hhihe-
beck was the Rev. Freedom Garretson lie was INC
nioneer of the Methodist Episcopal Church In this
mart Of the country It was about the year 17o3 or
1894 that he left his station In Maryland and set OUT
into the wilderness a missionary He made ms ~
on horseback and on foot this place, living on the
country as he travelled Here he stopped and started
campmeetlng-pe perhaps the archetype OF the famous
Sing Sing meetings Of later years. 1t has, Denev'
been Ptlmated by certain worldly scofes thai az mo
ballowed precincts OF Sing 5ing-the camp, not tne
State boarding hOuse-the antique aboriginal custom
known as flirting stin exists. If this Is true' ~o
curious student of history may trace perchance
sentimental thread all the way down from the Kew
Freeborn Garreson of the last century to the Kew
Roanerees Mantext of last season. For this pioneer
of 1904 not only fshed for the souls Of the unre-
generate SONS of Rhnebeck but he captured the heart
OF one of Rhinebecs falrest daughters ms was MISS
Kate Livingston, sister of Mrs. Montgomei'' 'no
attended his meetings and thus they made each ohoi
| acquaintance Her wealth and social ana tainhS
influence were Of great service in the promonon Oh
the interests OF the church in this vicinity. Alter MS
! marriage Mr. Garretson abandoned his Ua'enlns
ministry He settled and built church OF winch
he remained the pastor until his death He LETT put one
child daughter who never was married, Dut oeSo'ca
her LIE and fortune to works OF charity her muse
| was always open with a welcome 10 any Hethoui's
| preacher who might be in town. she was purieD
| with her parents in a vault underneath inc cnuIch
which they built, and which Is stu stanalns Ahe
grove in which the camp meetings were held Is also 10
been seem Just opposite the gates OF MI Mor1oA piaoo
| Fllerslie The old Garetson farm and home are
now known Wldercrot
Anotbep member of the Livingston family here was
edward Livingston. who was Secretary of State aud
Minister to France In the days of Old Hickory. Ihere
IS tablet his memory h the Wau OF lno hOio -o1
| Dutch Church Of which he was member, Out no wac
| buried in the same vault with the Garretsons'
president Madlsons Secretary of War, General Arm
! strong was resident OF Rinebeck Inc ia'e "ini""
| p Astor m,rried his daughter and thus came INTO
possession Of bis estate, now occupied Dy the
! and called Rokeby II IS one Of the nnest places
! Oh the river. o ,,..s
peter r. Livingston once Secretary Of State, lived
! at Rblnebeck and is still well remembered. thiihp
I SCHUYLER a son Of the Revolutionary General aso
| lived here His home is now occupied IN SUMMER ~
George Miller. of New-York, and is much admired ior
| It's beauty. III, - .v
At the southern extremity Of the village one may
see an old decaylng waterwheel. 1t may not DO 'n'
Identical wheel that splred some one TO "riUe "as
atbe min will never grind with the water ina. i
pastp But It's mill will never grind any moro WIN
| arv water past present future. II IS reho VI
the old Beeknan MILL which built long petore the
| Revolution At first it grst MILL Iheh IL was
,r.rsformed into a woolen mill. And about 1901 II
became a paper mill and produced much Oh inc stooA
! -. ,,btch Nev-York newspapers were printed Bui
I'm 1888 IL was destroyed by iie au eAoeR Ia, and
and the stone foundations. Nearby was Tue eat anu
Inher mil established by General Montgomer! DeiVlo
m. Quebec expedition. u was III eot i, =" 80
more than a century, but in 1ooO was pufneu " 'H
| ground, wheel and all , - ,,o,,, rho rnost oh
Vatursllv Mr. Morton's place IS now INC in3st ,pn
carved of an at Rhinebeck IL was puIcnaSou p ii
20 TndiarS I'm 1856 by GerIit Aartsen, Arrie hoosa
and Ian Eltng They were the JOINT Propl,oT1 IL, 90
anu ,,,u ZOO then IL was sold 10 the son-in law Oh
Aarfsen Hendrck Heermance lie leiC IL ~ ND SUI ~
Oh hc In tnrn TO his sOn-ln-law, JacODus NIP
aned IN the Kip family until 1914, when IL was sou
In Mamrlu Livingston Who III urn sou , =, 20 lanes
- 70 LANES Thompson His son SOFA ~ 10 Jdihes
| I%al be IN William b. Platt, ana lie 10 W ,lIaAh
| 49,. ~ New York Mr.. Kelley named IT. EIlcrsae
@ ~, dc II one OF the finest places on the river ITO
g. Increased its sizo nearly thousand acres vi.
| ii. death the place purchased ny us pieSo op.
| h ms ueN' who has greatly 6eauhed IT, aud Is no"
| building a new mansion upo" H.