New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-03-11
THE OLD HARPER Ma NSION.
HISTORY OF A HOUSE on THE HEIGHTS

REMINi SCIENCES RECALLED By RECENT MIDNIGHT
FIRE II BroOKLYS.
One Of the Oldest houses on Brooklyn Heights
was damaged in the recent fire at No los Clark-st-
1t was long the home Of Joseph Wesley Harper, one
OF the orr gnal Harper Brothers, and he built II IN
1884, the year that Brooklyn became city.
Much Of what IS the most thlcky settled
portion Of the city, with scarcely vacant lot
and with many tall apartmenthouscs which con-
tain n dozen dwellings on what was once the site
OF n single house, was then devoted to gardens
and orchards. few villa residences were scat
tered here and there on the streets which had
only recently been laid out through the farms
into which that part Of brooklyn was originally
divided The owners Of these were farmers, who
sent the products Of their land to the market IN
this city.
One Of these houses was that occupied by
Philip Livingston, and which the British troops
used ms hospital in their occupation OF Brook
lyn after the disastrous battle OF Long Island
The soldiers who died there were buried IN the
garden adjoining the house, and their bones were
disintcrred when streets were aftcrward lad ont
and buildings were erected In the Indian IAN
guage the high ground south OF Fulton irrry'
/ with sandy, wave-washcd shore at IT'S i0o,
where rows OF great warehouses now stand, was
known rs IhpetonFa the meaning or when was
/ bioh sandy banks The early Dutch settlers
called the recion Clover IIill from the abundance
/ Of clover growing on the rich farms. When the
/ village Of Brooklyn was incorporated In Isl D.
fhc rrincpal farm owners were MesSrs l1crrcpoh':
| Jackson Hicks. Middagh, Dcbevolsc Ludlow, ana
/ Remsen. whose names are preserved IN ne tlrS
~ the sfrccts o. that part Of the city. lezeluah
| II picrronont had his land laid ont In streets IN
| 1917 which was the year that saw the nam" OF
/ Old Ferrv-st changed to the present fult"n-NO'
/ Win the growth OF the village in the succeeding
rears bcfore II became citv the region south Of
| Fnlton-st. was deemed desirable as place OF
residence and the name Of Brooklyn, or Columbia
/ Heights given TO II.
11vrxG NEAR THE rRFsrvT BRIDGE FVTRANCr.
Mr. Harper had lived for n score or more years
IN Sands st.. opposite the First Methodist Epsco-
nal Church OF which he was OF the leading
members. But his increasing family and the
encroachncnts Of business IN that part OF the
city. led him to look about for place TO build
a new home lie finally selected plot of ground
IN Clarkst. close to Fulton-st., and opposite the
head of Monroe place. The house which ne
built upon II cost over 1000, and II was re-
rarlcd as one Of the finest in tho city at the time
H. was built Of wood and filed In with bricks FOR
warmth ms no other house stood near it. There
| were only three other houses in the street, and
| H. was regarded quite in the country, though
not far from the main street.
The building Is three stories in height and
stands on three lots with frontage OF Sky zee,
The front was set of by a large pialzi the rooi
of which was supported by six Ionic columns. a
large garden on the FultOn-st size, mica VIII
| flowers and Shrubb"fy, ana giving hn WV
appearance 10 the plare In is interior the nous
y,as somewhat unaue. A wide hall ran through
the centre and from the right side OF this th'
staircase assembled This was circular ana RAJ
about the outer wall Of a well. or interior space
ten feet I'm diameter which extended 10 the roo
and was lighted by slgylght -,
The first floor contained two parlors q library
n sitting room. and o diningroom. while on th
second and third floors were no les. rhah 'nlF'.t r
chambers A roomy attic was in The top o. M
house The house was painted white ana al
tract; ge and homelike in appearance: ~ vas com
Portable and pleasant within ana VT Il"iprI ~
bis family Including eight children, enjoyed !
greatly II faced the south. ana IN" roo ms "'r
sunny in winter and cool in summer rs the s4u'l
Wind blew directly upon it through Monroe place
toward which II faced.
FESTIVE OCCASIONS ~ THE HOUSE
MANY interesting and festive occasions wrr
eniovcd in the house, which came TO be call"
.Tbe Uarper Mansion II especially tn
resort Of prominent Mcthodists Bishops and Others
and book publishers. Only one Of Mr.. Harper
obiIdrcn was horn there but the weddings OF "a
bis five daughters were celebrated IN the lIcdsi
narlors Mr.. Harper lived in the house from VI
lime II was built until his dcath III lo'o' an
, Mrs JIarpcr continued 10 make II her nome unl
h aind Il 1877 II was then sold in the dIvlslo
of Tho ,etntc and was bought IN by iWo ~ ~.
daughters Mrs Charles r. l-yndc ana Mrs Law
T. Dodge On the plot adjoining an2'hcr h""'
a had been built for Mrs. Landon thlrd "'nsi' i
and the two dwellings were rented n,a on %nuP ~
, as boarding houses The Harper Mansion !"
cnmmodated thirty boardcrs, some OF whol haTr. 1
Iv ESCAPED with their lives at the 'iihe VI ~
4 recent fire and all Of whom lost thcir p'''o"'
: property.
DOES NE KNOW GARLAND
From me I1tsburG chronicle.