Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1888-05-30
HOURS WITH MEN AND WOMEN OF THE
REVOLUTION.
rcopyrionted, 1888, By Funk & Waonai

lC0pyTtgflteAt Aooo w rUfat & WUgHOUS,J
On a pleasant day in early March, 1861,
crossed the Hudson River in small boa
with an expert oarsman, from the western
, shore of Tappaan Bay to the mouth of the
Croton River. ] was then on the quest fol
, materials for my "Hudson from the Wilder.
ness to the Sea-" first published in the
! London Art Journal We passed little
suuadrons of thin floating ice on tho way,
and tarried while at Croton (fcrmerly
Teller's) Point, visiting the pretty Italian
where hundrede of tons of luscious grapes
were raised every year. We then rowed
up Croton Bay and passed under the draw
bridge of the Hudson River Railway into
the mouth of the Croton River. We found
the current of the stream very rapid, for
the tide in the Hudson was ebbing.
When nearly abreast the Van Cortlandt
Manor House, the oarsman found it impos-
sible to stem the current any longer, and as
the water was too shallow to bear the boat
to the right bank, as desired, was landed
on the rugged left bank. I climbered up
the aeclivity along the margin of little
brook, cheered by the notes of (to me) the
| first bluebird of the season, perched on a
spray overhead. Following the post-road
that skirted the elevated shore of the stream,
1 reached the ricketty "high bridge
famous "Croton Bridge of Revolutionary
tihes-at near sunset 1t was a pictur-
esque structure, spanning rocky gorge,
Through which the Croton River was run
ming rapidly. Near the bridge l obtained
a charming view of the mouth OF the Croton,
with Dover Kill Island near, the broad
Tappaan Bay and the blue hills in tho dis
tance beyond,
cL1- L. ,ly akaI, nf fta old hrr drra
strolled down the road on the high right
bank of the Croton, as it sloped toward the
Hudson, and reached the Van Cortlandt
Manor House at twilight. AT its entrance
gate I met Colonel Pierre Van Cortlandt,
the proprietor of the estate, and accepted
his cordial invitation to pass the night
under his roof l was kindly welcomed by
Mrs. Van Cortlandt, daughter of tho emil
nent Professor T. Romeyn Beck of AL
bany. The house, yet preserved in its an
cient aspect, is near the shore of what was
once the upper part of the beautiful
Croton Bay, in which vessels of consider
able size often anchored, and which was
also the resort of vast flocks of wild ducks
and shoals of shad. Early in 1S41 heavy
rains and melting SHOWS caused the sweep
ing away of the great Croton Dam, and an
immense volume of water released rushed
riyerward, carrying with it loosened earth
sufficient to half fill Croton Bay and con-
vert much of it into shallow stream.
| The Van Cortlaudt Manor House was
erected at the beginning of the last century
| by John Van COrtlandt, son of Stephen
Van Cortlandt, the first proprietor of the
great domain, whose father, Ol0ff Stevens
| Van Cortlandt, was lineal descendant of
the Dukes of Courland, in Russia. His
of 4La1v n,
emigrated to Holland, whence Orloff came
to New Netherlands in 1880, in the service
of the Dutch West India Company. The
family name was Stevens or Stevenson,
that of Van Cortlandt being only titular.-
The family became allied by marriage, in
time, with the Van Rensselaers, the Schuy
lers, the Bayards, the De Peysters, the
Livingstons, and other leading families in
the province and State.
| The Manor House was built of heavy
stone, and the thick walls of the basement
story were pierced with loopholes for the
use of musketry, iu defence. These still
| remain. The mansion commands, from its
broad piazza in front, an extensive view to
the southwest of Tappaan Bay and the
rugged hills beyond. 1t is sheltered on the
north by high bill covered with sturdy
forest trees.
At the time of my visit there was q
broad lawn at the front, and path led
through the old garden to theancient fe .ry-
house, a building occupied durirg the
Revolution as guard-house. The Baron
de Kalb was stationed there in IT'S, and
in the winter of 1882 detachment f New
York levies, having just returned there
from n scout to Morrisania, were surp ised
at barn near the ferry house by some of
the enemy's cavalry. One of the "Conti-
nentals' was killed the remainder es-
capped on the ice. The broad entrance hall
of the mansion was adorned by the horns
of stately stays, killed on the manor when
wild deer roamed over the domain. The
rooms were enriched with many family
portraits, ancient and modern, and other
works of art and tie library displayed
many precious mementOeS of the colonial
and Revolutionary period, sufficient to hold
the attention of the curious antiquary for
days.
On the morning after my arrival at the
Manor House Mrs. Van Cortlandt invited
me to visit aged twin-sisters living at the
village of Croton, about two miles up the
river. She kindly accompanied me to in
troduce me to the nonagenarians-the
we're over ninety years of age. On the way
we drove into the beautifully situated ceme-
terry of the Van Cortlandt family, on the
summit of hill west of the mansion. 1t
commanded an extensive view of the Hud-
son southwark, with the entire range of the
Palisades from Piermont to Hoboken.
At little west of the cemetery, at the
neck which connects Croton Point with
| the main land, is the site of the old fort or
castle of Kitch-a-aOan (the original name of
the Croton River) was pointed out. It is
said to have been the Oldest Indian fort
south of the Highlands. 1t was built by
the Sachem Croton, and there he gathered
| his parties for hunting or for war. At
| little east of the site of the fort we came to
| Kitcl-a ,can burying ground, in beautiful
nook at the entrance to "Hsunted Hollow"
concerning which old superstitions supplied
many weird stories of early times. The
people believed that they saw in the groves
and glens the forms of the departed red
men whom they called the Walking
sachems of Teller's Point.
| Only one of the twin sisters could be seen
Mrs. Miriam Williams-the other, Mrs.
Eunico McCord, being too feeble in mind
and body to receive visitors. Their maiden
name was Teller, and they had long been
widows. They were descendants of Andrew
Teller, who in 1911 married daughter of
Oloff Stevenson Van Cortlandt, and sister
OF tno IfSL pfOpIlttOI VI IuO Ndu COTllHuQC
Manor. "Teller't Point received its
name from descendant of his who occu-
pied it.
The memory of Mrs. Williams seemed to
be but very little impaired by age, her rec
objections of her childhood and early
womanhood being very vivid. She well
remembered incidents connected with the
encampment of the American army at
Verplanck's Point, in the fall of 1889. She
and her sister were then twelve years of
age She remembered seeing Washington
ride up to the gate in front of their house
one day, with only single attendant, dis
mount and ask her father, who was stand
ing near, for some food, as he had been de-
tained on business below. The twins were
standing at the door as the General entered
the house, and placing his hands on their
heads said
"You look as much alike as two eggs !;
may you have long life."
'srhe wish Of the great man has been
granted" said Mrs. Williams" for we
havs lived long. We were ninety years
old last August. We had very little in the
house at that time wherewith to entertain
isuch guest. My mother could set upon
the little table only some cold ham, fresh
rye-bread, sweet butter, a bit of cheese and
some cold water. We children were peep