Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1890-07-18
AN HISTORIC MANSION.
Destruction by fire OF n House Famed
New York History.

Destruction by fire OF u House Famed la
New York History.
An interesting old mansion was de-
stroycd by ile in this town recently. a
mansion whose history dates back be-
You'd the revolutionary war. 10 the
present generation Ii was known rs the
Watson Webb house." from the name
II Its owner in the early part OF the
present century. Although the old
mansion was the scene OF many merry
making in colonial days and saw many
u bloody ARRAY in the revolutionary war.
bein. ON debatable ground when the
british were trying to cut their way
through to New York from Lake Cham
plain and Saratoga. and, although Cen
oral Lafayette was sheltered under its
oof il Is, perhaps. best remembered as
Inc spot where the verses were written
beginning:
Twas the night before Christians, when al
through the house
Not tr,aturo was siirrin:, not even u
mou-e. 8
IL was IN 1904 when Kiliaen lIogc-
boom left Amsterdam TO take possession
Of tract OF land eight miles square,
now including Clavcrack, three milos
rom the Hudson river and to the east OF
he city Of Hudson. 1t was purchased
from Chancellor lexington. kiliaen
Hogeboom's son Jacobus began building
the old mansion in ~. II had gcner-
aus halls and biz rooms and had front
rye OF sixty-thrce feet, along which ran
u capacious porch. Over the porch
rlambered all Ivy, which, as years rolled
by, struck its roots deeper and wider in
10 the soil, and extended its shade over
portico and mansion. The interior was
inishcd in the highest style OF Dutch
Lrt. The iiroplaccs were tiles illustra.
ting scriptural subjects. and were brought
from Amsterdam. The manLcls were Of
wood and were quantity and curiously
carved, and mural paintings served for
u picture gallery. 1t is said that the
furniture and expensive bric-a-brac
brought from tho old country made the
mansion one OF the most delightfu
places to be seen at that time In the
Hudson river valley, and that Dutch
hospitality made the spot famous for
GOOD living up and down the river
II was during the revolutionary war
that the house was most famous for its
hospitality Thcproperty had descended
TO General Samuel Webb, an officer in The
Continental army. General Webb had
married the granddaughter OF Jacobus
liogeboom. IL was when Lafayette was on
visit TO General Webb that Lafayette
etched on window pane with his dla-
mond ring his name and the date OF his
,isit.
A later generation found the old place
In tho possession OF Bonjamin Moore,
who had married into the IIogeboom
family. and Mt his death 1t became the
joiut property OF his seven daughters
and two sons. and from them it descend
ed 10 the present owners. Henry James
md the heirs OF tho late Augustn,
Thinning. lIoatio q. Adams also has
life interest in the property. his vile
being one ot Mr.. Mcorc's daughters. II
vas when chm, nj Moore. y son Of Ben
amin Moore. WAS young man that he
I wrote "'iwas ih~ nisht before Christ
uas. ~ lUverark t,iorj n. y. Sun.
y An .mpccun;cus 1cir uanic yonn.
man, who las became brOil.cf hydro,
/ to yr,.n h,iiessrs, calls then, 'lli
.ttlc sisters Of ile roor.'- T.rIc naut.
.yprcsy