Birmingham age-herald., 1894-08-09
A HISTORIC HOUSE.
MOUNT PLEASANT, ONCE THE HOME
 OF BENEDICT ARNOLD.

1t Was Built by ohm McPherson of CIunie,
 Who Was Himself an Interesting Man.
 Little of the Domestic Story of Arnold.
 The House Now Belongs to Philadelphia.
 Mount Pleasant, the home at one time of Benedict Arnold, is one of the few his. toro mansions in Fairmount park, Phil adelphia, and through some strange fatu- ity 1t has not been allowed either to fall into hopeless decay or to have such radical modern improvements made to it as effec- tually to obliterate it's old time quaintness and simplicity of architecture.
 John McPherson of the McPhersons of Clunie was the builder of Mount Pleas. ant. This fearless Seotchman was a mighty fighter in his day. He commanded the privateer ship Britannia in 1757, when war was raging with France, and, al- though cut all to pieces in terrific en- gagement with 36 gun French cruiser in 1758, 70 of his crew being killed or wounded, and 270 shot inbedded in the larboard side of his vessel, he managed to bring her into Jamaica and so back to Philadelphia, where she was repaired and renamed.
 This seems to have been the first and last of his reverses, for during the follow ing years of 1759 and 1760 and the first part of 1761 he played havoc with the French commercial marine and secured prizes worth $16o, 900. The scenes of his operations were the West Indies near Mar unique, and from there down to Laguayra.
 On the strength of this prize money the clansman retired from sea life. In 1761 he bought from Benjamin Miff1in 31 acres on ,,A .1C Nf AI0 CnhF lyA niV nYN- posite Belmont He afterward added 4S acres more and built thereon a substan- tial stone house. The detached buildings on each side of the main house were used for kitchens, etc. McPherson called the spot "Clunie." John Adams, who visited him and took dinner at the house in 1775, said that the had the most elegant coun. try seat in Pennsylvania, clever wife and two pretty daughters.
 John McPherson made various efforts to secure command in the continental army, but without success. His son, John McPherson, entered the service early in the Revolution and fell under General Montgomery in the assault upon Quebec. The other son, William, held commis- sion under Sir Henry Clinton, but sur rendered it as soon as hostilities were de- iclared and became brigadier general of the Pennsylvania militia, "McPherson's Blues.
 After the death of his son John the old gentleman made up his mind to part with "Clunie." The property, which now con- sisted of 12O acres, and which cost $70, 900, was offered for $100, GOO, including some mineral rights. Not finding any imme. diate purchaser, the mansion was leased until 1779 to Don Juan de Merailles, the Spanish ambassador to the United States In 1779 Benedict Arnold bought the prop erty and made it over as wedding pres ent to his wife, Miss Peggy Shipper. Ar hold at this time held no public office His birth had been obscure, and his early education very defective MT, Edward Shippen, the father, never fancied Ar hold, according to some authorities, al- though his letters are neutral but the daughter seems to have fully returned Ar holds love- She was the beautiful Mar geret Shippen, one of the ladies of the ''Mis chianza" in whose honor the Brit ish officers of the Philadelphia army of occupation tilted. Among the partici- pants in one of these carnivals was Cap tain John Andre
 From letter written by Edward Ship pen to his father at this time-1778-it seems that the fashionable requirements of his daughter were running his yearly expenses up to $20, 900.
 On Feb 3, 1779, the charges to the con- tinental congress against Arnold were made public, rehecting on his character as an officer and gentleman, but the prep arations for his marriage went on in spite of this contretemps. In March, 1779, he borrowed money from a member of the French nobility and purchased the Me- Pherson estate and settled it on himself for life with reversion after death to his wife and children. It looked like a rich dover, but there had been very large en- cumbrance placed upon the property by its first owner, and this, when it was sold out later by the sheriff, cut Mrs. Arnold of without penny. Arnold and Miss Shippen were married on April of the same year. She was Arnold's second wife, so that Peggy Shippen became step- mother to some grownup children.
 After his marriage, except when attend ing the court martial, Arnold lived main. ly for 14 months at his estate, Mount Pleasant. He was also part of the time in his Philadelphia house. In July, 1780 he left for West Point for whose command he had made application. During this time his child, Edward Shippen Arnold, ! was born Mother and child both went with him to West Point when he assumed 1 command. General Arnold now fell into great financial straits and made applica- l tion to the French king. through Le Che 1 valier de Luzerne, ostensibly for loan, but actually for grant of money. This l was in 17SO M. de Marbois, the secre- l tary of Luzerne, represented to- Arnold l that the service requested was of such a l character as to degrade them both and de- l clined the desired loan.
 Failing in this plan, Arnold began his l reasonable negotiations with the officers 1 of the British army. Major Andre was ! one of Arnold's correspondents. Some writers accuse Mrs. Arnold of complicity l in the treacherous correspondence, and oth- 1 CTS defend her against these charges. As