River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1894-08-02
1T STILL STANDS.
The House in Which Washington Wrote
His Farewell Address.

The House in Which Washington Wrote
His Farewell Address.
The little state of New Jersey. as
every schoolboy knows, was the scene
IF many stirring events during the
evolution, and almost every city.
town and hamlet has. or claims to
have. landmark of which its inhabit-
ants are very proud ard delight To
point out to visitors. As in many other
parts of the country, however, some of
these monuments, which should have
the greatest claims on the American
people from historical point of view,
have been neglected, apparently for
gotten and allowed to go TO decay and
ruin.
One of these Is the old Berrian house.
at Rocky Hill. II was in this house
that Washington resided for many
months, and among other acts wrote
his farewell address To the Continental
army. The house is an old-fashioned
structure, with large, square rooms
and low ceilings To retain the heat
from the hickory and oak logs burned
in the big, open fireplaces. At the time
that Gen. Washington occupied the
house it was the homestead of the fam
lily of Judge John Berrian, one of the
oldest families in the state, which at
that time owned vast tracts of land, oh
tanned by grants from the crown.
Judge Berrian, when the clash came,
remained loyal to the American cause,
and his house became the refuge for
Gen. Washington ON more than one oc-
casion.
The old Berrian mansion is located
about a quarter of a mile from the VIII
lage. on a steep bluff overlooking the
Milestone river. The little village Of
Rocky Hill is about six miles from
Princeton as the crow flies. OF the old
post road and located in among the
densely-wooded hills of Somerset coun-
ty, it was known to the CORVALLIS er
his soldiers, and after the battles of
Trenton and Princeton was just the
place for Washington and his handful
of continentals TO retire to for rest and
refuge.
Washington afterward returned at
| different periods to Rocky Hill during
the progress of the war. but the long
est time he resided in the Berrian house
was from June, 1888, to the following
| November. This was just after con-
gress adjourned at Trenton to meet
at Princeton in the old college
/ buildings. and here Washington was
/ summoned tomeet them. Accompanied
1 by Mrs. Washington and part of his
military family, Washington took up
/ his residence IN the old IBerrian house.
! The general and his staff rode daily
over the seven miles of road to Prince
/ ton. where congress was in session.
Gen. Washington evidently found life
exceedingly restful and pleasant in the
| Berrian house, and found time to in
dulge in the simple social recrcations
/ of the neighborhood. Among the peo-
pie he called upon was the family of
John Van Horn, a wealthy farmer,
with whom was staying at that time
| the noted painter. Dunlap. The latter,
I in his "reminiscences Of Washington,
mentions the agreeable surprise among
the people over the pleasant discovery
/ that the general possessed liking fer
social pleasures and could appreciate
joke by laughing as heartily as other
men. 1t was supposed that Washing
ton was always serious and grave.
Gen. Washington and Mrs Washing
ton were still living in the Berrian
house on November ,. 1888. and while
there the general wrote his farewell
address to the little army of patriots.
/ Washington left Rocky Hin at the end
of November and went to Newburg to
prepare for his triumphant entry with
his army into New York. 1t is proba-
BILE that he never returned to the old
Berrian house on Rocky Hill. although
he left behind him many interesting
"reminiscences of his prolonged stay
there.
About fifteen years ago the land and
house was purchased by David ii.
Mount. wealthy miller in the village.
Later it was sold TO Martin A. Howell,
of New Brunswick, n. J.. Mr..
Howell made many necessary re-
pairs to the old Berrian house,
but by the removal of the great two
story veranda in front of it. which was
supported, as were those of most colo
NAL houses of pretensions, by large
round pillars, it lost its characteristic
picturcsqueness. TheB architectural
beauty of the old colonial style OF
house. with its comfortable. hospitable
look, has been entirely lost, and the
house looks to-day like many other
| farmhouses, built for use only. 1t is
now occupied by Michael Hines, boss
quarryman, and his family They re-
we're the memory of Washington even
more than others that have lived in the
house since he occupied it, and delight
to show visitors through tn. Y. Tri-
| bune.