The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1895-07-19
HISTORIC NEW CASTLE,
Relies of the Colonial Days Mt the Ancient
Town Reviewed.

At"h hcNtNNcus
writer In a colonial work recently
snii:
Lovers OF fact. more than OF fiction
who can WELD a laclle pen. might here
find much rich material to draw upon.
1t may be a story Of unse'Esh heroism
/. that hangs around the old homestead;
sometimes one OF quaint humor; com.
paratlvely few of them have ever been
distinguished for any brilliant social
event, but from beneath those plain roof
trees have come forth strange men and
women who faithfully performed their
part In the prolonged struggle thut gave
life to and established upon broad founda.
tions this great country. One loves to
walk about them and In ifnnginatlo to
picture the daily life OF the occupants
Where can ono find more interesting
and attractive house than the old Read
mansion In the neiRhborlDg city OF New
Castle? 1t is q fine specimen OF colonial
architecture. Spacious parlors. q wide
hall roomy chambers great Windows and
heavy mahogany doors are come OF It's
distinguishing features.
In this house was dispensed a hospltau-
ty as broad and generous as any ever
found in stute noted for its hospitality
and that same old fashioned hospitality Is
to be found there to day just as charming
as It was when it's first master and mis-.
tress Welcomed their guests beneath that
roof century ago. .-....a
ODe fullb DBlUW NBW thHIle OOmm mdnus
ing fine view Of the river and of Fort
Delaware 10 "Grantham Hail." the former
home Of Colonel Grantham. but better
known us the residence oil the late d. G.
Nivln. This house stands upon high
ground and was an inviting target for
up the river during the revolutionary war
to storm and seizo Philadelphia. The
doorway of this house ls particularly fine.
Fox hunting was favorite pastlme of
Ia. .xH
days. and the story comes down OF
famous meet In Colonel Grantham's time
when over q hundred horeemsn and
hounds collected upon the meadows be.
tween his house and the river for Q days
sport. before entering upon which each
man was invited into the mansion and
served with q tempting sandwich. to
which was added-after tho custom of the
tlmes-R Rlass OF eplrlts. Still farther
down the river ie the old Geramill pro.
perty. This quaint house ante dates the
last one named and was probably con.
temporary with the File house In New
Castle. as 1t was erected by the Swedes,
the first settlers of this part OF the State.
The house Is quite plain. small. lily
planned and inconvenienti ceilings low.
but 1t is substantially built. Probably
the old Swedes expected to find In the nsw
world a climate as Iigorous and unin.
vitng as tho. OF the fatherland. and pre-.
pared accordingly, hoping In their low.
tiny rooms to make thIngs snug and com.
pact In order to keep themselves warm.
The house. no doubt, Will stand for an.
other hundred years.
Near the head OF Delaware bay is an old
place known as the "Hugenot" place, So
called from its original owner. Elias Nau.
dain (originally Naudin) who was an exile
from France during the persecution of the
Hugnencts. He sought refuge in Eng
land and became naturaiized citizen OF
that country. Later he came to America.
purchased a thousand acres OF land and
erected him a home. In the attic OF the
house Is port hole designed for defence
In case of an attack by Indians or other
foes. IL is interesting to note that this
property is etill In the family. There are
several OF those interesting links with the
past to be found near Port Penn and Md
dletown.
When Whitfield travelled from point to
sands entranced by his wonderful elo.
quence he did not neglect to visit the
primitive village OF Christlana and the
very old Presbyterian church located
there. 1t is said that he once preached
there to an audience Of three thousand
persons assembled upon the grassy slope
in front of the church
The parish is very old one and the first
structure WAS q plain wooden one that
stood upon an emlnence. Among its
early elders was an old sea captain-a
man OF great piety, but brusQue OF speech.
1t is related of him that he was wont to
be early at church on the Sabbath day and
during the preliminary services to lead
the prayers In q loud tone Peeping from
the corners OF his keen blue eyes and be-
holding the tardy church member ascend
ing the hill he would pray most ferventIy
"Ob Lord have mercy upon those lazy lie-
abed Christians now coming up the hill."
The mortal remaine OF the old captain
are restlnR In the adjoining church yard;
time has wrought many changes. but his
staunch, enthusiastic PresbyterianIsm
might we'll be emulated by the adherents
OF that faith to-day.
These are only few among the many
old places IN Delaware that have happened
to come under the personal observation
of the writer; thuse OF Wilmington are too
well known to be mentioned here
Houses OF the present day, although
more pretentious with their ornate OK.
terlors are Cheap John affairs com pared
with those erected during the colonial
period. In those days when built OF
stone or brtck the walls were sometimes
three or four feet thick. When wood
alone was employed the tlmbers were of
well.seaeoned hard wood. There was an
old frame house torn down in Newark
few years ago. to give place to a modern
dwelling, The great oaken timbers OF which
that separated the upper and lower story
were found to be just as sound as when
they were placed there century before.
j. W. q