Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1895-03-21
STILL STANDING.
The House In Which Warrington
Wrote His Farewell Address.

ton, and almost every city, town and
hamlet has, or claims to have, a land
mark of which its inhabitants are very
proud and delight to point out to Wis
itors. AS in many other parts of the
country, however, some of these monu-
mcnts, which should have the greatest
claim on the American people from a
historical point Of view, have been neg
lected, apparently forgotten and al
lowed to go to decay and ruin. One of
these is the old Bcrrian house at Rocky
Hill. It was in this house that Wash
ington resided for many months, and
among other acts wrote his farewell
address to the continental army. The
house, says the New York Tribune, is
an old-fashioncd structure, with large,
square rooms and low ceilings to re-
tain the heat from the hickory and
oak logs burned in the big, open fire.
places. At the time that Gen. Wash
ington occupied the house it was the
homestead of the family of Judge John
Bcrrian, one of the oldest families in the
state, which ut that time owned vast
tracts of land, obtained by grants from
tho crown. Judge Bcrrian, when the
clash came, remained loyal to the
American cause, and his house became
n refuge for Gen. Washington on moro
than one occasion. The old Bcrriau
mansion IS located about quarter of 4
mile from the villa~1, on steep bluff
overlooking the I'LL tone river. The
little village of Rocky Hill is about six
miles from Princeton as the crow flies
Off the old post roaI and located in
among the denscly woolcd hills of
| Somerset county it. was unknown to
! CORVALLIS or his sol licrs. 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 aftcrwarl returned at
different periods t. Rocky Hill during
the progress of the war, butt longest
time he resided in the Bcrrian house
J was from juno. 11~3, to the following
| November. This was i.l5t after con-
| gress had adj 'urn lat Trenton to meet
| at Princeton il -. old college build
ings, and here Warrington was sum-
Inoned to meet them. Accompanied by
Mrs. Washington and part of his mil
itary family, Washington took up his
residence in the old iicrrian house. The
general and his staff rode daily over
the seven miles of road to Princeton,
where congress was in session. Gen.
Washington evidently found life OK
ceedingly rcstful and pleasant in the
Berrian house, and found time to in
dulge in the simple social rccrcations
of the nciThborhood. Among the poo
ple no w. WV" WIG ~" fo-1i1,, Of
John Van Aorn, a wealthy farmer,
with whom was staying at the time the
| inf In f.
ter, in his "reminiscences of Washing
ton, mentions the agreeable surprise
among the people over the pleasant
scsscd liking for social pleasures AMI
could appreciate q joke by laughing ;:j
heartily as other men. 1t was supposed
that Washington WAS always serious
and grave.
Gen. Washington and Mrs. Washing
ton were still living in the Bcrrian
house on November ?, 1888. and while
there the general wrote his farewell
ndl~,s to the little army of patriots
. Washington left Rocky I'LL at the end
OF November and went to Ncwburg &c
prepare for his triumphant entry will,
his army into New York. 1t is prob
able that he never returned to the oil
Bcrrian house on Rocky Hill, although,
he left behind him many interesting
"reminiscences of his prolonged stay
.'!rvr.
= .",rt fifteen year, ago the land and
',i' were purchased by David ii
, ant, wealthy miller in the village
...;cr it was sold 10 Martin A. Howell
IF lew Brunswick, n. J. Mr.. uowcl
la2dc many necessary repairs to tht
3 oil Bcrrian house, but by the rcmova
Q of tho great two-story vcranda in from
y OF it, which was supported, as wcr'
:. those of most colonial houses of pre-
tensions, by large, round pillars, i
: lost It's characteristic picturcsqucness
J. The architectural beauty of the OLE
colonial style Of house, with its com
Q Portable, hospitablc look, has been en-
tircly lost and the house looks to-da,
like many other farmhouscs, built TO
NC only. 1t is now occupied b,
, 1IichnCl Fines n bose uliarrvmnn nnt