New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-20

Heights At that time the house was occupied by
Robert Watts and his wife. Lady Mary Alexander
whose father. General Lord Stirling Of the Ameri-
can Army. was then with his comma nder-in-chief
In camp on the heights. According 10 Scharfs
History OF Westminster County General Wash
ington early in October lao. rode over from kings
bridge 10 West Chester village late in the afternoon
and on the 1ith OF that month. accompanied by
the generals Of the army who were at headquar-
ters he visited all the posts beyond Kingsbridge
and the several pa asses and roadways which lea
from Throggs Neck" 1t Is believed that on some
OF these excursions he stayed at the Rose Hill
mansion. There to be good grounds for the
belief because either OF the two roads-the Kings
bridge Road and the Kingsbridge and Williams
bridge road-by which he could go from the
Heights 10 Throggs Neck would lead him within
short distance Of the house. and in view OF the
fact that it was occupied the time by the daugh-
ter Of one of his eutenants. ii seems likely that he
stayed there II is coincidence worth noting that
one Of Lord Strings descendants. the Rev. Henry
Van Rensselaer,. s J.. was until a few years ago
a member OF the faculty of the college. He is no"
attached to St. Francis Xaviers College In West
Sxteenth-st
SLICED OFF FROM FORDHAM MANOR.
There Is much that is interesting in the history OF
Rose HILL however. apart from the association
with General Washington. The existence Of Rose
Eill as a separate manor he traced back 10
1855 when John Archer. to whom Governor Love
lace had granted the manor Of Fordham died sud
denly. His son sold the estate. and that part Of II
which is now known Fordham divided into
several smaller farms One Of these, which in
cluded the college grounds. known as Rose
Hill and into the possession OF the Corsa. or
Corser. family. The exact date Of the erection OF
the old building is not known but II must have
stood there as early as 1872 for IN that year &C.
County" benjamin Fletcher Corsa was born there
The Corsa family is notable chiefly through Andrew
Corsa a grandson OF benjamin Corsa. who served
of he Revolution as
that body known AS the Westminster Guides He
was the youngest Of these patriots. despite the OPP
position of his father captain Isaac Corsa who
a stanch royalist Andrew Corsa died November
Vas lS 6urcbased in i7s at auction by John Watts
and his wife Jane from BENJAMIN Corsa
The manor house not occupied by the corsa
family for many years previous 10 the sale 10 John
Watts They must have lived in 1t In 1872 for in
tween that and llN they vacated H. for It IS re.
corded nat from 100 until ll72 John DE Lan ne of
Rose Hin was burgess or me borough OF West
chester i'm the Assembly. He evidently did not r.
occupied by Robert Watts ana MS VIE Lady Mary
The Watts family was closely connected by mar
afterward Of Rose Hill married Jane De Lancey.
"a sister Of John. Colonel Watts had been APPOINTED
was The last 10 hold that Office From 1871 to 1925
he was Speaker Of the Assembly and aftcrward
History. the first Judge OF the Court Of Common
Pleas in West Chester. serving from 1852 to 1851
VARIOUS TRANSFERS OF THE PROPERTY
The price paid FOR Rose XII when It was knocked
down at auction to Colonel Watts was $3.50 As it
comprised farm Of about hundred acres. the
figure presents striking contrast with the prices
that property In that neighbOrhOod commands now
Colonel Watts afterward transferred II 10 Robert
Watts His SON. Robert Watts. Jr.. sold IT to
Henry Barclay. a nephew of John and James De
Lancey from him I; passed 10 Warren DE Lancey.
and thence through the hands OF several owners TO
Elias Brevoort VINO in 1886 sold IT 10 Horato Shep
ard Mont. OF Kings County Two years later Mr.
MOat built the stone house which is now the CEN
tral building Of the college and In which are the
presidents and other offices and the reception
He moved into the house but year later sold
the entire estate 10 Archbishop Hughes for the
college. For a long time the old house
occupied by Of the professors. but the col
lege and new buildings rose IL devoted
other uses About twenty five years ago It became
the college infirmary and was used as such until
1871 when more suitable quarters were provided.
and the old manor house turned into sleeping
quarters for the servants.