Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1896-12-25
PRESIDENT CLEVELAND's NEW HOME AT
PRINCETON.


PRESIDENT CLEVELAND's NEW HOME AT
PRINCETON.
duced to bring up her daughters in the
city, and it is probable that the refined
and scholarly atmosphere of the university
town just suited her.
The property in question is part of the
original demonstration estate, which
was one of those large parcels of land so
commonly conveyed to individuals during
colonial days. When Richard Stockton
bought it of william Penn in 1901, it con-
sisted of 5000 acres, and he paid $4,000
for it. But in less than 200 years there
has been such a gradual boom in Prince
ton real estate that for only five acres, in
GLIDING the house, President Cleveland
had to pay nearly as much as was given
for the whole tract in PENIS day.
Richard Stockton died in 1903, leaving
six sons, one of whom, John by name,
was the founder of an illustrious family.
John Stocktons son Richard was great
lawyer, and his son Robert was the fan Gus
commodore of that name. The commo-
dore's sons, too turHrd out to be men of
no common stamp one being the late
Richard Stockton of Princeton another
Attorney General John p. Stockton and
third General Robert +. Stockton of
Trenton.
Nearly all of these famous Stocktons
lived on the estate at some time or other,
and the famous commodore himself built
the house which the president is to occupy.
1t was constructed in 1854 and the COM
mOdore afterward presented it to his
daughter, who had married the Rev Will
liam Dodd, a prominent rector of the Epis-
copal church. From her it passed into the
hands of Colonel sam stockton, her
nephew and a grandson Of the old commO-
dore. He in turn sold it to Mrs. Slidell
the widow of Judge Thomas Slidel of the
supreme court of Louisiana. Mrs. Slidell
bought the property about 20 years ago
and when she lett about month ago for a
trip to Europe she placed the property on
sale That is the history of the property
from William Penn to Grover Cleveland.
In spite of having withstood the rack
and tear of more than 40 years the house
is well preserved and in good repair, for it
was built in solid, substantial style, and
was put up to last out IA century, which 1t
will probably do The walls are of thick
stone blocks, with an outer layer of &C.
ment, harder by this time than stone it
self, and lined to represent the blocks,
walls was adopted some 30 years ago, at
which time it was found that the red .Jer-
sey sandstone needed protection from frost
and rain to make it durable. The cement
is painted whites
There are two stories and half to the
house, and on three sides extend the spa
ciOus verandas the roofs of which are sup
ported by white pillars, which give a CO.
lOnial effect There is not bow window,
nor an oriel nor a tower anywhere about
the structure. The interior arrangement
is as severely simple as the exterior, Step
ping into the pilared front doorway the
visitor finds himself in broad hallway,
which extends clear through to the back
door. The first room on the right is the
library, Immediately behind which is tho
apartment intended for the dining ROOM
On the other side of the hallway there is
but one large room, which Mrs. Cleveland
will doubtless convert into a parlor On
the second floor are five big rooms, and in
the half story above are quarters for the
servants and IA billiard room.
As the house is 80 by 30 feet, it will be
seen that the rooms must be of ample size.
The ceilings on the first and second floor
are about II feet high. In the rear there
is an l. addition, in which are the kitchen
/ anu OlHcr IuOIls NECESSARY 10 lLe uOlneStlC
economy of the house. In each of the
rooms in the main portion of the house
there is an open fireplace, and one of them
has marble mantel handsomely carved.
/ The house is heated by steam.
About 200 feet from the house is the sta
! BILE, in which are stalls for four horses and
room for as many carriages Nearby is a
| little house for coachman and gardener,
and there is Il stone laundry; also a little
| stone house intended to be used for stor-
ing edibles during hot weather
The five acres which surround the house
are dotted here and there with pine and
cedar trees. a hedge of box which can
probably be trimmed into quite respectable
shape runs around two sides of the
! grounds and across the back is picket
iron fence which needs painting. There are
winding walks about which Ruth and
Esther and Marion may run and lots of OPP
portunities for hanging swings and ham
Knocks. Before President Cleveland leaves
the White House his Jersey residence will
probably be thoroughly overhauled and
perhaps remodeled. His summer residence
on Buzzards bay he will keep, for there Is
no fishing anywhere around Princeton, and
fishing is something which Mr.. Cleveland
could not we'll get along without.
S. X. MACDONALD.