Kansas City daily journal., 1896-12-27
WHERE COOPER WROTE.
'Leatherstocking's"O Old Homea Land
mark of Mamaroneck.

From the New York Tribune.
There are so many historical houses and
Revolutionary landmarks in Westchester
county that the people who dwell among
them, through constant association, have
grown familiar with their memories. In
deed, many of them are prone to overlook
the almost sacred interest with which they
are regarded by the American people IN
general. Only when strangers seek the To-
cations of some of these Revolutionary
ruins do many in Westchester county re-
call with feelings of pride the Importance
of the heritages OF which they are the
guardians. An incident happened last week
In Mamaroneck which recalls the earlier
American writer, j. Fenlmwe Cooper.
The people of the village were startled to
learn that vandals had piIlaged the old De
that a number of the old headstones, which
have been standing nearly century, were
the monument of John Peter De Lancey.
Mr.. De Lancey was one of the earliest HUI
guenot settlers in America. Before coming
army. In the course of the war of inde-
pende1 ce he fled to England, but returned
in l!S9 and spent the remainder of his life
on the old estate on Heathcote hill, near
the village. and Edward De Lancey, who is
a broker in New York city. is offering
reward for the apprehension of the persons
who molested the old family burying
ground.
It was in the latter days of Mr.. De Lam
Marmaroneck. The young novelist's naval
career suddenly ended by an attachment
which sprang up between him and Miss De
Lancey, the captains daughter. They took
long walks along the beautiful shores near
Rye and Mamaroneck. Cooper at this time
was storing his mind with the rich and
the basis for his works. This romantic
courtship ended in happy marriage. The
old house in which their first years of mar
ried life We're spent is still standing on
the Boston post road, and is nestled be-
tween two churches-the Methodist Epis-
copal and the Holy Trinity Catholic both
of which have been built in recent years
The property on which the house stands
was years ago known as the old Guion
ioned gambrel rooted structure, is known to
be 120 years old. 1t has the ideal construc-
tion and arrangement OF the period. Coop
er, after taking possession, named It Clos
ct hall, on account of the size of the
rooms, which We're extremely small. 1t
was here that Cooper, while on a friendly
Jay, near Rye. was told the story upon
which he founded the cool and fearless
character Of the Spy" portion Of the
and Misunderstanding Tales" soon followed
and were written in the meager light which
stole through the small windows of Closet
his work and walk through the woods to
Scarsdale and Elmsford. At Elmsford he
is said the twain would seek the old tavern
and drink a friendly tankard together The
old tavern is still standing, and is about to
be reopened. When Cooper left Mamaro-
neck he removed to the Angevine farm in
Scarsdale, but limited mail facilities and
means of travel soon caused him to remove
to New York city.
The old home was afterwards taken by
Alice Havens, an author of books for chill
dren, who called it The Willows, on ac-
count of the large willow trees which al
most hid 1t from view She died in 1859.
and the place was bought by Samuel VIII
lam Johnston. 1t was remodeled by its new
owner in 1873. Mr.. Johnston died about a
year ago. and since that time 1t has re-
mained unoccupied. The present owner
William Samuel Johnston, who is the cor.
poration counsel for the new village of
his father. The old building is now filled
with cobwebs and dust. 1t is plainly to be
seen by travellers along the Boston post
journey and wonder at the Inspiration the
quiet neighborhood once furnished for
COopers thrilling creations