The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-07-03
GEN. sCHUYLERs WIFE.
A Colonial Gentlewoma an.

Charming Stories of the Daughter of John
Van Rensselaer,, Whose Generosity Was
Supposed to Have melted Anti-Rent
Struggles.
Chicago Record.)
Catharine Schuyler, the wife of Gen.
Philip Schuyler, was the gentlewoman
of the revolution. All that wealth, Gull
ture, social position and the education of
the time could give were hers. The only
daughter of John Van Rensselaer,, the
patron" of Greenbush, from her earliest
years she had known the possession of
wealth, and the lavish generosity and
hospitality which marked her fathers
home left their impress upon her. In
deed, her father was known as too liberal
a man even to collect the just dues from
his tenants, and kthe anti-rent struggles
which almost convulsed New York in la
ter years were by many traced directly to
the lavish bounty.of the Van Rensselaer,
home, which was disbursed on everyside,
not always wisely nor too we'll But
generous as John Van Rensselaer, was to
those who were dependent upon him, Ibis
beautiful daughter, Catharine, received
far more from him, for all that he had
was hers. She shared in the management
OF his vast estates, was taught to play the
part of the Lady Bountiful, and was the
idol of her father and the favorite in all
the region. She learned to speak fluent.
ly several languages besides her own, and
was accomplished in all the arts of the
finer life. And yet she was never spoiled.
She seemed to give the lie to the current
proverb that wealth robs young people of
power, for all that money could give on
ly increased her strength of character and
generous disposition. Refined, cultured,
and yet strong, she was like piece of
finest steel, which is all the stronger be-
cause it has the highest temper.
1t was only natural that Philip Schuy-
Ter, whose ancestors had dwelt for 100
years nearby at Albany, should be drawn
to this beautiful girl, and when they were
married it seemed to be the union of what
was best and truest in all the region. For
Philip Schuyler was one of the finest
types of the gentleman the rough new
world has yet produced. Wealth he had,
but how he regarded money can be
judged from the fact that by the right of
primogeniture he inherited all the vast
possessions of his father, but he at once
divided his inheritance among his broth
ers and sisters, although legally not one
of them had any claim upon him. His
growing power had already brought him
into prominence, and when the young
officer, with his noble presence, strong
mind and courteous manners, brought
the slender, lovely girl to Albany as his
wife the new home at once became the
center Of all that was best in the quaint
Dutch town. ssF
Philip Schuyler was compelled to go
abroad in 1850, and the beautiful mansion
he was erecting was left uncompleted.
But his wife was equal to the emergency,
and at once assumed the direction of
affairs. Steadily the work went on,
Catherine Schuyler experimenting all
the details, and it was long before the
noble dwelling was completed. As both
husband and wife were of Dutch descent,
the Dutch style predominated in the
quaint building, and when Philip re-
turned it was to find the work done and
his own unexpressed wishes and tastes all
understood and translated in being by his
wife. The old house stood on the corner
of Staten and Washington streets until a
little after 1900. In it Mrs. Schuyler was
hostess to many of the leading officers,
and at one time fourteen captive French
officials were held there on parole. How
thoroughly they appreciated the gentle
ness and kindness of Mrs. Schuyler we
shall learn father on.
Unlike Lucy Knox, Catherine Schuyler
had no social ambitions. Her home, her
children and her friends We're her all.
And perhaps just because she did not
try to push herself into public life she
was the more in demand. The children
came rapidly with her homesbut she never
allowed even her social dutres to interfere
with her duties as q mother There are
two stories recorded, however, which
show that with all her gracious and gem
and promptness when the occasion de-
manded. Near Saratoga Gen. Schuyler
had Il handsome county residence. In
the time of Burgoyne's invasion this was
threatened, and was, as we tknow after
ward burned by the order of the British
general. But when the word came that
ruin threatened it, as her husband was
with the army, she would trust no one to
remove the furniture, which was made
upsof many heirlooms of the families of
both sides, and, ordering her carriage,
started herself for the country place to
supervise the removal.
While she was there her husband sent
her word that he wished all the wheat of
his place to be burned to prevent it from
IL.
With her own hands Mrs. Schuyler set
fire to the standing wheat on her hus-
band S place, and then called upon all his
tenants to follow her example, and the
cloud of smoke that soon came rolling in
showed that her own example was not
without influence.
Philip Schuyler, in spite of his gener-
Gus ways and true heart, had made enc
mics. The New England men were jeal-
GUS Of him, and Gil Gates,the petty little
dandy, was doing all in has power to SUI
persede him. For tine Gen. Gates sue
ceeded, and Schuyler was relieved of his
command, but Indignantly demanding
an Investigation, he was acquitted and
restored. But it was only for a brief
time, as Gates again succeeded, and held
the position which was Schuyler's by ev-
cry right Here the influence Of Cathe-
rine Schuyler came in. With full conf
dence in the ability of her husband, she
added her words of comfort and helped to
hold him steady in the line of duty Ben
edict Arnold, under similar circum-
stances, found no help in the light.
hearted and lighter headed woman who
was his wife in his time of trial, and fell
phi1jD Schuyler turned to hic xvifa and h ia