New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-18
A NOTED STATEN ISLANDER
DAVID M. sIMoNsoN AND HIS EccEN
TRICITIES
A WEALTHY FARMER WHO WAS CALLED NOON
LIGHT DAN"-HIs FRIENDS AND HIS EN-

A WEALTHY FARMER WHO WAS CALLED NOON
LIGHT DAN,-HIs FRIENDS AND HIS EN-
EMIEs-A sUMPruoUs LIVER AT HOME.
David NJ smonson Staten Islands wealthy
farmer who died at his home In New-Springvle
on Monday Of pneumonia after weeks Illness
was proba bly, the most remarkable character IN
the town of Mortified. IL not indeed. in the whole
county. Eccentric to a remarkable and extreme
degree he was possessed at the same time Of .
| generous nature which was hidden behind an ex-
! terror of penuriousness and roughness which kept
his neighbors and friends at all times In wonder At
| his strange methods of gaining money One OF
| these in early years fixed title upon him which
| will probably follow him to the grave Moonlight
| Dan" 1t was, and as such everybody knew him far
| more than as plain David NJ Simonson.
Mr. Simonson born eighty years ago In the
| old simonson homestead the Old Stone Road
| The estate had been In the family for over 80
| years. and until about eighteen months ago the
| old colonial house. built by his grandfather
and in which he born, was his abode until de-
stroyed by fire Mr. Smonson was one OF family
of eleven children. OF whom survive him. He
was of rather spare build medium height with
gray hair and a c.ean-shaven face that carried In
It's determined lines natural shrewdness.
In early years Mr. Smonson showed his eccen-
tricities He never married and nobody ever heard
OF his having any decided inclination TO women's
company When a middle.aged man he began a
practice of always weighing and delivering his
loads of hay after nishtfall, principally on moon
light nights. His neighbors declare that he did
this TO secree in the load $50 pound coored farm
hand. who was paid for as hay. 1t was this prac-
tce that gave him his nickname OF Moonlight
Dan"
County Board of Assessors. They always dreaded
a visit to his land for he took especial pains to
make life burden for them. He would wait for
days in expectation of their visit When the new
system of assessing land on the ground was put In
practice, Mr.. Smonson met the board at the fence
with a musket OF ancient lineage and pitchfork.
which he threatened to the assessors. The
assessors attempted to force their way upon his
land, but he routed them and they fed before the
cracked musket In confusion. A squad OF police
had to be summoned from West Brighton to pro-
tect the Board. 1t took a halliday 10 make the
assessment, but the assessors were rewarded with
the knowledge OF having discovered several acres
of land which had previously never been on the
tax lists.
Bills and lawyers in Mr.. Smonson's estimation
were almost akin to the assessors enemies.
Neither, he considered, should be paid especially
the lawyers. and woe to the lawyer who lost
case for Moonlight Dan." He always drove
bargain as hard possible. and his practice was
never to pay bill until 1t was sued for The only
exception TO the rule was when he succeeded IN
getting his creditor to knock or considerable
portion of IT, and then the cash was always forth
coming promptly Mr.. Simonson's practice In this
respect involved him In endless litigation, and his
hatred for the legal profession was such that he
seldom employed the same counsel twice. II a
LAWYER lost case in court he not paid. and
his only redress was TO for the amount OF his
bill, which suit promptly defended on the
part OF the debtor by the employment of new
lawyer. The attorney almost without exception
made 1t point to haste" him In the summing
I'D of a case and it always angered HIM to such
thof ha
He recently threatened lawyer In the Supreme
Court with a thrashing II he did not desist. and
the admonions of the judge had less enect than
the pleadings of his lawyer
Twenty years ago ne was regular attendant IN
old ST. Andrews Protestant Episcopal Cnurcn.
Raier What he When the question Of
calling new rector was broacned ne ,. was an sup
aaed q DR. the erce
and the Goddardites won Farmer simo ,se.b lei
two U p Jews whi,h he had rented. but the church
When the County Engineer Henry P, Morrison,
started to build maeadam roadeed "a iroh NO Oh
He asked Mr. slmons9n for portion pointing c out
aany fad Ths one ali Of
it." When the laborers began work he staked out
excavations must end there. on pain OF charge OF
buckshot. The earth he gave away was owned nee by
%hsn destroyed By Are h.
MSa wopd ts s be The secluded
place In which he lived. He spared no expense upon
II. and superntended its construction personally.
Despite his outward meanness and eccentricities,
Mr.. Simonson kind to his servants and friends.
and lived sumptuousy. He a man OF strong
likes and dslikes especially in personal friend
ships. and until he found a man was his match IN
shrewdness he had strong liking for him. ne
lived well, and his wne-cellar was stocked with ed
liquors and wines. whi,h he delighted to give MS
guests, together with sumptuous feasts for wnlcn
he was famous. He always kept on draught
quantity Of ancient cider. which reputed TO be
OF such quality that 1t would lift mortgages from
house in half an hour for anybody who drank OF IT,
Mr. Smonson gave literally to charity, but ne al
ways wanted TO be sure OF the necessity for ms
giving. 1t is related that he reared several orphan
children To his servants he was especially KIND,
and never dismissed II he could help II. HIS
housekeeper lived with him for forty years. and
three farmhands for thirty-six. twenty lone and
his servants and he was inwardy pleased when
they got angry and "sassed" back at him, as ne
expressed II. a..
In politics Mr. Simonson a steadfast
Republican, although he had never been ac-
tive in the ranks. He voted the Republican
never held any public office other than that
of school trustee; He had warm inter
est In anything that furthered the Republican
cause Several years ago he created a good deal OF
amusement at hor given by Republican clue
In the middle Of the entertainment matters dragged
and it looked If the ball would be a failure
Farmer Simonson saw 1t, and during the intermis-
boots danced jiss and "breakdowns" that reused
such SHOUTS that the hall was filed Immediately,
When he finished he sat down quietly, and the ball
turned from falling listless affair into q en-
thusiastic financial success. -
Mr.. simonson was reputed to be worth from $780,