New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-11-30
GAVE TEA TO WASHINGTON
HOUSE-SOON TO BE SOLD
AT AUCTION

Trenton. Nov. % (SpeciaD.-On the Jersey shore
Of the Delaware River, at the place called Wash
ington's Crossing" nine miles above this city.
stands old, weather beaten. hip rooted house.
which Is soon TO be DISPOSED of a partition
sale to settle up estate. The finger OF
local tradition has pointed It out for gen
erations as the Washington used head
quarters in executing his famous passage of the
river. Just 125 years ago. last Christmas. There
seems little doubt of its age. The shingles its
side walls through by the patter Of more
than Ceutury's ralndrops. Its shutters Creak
hinges of hand wrought iron. and within there is a
great central fireplace in which ten could
stand upright Hardwood panels flank the bricks
IN what evidently the taproOm. for the struct-
at one time an inn, and the farmer folk
who live there to-day point out the marks the
huge beams of the ceiling which show where the
bar partitioned Off Winding stairs lead to
the low ceilinged chambers. The present occu-
pants know little nothing of the history the
building. and the is true of the tOwnspeopIe
OF Trenton on recent day visitor over
the place in a somewhat excited frame of mind.
He signed himself in the register kept at the house
in this way:
Henry d. McConkey. son Of Henry V McCon-
key who of John McConkey. who was
son OF William McConkey, the former owner OF
this house when Washington crossed the ferry
Dec. %. 1875 He was little in black-a
leather manufacturer Of Johnstown. n Y.-and
he had small satchel filled with historical docu-
ments In support Of his claim including letters
from his great-aunts Indeed he seemed so gen
timely excited over his visit-the first. he said,
any Of the family to their Revolutionary home
stead-that there was no doubt that he believed
every word of the story he told. 1t included in
cidents of that famous Christmas nlSht not to be
found in the histories and overlooked even by Paul
Leicester Ford in Janice Meredith"
II what he said is true tea played as Important
part in deciding the pivotal battle Of the Revo-
luton as it did in Boston in bringing it on The
story he told agrees with the facts 80 far as his
tory and neighborhood tradition have set them
down. William McCOnkey owned the inn in I776
The place is still popularity known as McCon-
keys Ferry, the name used by Washington Irv-
ing who spelled 1t with k McConkey was a
friend of Washington, according to his descendant
and one OF the men in the barge in which the
led off his hotilla of hayboats and barges amid ice
foes. Washington and his little army had been
forced back across New-Jersey and the Ffessians
under Rahl, were at Trenton waiting for the river
only the rebel army but the Continental Congress
az at Philadeiphla- A bt OF ice and they would end
were DESERVING, and there were mad jeaouses
for which. Washington had been praying to put
Craft from up and down s stream s b6 had
cred on the Pennsylvania shore and concealed i'm
madcap wind and binding snow ON su SntTSS
gay 1 me Deiaware spreads out nat as duck pond,
Natives of the neghborhood say that crossing in
death But it Was done h6ngh was r9Sng with
and down stream failed TO the current and It
own command was on the other side and in line
The only shelter on the Jersey shore was the
McConkey Inn. The story of the nights work vs.
told TO Henry ID. MCCOnkey, a a lad. by his rrarJ
fathers sister. then woman of ninety but IF We
as young Polly McConkey that she took mart in .
scene that was certainly in sharp CONTRAST VIM
the Christmas carousas of the Hessians in the
nearby town To the women of the house hoId-L,s~
mother and sisters-had been nrused the fas Sf
feeding the great IRE and all night long huge logs
snapped and roaTed up the flue. Rum was MOI -
be had for love money, but big Iet+l. -,
swung over the blaze. and IN IL a strong bravr -
tea kept hour after hour and repIenisbaJ -
often necessary. Wearied with their vvnrt- a. a.
the FERRY the men VINO manned the
stagger in from the open where their comrsSas
shivered II was buffeting passage at best beforS
their blunt nosed craft touched the bank and more
often than not they covered from head 70
foot with ice. Their noses were blue, their skin
showed red and raw In the rents of their ragged
uniforms, and their boards were stin win ~
frost Those In the shape had to he tba NJ
out on the floor. History records that two 49,
frozen to death. For the rest with their boOd "Ce
more running warm and Refrigerated with stTonSS
tea. hot from the kettle. they in condition
for the work before them ''
they were recruits from all parts of the colonies
these Coonials. from New Hampshire to ViT.
Elnia and further south General Washington
shared the brunt OF the nights work with his
men. His native courtliness did not forsake hin,
even at such q 3unctures and. ppon being INTRO