New-York tribune., 1906-07-08
STR1TTON'S BIG FARM.
TFestchester Capitalist Quits Light
ing Business to TIL Soil.

- ~,ending years IN the construction and
item of street railway and electric light and
,lspts. F. A. Stratton, OF westchester
s--..+~ - has gone into farming on a large scale,
80 recently purchased three farms. aggre-
80 9as acres, covering large section OF the
-, mart OF the city OF New Rochelle The
- are the largest tract OF undeveloped prop
-. n that city. with the exception Of the lands
.--,ed by the Iselin family. which are held al
-, exclusively for watershed purposes Mr..
s.-s.ton was born IN Cattaraugus County. this
80 and worked on his fathers farm until he
-. fvyenfy-one years Old. He proposes to show
-. farmers Of Westchester County that there Is
:, much money IN farming where the land IS
scientifically cultivated as there is in electricity
OF gas
.Tr STATIONS farms command a magnificent
..v NJ Long Island Sound and form the source
. .bree water supply systems-those OF New
p,cbelle Mount Vernon and Larchmont. The
cv-ns cost about $150.000. and AIr. StTatton Will
snsnd $4,000 more on improvements, to consist
u -nacadan drives, ornamental entrances, artt-
sciaI lakes and gardens. A single drive projected
- him will run from Weaver street TO Wilmot
Road through the centre of the farm, distance
AZ more than a mile.
u The lands included in Mr.. Stratton's purchase
we're originally part Of a grant Of six thousand
acres obtained by Lord Pell from the British
rorernment. This grant covered the entire ter
Sitorv now comprising the city of New Rochelle.
On one Of the farms is a Negro cemetery, estab-
iIshed in 1885 by Quaker named Joseph Car
0enter. The cemetery contains the graves OF
11ssrv a hundred slaves who died in New Ro-
cbelle East Chester and Scarsdale. Mr.. STRAIT
ton is arranging 10 clear of the cemetery and
give The Negroes another burial place IN con-
Ssrfion with one OF the local cemeteries
The deeds Of the lands go back to the time OF
Jacob Lesler, who, with other HuguenOts, fed
from France after the revocation Of the Edict OF
Nantes I.eisler and his followers first settled IN
England. but they soon became so numerous
shat the government commissioned Leisler to
come 10 America and find homes for them.
feisler purchased a large tract of land from
Lord Pell which he named New Rochelle. after
his old home, La Rochelle in France.
Leisler sold the property now owned by Mr..
srar1on 10 Andrew Thauett. who afterward
sold It 10 Bartholomew LeRoux, who built a
house on Il in 1894 A part Of this house which
Is one Of the Oldest in New Rochelle is still
standing on the farm. and is an object Of con-
Siderable interest. It is put together with
wooden pins. and the hinges and knockers on
the doors hand wrought. The rails on the
EtaiTWays are worn as smooth as glass from
constant for more than two hundred years.
In looking through the old attic the other day
Mrs StTatt0n discovered the ancient spinning
wheel which was used by the early 8uguenot
danes who. before the Revolution, were the
aTst women Of New Rochelle
The deed shows that in 100 the property was
conveyed TO another Huguenot family, by the
name Of Bennett Descendants Of the Bonnetts
ere still living in Westchester County, at New
Rochelle and Hastings-on- Hudson. At the
death OF Daniel Bennett the property went TO
John Soulice. who married Bonnett's daughter.
The Soulce family was prominent in New
Rochelle for nearly a century and one Of them a
grandson of John Soullce, was a noted Whig
and held the Office Of Supervisor in 1S48 John
and Daniel Soulice, two other members of the
family, were royalists. and fed TO Nova Scotia
during the Revolution rather than fight against
Great Britain.
Thomas Drake. the last owner Of the prop
eTty inherited il from the Soulice family Mr
Drake Is a great -gTeat-grandson Of Dan
ia Bonnet. who bought the place in 100.
Nj. Stratton is gathering up some Of the relics
about the place. including the spinning wheel,
snd viii probably give them to the New Ro-
thele Public Library or the high school.