The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1906-03-31
Historic House Which Once
Sheltered the Father Of
His Country Now to Go
By Auction
LANDMARK or PAssAIC co.
"REMINISCENCES OF THE OLD
HOME WHICH COVER OVER A
CENTURY OF HISTORY.

At Peakness, Passaic County. New
jersey, within two miles of the City Of
Paterson, stands a building about which
cluster many Revolutionary associations
which for some reason seems to have
been overlooked by the people interested
in preserving the relics of the most in
teresting portion of the country's history.
Bloomsbury Manor was the residence
of the famous Dey family for many
years. The land was part of an immense
tract which one Thomas Hart of Enfield,
in the County of Middlesex, England,
bought from the Indians. The deed,
which is on record in the Bergen County
Clerks office. commences :-
ITO all Christian people to whome
this present instrument shall come or
may in anywise concern, Wee Papajecop
Commander or Saechom of the Indians
inhabitants part of what the English call
the north part of the Jerseys. Masseton-
wap, Matchack. Sapon, Mamiriscoc. Ra-
pigheomom, Aronioco, Wagolssoin with
others our friends and relations sen great
ting
The deed ends as follows
I'm Testimony Whereof, Wee ye said
Indians, owners of natives Proprietors as
aforesaid have hereunto sett our hands
and scales in New York the third day of
September. in the thirteenth year Of the
Reigne of our Sovereign Lady Ann by
the Grace of God Qf Great Britain,
France and Ireland Queen, Defender of
the faithe &c, and in the year Seven
teenth hundred and fourteen according to
Christian acctt.'
On October 8. 1717. the heirs of Thorn-
as Hart conveyed tract Of six hundred
acres to Dirrick Dey. On this, Dirrick
Tor Dirck) Dey built the Bloomsbury
Manor in 1T4O, and it stands to-day in
practically the same condition as when
finished It was considered the finest
and most beautiful dwelling in New Jer-
sey, and its present condition is tribute
to the skill of its builder, both for con-
struction and artistic sense.
In 1880 the Manor was owned and oe-
cupied by Colonel Theunis Dey. son Of
Dirck Dey. and in that year it had the
Washington. on several occasions, and
his Headquarters in this house at Freak
ness tho main body of his army was en-
camped along the Totowa Heights, near
the Great Falls Of the Passaic; Colonel
Moyland's Pennsylvania Dragons occu-
pying the advance position at Little Falls
ON the opposite side of the river Lafay-
etty had his headquarters at the resi-
dence of Samuel Van Saun, about mile
from the Dey House This was in the
month Of July. 1880.
From October 8 to November p, 1880,
the army was again encamped on Toto
wa. practically on the same site as in
the preceding July. There was greater
array Of troops at this time and they
covered more extended area. Lafay-
cite now held the left his Lige Infantry
Corps, formed in August, with Major
ate now held the left, his Light Infantry
cupying small elevation at the extreme
east along the eastern bank of the Gof-
fe stream where it flows into the Passaic
river, not far from the present suburb
of Paterson known as Hawthorne.
Washington occupied the Bloomsbury
Manor as his headquarters from Satur-
day, July 1, $780, to Saturday, July 20,
1880, and from Sunday, October 8, to
Monday. November y $780,
Among the many guests of General
Washington while lie occupied the Man
or was the Marquis de Chastellux then
serving as Major General IN the army
under the command Of Count Rocham-
beau The Marquis has left in his
american Travels a vivid character
sketch Of the Commander-in-Ch.ef of the
Continental forces. America is apt 10
remember the Marquis as soldier or
perhaps as particular friend of General
Washington. but there was much in his
career which shows that he could have
taken high strand in the world Of letters