The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1907-02-13
The Old Washinqton Tree.


feet IN circumference and though
many Of its limbs were dead, rea ched
ont far upon either side, making
grateful shade in the long summer
days from the noontide snn. Had it
ears, eyes or tongue, much conld it
have told of Revolutionary days, for
before II, on hetnt occasions, passed
ttA Continental army IN ful array,
they entered into and were driven
/ I'm New Jersey Nearly every foot
OF this part of Bncks county is full of
interest To the student and lover Of
Revolutionary lore, iee tho whole sec.
ton abounds i'll historic incident con.
nected with Revolutionary and Colon
ial days. New Hope at the time of
the Revolution was known rs Cor.
wells Ferry, and from Corvelrs
Ferry ae dated many letters from
Washing on and other Of his promin-
ent gcnutuis. During the war, troops
We're quartered here upon various
Battle of Trenton. in LID, this whole
district OF country was held by the
Continental forces New Hope it
sell ut this period was IN n state Of
armed defense, under General VII.
liam Alexander mere commonly
known Ms Lord Sterling who threw
up II strong redoubt on top of the hill,
across the pond in southwesterly
direction from the odd Parry Man
sion and pint OF That estate. Lord
Sterling also had another redouht
thrown up on the ''Old York Road, "
at the corner of Bridge and Ferry
streets, opposite where the "Oid
Washington Tree" stood. These to.
gether with stockade entrenchments
and batteries placed Just above and
below the ferry landing, on the river
bunk. north and south OF the Old
York Road, constituted the defenses
of New Hope IN l.i6 from what
General Washington evidently antici-
pated mn advance movement OF
portion OF the British army at That
time. The old hip-roof house, tro.
Gently taken down, land which was
Immediately opposite the long avenue
leading into the PnXson estate) was
known M "rhe Old Fort and is said
To have been used as Lord Sterling's
while his soldiers were
stationed Mt New Hope. Here Wash
ihgton met his Generals Greene aud
Alexander Lord sterlingl and here,
it il also said, under the cold Wash
ington Tree. they first planned tue
Battle ef Trenton. Washington had
his emn headquarters few miles he
low New Hope t"Curyell's Ferry" at
the Keith Homestead. md doubtless
on mhny an occasion halted under
this ancient tIee 10 confer with Gen
eral Sterling. whose eafthwurks were
here and up the hillside beyond.
On Christmas, 1916, DIR. Charles Todd
Of New Hope, then young lad),
Watching ut the intersection Of the
Old York Road and the Trenton or
River road, where the "Old Parry
Mansion" stands, witnessed the Con.
tincntnl troops march around the cor
ner into the Trenton read aud down
it with hufrying steps To a point he-
low, on tho Delaware river. now
known as "Wasbngton Crossing,
where, crossing over that night in
boats, they. early on the morning Of
December 9G advanced upon the city
of Trenton aud tonight aud won TINT
fnmous engagement which has passed
into history AZ the Battle of Trenton.
Many OF the boats used at Washing
ton y Crossing Ind been collected ut
New Hope and kept seercted behind
Malta Island, and whence they wero
boated by hi ht to the former place
and used for transportation OF tho
army. Lord CORVALLIS was inform
ed that boats were being collected ut
New Hope e"Coryell's Ferry and
sent troops To what is now lambert
Vile, New Jersey, on the opposite
side OF the Delaware river, to seize
them, Int the soldiers were apparent
" afraid to cross over IN the face Of
the frownins batteries which were
planted on the rivers bank Mt New
Hope
General Benedict Arnold, the trait
or, was nj Coryell's Ferry on June rs.
la17, and wrote General Washington
from there aud on July %, l7s.7, va
find the honored aud lamented Alex
ander Hamilton, then n Captain OF
Artillery. who wns killed by Aaron
Burr in their memorable duel, writ
ing from the snme plaee to the Hon.
Robert Morris
Col. james Monroe. afterwards
President Of the United States, WAS
chartered III December. ZIG, on tho
Neely farm, inst below New Hope, -
Doylestown Daily Democrat
\ Pennsylvania farmer says he can
always tell when there ~ going 10 he
II windstorm by watching the turkeys
aud other fowls when they go TO
roost Mt night. Ia calm weather lie
says, the fowls always roost on the
poles with their heads alternating
each way; HAT is, one faces east. the
next west aud 50 on. But when there
is eoing to lie n high wind, he says
they always roost with their heads to-
ward the direction from which the
storm il coming Wien there is no
wind comiu@, they can more readily
SEQ other dangers il headed III both
directions, Int il II blows hard they
can hold their positions better If
headed TINT way
Ii you expect to have public sale
Won will find il wise conclusion TO