The daily democrat. [volume] (Anadarko, Oklahoma) 190?-1908, 1907-07-05
ABODE OF TRAITOR
BENEDICT ARNoLo's MANSION IN
PHILADELPHIA.
House Is One Of the Few Specimens
Of Colonial Architecture Left in
the country-Now belongs
TO the City.


near Columbia avenue entrance. which
is almost equally well known to park
visitors as Arnold's mansion Is 20 be
the headquarters of La Moriganta
Klambo. the newly formed organlza.
ton Of fashionable women motorists
says the Philadelphia Public Ledger
Few buildings in the park equai
.dount Pleasant I'm interest. and none
Is older. lt IS one of the few well pro.
served country mansions built IT, this
country In Colonial times. As a speci-
men OF architecture modelled upon the
style made popular by Sir Christopher
Wren. it is one of the half dozen
or loss which remain I'm this country
The house. which John Adams
who diaed there in 177i-dcclared was
the most elegant in Pennsylvania, was
built for Capt John Mcpherson in
1902. In 1879 Macpherson grew tired
Of the place and sold it to Gen. Bono-
dict Arnold. who had married Peggy
Shippon. In its time the mansion has
borne three names MacPhorson
called It The HIS and also Clunie.
and subsequently it was known as
Mount Pleasant
Capt Macpherson was one OF the
most original men in the province. II
he had not been immensely wealthy
he probably would not have been toll
Grated but as a priveteersman in
Lngland's wars with France and
spain before the revolution he was
lucky and came home with a genuine
gold galloon. He had two sons. one
was an officer in the British army,
but resigned his commission on the
breaking out OF the revolution and be-
came n major in the Continental army,
The other son was with the colonists
from the beginning OF the struggle
and was killed at the attempt to take
Quebec. being the first Philadelphia
Of importance to give up his life for
the cause.
Old Capt Macpherson made himself
tiresome TO congress. begging for com
mand of a ship. but did not gain his
desire He published the first direc-
tory Of Philadelphia in 1885. This book
is really one of the curioslties of liter
ature. for the captain canvassCd the
city himself and printed the replies
ho received at each door in answer
to his request for names. He died in
1892 and lies in St Paul's churchyard.
When Arnold rarried Peggy Ship
pen, daughter of Edward Shippen, sub
sequently chief justice of Pennsylva-
MIA, he bought Mount Pleasant and
settled II on himself for life, with
the remainder of his wife and chill
dren At the time Arnold was mill
tary governor of Philadelphia. and
Judge Peters, who occupied Belmont.
the seat across the Schuylkill from
Mount Pleasant, accused the general
of having converted $4,000 to his own
use and of having used this toward
the purchase of Mount Pleasant
Arnold did not long remain at
Mount Pleasant After his treason he
of course had to leave the country,
and the state of Pennsylvania confis-
Gated his life interest in the beautiful
estate. Baron de Steuben became the
next tenant OF the place and Arnold's
life interest was sold to Colonel Rich.
ard Hampton for $3.50.
In the Shippen correspondence, pub
lished a few years ago. there are sew
eral references to Mount Pleasant In
1875 In a letter from Mrs. Arnold to
her father II appears that Arnold had
an idea of privately getting title to the
property for his family. He changed
his mind, however, and suggested that
the place be sold at public sale for as
much as II would bring In 1896
Mount Pleasant was sold, but for
barely enough to satisfy the mort
cages upon It,
Gen. Jonathan Williams, revolu-
tionary patriot and commercial agent
of the United States in France from
1777 to 1855, bought the country seat
and lived there for years. The
property remained in his family for
many years and was purchased by
the park commission by virtue of the
act of 1867, which permitted the ac-
QUESTION Of what are now park prop
critics.