The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-10-11

Fraunces's Tavern, deserves special men
ton, as ii was one Of the important
buildings of its day and was the early
home of the now famous Schermerhorn
family. 1t was erected in 17i7 near the
foot OF East Sixty-fourth street and
stll stands practically unchanged in
side the grounds of the Rockefeller In
stitute. 1t is linked with the familiar
history of the Schermerhorns and is
not likely to disappear for many years
To come.
Another farmhouse of bygone times
is the one at 2Oith street and Broad
way. known as the Dyckman house. Its
history is also well known and 1t still
remains in the possession of the de-
| scendants OF the original Dyckman. 1t
has belonged 10 the family since 1888
| when 1t was built.
Still another and n much older one
that is equally we'll known to his
torians Is the Macomb mansion, which
has stood on 230th street west of Broad
way since 1893. II was a veritable
| country mansion long before the most
sanguine futurist supposed it would be-
| come piece of city property.
Another house. still standing though
in lamentable disrepair, is perhaps two
years younger than the Macomb man
sion. This was built in 1895, though
some say it was in 1868 and others
1853, and ambitiously called n castle by
the bold navigator who sailed around
Staten Island and was rewarded for his
exploration with a liberal grant of land
on the lower end of what Is now the
Borough Of Richmond.
1t has little of the look of a castle
but those who have explored it say that
| there are dungeons in the basement
| The history Of the house, and of tn,
navigator >alike, appear to be largely
legendary but the house itself is IN
contestable proof that there Is at ieas
a foundation Of fact in the disconnected
stories that are told OF the founder
Of family that long ago disappcare j
though it has been said that some o
their ghosts still linger in their ole
home. The Billop castle in Tottenvll,
is the only one of the very old house,
in New York that still enjoys the repu
tation OF being haunted.
Two others. not so old as these, bu
classed as antique, are nearer the centr,
| of the city, and Of these the history /!
familiar and well authenticated. The,
are the Jumel Mansion. at 16Oth stree
and Edgecombe avenue, and the Var
Cortlandt Mansion in Van Cortland
! I'ark.
Somebody said long ago that Gen
Washington must have spent the mos
OF his life moving from one hous,
To another, since there was hardl,
an edifice now standing in this par
| OF the country that was habitable NheI
he was alive for which the claim wa,
not made that he had used it for hi
headquarters. Whatever foundation o
u truth there may or may not be- how
ever. for any of the other stories Their
Is no possible doubt that he SO use,
the Jumel Mansion at one time.
Nor Is there any question that
was at another time the home of Aaro
Burr. 1t Is, however. no part of tn
purpose of the present writing TO re
! hash stories that are entirely familia
: To all readers. Rather II is sough: I
; recall facts that are not so general
known. The Jumel and the Van CoIt
landt mansions, therefore, the latte
! Of which Is now the museum in Va
) Cortlandt Park, need be only mentione
in passing.
Less familiar to the general reade
Is the story of the house that stard
ty the edge of the woods near the en-
of Seventy-second street in Berge
Beach but 1t too is interesting.
This house, now owned by the Berge
Beach Improvement Company. Is known
and has been known for 200 years, a
, the Bergen homestead, but It was not tha
3 originally. 1t was erected in 1856 b
: Thomas Spcer. who purchased title
2 the land from Capt. John Underhill,
= famous Indian fighter who was employe
l by Gov, Kieft in the days Of Dutch $,
g premacy TO fight the Pequots. TT
l land grant was a portion OF his pa
4 from the Government and he sold
Spicer.
a Spicer, however. appears to have bee
"A conscientious person, or possibly al
t prehcnsive of trouble, for before bull,
ing the house in question he bought Il
a land over again from the Indians, whit
l. action may account for the fact tn
e the house still stands. Splcer bull,
for home for himself and occupied
= until he sold 1t to Bergen.
Spicer was member OF the Society