The Western outlook. [volume] (San Francisco, Cal.) 1894-1928, 1915-01-30

been humiliating in the extreme to
the pride and arrogance of George the
Thirds government to be obliged to
receive this prescribed rebel as the
first minister plenipotentiary Of the
United States of America.
House Built in 1873.
The old house, solidly built of stone
and brick in the early colonial style,
faces Staten Island sound, and is
about half a mile south of the pres
ent village of Tottenville. 1t was
built about 1878 by Christopher Billop,
a sturdy English sea captain, who
owned small ship called the Bentley,
which settled an interesting dispute.
In 1868 there was a controversy re-
gaTding the ownership of Staten Is
land, and to settle it the duke of York
decided that If the island could be
otner~isa it sho5nhId tHbesR F5E5
New Jersey. Billop undertook 'ne
task Of sailing round the island anu
accomplished it within the "a noui D
thus securing it for the duke. In re,
t,r, for the service he was grahteo
1e2 acres at the extreme emu Vi ,ne
J ;sIand which was called, after Ms
shin. the Manor Bentley Inc siiiaes
| of Tottenville, which occupies pa,
: - the original estate, was orlglnan'
known as Bentley manor ,,o,
: While living on his estate biiiol
S was amounted. subcollector OF the por
s of New York, but, like some ON.
l. holders of modern times, ne iost ~
nosition through making offensive p
Iitical speeches in public In VI
e opst he retired to his estate, Whei
N he lived until 1852, when ne salieu :
c. england in his ship, which was 10
nt on the voyage. =,
81 His daughter, Eugenia, married u
I'd cousin. Thomas Farmar, who assunh'
e. tha name of Billop. During the rev
of 1ut;on his son commanded a regime
he 80 lovalists. the family being pr
os- nounced Tories. For this reas
ms thew we're declared traitors ana at :
int close Of the Revolution the estate "
tes confiscated. and the Billops moVeo
cer Canada. -
to After its forfeiture the property v
purchased by Philip Van Cortlanot
wa f7o4 since that time it has pas
ed, through several hands, until ohis
the small part of the original estate
len, mains The present owner IS Cnai
ent, LELAND, retired New York banke'
will 0Id Mansion Little Changed.
gs. The old mansion, which mas we
ank- cred the storms of nearly Two an
don, half centuries, looks strong emo
ons. "a last another century. Little ena
ouse bae been made in it since 1t was
con- It's ouaint rooms still contain the
brasured windows, with small-ps
had sashes. and curious cupboaros',
was into the walls. At the right OF tne
the +ronca is the room where the i
and lutionarv peace conference
was Mace. The kitchen, in the pasen
over has a fireplace the entire width o
laret, t,o,sa in which several logs OF
utton size can easily be placed. In the
this die is q long crane of hand-Wre
] the iron holding two enormous Keteie
lment finder the main entrance there
houid dark cellar, where, tradition
lment Revolutionary patriots were COZ
With and i'll treated by the Tory 81
iron Near the house are some OAKS
UT Ut enarled trunks, looking centurle
NOR beneath which. British soldiers
made their camp.
}. Like all old houses, the Biliop
lowing sion has it's fancied ghosts: :
ates II these is said to be the restless
their of a British grenadier, killed n
con- in a skirmish between loyahs'
ais up revolutionists.
ay the The other liant is the splr
sented' Billion a beautiful bride, muroe
lal I'M her husband in fit of Jealousy
y con- one hundred and sixty years ag'
please body was said to have been pul
ject." nc threshold and. strangely 6
ut four a skeleton was dug up there
except raars ago and reinterred in tt
OTIS the ily burial plot adjoining the
have 10 Here may be seen several M
!. Howe cred stones, with half-oblitered
j OF au- tions dating from colonial TN