The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1915-02-06


s IT LOOKS TODAY
Thirds government to be obliged to
| receive this prescribed rebel as the
first minister plenipotentiary Of the
United States Of America.
House Built In 1878.
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.
q sturdy English sea captain. who
owned small ship called the Bentley.
which settled an interesting dispute.
In 1868 there was q controversy re-
garding the ownership Of Staten Is-
land. and to settle 1t the duke OF York
decided that II the island could be
circumnavigated within twenty-fOur
hours 1t should remain in his jurisdic.
ton. otherwise 1t should belong to
New Jersey. Billop undertook the
task of sailing round the island. and
accomplished 1t within the "a hours.
thus securing 1t for the duke. In re-
turn for the service he was granted
1,163 acres at the extreme end Of the
island, which was called, after his
ship, the Manor Bentley. The village
Of Tottenville, which occupies a part
Of the original estate, was originally
known as Bentley manor.
While living on his estate Billop
was appointed subcollector OF the port
of New York, but, like some Office
holders of modern times, he lost his
position through making offensive po-
litical speeches in public" In dis
gust he retired to his estate, where
he lived until 1852, when he sailed for
England in his ship, which was lost
on the voyage.
His daughter, Eugenia, married her
cousin, Thomas Farmar, who assumed
the name of Billop. During the Revo-
luton his son commanded a regiment |
Of loyalists, the family being pro- |
Tories. For this reason |
they were declared traitors, and at the |
close of the Revolution the estate was
and the Billops moved to
Canada.
After its forfeiture the property was
purchased by Philip Van Cortlandt in
1874. Since that time 1t has passed
through several hands. until only a
small part Of the original estate re-
mains. The present owner is Charles
leland retired New York banker.
Old Mansion Little Changed.
The old mansion, which has wealth
,red the storms of nearly two and a
half centuries, looks strong enough
o last another century. Little change
las been made in 1t since it was built.
IS quaint rooms still contain the deep
windows. with small-paned
ashes. and curious cupboards, built
nto the walls. At the right Of the en-
rance is the room where the Revo-
utionary peace conference took
lace. The kitchen, in the basement.
las fireplace the entire width of the
louse, In which several logs of tree
lie can easily be placed. In the mid
lie is long crane of hand-wrought
ron holding two enormous kettles.
Under the main entrance there is a
ark cellar. where. tradition says.
patriots were confined
nd Ill treated by the Tory Billops.
lear the house are some oaks with
narled trunks. looking centuries old,
eneath which British soldiers once
lede their camp.
Like all old houses, the Billop mar
lon has its fancied ghosts. One of
1ese Is said to be the restless spirit
I British grenadier. killed near by
/ skirmish between loyalists and
evolutionists.
The other "ha' mt" Is the spirit of q ,
Hop, beautiful bride. murdered by
or husband in At Of jealousy about
ne hundred and sixty years ago. Her
ody was said to have been buried on .
le threshold. and. strangely enough,
skeleton was dug up there some
ears ago and reinterred in the fam
= burial plot adjoining the house.
lere may b seen several moss-coy-
red stones. With half-obliterated In
sr1pdonA. dating from colonial times. ,