The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1915-11-11

lonlal Days Condtftots-OnlJ DWeh-
ING In Manhattan Built In Accordance
With Dutch Tradition.
New York.-One hundred yea4s e70
great herds OF cattle browsed daily Oh
what has become the citys newest rec
reatiOn spot-Dyckman House park
Owing TO an arrangement made by
Park Commissioner Ward the old
Dyckman farmhouse, which stands on
this property at Two Hundred and
Fourth street and Broadway, will be
restored to the same condition In which
IL was In colonial days. Mrs. Bashford
Dean and Mrs. Alexander Mcmillan
Welsh. who have presented this house
10 the .ity. have not only given the
surrounding park, but have agreed to
improve IL In accordance with the plans
Of the park department
Some incidents which figured have
been furnished to Commissioned Ward
by Professor Bashford Dean. whose
wife. Mary Alice Dyckman, is u of
the park donors. Professor Dean Is
curator of the collection of IN In
the Metropolitan Museum OF Art. lie
has been at pains TO produce the pic
turesque and accurate account OF the
house and its inhabitants. which fol
lows:
The ancient Dyckman homestead,
which stands on a knoll at b corner
OF Broadway and Two Hundred and
Fourth street. Is unquestionably the
only remaining dwelling house on Man
haitian Island built by a Dutch family
Ia accordance with the past Dutch ira
ditions.
Times have gone by, and many
changes have occurred. The last Of the
family bearing the name Ina h vicin-
Ity died recently In the person OF Mrs.
Fannie Blackwell Brown. widow OF the
late Isaac Michael Dyckman and her
self Of Dyckman descent In several
lines. Her two daughters, Mrs. Bash
ford Dean. who was Mary Alice Dyck-
man, and Mrs. Alexander Mcmillan
! WEIGH. who was Fannie Frederick
Dyckman. have as the last Of the
Kingsbridge Dyckmans decided to per-
petuate the old Dyckman house In
memory of their parents.
The Dyckman house In question was
built at the end of the war OF independ-
ence. about 1TS5. as nearly as records
20. Ii was then that the family return
ed to their lands after the perils of the
war. Their ancient home. which had
been built opposite the present one.
nearer the river. had been burned down
by the British. So a new house was
built on ground which was somewhat
higher and nearer the post roed.
James Dyckman and DR.. Jacobus
Dyckman were early graduates Of Co
lumbia college dSO9-1s11). Both died
young. one a lawyer and the other a
distinguished physician-he was health
commissioner OF New York. author and
scientist. 1t was he who is said to have
obtained for Columbia college when be
was secretary OF the old Philosophical
society OF this city the relics OF Benja-
min Franklin which IL now has. Jaco-
bus Dyckman. son Of the builder of the
house. was one Of the best known men
In New York. long time alderman and
a member OF the constitutional conven-
ton In 1921.
1t was Jacobus Dyckman who took
an especial liking to his young grand.
son. Isaac Michael Dyckman, which
led ultimately to his coming to stay In
the kingsbridge household. He was
then a boy of seven. the second son OF
Jacobus Dyckman's daughter Hannah
who had married Squire Caleb Smith
OF YOnkers. So his name was not ortgt
nally Dyckman. The Dyckman estate
was SO large 1t required great care IL
Its upkeep. SO 1t came about that Mr.
Isaac Dyckman. the surviving bachelor
; uncle. looked ultimately to his nephew
for help. At that time. 1t appeared, Mr.
Isaac Dyckman had probably more rea
| property In his hands than any othel
single property owner Of Manhattan
has had before or since. AT his dealt
I'm 1868 Ii was found that his estate
was to be divided among his various
nephews and nieces. His favorit'
nephew. however. received the majo
part. but with the proviso that BIZ
name should be changed by the legisla
ture from James Frederick Dyckmal
, Smith TO Isaac Michael Dyckman.
The latter did not retain the house a
, part OF his heritage. 1t was no longe
: as he remembered II. and he had him
self built a house I'm the northern par
1 Of the property not far from his IN
? cle's. In fact. the old house had chang
| ed inside and out. Even the old cook
black Hannah. who was half IndiaI
. and lived TO be q hundred years ole
: had gone away-to the old Indian cen
etery formerly on the corner of Broad
way and Dyckman street. Then. toe
I Mr.. Dyckman found that the approac'
I Of a great city meant heavy assess
I ments and taxes when. In order I
j, have parts Of his tract developed. b
should practically make people pres
ents of his ~leaseholds. Indeed, Ii wa
this Jan Dyckman who devised for thi
whole region the f~arsighted plan q
letting tenants la\p ODert for a