The New York herald., 1921-04-24
The Beekman Hill of Sixty Years Ago
Memories of Boyhood Spent in a Part of New York
Which Has Again Become Fashionable.

least the gardener said so. and he told
the boys many tale OF Major Andre.
Nathan Hale, Sir William Howe and
the haunt. which was supposed to wan
der around the grounds in the night time.
Perhaps he was wise In his own genera
ton. At any rate, no boy would pass
the place at night and one or two or US
did really see the ghost. The ncighbor-
hood was certainly lonely place at
night. The streets in some places ran
through blasted cuts thirty or forty feet
deep. with a black darkness the street
lamps being few and far between.
In the daytime 1t was nice old place
for the boys. We could get in anywhere
except at the gates. All we had to do
was to climb up the rocks, the picket
fence around the top being so rotten as
to give US no trouble. The old gardener
was all right il he wanted some little
errand done. In that case we all went
and we all came back. even II 1t was
with only few nails. II he didn't want
anything he cleaned us out. We all had
our private little way Of getting out If
We had to hurry.
In the very large old barn on the place
was stored the Beekman family coach,
which Is now on the main floor Of the
New York Historical Society. AS far as
I remember at this time the coach was
loolSed on as only big piece of rubbish
which no one knew what to do with.
There were lot of other things in the
loft but no ladder SO / never got up
there.
! was in the old mansion with my
father several times. was in the An
Dire room, as we'll as the room where
Nathan Hale was tried. 1t was spa
cious. fine old house with large rooms all
heavily trimmed, but somehow I never
cared for the inside: always I felt un-
comfortable and was glad to get out.
Perhaps the gardeners stories had some
thing to do vita this.
At the foot of Fifty-f1rst street was q
stone terrace with six flights Of stone
steps to tho bottom. TIE coping was
about three feet wide. On a fine after
noon many young ladies gathered there
tc watch the steamboats, passing uD and
down the river. I remember the Bristol
and Providence. the Elm City ard Conti-
mental and the old Plymouth Rock You
could also look down on the Brevoort
house and garden. and the old shot tower
was not far away.
From Fifty-frst to Fifty-sixth street
was unimproved. At Fifty seventh street
and Second avenue waS another little
settlement. On the corner lived John
Devlin. who had beautiful garden. Ths
place covered abcut quarter of the
block. and at Fifty-ninth street there
was the old horse market a place OF
great interest 10 most of the bbys.
At the foot of Fifty-seventh street
was the old Provost estate. 1t was a
nne old place In the grounds were the
ruins of an old tomb. said to be the
family vault in days gone by. In my
day 1t had no roof and only three
walls standing. When the boys played
Indians the trails often ran through
these old estates.
Sutton place was cut through a part
OF the old Provost estate and named
for the old Sutton family The Suttor
firm in lower Wall street was wei
known in the old days of the clippers
when ships went around the Horn tc
California In ninety days. The Illus
trated cards OF the old shipping firms
were almost works Of art. and all the
boys had their collections. the Suttor
cards being favorites. as belonging t
the neighborhood.
Beekman place and Sutton place were
fashionable in the early '7os and unit
the French fiat era. and now once agar
fashion will hold It's sway, but It will
be no place for the boy, nor will HI
look back after sixty years to palm!
days like those spent mostly in the open
amid the old associations that clustered
around the little settlement known a
IBeekman Hill. j. GARDNER BLEY.