The New York herald., 1922-10-08

They consisted chiefly Of an old fa sh-
Toned town house on Brooklyn Heights
and modern place at New Canaan,
Conn. Her income was insufdcient to
maintain those places, but she Injured
that were she to rent or sell the prom.
critics and invest the proceeds In sound
securities the dividends would not en-
able her to continue the education of her
children.
Right here Is where Mrs. Leeminy de-
cided to capitalize the interest she had
taken In her husbands work She re-
modelled the old family residence on
Henry street. converting It into an at
tractive modern apartment which yields
handsome yearly net income She
next leased her country house at New
Sanaan and transformed II into one Of
tne most attractive dwellings in the
whole New Canaan district She had no
dimculty in leasing IL on a profitable
fasis. The success of those Ventures
enlarged the scope OF Mrs. Leeming's
ambition. She had long held the dis
interested theory that as woman's
judgment usually prevails in the leasing
or purchasing of home or apartment
a member OF her own sex, in some re-
spects, was better qualified than a mere
man to build and market that same liv
ing space. She had also definite IDEAS
ahout the most advantageous location
Tor the development project that she had
forevisioned, and those ideas were ma art
OF the fabric OF her family history. re-
enforced by her own keen observation or
the trend OF dwelling conditions IN this
city.
Loved Tradition of the Heights,
For three generations Mrs. Jennings
folk had lived In the Brooklyn Heights
area. Her grandfather, John Tasker
Howard. was the founder OF Plymouth
Church, fact commemorated in the tab
let to be found in the foyer OF the
church bearing the inscription THE
earliest and latest and lifelong friend
OF Henry Ward Beecher" Mrs. Leem-
ing was born in her grandfather's house
on Hicks street, opposite Love lane
Her father the late Edward Tasker
Howard, then built a house on Willow
street, In which she lived until her mar
riage. From childhood she had known
and loved the traditions Of the Heights
real American traditions brought down
by sort OF social laying on OF hands
from the Pilgrim Fathers, kept agIow
with tho breath of religious feeling and
enriched by generations OF education and
culture.
But 1t was something moro practical
than mere family sentiment that made
Mrs. Leeming choose the charming old
residential district on the Heights as the
scene OF her nrst big business venture.
She was convinced that for the average
well to do Manhattanite whose place of
business lies anywhere between Forty
second street and the Battery brooklyn
Heights as a residential area afforded
moro attractions and greater advantages
than did any other place within the walls
Of the greater city. Where else, she
asks. save on this rocky bluff, with its
matchless view of New York harbor and
lower Manhattan. has fine residential
district been able to withstand for three
generations the pressure OF the ever
rising flood of New York's teeming mill
lions or 20 escape the nav OF her Gar
gantuan commerce?
Even In the days when the Wall
street ferry was its only connecting link
with Manhattan says Mrs. Leeming.
many notable New Yorkers had their
homes on Brooklyn Heights The
Heights comprised an area small enough
to be exclusive and yet large enough
to accommodate a community that could
support and develop fully rounded
social and cultural life of it's own. All
available sites were soon in strong hands