History of Westchester county : New York, including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, which have been annexed to New York City, Vol. II, Part 59

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898,
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.E. Preston & Co.
Number of Pages: 1286

USA > New York > Westchester County > History of Westchester county : New York, including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, which have been annexed to New York City, Vol. II > Part 59

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On the death of General Paulding the place eamc into the possession of his son, Mr. Philip R. Pauld- ing, who, in 1864, sold it to Mr. George Merritt. Up to that time Mr. Merritt had been living on his fine place in the southern part of Tarrytown, but on mak- ing this new purchase, he sold the plaice he already had to Mr. Robert Hoe. In the following year Mr.

Merritt remodeled and enlarged the Paulding man- sion to its present dimensions, thus making it one hundred and forty-two feet long from north to south parallel with the river, and forty-one feet deep from cast to west. Mr. Merritt also built a tower one hun- dred feet high. The house at preseut contaius for- ty-six rooms, with an ample provision of airy halls.

In 1865 Mr. Merritt turned his attention to the grounds. The greater part of the land lying east be- twcen the house and Broadway was composed of meadows, which, in many places, were swampy, and on which there had sprung up au undergrowth of briars and bushes, while the part on the west, bc- tween the house and the river, consisted of hills and ravines lying wild in a state of nature. A large force of men was employed by Mr. Merritt to draiu these lands and to convert them into a park. In due time the work was accomplished, and the park now con- tains the finest and rarest varieties of deciduous trees, evergreeus and shrubs, such as are adapted to stand the severity of our northern elimate. Care was found to be necessary in making a selection, as there were at first many different kinds of shrubs and trees planted on the grounds, which died from the severe cold weather, and were never replaced. Abouttwen- ty acres were laid out in lawns, and about an acre and a half was appropriated to a grape-arbor, and a considerable portion set apart to be used for the veg- etable gardens. The borders of these gardens were planted with the choicest of pear and other fruit- trecs, fine bearers and hardy enough to stand the elimate.

While this work was in progress stables were also built upon the premises, to the southeast of the man- sion, and on the south line of the place. They were two hundred feet long, from north to south, and sev- enty-four feet wide, from east to west, with a very large yard, and connected with sheds two hundred fcet long and twenty-two feet wide, for vehicles.

There are five cottages on the place. Two of them are situated on Broadway, one southeast of the man- sion, in the rear of the stables, and the two others west of the mansion, on the river-bank.

In 1870, Mr. Merritt purchased the remainder of the Paulding cstate, that lay on the east side of Broadway, and thus made an addition to his place of one hundred and ten acres.

Previous to this, however, Mr. Merritt had begun to buildl his green-house on the north line of the park. It was only a little more than half the size of the greenhouse which now occupies the ground on which the old one then stood, for the reason that a consider- able part of the first building, on the rear or north side, was used for a carpenter-shop, and rooms for seed, sleeping, reception, billiards, gymnasium and also a bowling alley.

The whole building was four hundred feet long, with two wings, each eighty feet long and thirty feet wide in the inside. The dome in the centre of the

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WEST FRONT

FRONT

A VIEW OF THE HUDSON

PINKSTONE." RESIDENCE OF JOHN T TERRY, TARRYTOWN, NEW YORK.

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green-house was eighty fect long and forty-six feet wide from the main entrance on the south to the re- ception-room on the north. A tower also rose from the dome to the height altogether of one hundred feet, having at the top a glass cupola twenty-five feet in diameter, in order to afford the best view of the whole region round-about. The ground floor of the green- honse, from the east wing to the west interior side of the dome, was appropriated to the cultivation of plants ; from the west side of the dome to the end of the west wing, to the cultivation of grapes. Under- neath the whole green-house was an immense cellar, four hundred feet long, a sort of cyclopean retreat used for boiler-rooms, coal rooms, mushroom cellar, water-tanks and various potting implements and ma- tcrials.

North of the green-house was a range of low build- ings two hundred and fifty feet long, principally used for cuttings and the like. The whole was well stocked and in excellent running order when, in the year 1873, Mr. Merritt died. The plants were soon after disposed of and the entire place was offered for sale.

The place lay in a comparatively neglected condi- tion until the spring of 1880, when it was bought by Mr. Jay Gould, who renovated and restocked the green-house with the choicest collection of plants from all parts of the globe. The houses adjoining were all in like manner refitted, and everything was once more in the most perfect order. But just then, on the morning of December 11, 1880, the greenhouse was discovered to be in flames. Some beams had been built into the chimney within an inch of the interior surface, and these taking fire, the conflagra- tion spread rapidly over the whole building, so that in a very short time the immense structure with its contents was laid in ruins. The range of low houses in the rear, however, was saved.

Nothing daunted by the calamity, Mr. Gould, in January, 1881, took vigorous measures to rebuild the green-house, and on a much larger scale. A strong force of men was set to work to clear away the ruins, and to prepare for the erection of the new building. Well on in the summer of 1881 it was completed, and stood on the old site, in dimensions about as large again as the old one, and ready to be occupied. Mr. Gould stocked the new structure with the choicest plants that could be obtained from Europe and Amer- ica, and he continued his efforts until the collection was about three times as large as it had been before. The present green-house, which is all used for its proper purposes, is about four hundred feet long, with two wings, each eighty fect long, the whole re- seinbling the capital letter E. Mr. Gould also built a brick structure in the rear of the green-house, on the north side, to furnish sleeping-rooms, potting-shed and secd-rooms. This structure is one hundred feet long and twelve feet wide, and adjoins the range of low houses saved from the fire.

In front of the green-house is a lawn laid out in all

descriptions of flower beds, which, in the summer months, afford a gorgeous exhibition of floral beauty. Near to these on the east arc gardens especially de- voted to flowering purposes and kindred uses.

Like his predecessor, Mr. Gould has also added a considerable tract of land to his original purchase, so that his place at present is over seven hundred acres in extent. He has done a good work for Tarrytown and its vicinity, not only by furnishing employment for large numbers of men, but by draining a large swamp on his estate lying east of Broadway. He has thus dried up a source of miasmatie influence to the neighborhood and reclaimed the land to a practical use.

The name Lyndenhurst, or Lynden Forest, was given to Mr. Gould's place in consequence of the fact that there are upou it so many fine specimens of the linden tree.

The overseer of the estate, who has special charge of the green-house, is Mr. Ferdinand Mangold, a native of Germany, where lic was traiued to his occu- pation. All who know him will be ready to admit that, like Solomon, he is competent to "speak of trecs, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even uuto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall."

Mr. Gould, it is scarcely necessary to add, is the owner of the famous steam-yacht " Atalanta," which in summer conveys him to and from New York.

Adjoining Lyudenhurst on the north is "Pink Stone," the name given to the fine grounds and pala- tial residence of Jolin T. Terry, Esq. The grounds embrace about thirty-five acres, and extend from Broadway to the Hudson River. The mansion is a large square stone building, suggestive of stability and comfort. It was completed in 1859, and has ever since been occupied as a family residence. Mr. Terry, who is well known as an enterprising and most successful business man in New York City, was for a long time connected with the late ex-Senator and ex-Governor Edwin D. Morgan, who entertained for him a great regard, and appointed him an executor of his will.

Mr. Terry was born in Hartford, Connecticut, Sep- tember 9, 1822. He is descended from Governor William Bradford, of the "Mayflower"; also from Mabel Harlekenden, who came to New England in 1635 to marry John Haynes, Governor-General of Connec- ticut, and who, as is well known, was descended from Edward III., through a long line of the sovereigns of England.

Mr. Terry came to New York City in December, 1841, where he entered the house of Ex-Gov. E. D. Morgan as a clerk. On January 1, 1844, he was ad- mitted to a partnership, in which he continued dur- ing Mr. Morgan's term as Governor and Senator of the United States, and until his death, in 1883.

He married, July 22, 1846, Elizabeth R., daughter of Frederick T. Peet, of Brooklyn, N. Y. He is largely interested in financial institutions in New

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York, being at present a director in one bank, viee- president of a Trust Company; director in two Trust Companies, also a director in the Western Union Telegraph Company, and in one Life Insur- ance Company, in four Railroad Companies, and in a number of benevolent institutions.

Mr. Terry is a thorough-going-business-man, and his advice is widely sought in financial circles in and about the county iu which he lives and the country at large.

This place was a part of the old Requa farm, and the scene of a tragic event during the Revolution. In the summer of 1779 a strong detachment of British troops, under Colonel Emmeriek, came up from below, and advanced so rapidly upon Tarrytown that the Continental guard, which was quartered at Requa's house, was taken completely by surprise. The house then known as Requa's is now Mr. Terry's gate- house, Four Americans were killed, and the re- mainder, consisting of ten or twelve persons, were taken prisoners. It was here, as the tradition states, that Isaac Martlingh, a one-armed mau, lost his life, and also Polly Buekhout, who was mistaken for a man, from the fact that she was wearing a man's hat.

Next to "Pink Stone," on the north, are the grounds and house formerly owned and occupied by the late William Hoge. The house was built by Mr. Henry Sheldon, who sold it to Mr. Hoge over thirty years ago. While occupied by Mr. Hoge aud his noble wife it was the seat of an elegant and generous hospitality, which every one who went there felt it was a privilege to enjoy. The lawns and waterfalls and views from the west verandah up and down the river, were charming. Mr. Hoge was a prominent banker in New York City, a man of fine eulture and of fortune, but the great fire in Chicago and the finan- cial panic in New York caused him to suffer severe reverses, and, in order to meet the demands upon himu, the place was given up. He was afterwards elected president of the St. Louis and Denver Railroad, and removed to St. Louis, where, on April 3, 1875, he died, deeply lamented.

In 1879 the place was bought by "The New York Institution for the Instruction of the Deaf and Dumb," and on Tuesday, October 14, 1879, the building was formally opened, with appropriate exercises, by the board of directors. After prayer by Dr. Thomas Gal- laudet, Dr. William Adams, president of the board, made a short address, and was followed, in an able discourse on the history and methods of instructing the deaf and dumb, by the Ilon. Erastus Brooks. His paper was published in full in the sixty-first annual report of the institution. Finding it inexpedient to maintain an additional establishment here, after an institution for the deaf and dumb had been provided at Trenton, New Jersey, in 1883, which caused the pupils here from that State, numbering about seventy, to be withdrawn, thus leaving ample room in the in- stitution proper for all its pupils, except about fifty

sinall boys, who are now taught in a building near the parent institution, it was decided to close up the Tarrytown branch and to remove the inmates to the asylum at One Hundred and Sixty-second Strect, New York. This was accordingly done in June, 1883, the time of the annual vacation.

Mr. Theodore A. Strange, who oecupics a delightful home in Greeuburgh, and who has for many years been prominent in the commercial and mercantile life of New York City, is a son of the late Edwin B. Strange, the well-known silk importer, who was born in Gloucestershire, England, and came to this country in 1837. Before leaving England Mr. E. B. Strange had married Miss Josephine Louise Pernot, a Parisian lady, by whom he had seven children, Theodore A. being the fifth. He was boru in New York City, August 15, 1843.

After a preparatory course under the celebrated private tutors Thayer and Parker, in New York, the young man, then in his sixteenth year, sailed for Eng- land, where he entered the Eltham Collegiate Insti- tute, at Eltham, in Kent. It had been his original in- tention to pursue a further course at the University of Oxford, but upon consideration he gave up the idea and returned to this country. He entered the importing house of E. B. Strange & Brother, then consisting of his father and uncle, as a clerk, in 1860. Six years later, in 1866, he was admitted as a partner, the firm-name being changed to Strange & Brother, and the business continuing as formerly. In 1880 his father, whose death took place in the following year, withdrew from the business, leaving it in the hands of his brother, Mr. Albert B. Strange, who, together with Theodore A., conducted it till February, 1886, when Albert B. died. His son William then assumcd his share in the eoneern, and the firm, at present con- sisting of William and Theodore A., still continues under the old name of Strange & Brother. The in- tegrity of the house has, from the time of its founda- tion, been proverbial, and its eredit stands as high as that of any like coneern, either at home or abroad. Beside silk and ribbon importing, in which this firm at one time were more extensively engaged than any other house in this country, they formerly gave much attention to dealing in flowers and feathers, a branch of the trade which has lately been dropped. The factory represented by the firm of Strange & Brother is the largest concern of its kind in the country.

Mr. Strange was formerly connected with many social organizations in New York City, prominent among which was the New York Yacht Club, of which he is still a member. During his early mem- bership of this club he was the owner of the famous sloop-yacht " Ariadne." He is at present a Mason of high standing and is connected with the following lodges: Ivanhoe Lodge No. 610 ; Jerusalem Chapter, No. 8; Adelphie Council, No. 7; and Cour de Lion Commandery, No. 23, Knights Templar. He is also a member of the American Silk Association.

Theo A Strange

' GRANITE LODGE, RESIDENCE OF THEO. A. STRANGE, IRVINGTON-ON-HUDSON, N. Y.

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In 1882 Mr. Strange removed from Ingleside, Dobbs Ferry, which had been his residence for nearly twen- ty-six ycars, to Irvington, where he purchased Granite Lodge, an elegant and spacious mansion, of which this volume furnishes a cut. He is well known and greatly esteemed throughout Westchester, especially iu the western portion of the county, where he has long been prominent in social circles. Religiously, Mr. Strange is an Episcopalian and is an attendant of St. Barnabas' Church, Irvington.

In May, 1874, he married Miss Jennie Marks Tay- lor, daughter of Hon. H. J. Taylor, ex-mayor of Jersey City. There are three children-Edwin B., Laura T. and Josephine Louise-all living.

Beginning again on the north side of the village boundary line at Sunnyside Brook, but east of Broad- way, and moving northward, the first place to attract attention is the house that was built about thirty-two years ago, and, for a time, occupied by Mr. Edmund Coffin. It subsequently came into the possession of Mr. Peter Moller, who for several years made it his home. It is a place of many attractions.

On the ridge above it, to the southeast, is a stonc building, the property of Mr. Jacob N. Crouise. This also was built by Mr. Edward Coffin.

Just north of this are the ruins of the fine, classic stone mansion and studio built by the celebrated art- ist, Albert Bierstadt, in 1866. Here for several years he lived and exercised his genius, painting some of those pictures which are now famous throughout the world. On November 10, 1882, while Mr. Bierstadt was absent, the house was discovered by passers-by to be on fire. It was too late to save it, and in a short time nothing was left of it but the blackened and nakcd walls.

On the hill east of the Bierstadt ruins is the house built and still owned by Mr. William Halstead.

Some distance farther north, upon a commanding eminence, stands the stone house now owned and oc- cupied as a summer residence by Mr. Walter S Gur- nee. The place is called " Greystone," and the pros- pect from it is very fine. The house was built about thirty-five years ago by Mr. David M. Steb- bins.

On the immediate borders of Tarrytown, to the south and east, and sometimes quite within the vil- lage proper, are many elegant places of greater or less extent, but the limits of this work will not allow them to be spoken of in detail. Among them may be mentioned " Rockview," the charming country-seat of the late Robert Graves, which, in his life-time, lie did so much to render beautiful and complete ; that of Dr. John C. Barron, built by the late Henry Sheldon, and afterwards owned and occupied by Mr. J. H. Bene- diet ; that of Mr. George Newton, built of stone about twenty-five years ago, by Mr. William H. Townsend, now of New York City, afterwards owned and occupied by Mr. Lewis Roberts, but now, after having been en- larged and improved, the elegant residence of Mr.

Newton ; that of Mr. Frank Vincent, of Mr. B. S. Clark, of Mr. W. F. Hazelton, formerly occupied by the late Luther Redfield ; that of the late Robert Hoe, the printing-press manufacturer; that of the late Hon. William E. Dodge, formerly owned by Mr. J. G. Dudley, but now owned by Mr. John D. Arch- bold; that of Mr. George Lewis, and on the heights, with magnificent views that sweep the valley of the Hudson, the beautiful country-seat of Mr. S. B. Schieffelin, and adjoining it on the north, “ Ard- more," the summer home of the distinguished lawyer, Robert Sewell, Esq. Farther up on the east is the new and costly residence of Mr. James M. Sigafus, one of the most conspicuous objects in the landscape,' and affording, probably, one of the finest views to be obtained of the Hudson River. Mr. Sigafus, after carrying a musket through the War of the Rebellion, went far West, where he amassed a fortunc, and from thenee came East in 1882. He bought the land he now owns of Alexander A. Meldrum, on April 8, 1882. The foundation of the house was laid the same year, and the whole was completed in March, 1884. In style the house is a French villa, with piazzas twelve feet wide around the entire building. It is constructed of pressed brick made at Glenn's Falls, New York, with terra-cotta trimmings, of which latter it took sixteen car-loads to finish the edifice. There is said to be more terra-cotta in this house than in any other in the United States. The granite columns are from the granite quarry at Quincy, Massachusetts.

Among the many magnificent residences on the borders of Tarrytown is that of Mr. William H. Webb, the famous ship-builder, on its commanding elevation, with delightful views and surroundings, the house erected and occupied by the late Jolm S. Mitchell, and afterwards occupied by Mrs. Mitchell until she removed back to her native place at Waterbury, Con- necticut.

William H. Webb, the well-known ship-owner and ship-builder of New York, now retired, was born in that city June 19, 1816. His ances- tors were English and settled in Connecticut in 1642. They intermarried with French Huguenots, from which race (mingled with the Scotch) his mother, whose ancestors settled in New York in colonial days was descended. Isaac Webb, his father, was one of the principal ship-builders of America. He was born in Stamford, Conn., toward the close of the last century and in boyhood remove d with his parents to New York City, where he made his permanent home. In his youth he mastered tlie art of ship-building, and subsequently engaged in that business with a high degree of success. He became the head of the well known firm of Isaac Webb & Co., and later of the firm of Webb & Allan. He was also for several years associated as partner with the renowned ship-builder, Henry Eekford, who made a national reputation in his business during the war of 1812. The property on the East River front once

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HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

occupied by his extensive ship-yards is located at the foot of Stanton Street.

William Henry Webb received a good English ed- ucation, which was begun under private tutors and finished at the Columbia College Grammar School in New York City. His forte in study was arithmetic, algebra and geometry, and it was early evident that he was a born mathematician. As a boy he played around his father's ship-yard, and at the age of twelve tried his hand sueeessfully at the construction of a small skiff, which he built during his summer vaca- tion. Before he was fifteen he had put together other small craft, among them a paddle-boat. His father, who had other views for him, was not at all pleased with this development of the boy's tastes, and sought to dissuade him from further effort in the boat-building direction. But this could not be. Greatly to the surprise and regret of his parents the lad became deeply interested in the plans of vessels, and quietly determined to learn marine architecture. To this determination he resolutely adhered, and al- though his school-teacher, parents and family friends discouraged him, he was allowed to continue in the moulding-room, where he was wont to spend mueh of his time, it being supposed that he would soon tire of his newly found pastime and resume his studies onee more. This was the turning point in his career, and gave to America a ship-builder of whom any country might well be proud. He was not a robust boy, and from exposure in the ship-yard during cold weather he contracted a severe illness which nearly proved fatal. But even this did not "eure" him of his " faney ; " on the contrary, when he recovered he was as determined as ever, and was suffered to have his own way. When seventeen years old he began to realize that he had undertaken no easy task, and, boy-like, he wavered for a time and considered that it would be best to give up then and there. At this juncture pride eame to his support, and couuselled that it would be ignominious to fail where others had succeeded. The result was that he kept on, and for six years longer devoted himself with rare persistence, day and night, to study and experiment, indulging during the whole period in but a single week's vaca- tion, and giving that over to a critical study of the new dry dock at the Boston navy yard-the first of the kind built in the United States. At the age of twenty, under a contract made with his father, he built the packet ship "Oxford," of the Black Ball Line between New York and Liverpool. Following this and under similar contracts, he built the Havre packet-ship " Duchesse d' Orleans," the Liverpool packet-ship "New York," and one or two smaller vessels. All these were completed before he was twenty-three years of age. The severe strain of this work upon his youthful system began to impair his health, and obliged to seek rest and restoration he made a voyage in the last-named vessel on her trial trip to Liverpool. This was his first experience of the

sea, and he was intensely praetieal. He availed lıim- self of the opportunity to study closely the perform- ance of a ship in its natural element. While abroad he made a brief tour of Great Britain and was pay- ing a flying trip to the continent when news of his father's death reached him and eaused his immediate return. In April, 1840, shortly after this event, he entered into partnership with Mr. Allen, who had been associated with his father, the style of the new firm remaining as before, i. e., Webb & Allen. In three years Mr. Allen retired, and the business fell wholly into the hands of Mr. Webb, whose success from that time forward forms one of the most remark- able pages in the history of ship-building. In 1872-73 he retired from aetive business, having built, up to that time, over one hundred and fifty vessels of all sizes including London, Liverpool and Havre packets, and steamships, and vessels of war of the largest tonuage, and in the aggregate much greater than that of any other constructor in this country. At this time he was one of the largest, if not the largest owner of tonnage in the United States, his interest covering in part or in whole about fifty vessels, both sail aud steam, most of his own construction.

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History of Westchester county : New York, including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, which have been annexed to New York City, Vol. II, Part 59

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898, Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Philadelphia : L.E. Preston & Co. Number of Pages: 1286

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898,
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.E. Preston & Co.
Number of Pages: 1286