New York State History

Some of Its Old Buildings, Golden Hill, Aaron Burr, Skilliput Ferry.

On October 16, 1777, Kingston was burned by the British. Gen. John Vaughan, who superintended the affair, had this to say of the place in his report: "Esopus being a Nursery for almost every Villain in the Country, I judged it necessary to proceed to that town." And proceed he did, making as clean a job of destruction as the most exacting monarch could ask, only one house in the town being left untouched. The stout stone walls of many, however, were unaffected by the burn-out, as is evidenced on all sides to-day. That part of the city which was once inclosed by palisades is still studded thick with the interesting buildings of one and two hundred years ago. In fact there are so many as to overpower the casual tramp like myself, for without realizing what was before me I started out bravely to photograph the most of them, but soon was compelled to compromise on a few of those which at the time seemed to give greatest promise. Around almost every one, however, cling interesting anecdotes of family or local doings.

In making our pilgrimage round the town it is but natural to begin with the show house of Kingston, "The Senate House", North Front Street and Clinton Avenue (formerly East Front). This is now state property and a most interesting museum. Erected about 1676 by Col. Wessel Ten Broeck, it is one of the oldest buildings in the city. At the opening of the Revolution it was owned by Abraham Van Gaasbeek, and was selected for the meetings of the Senate upon the organization of the state government, and here the regular sessions were held, with occasional changes to the courthouse, until the approach of the British, October 16, 1777. The building was burned in the conflagration that followed, but was repaired soon after the close of the war, and has been in use ever since. General Armstrong, who moved to Kingston in order to give his children good educational advantages, occupied the building, 1804, for a short time before his departure as minister to France.

If we now proceed along North Front Street to Green, we must pass on the right the one-time residence of Abraham B. Bancker, twice tried by fire, 1777 and 1804. The house can hardly date with the oldest, as it stands on the wrong side of the street, where the palisades formerly ran, but it stands up as straight and holds its head as high as the best of them, and well it may, for was not the former dweller beneath its roof clerk of the State Senate for long years, 1784-1802, and a man of parts?

Diagonally opposite the Bancker house stands the famous De Waal place of entertainment, no ordinary hotel this, though it did condescend, when court was in session, to entertain boarders; but its chief glory was the ballroom, famous for many a good time in the old days. While the music was a single fiddle, a proper costume was as absolutely necessary as the invitation. There was a trifle more latitude then than now in the matter of men's dress, for the regulations allowed a choice of dress coat, white stockings and pumps, or the knee-breeches and silk stockings of an earlier day.

Our next stop is in front of the Hoffman house, North Front and Green Streets. This again takes us back to the days of the palisades, in fact a small cellar window on the Green Street side is pointed out as having once been an embrasure wherein a cannon frowned, but as the palisade was across the street it is not quite clear what such warlike preparation was good for, unless the house was to be a citadel of last resort should the outer defenses be carried. Gen. George H. Sharpe has this to say on the subject: "I do not believe that it was a fort, or occupied the site of one, but, thus standing as it still does upon an eminence thus commanding the palisades beyond the upper part, was probably prepared with embrasures for the use of musketry, and from these the citizens could easily reach Indians assaulting the walls.

Over against the Hoffman house, North Front Street, stands the former residence of Joseph Gasherie, first surrogate of Ulster County under the first constitution.

The old academy building, Crown and John Streets, next claims attention. Built originally for dwelling purposes, it was purchased in 1773 for educational purposes and immediately put in commission. With the rest of the village it was burned in October, 1777, but so promptly were repairs made that in less than four months after the fire the building was again the home of learning and was asking for an assistant teacher. For years this was one of the most flourishing schools in the Hudson valley, drawing scholars from all parts of the state.

At the apex of the acute angle formed by Crown and Green Streets stands the John Tappan house, recently purchased by the Daughters of the Revolution, and to be used by them as a headquarters. John Tappan, while a lawyer by profession, appears to have been a newspaper man by choice, for he was both editor and proprietor of the Ulster Plebeian from 1813 to the time of his death. The printing and publication office occupied the second floor, while in one corner of the first he kept a book and stationery store. To-day there is hardly a more peaceful looking spot in the entire city than this quiet old building with its great sentinel trees in front; there is now no suggestion of those hot broadsides that must have poured from that upper story. During the days of the Revolution this was the home of Henry J. Sleght, president of the village trustees, to whom fell the honor of reading the address of welcome when Gen. George Washington visited Kingston, November 16, 1782.

On the western side of Green Street, a few steps beyond Crown, is to be found the Judge Dirck Wynkoop homestead. It was here that General Washington was entertained at dinner, November 16, 1782, in the rear extension of the building, beneath which were the quarters of the negro family servants. It is claimed that on Washington's second visit to Kingston, about August 2 or 3, 1783, he spent the night with Judge Wyn-koop. This was on his return from a tour through the state, when he suggested the tremendous advantage a canal connecting the Hudson and the Great Lakes would give the state of New York. The ideas imbibed during this trip are said to have been the cause of his great interest and activity in the Potomac and James River canal schemes, which were to connect the seaboard with the Ohio River.

If we continue along Green Street as far as the way will let us, then around the corner and into and along Wall Street, we shall shortly pass the only house not burned by the British; so far as the writer knows this is its chiefest glory; the former tavern and home of Tobias Van Steenberg Jr.

On the northwest corner of Maiden Lane and Fair Street still stands "The Tavern of Coenradt Elmendorf". Here the first Council of Safety sat from February 19, 1777, until superseded by the meeting of the Legislature on September 10th, and when this adjourned and the second Council of Safety came into being, it again met in this historic house, and it was here, while holding its last session, October 15th, before the British attack that "A letter from John Barclay Esq. chairman of the committee of Albany was received and read containing an account of the capitulation of General Burgoyne and his army".

"Ordered, That the treasurer of this state pay to Bernardus Hallenbeeck, the bearer of said letter, the sum of fifty dollars."

Here ends the record. Most of the able bodied men of the town had gone north and south to the defense of their country, the enemy was at its doors and there was naught to do but leave the place to its fate.

After the Revolution the building became noted as the headquarters of the Republican or anti-Federal party. Politics was a burning question in those days, and one of the best arguments known to both sides was a broken head for the other fellow. When we know that the rival headquarters was diagonally across the street, one can form some idea of what the neighborhood must have been like. The proprietor himself was known as "Toper Conrad", from which it would seem a safe guess that he sometimes drank behind the bar. A stone in the gable end on Fair Street indicates that the building was erected in 1723 for K. E. D. + B. E. D.

Our journey ends at the Dutch church, Fair, Main and Wall Streets, whose slender spire, reaching far above all else in the neighborhood, is so beautifully proportioned that it is sure to arrest the attention of the traveller, whether he stand in the streets below or far out on the country roads. There is a very pleasant story connected with the bell which swings in this belfry. When Kingston was burned the church, of course, went with the rest, and when the bell was dug out of the ruins it was found so irretrievably ruined that no repair was possible. Then it was, so the story goes, that the parishioners brought their gold and silver ornaments, and their brass and copper utensils, and these being all collected together, were sent to Holland and there cast into the present summoner of the devout, who can well say we "have with holy bell been knolled to church". This story has been disputed, but I understand that Mr. Randall Hoes has in his possession convincing documents of its correctness, which it is hoped will some time come into the possession of the church.

The entire church building is said to be absolutely proportioned from a mathematical standpoint. The local architect who designed the edifice was a student under the noted Richardson of Boston. Sentiment has much more to do with our feelings than we are aware of. It is at times difficult to adapt oneself to some of the modern church interiors, from which the simplicity and stateliness we associate with a house of worship are altogether gone, and this can hardly help but react on the spirit of the worshipper. But the interior we have here is so restful and worshipful that it is like receiving a blessing to stand within its cool portals if but for a moment.

A tablet on the outer walls gives a brief history of the church organization; there are also two interesting brown-stone tablets imbedded in the wall which were taken from the old Dutch church in New York when that was demolished years ago. In the vestibule, behind a protecting glass cover, hangs a letter from General Washington, dated at Kingston, November 16, 1782, replying to a letter of welcome addressed to him by the minister, elders and deacons of the church.

In 1704 it was written:-

"His Excellency has appointed the Rev. Mr. Hepburn to preach and to read Divine service to them, whereby the English, who never had a minister among them, have the benefit of public Worship, and are in good hopes of bringing the Dutch to a conformity."

The inhabitants were mostly Dutch, and the following extracts, from a letter from Secretary Clarke to the "Gentlemen at Esopus", indicate that they were in no mood for "conformity" :-

"You have not paid yt Obedience to his Excellency's Commands, and that regard to this gentleman's Character, as was due, and this appears plainly by ye mean accommo-dacons you provided before. I am therefore to lett you known that you are immediately without delays in misconstruing any part of this to provide a good and Convenient house in your town of Kingstown with necessary's thereto belonging And make a speedy return of what you shall have done therein."

Reminds me of the method pursued by my grandmother, when some unwelcome task was set her eldest son. My father was wont to tell how she stimulated him by announcing that he had five minutes in which to do the job willingly-after which she would make him.

Doctor Van Slyke, who for thirty years has held the pastorate of the Dutch church, has on his home-land one of the natural beauties of the Kingston neighborhood, one of those limestone ledges of more than usually attractive form, and the doctor has worked it into the scheme of his grounds as effectively as though he had had the laying out of both ledge and grounds. Beginning at the entrance gate the footpath follows the windings of the ledge, developing new beauties at every turn, of fern and wild flower, as well as rock and tree.

This is Golden Hill, where the setting sun spreads his munificence with unstinted hand. As an illustration of how hard some natures are beneath a smiling surface, Golden Hill is an eminent example, for we are told that here is found a limestone of such adamantine qualities that it was selected for the towers of the Brooklyn Bridge, from which is suspended that monster spiderweb which so gracefully connects the two principal boroughs of Greater New York, and which must withstand a tremendous crushing force.

If Aaron Burr had been as solid a citizen as he was a kindly, his history would have been much more satisfactory reading to his descendants than is the case at present. There was a screw loose somewhere, no doubt. In these local annals one comes across more frequent mention of this name than almost any other, excepting always that of Washington. It seems as though wherever he stopped he made a lasting impression. The following letter shows one side of a very attractive personality, and partially, at least, explains why his memory was kept so green.

"Philad. 21. June, 1795.
"My Dear Sir: I understand that a young Mr. Vanderlyn, who lived a short time with Stuart the Painter, left him for want of means of suitable support. You must persuade him to allow me to remove that objection. If he was personally acquainted with me, he would, I am confident, accept this proposal without hesitation. I commit to you then, to overcome any delicacy which he may feel on this head. I shall never imagine that I have conferred on him the slightest obligation, but shall be infinitely flattered by an opportunity of rescuing genius from obscurity. He may draw on J. B. Proovost, New York, for any sum which may be necessary for his outfit, and on his arrival in this city, where Mr. Stuart now lives, he will find a letter from me, addressed to him (Mr. Vanderlyn), pointing out the channel of his future supplies, the source of which never will be known except to himself. I acknowledge that I would not have communicated this even to you, if I had known how otherwise to get at Mr. V. D. L. I beg you to consider it as confidential. This arrangement is intended to continue as long as it may be necessary for Mr. V. D. L. to cultivate his genius, to the highest point of perfection. From the inquiries I have made concerning him I have been led to believe that his character and talents are such as may do honor to himself, his friends and his country. "Your aff'ct Servt.,
"A. BURR, "P. Van Gaasbeek.

It were a shame to depart from Kingston and leave the Skilliput ferry unsung. If for no other reason, the name is enough to make it famous. Skilliput means mud turtle, and one has but to view the boat to appreciate the appropriateness of the designation. To see her ladyship come yawing across the creek is to laugh.