New York State History

Treason House, Washington Walnut, Coe House.

About two miles below this stands the Treason House, made famous by the Arnold-Andre plot to give up West Point to the British. It was built in 1770 by a brother of the then occupant, Joshua Het Smith. The father was a judge and the sons more or less prominent lawyers in New York. They were not especially popular in this neighborhood, on account of a certain aloofness which those living nearby are said to have attributed to a feeling of superiority.

Hoping that I might be able to spend the night in the Treason House my walk was timed with that intent, and much to my satisfaction found a ready welcome, and from Mr. Weiant, the Lord of the Manor, secured many interesting items. He is descended from Revolutionary stock, has long lived in the Treason House, and has for years collected historic material. The following scraps are much as I gleaned them during the evening:-

Capt. James Lamb, who lived in the house adjoining on the north, is frequently spoken of as a Tory, but was in reality a most ardent patriot. When the separation from the mother country was talked of he opposed it with all his strength, because he did not believe the colonies were ready for war, or in condition to sustain a prolonged struggle, but when the die was cast his every effort was for his country. Being eighty years old at the time he, of course, could not take a hand in the fighting. Captain Lamb was master of the negro Pompey, who is credited with having piloted General Wayne in the Stony Point affair.

The Washington Walnut, recently purchased for preservation by the Daughters of the American Revolution, stands in a field across the road from the Treason House and a bit north. The usual legend concerning this is that it was used by Washington as a pay station for the army. It is also said that General Wayne first met the negro Pompey under this tree, but the true state of the case is that Washington and his staff, while reconnoitering down this way before the attack on Stony Point, stopped under its shade and sent up to Captain Lamb's for refreshments, and the captain's daughter Catharine (Mrs. Jacob Waldron), sent down by the negro Pompey such eatables as could be quickly gathered together. The tree is a magnificent feature in the landscape, and well worth preserving for itself alone.

The gun on Teller's Point which forced the Vulture to drop down out of reach, was there for signal purposes, not for use against an enemy; hence it was only a four-pounder, quite incapable of doing serious damage.

The spot at the foot of Clove Mountain where Andre landed and where the first conference was held, contained even at that early time a small stone dock for the purpose of shipping wood and stone to New York. This dock has disappeared within the memory of the present generation. It stood just south of the northern entrance to the present railroad tunnel, just about where a stone crusher now is.

In Revolutionary days the main north and south road was much further toward the east, the present highway being at that time merely a lane connecting the two or three houses here with the outside world. A bridle path, all traces of which have long since disappeared, led down to the landing on the tidewater creek known as the Minisceongo; it was over this that Arnold passed in going between the house and his boat.

LaFayette's headquarters, Haverstraw, was the Benjamin Allison house, 1754. LaFayette was here about 1782, occupying the house for some two weeks, having been sent down by Washington to superintend matters.

In conveying their prisoners to Tappan the guards of Major Andre and Joshua Het Smith, the latter arrested on a charge of complicity in the treason plot, took horse at the King's Ferry, Stony Point, after having come down the river from West Point in boats, and kept to the highway, passing the Smith (Treason) house, and turning west on the road from Haverstraw to the Ramapo Mountains through what is now known as Garnerville, crossing the Minisceongo Creek in the upper edge of that village and passing over to the present Ramapo Road, along the northern base of Clove Mountain. Thence over the slope of its western end and so, in a southeasterly direction to a crossroads then known as Kakiat, now as English Church, and on the government map as Hempstead, where they dined in the Coe house, still standing.

Here they took the road toward New City, leaving it at the first turn to the right, and now follows a series of turnings which probably trace the road of other days as nearly as is possible at the present time. Part of this road, if not all, dates back to Revolutionary times, as two old stone houses of that period adorn its borders.

Leaving English Church toward New City, as above stated, we take the first turn to the right, then first left turn, then second right turn, then first left turn, when the road shortly ends in the main highway running south from New City. This is an uninteresting straight line. We follow it, however, but a short distance, taking the first turn to the left into Germonds, and by a reasonably direct road through Blauvelt come to Tappan. I have this as the route from Mr. Weiant, and by laying a tracing from the old military map on the present-day geological survey map, which gives all the roads. The only book statement referring to this is that of Smith himself, who says: "After dinner (at the house of John Coe, Kakiat) we proceeded by a circuitous route to Tappan, or Orange Town, and arrived there about dusk." The above route is not circuitous, but there are so many turnings that it might well seem so to a man in the agitated frame of mind that must have been Mr. Smith's. The main army was so near by as to preclude any thought of surprise, hence a circuitous route was not necessary.

And now we will go back to the Treason House and our own little adventures. It was early November, the nights were cool, and the kind thoughtfulness of the good landlady in placing a ready-to-be-lighted oil stove in the bedroom was fully appreciated in the morning when, about 5:30 a.m., the window was closed, the stove lighted and the traveller was back in bed awaiting a warm reception when the time for getting up should come, and in the meantime, with his eyes on the east, watching the black line of Hessian and her sister hills and the few rosy-edged clouds hanging above them. It was a comfortable opportunity to watch the sun rise, and a beautiful sunrise in an almost clear sky was the reward. The scene could not but remind of Omar's record of his own feelings under like circumstances:-

"Wake! For the Sun who scattered into flight
The Stars before him from the Field of Night,
Drives Night along with them from Heav'n, and strikes
The Sultan's Turret with a Shaft of Light."

Even while looking the sun came over the hill and my dazzled eye turned from the now impossible scene.

The Treason House is an interesting specimen of the better class of houses built a hundred and fifty years ago. A square building two stories in the clear, with a one-story wing on either hand, which were originally of stone, like the main structure, but for some reason the stone has been replaced with wood. It is situated well up on the slope, and commands an uninterrupted view of the lowlands, river and hills beyond. The substantial character of the interior trim and finish is interesting. The stair balusters are turned much after the modern fashion, the work being probably done abroad. Door and window casings, instead of being built up of various mouldings and boards, as is the fashion in these times of hurry, are made of solid posts with panels cut out by hand. It is small wonder that the house is still in good condition.

A secret closet tucked under the garret stairs is known as the Andre closet, and has the reputation of being the major's hiding place, but as no one knew of his presence in the house, or was looking for him, this closet stands charged with securing reputation under false pretenses.

The large bedroom on the second floor, southeast corner, is the one from which the unfortunate Andre is said to have seen the firing on the Vulture, and it was also in this room, later in the day, September 22, 1780, that the final papers passed between Arnold and Andre, some of which were found on the latter at the time of his capture.

The rear room on the main floor, now the dining room, is pointed out as that occupied by Aaron Burr when a law student in the house. The marble mantel placed in the room when the house was built is still doing duty. Certain scratches on its surface, which bear a resemblance to the letters B-u-r-r, are thought to be the result of some idle moment of that brilliant individual. They would, however, in their present uncertainty of outline, equally fit the name of one Budd, a former frequenter of the house, and disputatious persons find here much matter for argument.

Washington was here for a brief space, August 21, 1781, while the army was in motion for the south and Cornwallis. Smith says: "My house was situated on the nearest route, where all communications generally passed from the eastern and southern states across the ferry at Stony Point", and again, "Gen. Arnold was frequently with me, in search of those culinary supplies, unattainable in his mountainous recesses". When Arnold was given the West Point command: "At this period he visited my house with his family, on his way to his appointment. I opened my doors with hospitality for his reception, as I had done generally to the officers of the army, and other genteel travellers." When Smith wrote he was making out a case for himself and his statements are usually salted to taste by each partaker thereof.

I left this historic spot well fortified with buckwheat cakes and other simples, intent on following in the footsteps of the Andre guard, outlined above. Crossing the Minisceongo Creek by a stone bridge, which is a picturesque addition to an already attractive scene, the way soon joins hands with the Ramapo Road, which skirts the foot of Clove Mountain just as closely as is consistent with a highway that is on the level. A little lane leading down from some one's orchard caused the camera to tarry a bit, while the fields of faded goldenrod, blossoming anew in the glances of the sun, were a constant distraction, but in spite of all temptation I got along at a very fair pace.

All this was on the mountain side; on the other the views used almost constantly as a background Timp Mountain and others of the Dunderberg ridge, along whose sides my road of yesterday found its way, and altogether this stretch was peculiarly attractive.

At the foot of a stone crusher, which is eating great chunks out of the west slope of poor old Clove Mountain, the road passes over a gentle swell and heads for English Church, two miles and a half away. The road ahead looked straight and rather uninteresting, and when a vacant buggy seat came along I took advantage of my opportunities. My common carrier proved to be the great or greater grandson of the first white man born in Rockland County, a subject which monopolized some minutes of the way.

The house of John Coe is a modest little affair, but being in the way of travel in horseback days, it slept and ate many distinguished guests. It was here that Andre had his dinner, and Washington was almost a frequent visitor. Across the road stands the English church, over whose door is the legend, "Hemstead Presbyterian Church, 1750", which gives its name locally to the spot. This is a split from the "Brick Church", where the services were all in Dutch, but as the English speaking part of the community increased it gradually came to the conclusion that it would prefer its religion in the home language, and as the Dutchmen would not compromise the new church was built in 1827 and the Dutchmen told to go to- Heaven any way they liked.