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OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 


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LIMITED  EDITION 


THIS  EDITION  IS  LIMITED  TO 

ONE  THOUSAND  NUMBERED  COPIES 

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OTHER  DAYS  IN 
GREENWICH 

OR 

TALES  AND  REMIXISCENCES  OF 
AN    OLD    NEW    ENGLAND    TOWN 


BY 


FREDERICK  A.  HL^BBARD 


NEW  YORK 
J.  F.  TAPEEY  COIMPANY 

1913 


Copyright,  1913 
Bv  FREDERICK  A.   HUBBARD 


J.    F.  TAPLEY  CO. 

NEW    YORK 


1334572 


In  my  days  of  boyhood  and  youth,  a  running 
mate,  as  we  called  him,  belonged  to  every  one. 

There  was  always  some  congenial  spirit, 
who  shared  confidences,  excursions  and  social 
events,  who,  in  school  and  out,  was  a  recog- 
nized companion. 

TO 
MY    OLD  RUNXIXG    MATE 

E.  BELCHER   MEAD 

THIS    VOLUME 
IS    AFFECTIONATELY    DEDICATED 


'T    NEVER  learned  the  ivonder  of  thai  lane. 

Drenched  with   the  Sinniner  rain, 
IVhcre   throngJi    )iti/  boi/ish   feet    were  icont   to  pass. 
Until  I  left  it  for  the  passionate  toxcn, 
jMarble  and  iron  and  brass. 

Filled   iritli   all  langliter;   i/ea,  and  filled,  alas, 
IVith   life's  immortal  pain!" 

Charles  Hanson  Towne 


FREDERICK  A.  HUBBARD 

The  Author 
Photo  by  E.  Starr  Sanford 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

IliLustuations xiii 

Introduction xvii 

I     The  Village 1 

II     Commercial  Greknwich 17 

III     The  Town 25 

IV     The  White  Bridge 54 

-^           V      Banksville  and  Stanwich 61 

VI     The  Davis  Dock 68 

VII     Rockridge  and  Dearfield 73 

VIII      Theodore  H.  Mead  Farm 86 

IX      The  Titus  Mead  Farm 92 

X     The   Second  Congregational  Chi'rch       .  100 
XI      The   Story  of  a  Street — Greenwich  Ave- 
nue     117 

XII     W^ar   Times 125 

XIII     Rev.  W^illiam  H.  H.  Murray     .       .       .       .141 

XIV     Along  Putnam  Avenue 153 

XV      The  Days  of  Boss  Tweed 161 

XVI     William  M.  Tweed  in  Greenwich  .       .       .  180 

XVII     LiNwooD — THE  John  Romer       ....  202 

XVIII     The  Tweed  Family 217 

XIX      The  Escape  of  William  M.  Tweed      .       .  225 

XX     The  Old  Town  Hall 233 

XXI      The  Lewis  and  jNIason  Families      .       .       .  244 

XXII     The   Old  Black  Walnut  Tree       .       .       .  250 

[xi] 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER 


XXIII 

Rocky  Neck — the  Silleck  House  . 

.    256 

XXIV 

Railroads  in  the  Early  Days    . 

.    266 

XXV 

Riverside  axd  Soitnd  Beach 

.    280 

XXVI 

The  Octagon   House       .... 

.    286 

XXVII 

The  Old  Mill  at  Stonybrooke 

.    291 

XXVIII 

The  Old  Mill  at  Davis  Landing  . 

.    299 

XXIX 

The  Ancient  Highways 

.    306 

XXX 

Belle  Haven 

322 

Index       

331 

[xi 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

Banksville  Stage Frontispiece 

I'AGE 

Frederick  A.   Hubbard ix 

Daniel  S.  Mead 3 

D.  Smith  Mead  Driving  Cows  to  Pasture 5 

S.  Merwin  Mead  Homestead 6 

S.    Merwin    Mead 7 

Alvan  Mead 8 

Luther  Prescott  Hubbard 9 

L.  P.  Hubbard  Homestead 11 

Stephen  A.  Stoothoff l^ 

Zaccheus  Mead  Lane 13 

Deep  Hole 15 

Post  Office,    1859 18 

Post   Office,    1861 19 

Joseph   E.   Brush 20 

John   Dayton '21 

First  Business  Building  Erected  on  Greenwich  Avenue,  185  1  22 

Abraham  Reynolds 26 

Captain   Caleb  Holmes 26 

Augustus  X.   Reynolds 27 

Stephen    L.    Radford 28 

Jonas    Mead   Homestead 29 

Milo   Mead 30 

Deacon    Jonas    ^Nlead 31 

Windsor  Chair  used  by  Deacon  Jonas  Mead 32 

John  R.  Grigg     .       .  ' 33 

Judge  Augustus  Mead 31 

Homestead  of  Augustus  ]\Iead  in  1859 35 

Squire   Samuel  Close 36 

Oliver   Mead   Homestead 39 

Miss   Sally   Mead       . 11 

Oliver   Mead 12 

Pottery  made  by  Deacon  Abraham  Mead,  1790      ....  13 

The  White   Bridge,   1861 55 

Church  at  Banksville 62 

The  Stanwich  Church,  Shubel  Brush  Homestead   ....  63 

William  Brush  Homestead 64 

Old   Inn  at  Stanwich 67 

[xiii] 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


"Dcarfield's"  Thos.  A.  Mead  Homestead 74 

Thomas  A.  Mead 75 

Zacclieus  Mead  Homestead 77 

Zaccheus  Mead  2nd 79 

Natlianiel  Witherell 81 

Buttermilk    Falls 91 

Titus  Mead  Homestead 93 

Mrs.  Lucy  ^lumford  Mead 94 

Putnam   Cottage 95 

Solomon    Mead 97 

Robert  Williams  Mead 101 

Second  Congregational  Church  in   1879 103 

Insets:    Rev.   Dr.   Joel   H.   Linsley 

Rev.   Dr.   Frederick  G.   Clark 
Rev.   Dr.   George  A.   Gordon 
Early   Church    Buildings 113 

Inset:     Rev.  Joel  Mann 

Rockefeller  Park  in  1860 116 

Henry  M.  Benedict 119 

Shadrach  M.  Brush 121 

Captain   W.   L.  Lyon 123 

Elnathan   Husted" 126 

Alvord  Peck 126 

Isaac  L.  Mead 

Corporal  William  Bird  joy 

W^illiam  Purdy 

Serg.  Caleb  Holmes 

John  Bush   Matthews 129 

James    Gerald 129 

Major  D.  M.  Mead   . 130 

I>ieut.  Thomas  R.  Mead 
Henrv  H.  Mead 

Silas  "e.  Mead  ^ 131 

Lieut.  David  W.  Mead 
William  Morrison 

L.  P.  Hubbard.  Jr 13.9 

William   Smith 131 

Lyman    Mead 134 

Caj^tain  Sclleck  L.  White 
Corporal  Alexander  Ferris 

Lieut.  W.  L.  Savage  ]- 135 

Serg.  Norvel  Green 
Corporal  Willis  H.  Wilcox 

James  H.  Hoyt,  M.D 137 

[xiv] 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

Charles  H.  Seaman 137 

Lieut.   Benjamin   Wriglit 138 

Colonel  Otis 139 

Serg.    William    Long 110 

Amos  Mead  Lvon IK) 

Rev.  W.  H.  H.  Murray 112 

Thomas  Ritch 118 

Mrs.  W.   H.   H.   Murray 119 

Residence  of  Beale  N.  Lewis 151 

Dr.  Wm.  G.  Peck 156 

William  M.  Tweed 163 

Tweed's  Island,  1871 182 

Captain  BrinckerhofF 181 

Americus  Club  House 185 

The  Tweed  Bath  House 189 

Daniel   S.   Mead,   Jr 190 

H.  W.  R.  Hoyt,  1869 190 

Judge  Heusted  W.  R.  Hoyt 191 

H.  W.  R.  Hoyt  at  age  of  20 193 

Philander  Button 191 

Dr.  L.  P.  Jones 195 

Joseph  G.  Merritt 196 

T.  F.  Secor 206 

Captain  Thomas  Mayo 207 

Sanford   Mead 208 

Stephen  G.  White 209 

Frank  Shepard 220 

James    Elphick 230 

Town  Hall 234 

George    J.    Smith 235 

Town  Hall  in  1878 236 

Robert   M.    Bruce 237 

Amos  M.  Brush 211 

Miss  Sarah  Lewis 217 

Dr.    Darius   ]\Iead 218 

Sackett   Homestead 251 

Reserved  Lot  in  1876,  Ephraim  Read  Homestead  and  Marble 

House .       .261 

John  G.   Wellstood 261 

Locomotive  No.  27 267 

Moses    Cristy 268 

New  York  Terminals  of  the  New  Haven  and  Harlem  Rail- 
roads in  1818  and  1871 271 

Greenwich  R.  R.  Station,  1859 273 

William  H.  Wallace  at  age  of  16 275 

[XV] 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIOXS 

PAGE 

Cliarles  H.  Wright  at  '24 276 

William  H.  Wallace  as  Assistant  Superintendent  New  Haven 

R.  R 277 

Looking  down  the  Harbor  in  1859 279 

Luke  A.   Lockwood 282 

Amasa  A.   Marks 283 

The  Octagon  House 287 

Brush   Knaj)]) 289 

The  Old  Mill  at  Stonybrooke 
Inset:   Edmund    Mead    1st 

Edmund   Mead   2nd 293 

Lower   Falls,  Stonybrooke 295 

Snapshots  at  Stonybrooke 297 

The  Old  Mill  at  Davis  Landing,  1868 301 

Woodsey    Road 307 

Round  Hill  Woodshed 308 

Isaac  Howe  Mead 309 

Charles  Mead 310 

Edward  Mead 311 

Edward  Mead  Homestead 311 

Joseph  Brush 312 

Joseph  Brush  Homestead 313 

Holly  Inn,  Cos  Cob 311 

Falls  near  the  Old   Rolling  Mill 315 

Elkanah  Mead  Homestead 316 

Elkanah    Mead 317 

Church   at   North   Greenwich 319 

Odle  C.   Knapp 320 

Nelson  Bush 323 

Nelson  Bush  Homestead 329 


[xvi] 


IXTRODUCTIOX 

This  volume  is  not  a  history.  It  is  a  collection  of 
personal  reminiscences  and  a  few  stories  of  local  in- 
terest, told  to  the  author  years  ago.  They  all  relate 
to  the  Town  of  Greenwich,  Connecticut,  wliere  the 
author  has  resided  since  1859. 

He  came  to  that  town  at  the  age  of  seven.  All 
the  impressive  scenes  of  the  war  of  '61 -'65  are  firmly 
fixed  in  his  memory.  A  boy  of  that  age  is  every- 
where; he  sees  and  hears  everything  and  he  never 
forgets. 

The  records  of  the  town  have  always  been  a  de- 
light: those  quaint  old  books  that  contain  so  many 
suggestions  of  other  days.  And  when,  years  ago, 
the  old  men  told  stories  of  local  events  long  past, 
they  Avere  treasured  and  often  verified  with  particu- 
lar dates  and  names. 

Names  and  dates  herein  contained  are  believed  to 
be  correct.  Certainly  the  dates  are,  as  in  no  instance 
has  a  date  been  given  until  accuracy  was  first  assured. 
The  book  is  intensely  personal.  In  some  respects  it 
may  be  deemed  to  be  trivial.  If  it  were  a  history — 
staid  and  dignified — that  criticism  might  be  just. 
But  Daniel  ^lerritt  ^Nlead  and  Spencer  P.  ^Nlead  are 
the  local  historians  and  they  have  done  their  work 
well. 

The  province  of  this  volume  is  to  deal  with  families 

[xvii] 


INTRODUCTION 

and  their  home  farms.  Great  farms  that  raised  so 
many  potatoes,  years  ago,  that  the  town  controlled 
the  New  York  market  afterwards  became  residence 
parks.  Their  improvement  brought  great  wealth; 
new  streets  were  laid  out  and  from  a  quiet  rural  com- 
munity Greenwich  became  a  lively  city  subiu'b. 

How  this  happened  and  when  is  told  herein. 

The  photographs  are  included  because  it  is  believed 
they  will  be  of  interest.  No  payment  for  tlieir  in- 
sertion has  been  exacted,  except  the  actual  cost  of 
the  plate.  ]Many  dollars  would  have  been  paid  for 
others  could  they  have  been  obtained. 

It  has  taken  twenty-two  years  to  gather  the 
material  for  this  book  and  now  that  the  work  is  done 
the  task  is  laid  aside  only  with  a  feeling  of  regret. 

It  has  been  pleasant  to  read  and  talk  of  tlie  other 
days;  to  imagine  how  some  of  the  characters  looked; 
of  what  their  home  life  consisted;  how  conscientious 
and  careful  they  were  and  to  realize  tliat  in  many 
cases,  notwithstanding  their  restricted  environment, 
they  builded  better  tlian  they  knew. 

GuEENWicH,  ^Iay  1,  1913. 


[xvi 


OTHER   DAYS   IN 
GREENWICH 


CHAPTER  I 

THE    VILLAGE 

WHAT  is  now  the  Borough,  with  a  fringe  of  out- 
lying territory,  consisted  in  1859  of  farms. 
The  Thomas  A.  ^Nlead  and  Zaccheus  ^lead  farms, 
comprising  over  three  hundred  acres,  lay  to  the  west 
and  northwest  of  the  village  center.  Abraham  B. 
Davis'  farm  lay  to  the  southwest  and  the  farms  of 
D.  Smith  ]Mead,  Silas  ^lerwin  ^Nlead  and  Dr.  Theo- 
dore L.  JNIason  were  in  the  center,  while  the  Phil- 
ander Button,  Theodore  H.  JNlead  and  Titus  ^Nlead 
farms  lay  to  the  northeast  and  east. 

These  farms  were  profitable  and  were  managed 
with  all  the  skill  which  had  been  handed  down  from 
generation  to  generation  of  practical  farmers.  Per- 
haps jNIr.  Button  and  Dr.  ]\Iason  should  be  excepted 
as  their  occupations  were  teaching  and  the  practice 
of  medicine,  farming  being  merely  an  incident.  But 
the  others  were  in  every  sense  of  the  word  farmers 
and  they  were  good  farmers,  devoting  their  energy 
and   judgment  to   tilling  their   productive   acres   to 

[1] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

the  best  advantage.  It  is  less  than  thirty  years  ago 
that  CoL  ^Mead's  farm  barns  stood  where  Judge 
James  F.  Walsh's  house  now  stands  at  111  West 
Putnam  Avenue. 

Col.  Thomas,  as  he  was  called  for  short,  owned  a 
famous  herd  of  yellow  cows  and  his  ox  barn  con- 
tained several  yoke  of  sleek  oxen.  The  farm  was 
known  as  Dearfields  to  which  I  have  devoted  another 
chapter. 

The  Abraham  B.  Davis  farm  adjoined  Col.  Mead's 
farm  on  the  south.  He  was  commonly  called  Benson 
Davis.  He  was  a  native  of  the  town,  his  birthplace 
being  at  Davis  I^anding  where  the  old  tide  mill  was 
operated  so  many  years  and  with  his  brother,  Silas, 
went  to  New  York  where  he  made  a  fortune  in  the 
flour  business. 

In  the  eighteenth  century  the  farm  had  belonged 
to  William  Bush.  He  came  to  Greenwich  from 
New  York  about  1750.  He  was  a  young  man  of 
wealth,  the  only  son  of  a  retired  shipping  merchant. 
It  is  said  tliat  his  shoe  buckles  were  of  the  finest 
wrought  silver  and  his  small  clothes  were  of  the 
choicest  silk.  He  had  the  swiftest  horses,  the  finest 
oxen  and  the  greatest  herd  of  sheep  and  his  acres 
were  broad  and  fertile.  The  house  he  built  was  the 
talk  of  the  town  and  upon  his  death,  Jan.uary  8,  1802, 
his  will  disposed  of  a  large  estate.  He  left  an  only 
daughter,  Rebecca,  who  became  the  wife  of  John  R. 
Cozine,  from  whom  she  obtained  a  divorce  en- 
abling her  to  convey  her  land  as  a  single  woman. 

[2] 


THE  VILLAGE 

She  sold  the  farm  to  the  Davises  and  on  ^lay  7,  18.5^3, 
Abraham  B.  acquired  from  the  others  a  complete 
title  to  the  thirty  acres. 

I    recall    an    antiquated    colonial    farmhouse    that 
stood  west  of  the  present  so-called  Green  Court  Inn, 


D.  SMITH  MEAD 

During  the  last  years  of  his  life  he  daily  drove  his  cows  to  pasture 
in  the  manner  shown 

which  had  been  the  homestead  of  William  Bush  be- 
fore and  during  the  war  of  the  Revolution. 

As  Abraham  B.  Davis  grew  rich  he  desired  a  bet- 
ter house  and  about  1869,  under  the  supervision  of 
Samuel  Adams,  the  old  house  was  removed  and  the 
present  one,  known  as  the  Green  Court  Inn,  erected. 

[5] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 

Here  he  lived  summer  and  winter  i>oint>-  to  New 
York  daily  until  hi.s  death  February  -1,  1870. 

After  the  death  of  the  widow,  Eleanor  R.  Davis, 
who  had  acquired  the  farm  by  a  will  that  was  stub- 
bornly contested  for  many  months  by  Mr.  Davis' 
brothers  and  sisters,  Henry  R.  ^Marshall  purchased 
the  farm. 

Till-  farm  of  Daniel  Smith  ^lead  was  pretty  much 


S.    MERWIX    MEAD    HOMESTEAD 
Built    1809 


all  in  the  village.  It  consisted  of  about  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  including  eleven  acres  now  occupied 
by  the  Havemeyer  School.  It  extended  east  to 
Davis  Avenue,  then  called  Eove  I^ane  and  soutli  to 
the  railroad.  It  was  a  portion  of  a  great  tract  of 
land  that  in  tlie  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century  had 
belonged  to  Daniel  Smith,  the  father-in-law  of 
Daniel  Smith  jNIead  and  for  whom  his  son  was 
named.  D.  Smith  ]Mead,  the  grandson,  lived  in  a 
house  built  many  years  ago  but  in  1870,  when  the  de- 

[6] 


THE  VILLAGE 


sire   for  the   ^Mansard   or   French   roof  appeared   its 
colonial  form  was  wiped  ont. 

The  house  still  stands  at  No.  359  Greenwich  Ave- 
nue and  is  owned  by  the  family.  The  other  part  be- 
lono-ed  to  Silas  ^lerwin  ^Nlead,  a  brother  of  U.  Smith 
^lead,  the  second. 

Merwin  JNIead,  as  he  was  generally  called,  lived  in 
the  house  at  No.  2iVS 
Greenwich  Avenue  now 
owned  by  Dr.  AVilliam 
Burke.  This  house  was 
built  in  1809.  The  ^Nler- 
win  ]Mead  farm  extended 
north  from  his  brother's 
farm  along  Greenwich 
Avenue  and  across  to  Da- 
vis Avenue.  It  was  JNIer- 
win   JNIead  who  laid  out  s.  merwin  mead 

Elm  Street  and  about  the  year  18.58  planted  the 
elm  trees  that  afterward  suggested  the  name  it 
bears.  He  was  one  of  the  most  public  spirited  of  the 
older  generation.  The  streets  tliat  were  laid  out 
through  his  farm  represented  his  contribution  to  the 
public  improvement  and  he  never  asked  for  land 
damages. 

The  tract  north,  of  Elm  Street  belonged  to  Edwin 
JNIead,  a  brother,  who  with  Aaron  Woolsey,  of  Bed- 
ford, N.  Y.,  as  a  partner,  divided  the  land  into  half 
acre  plots  then  considered  small  and  disposed  of  them 
to    William    Tiers,    Isaac    Weed    and    others.     ]Mr. 

[7] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 

Tiers  lived  where  the  Cramer  building-  now  stands 
and  Mr.  Weed  lived  where  the  li])rary  is  located. 
What  is  now^  Rockefeller  Park  belonged  to  Henry 
M.  Benedict,  Brush  Knapp  and  Alvan  ^Nlead. 


AI.VAX  MEAD 

1795-1883 


These  men  owned  contiguous  property  amounting 
to  nearly  one  himdred  and  fifty  acres,  devoted  to 
cultivation  and  containing  two  fine  apple  orchards. 

Occasionally  may  be  seen  along  Lincoln  or  I^ex- 
ington  Avenues  the  stump  of  an  old  tree  and  it  is 
possible  tliat  in  some  of  the  back  yards  of  the  nu- 

[8] 


C^CcuAjSa-  P/h€^(lerZZ^C^<^^-(^£<yr-^^ 


I8()s-is;u 


THE  VILLAGE 

merous  cottages  that  now  occupy  this  territory  may  be 
found  a  fruitful  apple  tree,  a  relic  of  one  of  the  old 
orchards. 

To  me  this  tract  is  particularly  interesting  because 
in  my  boyhood  days  it  constituted  my  trapping  and 
hunting  ground. 


L.  p.  HUBBARD  HOMESTEAD 
Purchased  in  1859  with  savings  accumuhited  by  the  non  use  of  tobacco 

jNIy  home  from  1859  to  1883  was  the  house  now 
owned  by  Dr.  E.  O.  Parker  at  No.  68  East  Putnam 
Avenue. 

In  the  early  days  when  the  farms  of  which  I  have 
spoken  were  devoted  to  the  business  of  agriculture, 
there  were  few  trees  to  obstruct  the  view  and  from 
any  portion  of  my  father's  home  place  the  Sound  was 
visible  for  manv  miles.     Ancient  stone  walls  divided 

[11] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 


the  fields  tliat  abounded  in  quail  and  meadow  lark. 
Piping-  Brook  ran  full  before  numerous  drains  bad 
cut  off  its  sup]:)ly  and  the  muskrat  and  an  occasional 
mink  contributed  to  my  somewhat  limited  supply  of 
pocket  money. 

In  winter  the  snow  often  drifted  over  the  stone 
walls  making  it  possible  to  coast  on  the  crust  over 
much  of  this  extended  territory. 

Early  in  the  sixties, 
Henry  JNI.  Benedict,  in 
the  mterest  of  his  children 
an.d  incidentally  in  his 
boys'  playmates,  flooded 
a  portion  of  liis  land  for  a 
skating  pond. 

Occasionally  I  walk 
along  the  streets  that 
have  cut  the  Benedict 
place  in  pieces  and  en- 
deavor to  locate  some 
of  the  old  haunts  so  familiar  in  other  days.  Re- 
cently in  the  backyard  of  one  of  the  newly  erected 
houses  I  found  a  remnant  of  the  old  dam  and  a  little 
further  south  I  identified  the  old  buttonwood  tree  that 
grew  near  it.  JNIr.  Benedict  was  devoted  to  liis  boys 
and  liis  daughter.  Belle,  now  ]Mrs.  William  C.  Horn, 
and  their  wants  were  seldom  denied. 

After  the  skating  pond  was  established  it  was 
thought  necessary  to  build  a  small  house  whicli  was 
warmed  by  a  w^ood  stove,  thus  enabling  the  children 

[12] 


STEPHEX  A.  STOOTHOFF 
1829-1911 


THE  VILLAGE 

to  put  on  their  skates  in  comfort.  Tliis  building 
Avhich  was  erected  ))y  Stephen  A.  Stoothoft',  who  did 
all  jNIr.  Benedict's  work,  stood  a  few  rods  east  of  the 


/ACXIIEUS  MEAD  LAXE   ISCO 


rear  line  of  Frank  V.  R.  Reynolds'  house  on  ^lason 
Street. 

The  chapter  on  tlie  Octagon  house  tells  of  Brush 
Knapp  who  owned  the  orchard  south  of  the  Benedict 
land.  I^incoln  Avenaie  now  runs  directly  through 
it.     There  are  several  prominent  trees  on  this  one 

[13] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

hundred  and  fifty  acre  tract  which  still  live.  Near 
what  is  now  called  Putnam  Terrace  stood  an  ash  tree 
whose  trunk  was  twelve  feet  in  circumference.  It 
was  considered  a  detriment  to  the  Sound  view  many 
years  ago  and  was  cut  down,  but  near  the  home  of 
Miss  Amelia  Knapp  may  be  seen  small  trees  of  this 
variety  which  have  sprung  from  the  roots  of  the  par- 
ent tree.  Two  or  three  buttonball  trees  graced  the 
landscape  but  they  are  all  gone  except  the  remains 
of  the  one  near  the  old  dam. 

The  great  oak  tree  now  on  the  front  lawn  of  B. 
Frank  Finney,  on  Mason  Street,  was  a  popular 
shelter  for  the  cows  that  were  pastured  in  that  field 
and  the  triplet-trunk  silver  maple  on  the  corner  of 
Mason  Street  and  Lexington  Avenue  looks  just  as 
it  did  fifty  years  ago. 

When  the  autumn  days  came  all  the  boys  were  in- 
terested in  nut  gathering.  The  Mason  farm  had  sev- 
eral fine  hickory  trees,  one  of  which  still  stands  on 
the  front  lawn  of  Frank  V.  R.  Reynolds'  place.  An- 
other stands  in  the  rear  of  Dr.  J.  A.  Clark's  place  on 
Mason  Street  and  the  remains  of  one  that  was  on  the 
Merwin  INIead  farm  still  stands  on  the  corner  of  ISIa- 
son  and  Elm  Streets. 

Dr.  Mason  was  engaged  in  the  active  practice  of 
his  profession  in  Brooklyn  and  his  farm  was  man- 
aged by  George  Wellner,  whose  name  I  learned 
3^ears  afterwards;  a  good  hearted  German  who  must 
have  emigrated  to  this  country  late  in  life  as  he 
spoke  very  broken  English.     We  called  him  Dutch 

[14] 


THE  VILLAGE 

George,  having  heard  others  call  him  hy  that  name, 
and  he  never  resented  it. 

He  was  inclined  to  tease  us  sometimes  but  always 
acceded  to  our  request  for  the  privilege  of  gather- 


DKEP   HOI.H   IS()() 

ing  nuts  on  the  ^Nlason  farm.  Longer  excursions  for 
nuts  took  us  down  Zaccheus  ^Mead's  lane  and  to  the 
chestnut  trees  near  "Sheep  Pen"  on  the  Thomas  A. 
Mead  farm. 

It  will  therefore  a])pear  that  the  one  hundred  and 
fifty  acre  parcel  I  have  described  did  not  include  all 
the  playground  of  the  boys  of  those  times.  It  was 
our  immediate  reservation  but  frequently  we  made 
excursions  to  the  east  across  what  is  now  JNIilbank  to 

[15] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 

Theodore  H.  Mead's  brook  (called  the  brook 
"Brothers"),  for  a  swmi. 

Then  the  notion  wonld  take  iis  in  the  other  direc- 
tion across  Col.  ^Mead's  farm  to  "Sheep  Pen,"  a  fa- 
mous swimming  hole  long  ago  filled  up  with  sand 
because  there  were  no  more  sheep  to  wash.  Some- 
times we  enjoyed  a  picnic,  perched  on  the  rocky  sides 
of  Deep  Hole,  a  rustic  spot  that  is  practically  un- 
changed. Occasionally  we  walked  down  Love  Lane, 
now  Davis  Avenue,  to  the  old  tide  mill  and  under  its 
protecting  shadow  undressed  and  dove  from  the  rocks 
still  visible  north  of  the  causeway. 

In  tliose  days  there  was  no  road  across  the  dam. 
AVhat  is  now  Bruce  Park  was  the  Isaac  Howe  ^Nlead 
farm  and  behind  a  great  ledge  of  rocks,  on  the  west- 
erly side  of  the  pond,  long  since  removed,  we  felt  that 
bathing  clothes  were  quite  superfluous.  The  Davis 
pond  was  always  popular  as  a  bathing  place  because 
no  account  need  be  taken  of  the  tide.  At  low  water 
the  gate  was  down  and  tlie  pond  was  full. 


[16] 


CHAPTER  II 

COMMERCIAL    GREEXWICH 

THE  preceding  chapter  has  dealt  with  some  of 
the  rural  parts  of  Greenwich,  but  no  allusion 
has  been  made  to  its  commercial  interests. 

These  interests  were  so  insignificant  that  they  are 
mentioned  only  to  make  the  story  of  Greenwich  com- 
plete. Before  and  during  the  war  of  1861.  it  is  my 
impression  that  Xewman  &  Hewes  of  ^Nlianus,  in 
their  general  store  did  more  business  than  all  others 
combined. 

The  Upper  I^anding,  as  ^Nlianus  is  still  called, 
was  a  busy  place  and  from  thence  most  of  our  farm 
products  were  shipped.  Joseph  Brush,  at  Cos  Cob 
also  did  a  large  business. 

The  village  of  Greenwich  was  not  without  stores 
and  although  thev  were  called  general  stores  thev 
were  not  conducted  like  the  general  store  in  prosper- 
ous communities  at  the  present  time.  Remote  places 
in  New  England  have  such  stores  to-day  as  we  had 
fifty  years  ago. 

Putnam  Avenue  was  then  called  ]Main  Street,  the 
successor  of  the  main  country  road,  a  name  that  had 
been  used  for  manv  generations.     At  the  corner  of 

[17] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

Putnam  Avenue  and  Sherwood  Place,  then  called 
Mechanic  Street,  was  the  business  center  for  a  number 
of  jxars.  Under  President  James  Buchanan  the  post 
office  had  been  located  in  what  is  now  known  as  Dr. 
Frank  ]M.  Holly's  cottage  and  Squire  Samuel  Close 
was  postmaster.     But  when  President  Lincoln  was 


POST  OFFICE  1859 


elected  the  office  of  jjostmaster  went  to  Joseph  E. 
Brush  and  the  office,  about  six  feet  square,  was 
opened  in  the  building  now  owned  and  occupied  by 
Frederick  Denson. 

iNIr.  Brush  and  later  Brush  &  Wright,  Benjamin 
Wright  being  the  partner,  ran  a  general  store. 
They  kept  everything  but  fresh  meats,  including  dry 

[18] 


COMMERCIAL  GREENWICH 

goods,  paints,  oils,  a  general  line  of  groceries  and  a 
limited  stock  of  hardware  and  crockery. 

On  the  opposite  corner  stood  the  old  Congrega- 
tional Chnrch  a  large  frame  strncture  which  had  heen 
moved  in  18G0  after  the  construction  of  the  present 


POST  OFFICE  1861 


stone  edifice.  Col.  Thomas  A.  Mead  and  his  nephew, 
Amos  INI.  Brush,  were  the  owners  of  the  property. 
It  stood  on  the  northeast  corner  of  Putnam  Avenue 
and  Sherwood  Place  and  was  occupied  hy  Dr.  James 
Aiken's  drug  store,  Linus  Weed's  jewelry  store,  the 
law  office  of  Julius  B.  Curtis  and  the  town  offices. 
The  upper  floor  was  a  public  hall,  where  were  held 

[19] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 


many  spirited  meetings  and  lectures  during  the  time 
of  the  war. 

In  wliat  is  now  the  front  door  yard  of  Dr.  Virgil 
C.  Piatti's  residence,  close  to  the  street  line,  stood  a 
small  one-story  building,  used  as  a  meat  market  by 
John  Henderson.  It  stood  on  land  leased  of  Dr. 
Mason  and  was  not  removed  till  about  1870. 

Abram  Ackei-  kept  a  grocery  store  in  a  two-story 

frame  building  that  stood 

^,„„^  w'liere  the  eastern  end  of 

L  |H^..      the    Eenox    House    now 

-^0^   T§  >1^^^     stands.      The  old  building 

^vas  removed  to  the  rear 
of  the  present  structure  in 
187'3  and  was  converted 
into  servan.ts'  quarters  for 
tl.e  liotel.  It  still  stands 
there. 

Peter  Ackei".  a  })rother 
of  Abram  Acker,  for 
many  years  conducted  a  grocery  store  in  a  frame 
building,  standing  where  Isaac  T.  ^lead's  building  is 
now  located,  on  the  corner  of  Putnam  and  Greenwich 
Avenues.  A  piazza  ran  across  the  south  side  of  this 
building  from  which  was  a  fine  view  of  I^ong  Island 
Sound.  It  was  reached  by  a  long  flight  of  steps 
which  afforded  a  comfortable  roosting  place  for  a  lot 
of  genial  fellows,  who  would  occasionally  crawl  down 
the  stairs  and  through  a  cellar  door  that  was  always 

[20] 


JOSEPH   K.   HIUSH 
1817-lSS(i 
Wartime    Postmaster 


COMMERCIAL  GRP:EXWICH 

invitingly    open.     Expensive    bars    were    then    un- 
known liereabouts,  and  a  draught  of  New  England 


rum  did  not  come  amiss,  altliough  served  across  the 
head  of  a  barrel. 

INlatthew  ]Mead  kept  a  cobbler's  shop  nearly  oppo- 
site the  John  A.  Bullard  garage. 

Benjamin   Peck,   and   later   Frank   Holmes,   con- 

[21] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 

ducted  a  dry-goods  store  in  a  large  frame  building 
which  for  many  years  after  was  occupied  by  the 
Greenwich  Savings  Bank,  standing  on  what  is  now 
Mrs.  L.  P.  Jones'  land. 


FIRST     BUSINESS     BUII.DIxXG     ERECTED     OX     GHEEXWICH 
AVENUE   1854 

John  Dayton,  wlio  died  August  18,  1908,  was  the 
first  man  to  ventin*e  the  purchase  of  a  lot  on  Green- 
wich Avenue  for  business  purposes.  He  was  thought 
to  be  injudicious  when  he  and  Daniel  INIerritt  JNIead, 
as  a  partner,  paid  $500  for  a  lot  50x150,  On  this 
land  they  built  the  frame  building  now  occupied  by 
the  Greenwich  Savings  Bank.  The  first  floor  was 
the   Dayton   shoe   store   and   Counselor   jNIead   con- 

[22] 


COMMERCIAL  GREENWICH 

ducted  a  law  office  in  the  second  story  which  was  snb- 
sequently  used  for  many  years  by  Col.  Heusted  W. 
R.  Hoyt  for  the  same  purpose. 

Peter  Acker's  garden  lay  along  the  west  side  of 
the  avenue  down  to  the  grocery  store  of  Oliver  Lock- 
wood,  whose  stand  was  where  Benjamin  I^ockwood's 
restaurant  and  Arthur  Phillips'  store  are  now  lo- 
cated. 

Henry  Held  conducted  the  only  meat  market  on 
Greenwich  Avenue  and  that  was  open  only  during  the 
forenoon.  It  occupied  the  frame  building  now 
owned  by  S.  A.  and  H.  L.  Brush  at  No.  74.  It  was 
not  profitable  to  keep  the  store  open  in  the  afternoon 
and  evening,  the  business  being  insufficient.  Xo  de- 
liveries were  made  and  many  of  tlie  peo])le  of  wealtli, 
for  those  days,  carried  their  purchases  home. 

John  H.  JNIerritt's  fish  market,  which  also  served 
home-made  ice  cream  in  the  hot  weather,  stood  on 
Capt.  Wm.  L.  Lyon's  land,  where  th.e  Trust  Co.'s 
building  now  stands.  Later  it  was  moved  across  the 
street  and  is  now  occupied  as  a  plumber's  store  by 
Elias  S.  Peck. 

These  stores  were  all  the  village  had.  Even  the 
tinner  and  the  plumber  were  missing.  There  was 
little  for  a  plumber  to  do,  there  being  no  public  wa- 
ter supply.  If  a  tea  kettle  needed  repair  or  a  house 
required  tinning.  Port  Chester  artisans  did  tlie  work, 
unless  a  traveling  tinker  happened  to  call. 

It  was  not  till  nearly  the  close  of  the  war  that 
William  and  Robert   Talbot,   brothers,  arrived  and 

[28] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

opened  a  plumbing  and  tinning  shop  at  the  head  of 
the  avenue  on  land  then  belonging  to  Jacob  T.  Weed 
and  still  in  the  jjossession  of  his  family.  The  build- 
ing was  removed  several  years  ago.  A  number  of 
descendants  of  the  Talbot  brothers  are  well-known 
residents  of  the  Borough. 

With  no  street  lights,  very  few  side  walks,  and 
they  of  the  crudest  kind,  it  is  easy  to  realize  what  a 
quiet  country  village  Greenwich  was  during  the  war. 
Very  few  ventured  out  at  night  and  those  who  went 
to  an  evening  meeting  or  to  pay  a  social  call  usually 
carried  a  lantern.  JNIoonlight  nights  were  always 
counted  on  and  when  the  snow  was  on  the  ground 
coasting  and  sleigh-riding  were  greatly  enjoyed. 


[24] 


I         CHAPTER  III 

THE    TOWN 

THE  previous  chapters  have  dealt  with  the  village 
and  its  immediate  surroundings,  but  no  allusion 
has  been  made  to  the  township. 

There  are  many  who  have  no  idea  of  the  territorial 
extent  of  Greenwich.  It  is  nearly  as  large  as  the 
District  of  Columbia.  Before  the  days  of  rural  free 
mail  delivery  it  had  a  half  dozen  post  offices  and  to- 
day it  has  four  railway  stations — Greenwich.,  Cos 
Cob,  Riverside  and  Sound  Beach. 

In  1859  it  was  a  farming  community  producing 
hay,  grain,  potatoes,  apples  and  milk  in  such  (|uanti- 
ties  that  its  population  had  become  wealthy.  The 
farms  were  generally  unincumbered  and  railroad, 
bank  and  insurance  stocks  were  largely  lield.  Of 
course  in  those  days  the  measure  of  wealth  was  much 
smaller  than  at  present  Init  most  of  the  farmers  were 
worth  fifty  thousand  dollars,  ])esides  their  farms 
valued  at  about  one  hundred  dollars  an  acre. 

The  population  was  about  6,500  and  the  assessed 
valuation  for  taxation  was  $2,882,353  which  included 
nine  hundred  and  nin.ety-seven  houses  valued  at 
$701,580,  showing  that  about  three-fourths  of  the 
taxes  were  levied  on  farm  lan.ds,  and  that  therein  lay 
the  importance  of  the  town. 

[25] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 


ABRAHAM   REYNOLDS 

18:?0-1908 


As  I  have  shown,  Mianiis  liad  more  commercial 
interests  than  Horse  Neck,  the  usual  name  for  the 

village. 

The  ''Lower  I^anding," 
or  Cos  Col),  liad  its  mar- 
ket boats,  as  well  as 
^lianus  and  from  these 
two  jjoints  most  of  the 
farm  products  found  their 
way  to  the  city.  Capt. 
Daniel  jNIerritt  at  Piping 
Point,  near  the  foot  of 
Arch  Street  (the  landing 
having  been  covered  by  the  present  railroad  embank- 
ment), and  Capt.  Caleb  Holmes  at  Rocky  Neck  had 
all  tliey  could  do  in  the  transportation  of  produce, 
})iit  the  other  side  of  the  town  outnumbered 
them  in  freight  tonnage.  ! 

Oliver  ^lead,  Thomas 
A.  JNIead,  Stephen  L. 
Radford,  Zaccheus  jNIead, 
Charles  JNIead,  Al)raham 
and  Augustus  N.  Rey- 
nolds of  North  Street  and 
their  neighbors,  I^ot  and 
Drake  Mead,  were  a  few 
of  the  large  sliippers  of 
farm  produce. 

Milk  went  away  by  train  every  night  in  large  quan- 
tities,   wliile   now   not   a   can   goes   out   but   instead 

[26] 


CAPT.  CALEB  HOLMES 

1 81-^-1  SS? 


THE  TOWN 


many  cans  are  imported  from  the  northern  counties 
of  Xew  York  and  ^Massachusetts. 

Ignoring,  for  the  present  the  territory  north  of  the 
Parsonage  Road,  it  may  he  interesting  to  recall  the 
various  farms  that  composed  that  part  of  the  town 
now  included  in  its  thickly  settled  southern  portion, 
exclusive  of  the  village. 

At  Byram,  and  on  the  point  of  the  same  name,  in- 
cluding very  much  of 
East  Port  Chester  were 
the  farms  of  Jonas  ]Mead 
and  Daniel  Lyon.  That 
part  of  the  town  was 
in  closer  communication 
with  Port  Chester  than 
with  our  own  village  hut 
on  the  Sabbath  day  Dea- 
con Jonas  ]Mead,  his  sons, 
^lark  and  3Iilo,  and  three 
old  ladies  with  poke  bon- 
nets, seemingly  representatives  of  generations  long 
departed  were  regular  attendants  at  the  Second  Con- 
gregational Church. 

The  Lyons  were,  I  think.  Episcopalians  and  at- 
tended church  in  Port  Chester. 

Sunday  consisted  of  sacred  and  solemn  hours  and 
its  observance  was  strict. 

Xow  that  houses,  some  very  large  and  expensive 
and  many  of  more  modest  proportions  cover  this  ter- 
ritory  it   is   hard   to   realize   how   beautifully   rural 

[27] 


AUGUSTUS   X.    REYNOLDS 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 

Byram  Point  was  half  a  century  ago.  Tlirusting  its 
liead  above  a  nifj-ged  ledge  in  which  its  roots  are  fas- 
tened an  ancient  cedar  tree  may  be  occasionally  seen, 
a  relic  of  the  wild  and  artistic  growth  that  finally  at- 


STEPHEX  L.  RADFORD 

IH.'S-IOOT 

tracted  such  purchasers  as  William  J.  Tingue  and 
Charles  and  Henry  R.  JNIallory.  The  soil  between 
the  out  cro]jping  rocks  was  extremely  fertile  and  those 
patient,  plodding  farmers  wrested  what  they  consid- 
ered a  fortune  from  the  land  which  later  produced  to 

[28] 


THE  TOWN 

their  descendants  sudden  and  marvelous  wealth  in  the 
quick  turning  of  real  estate  deals. 

]Milo  ]Mead  has  been  called  the  Sage  of  Xew  I^eb- 
anon,  his  name  for  East  Port  Chester.  His  father, 
Deacon  Jonas  Mead,  died  August  2,  1871. 

His  estate  consisted  of  about  seven  thousand  dol- 


JOXAS    MEAD    HOMESTEAD 

Torn  down  1911 

lars  in  personal  property  and  one  hundred  and  forty- 
two  and  one-half  acres  of  land  appraised  at  $40,000. 
This  land  went  to  his  two  sons,  ]Mark  and  jNIilo,  but 
remained  undivided  until  January,  1879,  when  all  the 
shore  front  consisting  of  thirty  acres  and  much  land 
besides  was  set  off  to  ^lark  ^lead  while  his  brother, 

[29] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

JNIilo,  had  to  content  himself  with  inland  pr()])erty, 
althongh  eight  acres  liad  a  frontage  on  the  l^yram 
River,  wliere  the  New  Lebanon  docks  were  afterwards 
built. 

Upon  acquiring-  this  land,  Milo  Mead  had  it  sur- 


MILO  MEAD  1904 

veyed  and  divided  into  lots  fifty  feet  wide,  naming 
the  whole  oNIeadville.  Subsequently  this  name  was 
abandoned  and  the  name  NeW'  Lebanon  adopted  and 
persistently  adhered  to  down  to  the  day  of  his  death, 
August  2,  19()().  Once  when  asked  the  significance 
of  the  name,  he  stated  that  the  cedars  reminded  him 
of  those  in  I^ebanon  of  Bible  history. 

However,  the  name  w^as  never  popular.     The  mer- 
chants preferred  East  Port  Chester  and  William  J. 

[30] 


THE  TOWN 

Tinffue  favored  Hawthorne,  after  his  woolen  mills 
at  Glenville.  For  a  short  time  the  post  office  hore 
this  latter  name.  The  school  district  was  called  Xew 
Lehanon  in  consideration  of  a  gift  of  valuable  land 
for  school  purposes. 

Henry  A.  ^Nlerritt  could 
purchase  the  rivei*  front 
only  upon  condition  that 
the  dock  he  contemplated 
building  should  be  called 
the  Xew  I^ebanon  dock, 
which  name  it  still  retains. 
The  Opera  House,  the 
Danish  clul)  house  and 
the  town  dock,  located 
on  land  given  by 
Mr.  Meads  and  a  few 
places  of  business,  still 
bear  the  name.  dkai  ;;x  .ioxas  mkad 

The  Danish  club  house  is  Mr.  JNlead's  best  monu- 
ment. He  gave  the  land  and  furnished  the  money 
for  its  construction.  In  front  of  the  building,  which 
is  of  brick,  with  stone  trimmings,  is  a  bronze  has  re- 
lief of  ]Mr.  Mead  and  beneath  it  the  inscription 
"The  Sage  of  New  Lebanon." 

It  is  a  work  of  art  and  a  very  correct  likeness, 
though  so  high  in  the  wall  that  it  is  seldom  noticed. 
The  artist  was  Carta  Christensen,  a  young  lady  of 
Copenhagen. 

There  is  a  large  population  of  Danes  in  Kast  Port 

[31] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 


Chester,  and  tliey  held  ]Mr.  ^lead  in  high  esteem, 
primarily  hecause  he  was  willing  to  dispose  of  his 
land  to  them  at  reasonable  prices  when  he  might  have 
sold  to  much  better  advantage  to  the  wealthy  for 
large  estates. 

The  th-irty-acre  tract  of  Sound  Shore  front  set  off 

to  ^lark  ^lead  was 
({uickly  sold  and  is  now 
occupied  by  such  places 
as  those  of  Joseph  ^lil- 
bank,  John  H.  Hanan. 
Charles  ^lallory  and  Ed- 
gar E.  ]Marston,  president 
of  the  Farmers'  I^oan  and 
Trust  Co. 

Farther  west  was  the 
farm  of  John  R.  Grigg, 
somewhat  remote  because 
wh.at  is  now  Hamilton 
xVvenue  with  a  trolley  line 
was  but  a  right  of  way 
with  gates  now  and  then. 
But  his  broad  fields  were 
none  the  less  productive 
and  all  his  life  he  devoted  himself  to  their  cultiva- 
tion. The  old  white  farmhouse,  still  standing,  was 
then  a  landmark  all  by  itself,  commanding  a  broad 
view  of  Long  Island  Sound.  But  it  has  been 
dwarfed  and  rendered  insignificant  by  great  three- 
story  Italian  apartment  houses  and  by  numerous  mod- 

[82] 


WINDSOR  CHAIR 

Used  hy  Deacon  .loiias  Mead  and 
his  son  Milo.  Xow  the  j)roj)- 
ertv   of  the   Author 


THE  TOWN 


era  cottages  in  the  near-by  Jaynes  Park,  a  portion  of 
the  original  farm. 

Just  across  the  valley,  on  the  next  ridge  to  the 
east,  was  the  farm  of  Augustus  ^Nlead.  The  old 
homestead  moved  back  a  few  rods  from  the  street 
and  enlarged  is  now  known  as  Homestead  Hall,  a 
popular  summer  hotel.  Open  the  town  records  of 
fifty  years  ago  and  almost 
every  page  reveals  his 
name.  He  was  a  careful, 
methodical,  an^l  thrifty 
farmer  of  ample  means 
and  possessing  the  charac- 
teristics of  wisdom  and 
moderation.  He  was  a 
man  of  deliberate  judg- 
ment and  those  who  had 
no  claims  upon  him,  ex- 
ce])t  that  they  were  his  townsmen  went  to  him  for 
advice  and  counsel. 

I  do  not  intend  to  imply  that  he  was  not  progres- 
sive; onJy  that  always  before  he  made  a  move  he  was 
sure  of  his  ground.  Those  who  were  his  contem])o- 
raries  say  that  he  was  a  close  reader  of  scientific  pul)- 
lications  and  that  he  gave  careful  attention  to  the 
products  of  the  patent  office.  Any  new  devices  in 
farming  implements  particularly  interested  him  and 
in  his  outbuildings  were  many  examples  of  oddly  con- 
structed 2)lows  and  harrows  with  which  he  had  ex- 
perimented.    He   was    a   thorough   believer    in   anv 

[33] 


JOHX   P..  CliKU! 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

change  of  nietliods  suggestive  of  progress.     He  was 
tlie  first  man  to  build  an  ice  house  in  town. 

He  hekl  various  offices  of  trust  including  the  initial 
judgeship  of  the  Court  of  Probate.     I  recall  exactly 


JlDCiK   AL'Cil'STl'S  MKAI) 

About   18(j0 

how  he  looked  as  he  drove  along  in  a  square  box 
wagon  and  tied  his  brown  horse.  Dandy,  to  a  stone 
post  stan_ding  under  a  great  ehn  tree,  whose  branches 
still  hang  over  the  little  building  that  held  the  Pro- 
bate Court  and  the  Post  Office.  His  name  has  been 
perpetuated  in  his  son,  Augustus  I.  Mead,  and  his 
grandson,  Augustus,  son  of  Nelson  R.  INIead. 

[34] 


THE  TOWN    13345^;,2 

I  can  not  refrain  at  this  ])()int  from  (lit>res.sin<>'  a 
little  to  tell  the  story  of  the  Post  Office  building,  as 
revealed  in  the  town  records,  showing  as  it  does  the 
confidence  in  business  matters  enjoyed  l)y  the  men  of 
those  days.      Samuel  Close  was  postmaster  in   18.59. 


HOMESTEAD  OF  AUGUSTUS  MEAD  AS  IT  APPEARED  IX  1859 

He  had  succeeded  Isaac  Weed  in  1881  and,  with  the 
exception  of  four  years  prior  to  18.54,  when  Joseph 
E.  Brush  was  postmaster,  held  the  office  till  the  elec- 
tion of  President  Lincoln  in  18G0.  He  and  Judge 
INIead  were  the  leaders  in  their  party  and  it  fell  to 
them  to  arrange  for  quarters  for  the  new  Judge  of 
Probate.  Mr.  Close  then  owned  the  property  at  20  East 
Putnam  Avenue  no^\'  owned  by  Dr.  Frank  ^I.  Holly. 
,  As  soon  as  Augustus  ^Nlead  was  elected  Judge  of 
Probate  he  hired  of  ^Ir.  Close  the  nortlieast  corner 

[35] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 


of  his  door  yard  and,  at  his  own  expense,  erected 
a  frame  huikhng  which  is  still  standing.  The  lease 
was  executed  Decemher  3,  1853.  It  recites  the  fact 
that  Judge  Mead  had  already  erected  the  building. 
The  lease  provided  that  it  should  be  used  only  for  the 
office  of  town  clerk,  tlie  post  office  and  Coin-t  of  Pro- 
bate. As  the  building  was  only  20x28  the  limita- 
tion of  its  use  seems  to  have  been  hardly  necessary. 

The  postmaster  was  to 
have  the  exclusive  rioht  to 
occu]jy  the  first  story,  but 
not  to  interfere  with 
Judge  JNIead  in  passing 
through  in  order  to  get  to 
tile  second  story,  which 
indicates  the  location  of 
the  Probate  Court  and 
carries  with  it  the  sugges- 
tion that  Mr.  Close  re- 
ceived his  ground  rent  in 
the  partial  use  of  the  building  erected  by  Judge  JNIead. 
Judge  JNIead  died  April  22,  1864,  still  the  nominal 
owner  of  the  building.  In  the  settlement  of  his  es- 
tate, although  the  l)uilding  was  a  fixture  and  actually 
belonged  to  jNIr.  Close  as  the  lease  had  terminated 
October  1,  1858,  it  was  appraised  in  the  estate  of 
Judge  Mead  at  $300.  On  June  8,  1864,  Elkanah 
^lead,  as  administrator  of  Judge  ^Mead's  estate,  sold 
the  building,  at  the  appraisal,  to  Rebecca  R.  ]Mayo, 
the  wife  of  Captain  Thomas  INIavo  and  the  daughter 

[36] 


S<^l'I]{K   SAM'L   CLOSE 
III    18()0 


THE  TOWN 

of  JNIr.  Close.  Dr.  Holly  has  improved  and  greatly- 
enlarged  the  building  making  it  a  very  tasty  cottage. 

The  front  wing  represents  the  original  building 
and  the  identical  letter  slot  is  still  at  the  left  of  the 
front  door. 

But  the  great  farm,  tlie  farm  with  a  history,  was 
owned  by  Oliver  ^Nlead  and  a  jjortion  of  it  is  now 
known  as  Field  Point  Park.  To-day  it  is  beautiful 
with  its  fine  residences,  its  sweeping  lawns  and  its 
brilliant  flower  beds,  visible  from  the  water,  the 
growth  of  trees  and  foliage  having  cut  off  tlie  view 
from  any  other  point.  But  all  its  rural  simplicity 
has  departed.  It  lies  like  an  over-turned  spoon  one 
hundred  and  ten  acres  south  of  the  liomestead,  and 
once  from  any  part  of  it  the  view  of  Sound  and  village 
was  unobstructed.  Those  who  live  on  the  charming 
outer  circle  of  this  wonderful  point  have  all  the  view 
they  desire. 

There  are  ancient  oak  trees  on  this  land,  some  of 
them  perhaps  of  the  forest  primeval.  There  were 
springs,  some  very  close  to  the  shore,  where  the  cat- 
tle drank  and  where  the  Round  Hill  and  Stanwicli 
l^icknickers  filled  their  pails.  The  stone  A\'alls  were 
in  many  places  ten  feet  wide,  blasted  from  the  land 
by  the  first  settler,  Zophar  jNIead. 

Years  before  the  Revolution  all  the  territory  be- 
tween Horse  Xeck  Brook  and  the  extremity  of  the 
Point  was  common  land — a  great  horse  pasture,  into 
which  any  of  the  inhabitants  could  turn  their  horses. 
The  early  records  call  it  "Horse  Xeck  Field  Point" 

[37] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 

from  which  the  original  name  of  the  village,  Horse 
Neck,  Avas  derived. 

In  the  latter  part  of  the  eighteenth  century 
Abraham  JNIead  conducted  a  pottery  where  the  Held 
House  u-ow  stands.  He  had  two  sons,  Isaac  and 
Zophar.  The  latter  settled  on  tlie  lower  portion  of 
Field  Point  and  was  the  father  of  Oliver.  Isaac 
settled  on  the  northern  portion  and  was  the  fatlier  of 
Augustus  INIead.  It  was  the  understanding  between 
the  sons  that  their  father  should  divide  his  time  be- 
tween them.  AVhen  the  old  ])lace  at  Indian  Harbor 
was  given  up  Abraham  INlead  went  to  live  with  his 
son  Isaac,  dying  before  the  first  year  of  his  residence 
with  him  had  expired. 

Abraham  JNIead  was  a  devout  and  influential  mem- 
ber of  the  Second  Congregational  Church  and  to  dis- 
tinguish him  from  some  of  the  other  JNIeads  with  the 
same  given  name,  lie  was  called  Deacon  Potter  from 
liis  occupation. 

Rut  to  return  to  the  southerly  portion  of  Field 
Point  where  Oliver  INIead  was  born  and  died.  When 
I  was  a  boy  he  was  a  man  of  inferior  physical 
strenoth,  liviu""  in  the  old  homestead,  a  bachelor,  but 
surrounded  with  all  the  comforts  that  liis  life  re- 
quired. He  moved  about  the  farm  slowly  and  ])ain- 
fully,  leaning  upon,  a  cane  and  giving  to  his  men  in- 
telligent directions  for  their  work.  He  was  noted 
for  his  fine  oxen  of  which  he  had  several  yoke,  as  a 
pair  was  called.  He  frequently  loaned  to  his  neigh- 
bors his  oxen,  but  it  was  said  tliat  he  was  so  solicitous 

[38] 


THE  TOWN 


for  their  welfare  that  he  sent  a  douhle  team  or  two 
pair  when  hut  one  pair  was  requested.  Every  por- 
tion of  Field  Point  was  under  tlie  most  careful  culti- 
vation. 

The  old  oak  trees  still  standing  along  the  easterly 
shore,  now  owned  hy 
George  F.  Dominick  and 
perhaps  some  others,  and 
one  or  two  on  the  extreme 
point  now  owned  hy  Sey- 
mour J.  Hyde,  were  his 
pride.  On  one  occasion 
he  spoke  of  them  as  shad- 
ing his  cultivated  land  to 
its  damage,  hut  added 
that  he  could  well  afford 
the  diminished  crops,  tlie 
trees  were  so  grand. 

]Mr.  jNIead  never  took 
any  active  part  in  puhlic 
affairs.  He  was  a  mem- 
her  of  the  Second  Congre-  por 
gational  Church  and  a 
liberal  giver  to  every  worthy  benevolent  cause.  He 
died  March  19,  1887,  at  the  age  of  87  years. 

In  addition  to  Field  Point  he  owned  Hound  Island 
and  considerable  other  land.  The  inventory  of  his 
estate  shows  166  acres  of  land  valued  at  $64,800  and 
$108,076.22  of  personalty. 

For  years  the  eyes  of  wealthy  men  had  been  on 

[41] 


MLSS  SALLY   .ML  A  I) 

many   years   in   the    family   of 
Oliver  Mead 


OTHEK  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

Field  Point,  with  its  fine  shore  front,  more  than  a 
mile  in  extent.  Occasionally  it  was  reported  that 
^Ir.  IMead  had  been  offered  large  sums  to  part  with 
this  land,  some  of  which  he  had  bono'ht,  but  most  of 


OLIVER  MKAD 

which  was  ancestral  estate.  But  the  old  man,  feeble 
as  he  was,  outlived  many  wlio  had  coveted  those 
broad  acres. 

When  he  died  his  last  will,  dated  December  1, 
1882,  w^as  filed  for  probate  and  at  once  a  most  in- 
teresting discussion  arose  among  both  lawyers  and 

[42] 


THE  TOWN 


laymen  as  to  what  disposition  he  had  made  of  tlie 
land. 

His  cousin,  Oliver  D.  ^Nlead,  now  president  of  the 
Greenwich  National  Bank,  had  lived  with  Oliver 
JNIead  for  several  years  hefore  liis  deaths  and  the  old 
man  had  enjoyed,  during  tliat  time,  the  comfort  and 
solace  of  the  young-er  man's  wife  and  daughters. 
But  some  of  the  lawyers  said  that  Oliver  I).  ^lead 
had  only  a  life  estate  in  this  fine  property  and  was 
not  able  to  convey  a  perfect  fee  title.     Others  took 


PUTTKRV   MADE    BY   DEACOX   ABRAHAM    .MEAD   1790 

tl:ie  opposite  view  and  while  the  discussion  was  rife 
no  one  cared  to  purchase,  whatever  his  own  opinion 
of  the  matter  might  be.  The  cause  of  contention 
was  the  seventeenth  clause  of  the  will  which  I  venture 
to  quote  in  full. 

"I  give,  devise  and  bequeatli  all  my  real  estate, 
"wheresoever  situated  including  my  burial  plot,  all  my 
"stock  and  farming  utensils  on  said  real  estate,  all 
"my  household  furniture  of  every  description  and  all 
"my  w^earing  apparel  to  Oliver  D.  ^Nlead  to  him  and 
"to  his  heirs  forever.     If  the  said  Oliver  D.  Mead 

[43] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

"should  die  without  leaving  any  heirs,  then  and  in 
"that  event  I  give  my  said  real  estate  to  Augustus 
"I.  JNIead  to  him  and  his  heirs  forever." 

While  the  discussion  continued  Oliver  D.  ^Nlead 
was  in  possession,  certainly  with  perfect  propriety, 
for  at  least  he  liad  a  life  estate.  Rut  it  was  no  easy 
burden  in  the  days  of  unprofitable  fai-ming  to 
carry  on  such  a  farm  and  pay  the  taxes;  at  least  that 
is  my  own  conclusion. 

Under  tliese  circumstances  it  was  quite  natural  for 
3Ir.  ^lead  to  welcome  a  possilile  piu'chaser  for  at 
least  a  portion  of  the  property  whatever  the  title. 
Therefore,  in.  the  sj^ring  of  1895,  a  proposition  was 
made  that  tlie  town  purchase  Round  Island  includ- 
ing a  considerable  parcel  on  the  main  land  for  a  pub- 
lic ])ark.  The  price  fixed  was  seventy-five  thousand 
dollars.  A  special  meeting  was  held  on  the  eighth  of 
April  and  resulted  in  the  appointment  of  a  committee 
of  purchase,  consisting  of  George  G.  ^NIcNall,  John 
H.  Ranks  and  Sheldon  E.  jNIinor. 

The  deed  was  signed  but  was  never  delivered,  be- 
cause many  of  the  residents  of  Relle  Haven  believed 
that  the  extension  of  the  shore  road  to  the  island  which 
was  contemplated  in  the  deal  and  the  maintenance  of 
a  public  imrli  at  that  place  would  be  undesirable. 
Influenx'c  from  many  sources  was  brough.t  to  bear  on 
the  parties  interested  and  it  was  concluded  to  aban- 
don the  matter.  It  has  been  a  great  regret  to  many 
who  at  the  time  opposed  it,  that  the  park  was  not 
established  and  especially  since  it  has  become  known 

[44] 


THE  TOWN 

that  John  D.  Chapman,  the  present  owner  of  Round 
Island  paid  very  much  more  and  hought  considerably 
less  land  than  was  contemplated  in  the  park  scheme. 

But  there  came  a  time,  three  years  later,  wh.en  th.e 
question  of  title  went  to  the  courts  and  our  Su])reme 
Court  of  Errors  decided  that  Oliver  D.  ^lead's  title 
was  perfect. 

The  case  arose  upon  a  contract  for  the  sale  of  a 
portion  of  the  land  wliich  had  first  been  purcliased 
by  Judge  R.  Jay  Walsh  who  contracted  to  sell  it  to 
James  JNIcCutcheon.  The  latter  took  the  ground 
that  Judge  Walsh  had  an  imperfect  title  and  could 
not  carry  out  his  contract  to  convey  the  fee  of  the 
land.  Probably  as  far  as  these  litigants  were  con- 
cerned, the  suit  was  a  friendly  one,  the  sole  object 
being  to  have  the  will  reviewed  and  its  meaning  de- 
termined by  the  highest  Court  in  Connecticut.  But 
when  the  matter  actually  got  into  court  other  inter- 
ests were  cited  in;  the  arguments  of  all  the  counsel 
were  very  full  and  complete  and  appearances  indi- 
cated that  the  suit  could  scarcely  be  termed  friendly 
but  one  in  which  those  interested  wanted  all  that  be- 
longed to  them. 

The  case  first  went  to  the  Superior  Court  and 
without  the  introduction  of  testimonv  the  following' 
finding  of  facts  was  agreed  upon. 

"That  Oliver  U.  ]Mead  derived  his  title  to  Field 
"Point  under  the  will  of  his  cousin,  Oliver  ^Nlead. 
"That  at  the  time  of  the  execution  of  the  will  Oliver 
"D.  Mead  and  his  three  children  were  living  and  are 

[45] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREEXWICH 

"still  living.  That  Augustus  I.  Mead  is  living  and 
"that  he  has  two  children.  That  Oliver  JNlead  de- 
"rived  his  title  from  his  father,  Zophar  jNIead,  hy  will 
"in  1844  and  that  Zoj^har  JNIead  derived  title  to  a 
"portion  of  the  farm  from  his  father  Abraham  JNlead, 
"in  1827.  Upon  the  death  of  Oliver  JNIead,  Oliver 
"D.  and  his  family  were  in  possession  of  the  farm, 
"having  been  living  there  some  time  in  the  control 
"and  management  of  the  property.  Both  the  father 
"and  mother  of  Augustus  I.  ^lead  were  first  cousins 
"of  Oliver  Mead.  Oliver  uVIead's  nearest  relations 
"were  first  cousins.     He  was  never  married." 

Under  the  17th  section  of  tlie  will,  previously 
quoted,  Samuel  Fessenden  of  Stamford,  arguing  for 
the  defendant,  claimed  that  Oliver  I).  JNIead  took  an 
absolute  title  and  that  the  provision  regarding  the 
death  of  Oliver  D.  "without  leaving  any  heirs"  was 
intended  only  to  provide  for  the  contingency  of 
Oliver  D.  dying  before  the  death  of  Oliver.  That 
the  intent  must  govern  unless  it  is  contrary  to  law. 
He  claimed  that  the  17th  section  of  the  will  in  con- 
nection with  the  19th  section  and  surrounding  cir- 
cumstances clearly  indicated  that  it  was  the  intention 
of  the  testator  to  create  an  absolute  estate. 

The  19th  section  of  the  will  reads  as  follows:  "If 
"there  should  not  be  enough  estate  outside  of  what  I 
"have  given  to  Oliver  D.  Mead  to  ])ay  all  the  legacies 
"($86,000)  then  and  in  that  event  I  order  and  direct 
"the  executor  hereinafter  appointed  to  pay  each  pro 
"rata.     If  any  of  the  legatees  should  die  before  mv 

[4.0] 


THE  TOWN 

"decease,  then  and  in  that  event,  the  legacy  I  have 
"given  to  such  legatee  or  legatees,  1  give  and  devise 
"to  the  heirs  of  such  deceased  legatee  or  legatees." 

Taking  the  two  sections  3Ir.  Fessenden  argued  that 
it  was  the  intention  of  Oliver  ^Nlead  to  leave  the  real 
estate  to  Oliver  D,,  provided  he  outlived  him.  If  he 
died  before  the  testator,  leaving  heirs,  he  intended 
that  they  should  inherit  the  estate  absolutely.  If 
Oliver  D.  died  before  Oliver,  leaving  no  heirs,  then 
it  was  intended  that  Augustus  I.  jNIead  should  take 
the  land  absolutely.  A  legatee  is  one  who  takes  per- 
sonal property  under  a  will  and  a  devisee  is  one  who 
takes  land.  The  counsel  argued  that  these  two 
words  had  been  employed  by  the  testator  without 
distinguishing  any  difference  in  their  meaning. 
Hence,  he  claimed  that  the  19th  section  included  the 
devise  to  Oliver  D.  JNIead,  when  he  provided  that  the 
children  of  such  legatees  should  take,  if  the  legatee 
died  before  the  death  of  the  testator,  showing  that 
the  second  half  of  the  17th  section  of  the  will  was 
only  to  provide  against  a  lapse  of  the  devise.  He 
reasoned  that  tlie  provision  in  the  19th  section  that 
"If  there  should  not  be  enough  outside  of  what  he 
had  given  Oliver  D.  to  pay  all  the  legacies  they  were 
to  be  paid  pro  rata"  showed  conclusively  that  Oliver 
intended  Oliver  D.  to  take  the  farm  unincumbered 
and  untrammeled  by  any  burden  whatsoever. 

In  reply,  John  E.  Keeler,  of  Stamford,  argued 
that  Oliver  D.  Mead  did  not  acquire  an  absolute  title 
to  the  land  devised  to  him  under  the  will.     He  said: 

[47] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

"To  support  the  view  that  OHver  D.  ^lead  heeame 
possessed  of  an  ahsohite  title,  it  is  necessary  to  claim 
one  of  two  things,  either  that  all  of  the  17th  section 
after  the  first  sentence  is  to  be  rejected  as  repugnant 
and  of  no  meaning;  or  that  the  words  'die  without 
leaving  any  heirs'  refer  to  Oliver  D.  JNIead's  death 
before  the  death  of  the  testator,  Oliver  Mead. 

"It  cannot  be  seriously  contended  that  all  of  tlie 
"second  sentence  is  to  be  set  aside  as  having  no  mean- 
"ing.  Evidently  the  testator  had  two  methods  of 
"disposition  in  mind  as  relating  to  his  real  estate, 
"turning  upon  the  time  of  the  death  of  Oliver  D. 
"^lead. 

"If  the  latter  died  before  him  he  desired  the 
"property  to  go  immediately  to  his  lieirs  in  fee;  these 
"heirs  were  children  of  Oliver  D.  ^lead  in  being  at 
"the  time  of  the  making  of  the  will;  but  if  Oliver  D. 
"^lead  died  after  Oliver  ]Mead  leaving  no  children 
"then  an  entirely  different  disposition  takes  place  and 
"Augustus  I.  ]Mead  succeeds  to  the  property." 

^Ir.  John  C  Chamberlain,  of  Bridgeport,  repi'e- 
senting  Augustus  I.  ^lead  and  his  children,  argued 
that  Oliver  D.  Mead  had  an  estate  tail  in  the  land, 
relying  largely  upon  a  case  decided  by  the  same 
Court  in  June,  1896,  entitled  Chestro  vs.  Palmer,  58 
Conn.  Reports,  page  207,  in  which  the  construction 
of  a  will  was  sought,  the  will  reading  quite  like  the 
will  of  Oliver  ^Nlead.  "In  that  case  the  Court  de- 
"cided  that  the  estate  created  by  the  will  was  only  an 

[48] 


THE  TOWN 

"estate  tail  and  that  the  whole  situation  was  so  sim- 
"ilar  to  that  found  in  Chestro  vs.  Palmer  that  it  is 
"apparently  impossible  to  construe  this  estate  in 
"Oliver  D.  ^Nlead  to  be  anything  more  than  a  fee  tail, 
"without  overruling  all  the  law  of  the  State  upon  the 
"subject." 

]Mr.  Chamberlain's  contention  concerning  the 
rights  of  Augustus  I.  uNIead  in  the  property  was 
much  wider  than  the  claim  made  by  JNIr.  Keeler. 
While  ISlr.  Keeler  recognized  the  possible  accession 
to  the  land  by  the  children  and  grandchildren  of 
Oliver  D.  INlead,  Mr.  Chamberlain  argued  that  the 
"remainder,"  after  the  death  of  Oliver  D.  INlead, 
would  go  to  Augustus  I.  Mead  and  that  the  descend- 
ants of  Oliver  D.  JNIead  would  have  no  interest  after 
the  death  of  their  father.  Answering  ]Mr.  Fessen- 
den  with  relation  to  a  provision  of  the  testator  in  the 
19th  section  whereby  the  legacies  were  to  be  paid 
pro  rata  if  there  should  not  be  money  enough,  "Sir. 
Chamberlain  said  that  the  clause  was  not  inconsistent 
w4th  his  claim.  "Oliver  JNIead  had  entailed  the  land 
"and  it  was  to  go  to  future  generations,  hence  it 
"could  not  be  sold  to  pay  legacies  but  must  be  kept 
"intact." 

Nor  did  he  think  that  possession  and  occupation 
of  the  premises  by  Oliver  D.  INlead  before  the  death 
of  Oliver  jVIead  was  inconsistent  with  the  theory  that 
Oliver  INlead  intended  his  cousin  to  occupy  the  place 
for  life. 

[49] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

"Tile  property  was  partly  ancestral  estate  and  if 
"there  had  been  no  will  Angustus  I.  Mead  and  his 
"brother,  Nelson  B.  Mead,  wonld  have  taken  the  land 
"to  the  exclusion  of  Oliver  D.  JNIead,  and  it  is  not 
"strange  that  the  old  man  desired  it  to  remain  in  the 
"same  branch  of  the  family  from  whence  it  had  come 
"to  him." 

Chief  Justice  Andrew's  wrote  the  opinion  in  which 
he  pursued  much  the  same  method  of  reasoning  as 
did  "Sir.  Fessenden  in  his  argument.  I  quote  from 
the  opinion. 

"The  language  in  the  17th  paragraph,  in  its  first 
"clause,  creates  in  Oliver  D.  ISIead  an  absolute  es- 
"tate  in  fee  simple,  in  the  lands  in  question.  Tliis 
"Coiu't  in  a  very  recent  case,  JNIansfield  vs.  Shelton, 
"67  Conn.  Reports,  page  390,  and  after  an  exam- 
"ination  of  the  prior  cases,  held  that  an  express  gift 
"in  fee  simple  will  not  be  reduced  to  a  life  estate  by 
"mere  implication  from  a  subsequent  gift  over,  but 
"may  be  by  subsequent  language  clearly  indicating 
"intent  and  equivalent  to  a  positive  provision. 

"The  words  of  the  second  clause  of  the  17th  para- 
"graph,  which  are  supposed  to  have  the  effect  of  re- 
"ducing  the  fee  simple  title  created  in  Oliver  I). 
"jNIead  to  a  lesser  estate  are:  'If  the  said  Oliver  D. 
"Mead  should  die  without  leaving  any  heir,  then, 
"&c.'  Read  literally  these  words  mean  nothing. 
"No  man  can  die  without  leaving  any  heirs.  The 
"law  presumes,  until  the  contrary  is  shown,  that 
"every   deceased   person   leaves   heirs.      It   is   argued 

[50] 


THE  TOWN 

that  the  word  heirs  ought  to  he  read  as  meaning  chil- 
dren. 

In  a  suitable  case  the  Court  might  possibly  adopt 
such  a  reading.  But  in  tlie  present  case,  where  the 
eifect  of  the  changed  reading  would  be  to  defeat 
the  very  clearly  expressed  general  intent  of  the  tes- 
tator, as  well  as  to  reduce  an  express  gift  in  fee 
simple  to  a  lesser  estate,  tlie  Court  would  hardly 
feel  authorized  to  do  so.  .  .  .  There  is  another 
rule  of  construction  which  has  been  follow^ed  many 
times  by  this  Court,  and  which  is  decisive  of  this 
case.  It  is,  that  when  in  a  will  an  estate  in  fee  is 
followed  by  an  apparently  inconsistent  limitation, 
the  whole  should  be  reconciled  by  reading  the  latter 
disposition  as  applying  exclusively  to  the  event  of 
the  prior  devisee  in  fee  dying  in  the  lifetime  of  the 
testator.  The  intention  of  the  testator  being,  it  is 
considered,  to  provide  a  substituted  devisee  in  a  case 
of  a  lapse.  This  construction  gives  effect  to  all  the 
words  of  the  will  and  makes  all  its  parts  consistent. 
The  reference  in  the  19th  clause  to  the  estate  'given 
to  Oliver  D.  ^lead'  was  evidently  intended  to  cover 
whatever  was  disposed  of  by  the  17th  clause.  Part 
of  that — the  personal  estate — was  unquestionably 
an  absolute  gift.  It  is  therefore  reasonable  to  sup- 
pose that  as  the  testator  in  this  reference  made  no 
discrimination,  he  had  intended  none,  between  the 
real  and  personal  property,  and  understood  that  he 
had  given  an  absolute  estate  in  both. 

[31] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 

"It  is  also  to  be  considered  that  if  the  provision 
"for  Oliver's  death  without  leaving  any  heirs  were 
"read  as  one  as  to  his  death  without  leaving  any  sur- 
"viving  issue,  whether  it  occurred  either  before  or 
"after  that  of  the  testator,  then  it  contemplated  a 
"devise  to  such  issue,  which  would  be  void  un.der  the 
"former  statute  of  per2)etuities. 

"The  construction  which  we  adopt,  on  the  other 
"hand,  by  confining  the  effect  of  this  clause  to  a 
"death  before  that  of  the  testator,  makes  this  clause 
"valid  and  satisfies  the  rule  that  when  a  devise  may 
"fairly  be  read  either  as  a  legal  or  an  illegal  one,  tlie 
"former  meaning  is  preferred. 

"From  all  the  words  of  the  will  examined  in  the 
"liglit  of  the  circumstances,  we  are  persuaded  that 
"Oliver  ^lead  intended  by  his  will  to  give,  and  did 
"give,  to  Oliver  D.  ^lead  an  estate  in  fee  simple  in 
"all  his  lands." 

This  decision  was  generally  satisfactory  among 
those  disinterested.  It  was  suggested  by  some  that 
the  opinion  was  strained  in  the  interest  of  an  expedi- 
ency. It  is  true  that  the  pul)lic  interests  would  not 
be  conserved  by  tying  up  for  many  years  such  a 
valuable  tract  of  land  and  a  feeling  of  satisfaction 
was  manifest,  when  it  became  known  that  Field  Point 
l]ad  been  purchased  by  a  corporation  known  as  the 
Field  Point  Land  Co.,  for  the  purpose  of  develop- 
ment. The  deed  executed  by  Oliver  D.  ]Mead  recited 
a  nominal  consideration  but  the  actual  consideration 

[52] 


THE  TOWX 

was  probably  greater  than  in  any  other  of  our  re- 
corded conveyances. 

Sales  of  the  land  were  consummated  as  soon  as 
the  company  had  laid  out  the  property,  and  intro- 
duced light,  water,  sewerage  and  roads.  It  has  been 
said  that  the  land  sold,  all  of  wliich  had  shore  front, 
brought  from  ten  to  fifteen  thousand  dollars  an  acre 
and  no  lot  was  sold  less  than  three  acres  in  area. 


[53] 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE    WHITE    15KIDGE 

T)EFORE  taking  up  another  farm  that  made 
■^^  rural  Greenwich  in  other  days,  the  okl  white 
bridge  occurs  to  me  as  a  subject  for  this  chapter. 
It  may  serve  to  })reak  the  monotony  of  my  story. 

Davis'  Creek  is  spanned  })y  a  raih'oad  bridge  near 
the  new  pumping  station,  like  scores  of  others  along 
the  line.  But  in  1859,  a  covered  bridge  of  heavy 
frame,  shingle  roofed  and  shaped  like  a  spireless 
church  covered  the  creek  above  the  old  mill.  It  was 
then  about  eleven  years  old.  It  was  painted  a 
glistening  white  and  with  the  exception  of  the  black 
smirches  at  the  top  from  the  belching  smoke  stacks 
was  kept  as  neat  and  clean  as  a  country  church. 

Engineers  on  the  night  trains  have  often  told  how, 
as  soon  as  they  roimded  the  curve  leaving  Cos  Cob, 
the  white  bridge  would  loom  up  before  them,  appar- 
ently double  its  actual  size  and  glistening  like  a  snow 
bank  in  the  moonlight.  None  of  the  trainmen  ever 
had  any  affection  for  the  white  bridge.  It  stood  in 
a  spot,  until  within  thirty  years,  the  most  isolated 
between  New  York  and  Springfield.  Overhanging 
hills  covered  with  scrub  oaks  and  tall  cedars,  but  re- 
vealing  white,    spectral-like   tombstones   in    the    old 

[54] 


THE  WHITE  BRIDGE 

Davis  burying-  gTound,  were  on  the  north,  wh.ile  on  the 
other  sides  the  diversity  of  forest  and  meadow  land, 
which  in  the  glow  of  daylight  were  romantic  in  the 
extreme,  at  night  were  w'eird  and  uncanny  enough. 

The  white  bridge  was  removed  about  1880.  but  like 
its  neighbor,  the  old  mill,  it  had  been  a  landmark  for 
many  a  day. 

Queer  stories  were  often  told  by  superstitious  en- 
gineers of  the  goblins  that  played  at  night  al)out  the 
old  bridge  and  swung  their  spectral  lanterns  before 
the  cab  windows  as  tlie  locomotive  leaped  into  the 
resounding  and  trembling  structure. 

In  the  daytime  the  place  was  often  fre(iuented 
by  school  children — l)y  those  who  ought  to  have  been 
at  school.  Girls  and  boys  alike  would  scurry  across 
the  ties  as  a  train  rounded  the  curve  and  hiding  be- 
liind  the  great  timbers  of  the  bridge  would  liold  on 
to  the  iron  braces  till  the  train  had  thundered  through. 
It  was  a  dan.gerous  spot  and  eleven  lives  were  the  toll 
of  the  white  bridge. 

Besides  the  ghost  stories  that  the  trainmen  used  to 
tell  about  the  bridge,  there  w^as  one  tale  told  of  this 
spot  that  was  really  true. 

About  the  year  1860  the  night  train  for  Boston, 
consisting  of  baggage  express  and  sleeping  cars,  was 
made  up  at  27th  Street  and  hauled  by  horses  through 
the  Park  Avenue  tunnel  to  42nd  Street.  Here, 
while  the  cars  were  being  coupled  in  what  was  a  far 
uptown  street,  surrounded  by  tlie  whitewashed  cabins 
of  squatters,  the  home  of  goats  and  thieves,  the  ex- 

[57] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

press  car  was  boarded  by  two  robbers.  How  they 
were  able  to  force  the  door  and  get  into  the  car  no 
one  can  tell,  but  they  succeeded  either  by  the  aid  of 
a  confederate  trainman  or  by  mere  chance.  Some 
have  said  that  the  door  was  carelessly  left  open  and 
that  the  thieves,  happening  to  be  about,  saw  their 
opportunity  and  seized  it.  Be  that  as  it  may  they 
"■ot  into  the  car  and  shut  tlie  door  after  them. 

The  car  was  filled  with  treasure — government 
bonds,  bank  notes  and  bags  upon  bags  of  gold  coin. 
No  one  was  ever  able  or  willing  to  tell  just  how  many 
millions  of  dollars  was  in  that  rolling  treasure  house 
that  niglit. 

As  the  train  started  on  its  trip  how  the  thieves  must 
have  exulted  in  tlieir  rich  find!  The  boxes  and  bags 
in  which  the  securities  and  gold  were  packed,  were 
immediately  })roken  open  and  their  contents  exam- 
ined with  care.  JVIany  bags  of  gold  and  packages  of 
bank  notes  were  piled  up  by  the  door  and  the  non- 
negotiable  bonds  and  other  securities  were  left  in  a 
litter  upon  the  floor.  Tlie  gold  and  bank  notes  could 
be  safely  handled  and  of  these  there  was  a  fortune 
larger  than  the  wildest  fancy  of  the  thieves  had  ever 
conceived  of.  What  use  then  to  bother  with  securi- 
ties that  probably  were  registered^  These,  repre- 
senting millions  of  dollars  which  the  robbers  trampled 
in  the  reeling  car  were  to  them  of  no  more  value  than 
so  much  brown  paper.  They  were  surfeited  with  the 
wealth  of  gold  and  l)ank  notes. 

The  first  stop  to  be  made  was  at  the  Cos  Cob  draw- 

[58] 


THE  WHITE  BRIDGE 

bridge,  where  all  trains  paused,  and  this  the  thieves 
probably  knew,  indeed  they  seem  to  have  been 
familiar  with  the  country  about  the  white  bridge, 
as  the  circumstances  I  am  about  to  narrate  will 
show. 

As  the  train  approached  this  secluded  spot  the  rob- 
bers began  to  unload  the  car.  The  bags  of  gold  and 
bundles  of  bank  notes  were  thrown  out  as  though  an 
immense  scoop  had  shoveled  them  through  the  door. 
For  a  mile  the  track  was  littered  with  wealth.  As 
the  train  moved  across  the  Cos  Cob  bridge,  the  rob- 
bers had  alighted,  leaving  the  door  open.  This  was 
observed  at  Stamford  and  the  robbery  reported. 

Every  eif  ort  was  made  to  recover  the  treasure  and 
to  apprehend  the  robbers  but  not  a  clew  was  left  to 
their  identity.     They  were  never  apprehended. 

Some  of  the  money  came  to  light  and  in  the  most 
peculiar  places.  Bundles  of  bank  notes  were  found 
in  hollow  trees  and  bags  of  gold  to  a  large  amount 
were  found  secreted  among  the  upper  truss  beams 
of  the  white  bridge.  It  was  here  indeed  that  the 
largest  amount  of  the  stolen  treasure  was  discov- 
ered,  for  the  robbers  had  evidently  believed  it  a 
safe  bank  in  which  temporarily  to  deposit  their  ill- 
gotten  hoard.  And  it  doubtless  would  have  been  had 
not  the  jarring  of  a  train  shaken  one  of  the  canvas 
bags  filled  with  gold  almost  into  the  lap  of  a  young 
lady  who  had  baited  her  line  for  crabs  beneath  the  old 
bridge. 

For  manv  vears  the  railroad  men  called  the  present 

[59] 


othp:r  days  ix  Greenwich 

bridge,  without  roof  and  painted  black,  the  "white 
bridge"  after  the  one  that  really  was  white. 

About  the  old  white  bridge  more  tales  cluster  than 
I  could  tell  in  a  day.  Tales  of  ball  games  in  the 
layman  Mead  meadow  near  })y,  now  fenced  in  as  a 
part  of  JNIilbank;  tales  of  love  and  tales  of  greed. 

INIany  of  my  readers  w^ill  remember  that  summer 
night  in  1876  when  the  old  bridge  was  filled  with 
boulders  and  cross  ties  into  which  the  shore  line  ex- 
press ran  with  terrible  force.  That  no  blood  w^as 
shed  that  night  was  tlie  will  of  a  kind  l^rovidence, 
which  protected  the  unconscious  occupants  of  the  long 
line  of  sleeping  cars  that  Mailed  while  the  trainmen 
tumbled  the  obstructions  into  the  creek  below.  And 
the  same  protection  ])erhaps  enabled  the  villains  who 
had  planned  a  r()bl)ery  to  escape  to  the  woods,  where 
the  engineer  saw  them  stumbling  across  the  graves  in 
the  Davis  Cemetery. 

But  no  recollections  of  the  white  bridge  are  pleas- 
anter  than  to  those  who  remember  it  as  a  rendezvous 
for  crabbers. 

In  the  quiet  days  of  September  when  the  haze  of 
autumn  rested  on  the  creek  and  veiled  the  woods  be- 
yond, who  has  not,  in  other  days,  stretched  liimself 
u})on  the  bit  of  sand  beneath  the  railway  bank,  now 
covered  by  the  pump  house,  and  waited  for  the  lazy 
bite  of  the  succulent  crab?  Rut  the  crabs  are 
as  scarce  these  days  as  the  gold  in  the  span  of  the 
new  white  bridge. 


•to' 


[fiO] 


CHAPTER  V 

IJAXKSVILLE  AND  STANWK'H 

BANKSVIU.E  lies  at  the  extreme  northern 
edge  of  the  town.  It  has  a  chnreli  of  (jiiaint 
construction.  The  post  office  is  in  a  village  store. 
located  a  few  feet  over  the  line,  in  the  State  of  New 
York. 

The  outlook  of  the  village  is  towards  the  north 
where  the  wooded  hills  of  North  Castle  and  ^liddle 
Patent  are  in  full  sight.  The  water  courses  all  run 
to  the  north  and  eventually  join  the  waters  of  the 
]Mianus. 

^Nlany  years  ago — perhaps  seventy — when  slioe- 
making  was  all  done  hy  hand,  the  village  of  Banks- 
ville  was  largely  engaged  in  that  industry.  For 
thirty  years  or  more  it  kept  in  touch  with  Greenwich 
through  the  Banksville  stage,  which  carried  mail  and 
passengers.  Silas  Derby,  the  owner  of  the  line,  was 
a  quaint  old  character  who  passed  away  some  years 
ago  but  who  was  well-kn.own  by  the  older  generation. 
His  mode  of  dress,  the  trim  of  his  whiskers  and  his 
cheery  "Yap"  to  his  steeds  will  be  readily  recalled. 

Several  vears  ago  a  busy  South  Street  merchant 
enquired  whether  Derby  was  still  driving  the  Banks- 
ville stage  and  being  answered  in  the  affirmative  he 
went  on  to  say: 

"When  I  was  a  young  lad  mv  grandmother,  who 

[61] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 

lived  on  the  west  road,  Stanwich,  would  send  me  out 
to  meet  the  stage  for  the  mail  as  it  made  its  daily 
trip.  Often  through  the  summer.  I  made  the  trip  to 
the  steamhoat  dock,  fished  all  day  and  came  back  with 
Derby  at  night.  Recently  I  had  occasion  to  again 
visit  Greenwich,  after  an  absence  of  twenty  years, 

and  there  was  dear  old 
Derby,  the  only  familiar 
object,  driving  exactly  the 
same  rig  he  had  in  the 
early  sixties." 

Of  course  tlie  man's  im- 
pression of  the  rig  was  in- 
coi-rect,  althougli  the  style 
and  color  of  the  turnout 
never  changed. 

Once  I  interviewed  the 
old    gentleman.     It    was 
near  the  close  of  his  life.     Among  other  things  he 
told  me  the  following  incidents: 

"Along  in  the  late  fifties  ^liss  Ann  Purdy  came 
from  Syracuse  to  Banksville.  She  bought  the  house 
opposite  the  post  office,  considerably  enlarged  it  and 
established  a  boarding  school  for  girls  and  boys. 
Much  to  the  surprise  of  everyone  in  Banksville  she 
soon  had  a  houseful  and  roomed  a  few  outside. 

"At  that  time  there  was  no  regular  communication 
with  the  village  and  she  induced  me  to  start  the 
Banksville  and  Greenwich  stage  line.  She  lent  me 
one  hundred  dollars  and  I  made  my  first  trip  June 

[62] 


CHrHCII   AT   li.\XKS\Il,l,K 


BAXKSVILLE  AND  STANWICH 

23,  1861.  For  many  years  I  carried  ten  passengers 
daily.  The  pupils  and  teachers  patronized  me  freely 
and  even  after  the  school  was  abandoned,  way  down 
into  the  seventies,  the  business  was  pretty  good. 


THE  STANWICH  CHURCH.     SHUBEL  BRUSH  HOME- 
STEAD IX  THE  BACKGROUND 
Photo   by  J.   C.    Bonnett 

"^ly  line  was  a  feeder  to  the  steamer  JoJin  Romer 
and  the  president,  Sanford  ^lead,  always  passed  me 
to  New^  York  and  back,  but  I  seldom  went.  In 
those  days  the  members  of  the  Americus  Club  often 
hired  me  to  drive  them  to  Rye  Beach  or  Stamford 
and  many  times  I  had  Boss  Tweed  with  me  on  the 
front  seat. 

"I  left  Banksville  at  six  o'clock,  caught  the  Romer 

[63] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREEXWICH 

at  seven  and  left  my  railroad  passengers  for  the  7.21 
train.  This  gave  me  all  day  in  the  village,  as  I  did 
not  leave  on  the  return  trip  until  the  arrival  of  the 
steamer  at  ahout  six  o'cloek. 

''But  business  isn't  what  it  onee  was  and  sometimes 


WILLIAM   BULSH   IIO.MESTLAI) 

Staiiwic'h 

Photo   In-   J.   C.    Boiinctt 

on  the  up  trip  the  hills  seem  steeper  and  longer  than 
they  onee  did  and  the  horses  seem  to  pull  with  a 
greater  effort.  Tlien  it  is  that  I  realize  that  the 
Avhole  rig  from  the  driver  down  is  getting  old  and 
that  the  best  of  life  lies  far,  far  behind." 

South  of  Banksville  lies  Stanwieh,  even  more 
(piaint  than  its  sister  village.  It  had  a  eountry  store 
that  was  closed  when  the  rural  free  delivery  drove 

[64] 


BAXKSVILLE  AND  STAXWICH 

out  the  postoffice,  but  there  still  remains  an  old  inn. 
now  used  as  a  dwelling  and  a  beautiful  country 
church,  built  in  the  latter  part  of  the  eighteenth 
century. 

Its  graceful  white  spire  first  comes  in  view  as  one 
drives  north  bv  Rockwood  Lake.  The  wide  shingles 
that  cover  it  are  hand  wrought  and  its  large  windows 
are  glazed  with  diminutive  panes.  What  a  crime  it 
would  be  to  supplant  those  ancient  lights  with  modern 
stained  glass  windows! 

A  beautiful  stained  glass  window  is  a  joy  forever, 
provided  it  is  correctly  placed.  Such  a  window  in  a 
country  church,  which  nestles  among  trees,  or  is 
shadowed  by  mountains,  or  commands  a  broad  pros- 
pect of  hill  and  dale,  is  an  intrusion.  But  in  a  city 
church  among  brick  walls,  the  beauty  of  stained  glass 
takes  the  place  of  nature's  decoration,  and  helps  the 
worshiper  to  forget  the  sordid  world  about  him. 

In  this  connection  I  must  quote  from  the  Right 
Rev.  William  Lawrence,  the  Bishop  of  ]Massa- 
chusetts.  Recently  he  spoke  of  the  rededication  of 
the  old  Xorth  Church  in  Boston — the  ancient  house 
of  worship  from  whose  belfry  the  lanterns  are  said  to 
have  shone  forth  which  guided  Paul  Revere  on  his 
famous  ride: 

"Fortunately  no  stained  glass  has  ever  desecrated 
these  windows.  Xo  painted  glass  can  give  greater 
beauty  than  the  sky  and  the  swinging  branches  of  the 
trees  seen  through  the  transparent  panes  of  a  Colonial 
church." 

[65]        ■ 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREEXWICH 

Everything  about  the  church,  inside  and  out,  is 
consistent  with  its  age.  It  rests  peacefully  under  the 
shadow  of  great  trees  that  have  afforded  comfort  and 
delight  to  several  generations. 

In  other  days  much  of  this  territory  belonged  to 
Charles,  William  and  Shubel  Brush,  with  the  Inger- 
sols  also  appearing  as  land  owners. 

Many  of  the  Stanwich  people  were  interested  in 
tanning,  Shubel  Brush  being  the  last  to  engage  in  it. 
He  lived  on  the  corner,  back  of  the  church  in  an 
ancient  house,  which  since  his  death  has  been  much 
changed  architecturally. 

His  brother,  AVilliam,  lived  on  the  cross  road  in  an 
antique  mansion  now  included  within  the  boimds  of 
Semloh  farm.  Reverse  the  spelling  and  you  have  the 
owner's  name. 

The  little  village  of  Stanwich  is  suggestive  of  by- 
gone days,  when  the  stagecoach  to  Bedford  made  a 
stop  at  the  old  Inn.  That  building  is  now  owned 
by  jNIrs.  A.  Leta  Bonnett,  of  New  Haven,  and  Har- 
riette  L.  Lockwood,  granddaughters  of  Shubel 
Brush.  It  presents  a  story  of  the  long  ago  in  its 
sweeping  roof  and  quaint  windows. 

Within,  its  wide  fireplaces,  in  each  room,  and  its 
brick  oven  suggest  the  near-by  forest,  with  its  ample 
supply  of  wood.  The  second  floor  was  designed  for 
a  ball  room  and  as  occasion  required,  the  partitions 
were  hooked  to  the  ceiling  and  the  young  peo])le, 
with  their  friends  from  Bedford,  and  North  Castle, 
made  merry  all  the  night  long. 

[66] 


BANKSVILLE  AND  STANWICH 

Stories  are  told  of  a  flourishiiio-  bovs'  boardinii' 
school  on  the  west  road  kept  by  Theodore  June. 

There  were  debating  clubs  in  the  olden  days  of 
which  there  are  many  traditions  and  a  few  stray 
records. 

Sometimes  I  have  heard  this  hamlet  called  East 
Stanwich.  The  old  records  give  the  name  of  Stan- 
wich  to  all  the  territory  below  Banksville,  extending 
east  as  far  as  "the  Farms"  in  Stamford  Township. 

The  direct  road  from  the  Borough  to  Bedford 
through  Stanwich  has  always  been  known  as  "the 
west  street." 

There  seems  to  be  no  reason  for  applying  the  name 
of  East  Stanwich  to  what  is  now  and  has  always  been 
the  center  of  Stanwich. 


OLD  INN  AT  STANWICH 
Photo  bv  J.  C.    Bennett 


[67] 


CHAPTER  VI 

THE    DAVIS    DOCK 

JUST  at  this  point  1  must  write  of  the  Davis' 
Dock,  over  which  tliere  has  heen  iiiiich  Htiga- 
tion,  and  the  ownership  of  which  is  still  misunder- 
stood. At  a  town  meeting  held  in  Greenwich,  June 
15,  1716,  the  following  resolution  was  adopted.  It 
has  generally  been  known  as  the  Justus  Bush  grant 
and  I  give  it  exactly  as  it  appears  in  the  Common 
place  book  in  our  I^and  Records. 

"The  Towne  by  vot  do  give  &:  grant  unto  ]Mr. 
"Justice  Bush  of  Xew  York  the  privilege  of  the 
"stream  of  horseneck  brook  below  the  country  road  to 
"build  a  grist  mill  or  mills  upon  &  sd  Justice  Bush 
"is  to  build  said  mill  within  two  years  time  from  this 
"date  &  to  m-ind  for  the  inhabitants  of  Green- 
"wich  what  grain  they  shall  bring  to  his  mill  to  be 
"ground  &  not  to  put  them  by  for  strangers  &  he  is 
"to  have  liberty  to  gett  stones  &  timber  upon  com- 
"mon  lands  for  buildings  and  mill  &  also  to  sett  up 
"a  store  house  upon  said  landing,  &  said  Justice 
"Bush  is  constantly  to  maintain  a  sufficient  grist  mill 
"ujion  sd  stream,  except  said  mill  should  come  to 
"some  accident  bv  fire  or  otherwise,  &  said  Justice 

[68] 


THE  DAVIS  DOCK 

"Bush  do  not  rebuild  her  again  within  three  years 
"time  then  the  said  stream  k  privileges  to  return  for 
"their  use  and  benefit  as  formerly;  and  further  ]Mr. 
"Ebenezer  INIead  &c  Angel  Husted  &,  John  Ferris  are 
"chosen  to  lay  out  the  landing  and  highway  on  the 
"north  side  of  Horseneck  brook." 

What  did  this  grant  mean?  Was  the  mill  to  be 
built  on  town  property  or  on  the  Bush  property,  the 
grant  applying  only  to  the  use  of  the  bi'ook  which 
"Sir.  Bush  had  under  his  title  to  the  shore  of  the 
stream?  The  Davis  family,  who  succeeded  the  Bush 
ownership,  always  supposed  they  owned  the  fee  of  the 
land  and  for  many  generations  they  paid  the  town 
taxes  thereon. 

In  1837  considerable  contention  arose  over  this 
property,  which  then  included  a  dock  as  well  as  a 
mill.  But  the  only  question  was  as  to  whether  it  was 
a  public  or  private  dock.  The  distinction  is  wholly 
as  to  whether  wharfage  has  ])een  charged  or  not.  A 
private  dock  may  be  maintained  upon  one's  own 
shore  front  but  when  the  owner  accepts  wharfage  it 
immediately  becomes  a  public  dock  to  which  any  ves- 
sel may  tie  upon  the  due  tender  of  wharfage. 

After  the  death  of  Eleanor  R.  Davis  this  property 
belonged,  under  her  will,  to  Mrs.  Amelia  J.  Dougan 
and  an  action  was  tried  in  tlie  Court  of  Common 
Pleas  between  Mrs.  Dougan  and  the  town  to  deter- 
mine her  rights  therein. 

It  seems  from  the  decision  of  the  Court  of  Errors, 
to  which  the  case  went  for  final  determination,  that 

[69] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 

after  the  litigation  was  over  the  question  of  the  own- 
ership of  the  land  was  still  undetermined. 

There  was  a  tradition  that  the  same  (juestion  had 
once  before  been  tried  and  considerable  time  and 
money  were  expended  in  an  effort  to  find  the  old 
files. 

Finally,  after  the  Dougan  case  was  disposed  of 
the  papers  were  discovered  among  the  criminal  files, 
stored  in  the  garret  of  the  County  Court  House  in 
Bridgeport.  These  files  disclosed  the  fact  that  in 
1837  the  question  as  to  whether  the  dock  was  pul)lic 
or  private  was  determined  in  favor  of  Walter  Davis 
then  the  owner. 

Capt.  Charles  Studwell,  a  boat  owner,  assumed 
to  use  the  dock  without  paying  ]Mr.  Davis 
wharfage  and  thereupon  he  l)rought  suit  claiming 
$30  damages.  The  case  was  tried  before  Ephraim 
Golden,  a  justice  of  the  peace,  and  the  hearing  began 
September  12,  1837,  at  the  Inn  of  Benjamin  Page 
at  Mianus  Landing. 

Jacob  Dayton,  Jr.,  was  the  constable  who  served 
the  papers  and  his  fees  were  taxed  at  ninety-four 
cents. 

After  due  hearing,  tlie  Court,  on  October  11,  ren- 
dered a  judgment  for  $8.00  for  the  plaintiff,  Walter 
Davis,  with  his  costs  taxed  at  $10.41,  and  an  appeal 
M-as  taken  to  the  County  Court. 

This  suit  was  remarkable  for  the  personnel  of  the 
Counsel  engaged. 

Charles   Hawley,   of   Stamford,   one   of  the   most 

[70] 


THE  DAVIS  DOCK 

eminent  lawyers  of  the  State,  signed  the  writ.  He 
appeared  in  the  Page  Inn  at  Mianus  and  tried  and 
won  the  suit  for  jNIr.  Davis. 

Associated  with  him  was  the  famous  Roger  INIinot 
Sherman,  who,  shortly  after  the  trial  of  the  case,  lie- 
came  a  judge  of  the  Supreme  Court.  He  died  in 
Fairfield  in  1844. 

The  trial  of  the  case  created  intense  excitement  in 
town  and  was  the  subject  of  much  discussion  for 
years  afterward.  Capt.  Studwell,  being  defeated, 
appealed  through  his  counsel,  Joshua  B.  Ferris,  of 
Stamford,  then  a  youth,  to  the  County  Court  (since 
abolished)  where  the  case  was  tried  before  a  jury 
consisting  of  AValter  Sherwood,  Stephen  Raymond, 
]Moses  Birkly,  Jr.,  Christopher  Hubbel,  Benjamin 
C.  Smith,  Samuel  Beardsley,  William  B.  Dyer, 
Horace  Waterbury,  John  Holmes,  Isaac  Scofield, 
Noah  Knapp  and  John  Young.  The  trial  occurred 
in  Fairfield,  then  the  County  Seat,  in  April,  1839. 
and  resulted  in  a  judgment  for  ^Ir.  Davis.  An  ar- 
rest of  judgment  was  filed  and  final  judgment  was 
not  entered  until  May  18,  1840. 

The  witnesses  who  appeared  before  the  Justice  at 
jNIianus  and  before  the  County  Court  were  Silas 
Davis,  a  son  of  the  plaintiff,  B.  ^lorrell,  "SI.  ISIead, 
J.  L.  Bush,  William  Hubbard,  Joseph  Brush,  Paul 
Ferris  and  Samuel  Ferris.  After  this,  the  Davises, 
for  several  generations,  continued  to  collect  wharfage. 
In  jNlrs.  Dougan's  case,  referred  to  above,  the 
Supreme  Court  of  Errors  decided  that  tlie  dnck  was 

[71] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 

a  public  dock  l)iit  tlie  (question  of  the  ownership  of 
the  land  was  not  determined.  The  case  is  reported  in 
77  Con.  Rep.,  page  444. 

In  terminating  the  opinion  written  by  Judge  Hall, 
the  Court  says:  "The  answer  does  not  allege  owner- 
ship in  the  town  })iit  that  the  locus  [the  place]  was  a 
public  dock  and  landing  place." 


[72] 


R 


CHAPTER  VII 

ROCKKIDGE   AND   DEAKI  lEI.D 

ECURRIXCx    aaain    to    the    centrallv-located 


farms  as  outlined  in  the  beginning  of  Chapter 
I,  I  desire  herein  to  include  in  one  description  the 
farms  of  Thomas  A.  ^lead  and  Zaccheus  ^lead. 

These  two  farms,  divided  by  the  Cilenville  road, 
comprising  three  or  four  hundred  acres,  stretched 
away  from  the  Post  Road,  in  valley  and  hill  to  the 
north  and  west,  ending  in  woodland. 

The  Thomas  A.  Mead  homestead  was  built  in 
1799  by  Richard  ^lead  and  is  known  as  Dear  field. 
The  name  is  not  misspelled  but  has  a  significant 
meaning.  Various  stories  are  told  of  its  derivation : 
the  one  most  likely  to  be  true  is  as  follows:  One  of 
Richard  Mead's  family,  in  writing  to  a  friend,  de- 
scribed the  fields  of  waving  grain  through  the  valleys, 
along  the  knolls  and  ridges  to  the  "Hemlock  Woods" ; 
all  visible  from  the  windows  of  the  house  and  char- 
acterizes them  as  "dear  fields." 

Dearfield  Drive  takes  its  name  from  the  same  inci- 
dent. 

The  Thomas  A.  INIead  farm  is  now  known  as  Edge- 
wood  Park,  and  the  Zaccheus  ]Mead  farm  as  Rock 
Ridge. 

[73] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

Fifty  years  ago  looking  north  from  the  Post  Road 
at  all  that  great  acreage,  the  two  farms  seemed  one. 
There  were  plowed  fields,  waving  grain  and  rock- 
ribbed  hills,  while  to  the  west  the  beautifnl  Hemlock 
Woods  always  took  the  last  rays  of  the  setting  sun. 

The  Zaccheus  ^lead  homestead,  lately  the  home  of 


sf 


^"'"^^ 


"DEARFIELDS" 

Thos.  A.  Mead  Homestead 
Built   1799 

Charles  B.  Read,  deceased,  stood  out  all  alone, 
prominent  against  the  northern  sky.  In  all  that 
great  stretch  from  the  Post  Road  to  the  w^oods  at  the 
north  and  west,  there  was  scarcely  a  tree,  excepting 
two  or  three  apple  orchards  and  the  small  wood  lot 
near  the  residence  of  Judge  Charles  D.  Burnes  on 
Brookside  Drive. 

Farmers    always    were    solicitous    for    their    lands 

[74] 


ROCKRIDGE  AND  DEARFIELD 

under  cultivation  and  a  shaded  field  was  usually  un- 
productive. But  I  recall  how  desolate  that  old 
Zaccheus  ]Mead  homestead  looked  standing  all  alone 
against  the  steely  gray  winter  sky. 

From  the  same  point  of  view  it  is  now  lost  in  a 


THOxMAS  A.  MEAD 

1799-189^ 

jungle  of  shade  trees  or  by  the  obstruction  of  inter- 
vening buildings. 

This  great  territory  was  divided  by  ancient  stone 
walls,  thick  and  straight  and  frequently  intersected 
by  other  similar  walls.     These  walls  were  made  of 

[T5] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

boulders  that  could  be  drawn  only  by  four  pair  of 
oxen  and  lifted  to  their  place  by  a  derrick.  AValls 
were  thus  frequent  because  of  the  supply  of  stone 
dug  from  the  earth  to  make  the  cultivated  fields. 

Not  far  from  the  Edgewood  Inn,  which,  with  the 
Park  of  the  same  name,  occupies  a  small  portion  of 
the  Thomas  A.  jNIead  farm,  one  may  still  see  a  few 
examples  of  the  wall-building  skill  of  the  generation 
that  lived  before  and  just  after  the  Revolution. 
There  are  still  remaining  short  pieces  of  old  walls, 
covered  with  moss  and  ^  ines,  so  wide  that  a  horse  and 
buggy  could  be  driven  along  the  top.  Rut  most  of 
the  old  walls  have  been  broken  to  pieces  an.d  are 
occupying  their  place  in  modern  liouse  construction. 

The  old  homestead  at  Rock  Ridge  was  owned  and 
occupied  by  two  men  of  the  same  name — Zaccheus 
Mead.  Tlie  first  was  the  grandfather  of  the  second, 
but  1  have  no  knowledge  of  the  generation  between, 
except  tliat  Job  and  Elsie  were  the  parents  of 
Zaccheus. 

However,  the  old  liomestead  and  its  one  hundred 
and  fifty  acres  went,  by  will,  from  grandfather  to 
grandson  of  the  same  name. 

Opposite  the  "Boulders"  now  the  home  of  E.  B. 
Close,  the  rock  caverns  of  that  jagged  granite  pile, 
rising  more  than  fifty  feet  in  height,  afforded  a  safe 
hiding  place,  when  the  British  red  coats  made  life 
uncomfortable  for  the  Greenwich  patriots.  There 
was  no  road  near  there  when  I  was  a  boy,  but  one 
day,  going  through  those  woods  in  company  with  my 

[76] 


ROCKRIDGE  AND  UEARIIEIJ) 

father  and  Col.  Thomas,  as  ^Ir.  Mead  was  ahiiost 
always  called,  the  latter  pointed  out  the  rocks  as  the 
hiding  place  of  refugees  during  the  war.  It  wasn't 
quite  clear  to  me  what  was  meant  by  refugees  but 
the  words  sounded  spookish,  and  the  surrounding- 
dense  woods,  with  the  murmur  of  Horseneck  Krook, 


ZACCIIErS  MEAD  HOMESTEAD 
In    18.59 

were  not  agreeable  to  mv  nerves  and  I  never  go 
through  there  without  recalling  the  incident.  The 
brook  is  the  same  and  so  are  the  trees  and  rocks  but 
the  human  habitations  have  taken  awa}^  all  the  som- 
ber mystery  of  my  first  visit. 

It  is  possible  that  the  old  homestead  still  standing 
supplanted  one  earlier  built,  but  I  am  inclined  to  be- 

[77] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

lieve  that  the  first  one,  an  old  sweep-])ack,  was  prob- 
ably enlarged  and  improved,  thus  creating  the  present 
building.  But  whether  so  or  not  the  present  house 
is  the  oldest  in  Rock  Ridge. 

Inside  I  believe  it  is  appropriately  furnished  in 
antique  and  certainly  with  much  more  luxury  than 
was  enjoyed  by  either  of  its  former  occupants. 

The  first  Zaccheus  was  an  old  man  when  he  died, 
October  27,  1846.  Having  lived  all  his  life  in  the 
old  place  lie  had  gathered  about  him  a  few  Windsor 
chairs,  as  well  as  some  straight  back  rush  bottoms, 
and  on  a  winter  night,  when  the  great  open  fireplace 
was  the  onlv  means  of  heating  the  living  room,  the 
big  high-backed  settle  was  the  most  comfortable  spot 
in  which  to  crack  nuts,  eat  apples  or  drink  cider  be- 
fore the  cheerful  fire. 

If  some  of  the  Rock  Ridge  folks  could  see  the 
house  as  it  was  then,  how  they  would  wax  enthusi- 
astic over  the  ancient  high-posted  and  canopied  beds, 
the  mahogany  tables  and  brass  warming  pans;  the 
blue  dishes  in  the  corner  cupboards  and  all  those 
quaint  and  lowly  things  that  made  the  Colonial  house- 
keeper contented  and  happy.  He  had  all  these 
things  because  they  and  many  more  articles  are 
enumerated  in  the  inventory  of  his  estate.  Beyond 
these  simple  articles  of  personal  property  he  had 
nothing  but  the  wagon,  the  pung  and  the  chaise. 

Zaccheus  made  his  will  on  the  15th  day  of  April, 
1833, — thirteen  years  before  his  death.  And  thereby 
the  old  farm  went  to  the  grandson,  Zaccheus,  subject 

[78] 


ROCKRIDGE  AND  DEARFIELD 

to  the  life  use  of  one-third  hy  the  widow.  Her  name 
was  Dehorah  and  she  continued  to  enjoy  her  Hfe 
estate  until  September  8,  1853. 

The  old  man  Q'ave  Deborah  only  the  use  of  one- 


ZACCHEUS  MEAD  ;3nd 

1798-187;2 


third  of  the  farm  and  the  buildings  and  he  must  have 
strained  a  point  in  his  conception  of  the  law  of  dower 
when  he  gave  her  the  unrestricted  use  of  all  his  house- 
hold furniture  "except  the  clock  and  birch  bedstead 
and  bed  and  bedding  and  warming  pan."  The  clock 
was  a  tall  one  that  stood  in  the  living  room  while  the 

[79] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

banjo  clock  that  hung  in  the  hall  was  called  the  time- 
piece. 

What  has  l^econie  of  all  those  interesting  old  relics? 
They  must  have  remained  in  the  homestead  many 
years,  hut  I  imagine  that  finally  when  the  clock  and 
the  timepiece,  in  the  days  of  a  later  generation  re- 
fused to  go,  they  were  discarded  for  modern  ones  on 
the  theory  that  they  were  old  and  all  worn  out.  I 
think  the  second  Zaccheus  must  have  kept  them,  be- 
cause as  I  recall  him,  during  war  times,  he  was  just 
such  an  old-fashioned  man  as  would  hold  on  to  the 
goods  of  his  ancestors.  He  was  accustomed  to  drive 
along  the  dusty  road  every  Sunday  in  his  antique 
wagon  drawn  by  a  fat  and  logy  gray  horse,  headed 
for  the  Seconal  Congregational  Church,  where  he 
stayed  till  the  close  of  the  afternoon  service  at  three 
o'clock.  His  wife  and  his  only  child,  Hannah  R. 
]Mead,  were  always  with  him. 

jNIany  are  still  living  who  recall  with  interest  the 
members  of  this  quaint  family. 

Hannah  came  into  possession  of  the  farm  in  the 
spring  of  187^  and  there  she  and  her  mother  lived, 
honored  and  respected  by  all  who  knew^  them. 

Hannah  died  in  1882  and  her  mother,  Laura 
Mead,  continued  to  live  in  the  old  liomestead  until 
January  18,  189.3.  Although  she  outlived  her  daugh- 
ter so  many  years  she  was  kindly  cared  for  l)y 
Nathaniel  AVitherell  \^'ho  supplied  her  with  every 
comfort  in  her  last  days. 

Why  Nathaniel  Withered? 

[80] 


^/■^.^^/y^l..^ 


1841-190(i 


ROCKRIDGE  AND  DEARFIELD 

Hannah  R.  ^lead  was  a  very  benevolent  woman. 
In  her  last  will  she  gave  legacy  after  legacy  to 
benevolent  societies  and  institutions  of  learning. 
While  she  reserved  to  her  mother  a  life  estate,  there 
was  practically  nothing  left  but  the  old  homestead 
and  the  farm.  The  old  lady  could  scarcely  be  ex- 
pected to  get  a  living  and  jjay  her  taxes  from  the 
sale  of  produce.     That  day  had  passed. 

As  I  look  over  Rock  Ridge  and  note  its  beautiful 
villas,  its  fine  lawns  and  productive  gardens,  it  is  hard 
to  realize  that  less  than  twenty-five  years  ago  the 
whole  place  was  solemnly  appraised  at  twelve  thou- 
sand dollars.  And  what  is  still  more  remarkable, 
that  appraisal  is  three  thousand  dollars  less  than  it 
was  after  the  death  of  the  first  Zaccheus  in  184*0. 

I  am  not  criticizing  the  appraisers  but  only  point- 
ing out  the  fact  that  two  generations  ago  our  farms 
had  a  greater  value  than  they  had  a  generation  ago, 
because  the  value  was  estimated  on  their  productive- 
ness. In  1846  they  were  making  their  owners  rich. 
Did  you  ever  notice  the  old  potato  cellar  on  Round 
Island  and  on  many  of  the  way  back  farms? 

In  1872  all  this  was  changed.  The  great  west  had 
used  up  the  eastern  farmer  and  farms  were  hardly 
salable.  Xow  that  is  all  changed  again.  The  auto- 
mobile has  made  the  distant  farm  available  and  the 
fruit-grower  has  discovered  that  the  New  England 
apple  is  the  best  of  all. 

The  farm  being  in  the  market,  ]Mr.  Witherell 
bought    it   with   the   widow's   life   estate   remaining. 

[88] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 

Tliis  is  how  he  iJot  it.  Everybody,  especially,  a  mis- 
sionary society  or  a  striig(»ling  college,  is  looking  for 
the  present  rather  than  the  future  dollar.  And  a  long 
list  of  quit-claim  deeds  from  all  the  l)eneficiaries 
under  Hannah  R.  INIead's  will  sliows  how  tlie  title 
passed.  It  was  an  uncertainty  how  long  the  life 
tenant  woidd  be  an  encumbrance,  but  three  years  be- 
fore her  death  Mr.  ^^^itherell  gathered  in  all  the 
shares  and  became  the  owner. 

And  how  fortunate  for  the  old  lady  that  he  did, 
for  while  the  various  benevolent  societies  were  con- 
ducting their  operations  in  foreign  lands  they  might 
not  liave  been  so  attentive  to  the  aged  life  tenant  at 
Rock  Ridge  as  was  ^Ir.  Witherell. 

The  records  are  silent  as  to  the  cost  of  Rock  Ridge 
but  I  have  it  on  very  good  authority  that  it  w^as 
$14,500. 

The  i"oads  and  avenues  were  laid  out.  sewer  and 
water  pipes  introduced  and  when  the  park  was  all 
completed  three  acre  plots  sold  for  $15,000. 

Such  transactions  as  this  account  for  the  remark- 
able growth  of  (xreenwich. 

In  1872  the  Zaccheus  jNIead  farm  was  assessed  at 
$12,000.  but  now  Rock  Ridge,  with  all  its  im])rove- 
ments,  pays  taxes  on  an  assessment  fifty  times  greater 
than  that  insignificant  amount. 

Xot  long  after  ]Mr.  Witherell  came  to  Greenwich 
he  opened  a  Fresh  Air  Home  for  children  at  Indian 
Field.  At  that  time  the  Isaac  Howe  JNIead  home- 
stead was  standing,  and  here  lie  located  ''The  Fold," 

[84] 


ROCKRIDGE  AXD  DEARFIELD 

as  the  home  was  called.  Rut  he  discovered  that  no 
facilities  for  obtaining  water  existed,  and  for  this 
reason  he  moved  "The  Fold"  to  Rock  Ridge.  It  was 
located  on  the  cedar  knoll  now  occupied  by  William 
F.  Decker's  handsome  bungalow.  Xot  less  than  two 
hundred  children  were  cared  for  at  one  time. 

In  a  house  nearby  called  "Cherryvale,"  owned  by 
^Ir.  Witherell,  for  six  consecutive  seasons  the  AVork- 
ing  Girls'  Vacation  Society  of  New  York  gave  health- 
ful rest  and  recreation  to  the  hard  workini>-  o'irls, 
thirty-five  at  a  time. 

As  the  town  grew  these  institutions  were  found  to 
be  too  near  the  village,  and  their  abandonment  was 
deemed  advisable. 


[85] 


CHAPTER  VIII 

THE   THEODORE   H.    MEAD   FARM 

THE  farms  lying  to  the  east  of  the  village  be- 
longed to  Theodore  H.  Mead,  Philander  But- 
ton and  Titus  ^Nlead.  The  Titus  ^Nlead  farm  will  be 
considered  later  and  an  allusion  to  the  Button  farm 
is  included  in  one  of  the  chapters  devoted  to  William 
M.  Tweed. 

The  Theodore  H.  ]Mead  farm  consisted  of  sixty- 
five  acres,  according  to  the  record,  but  was  actually 
about  eighty  acres  in  extent.  It  included  the  ancient 
house  at  the  foot  of  Putnam  Hill,  now  owned  by 
John  INIaher.  It  was  from  the  front  porch  of  this 
house,  in  the  early  morning  of  February  26,  1779, 
that  Gen.  Ebenezer  Mead  saw  Gen.  Putnam  make 
his  famous  escape  from  the  British  dragoons.  It 
was  the  General's  grandson,  Theodore,  M'ho  owned 
and  occupied  the  house  when  I  first  saw  it. 

It  is  difficult  now  to  realize  that  in  1859  Theodore 
H.  Mead  was  only  thirty-seven  years  old  and  that 
when  he  died,  January  18,  1876,  he  was  but  fifty-four 
years  old.  He  always  seemed  an  elderly  man,  owing 
perhaps  to  the  fact  that  my  eyes  were  youthful  and 
also  to  the  peculiar  mode  of  dress  adopted  by  ]Mr. 
Mead.     He  always  wore  a  slouch  hat,  a  shirt  that 

[86] 


THE  THEODORE  H.  MEAD  FARM 

was  decidedly  negligee  and  trousers  thrust  into  the 
tops  of  boots  that  were  never  blacked.  He  rarely 
wore  a  coat.  He  had  the  habit  of  riding  to  the  vil- 
lage for  his  mail,  without  a  saddle  and  often  witliout 
a  bridle.  There  was  nothing  about  the  man  or  about 
his  farm  suggestive  of  tidiness.  The  bars  were 
generally  down  and  his  cattle  out. 

And  yet,  notwithstanding  these  defects,  he  was  a 
man  well  born  and  well  schooled.  He  was  proud  of 
his  ancestry  and  of  the  fact  that  he  was  born  in  tlie 
old  homestead  at  the  foot  of  Putnam  Hill  that  had 
housed  his  warrior  grandsire.  His  wife  was  the 
daughter  of  Rev.  William  Cooper  ^lead,  D.D., 
LL.D.,  of  Xorwalk,  an  eminent  divine  well  known 
throughout  Xew  England. 

His  father  married  twice  and  he  was  the  youngest 
of  eleven  children.  He  had  a  half-brother.  Rev. 
Ebenezer  ^Nlead,  who  was  a  Congregational  minister. 

He  often  expressed  the  regret  that  his  father  was 
not  able  to  afford  him  a  liberal  and  professional  edu- 
cation. He  died  in  the  same  room  in  wliich  he  was 
born. 

He  had  converted  the  ten  acre  meadow  into  a  pond, 
since  known  as  "Ten  Acres,"  splendid  for  skating  but 
used  for  the  purpose  of  gathering  ice  and  for  many 
years  he  alone  dealt  in  it.  Just  east  of  the  home- 
stead was  a  mill  site,  still  extant,  which  aiForded  ex- 
cellent water  power  by  which  a  saw  mill  and  cider 
mill  were  in  commission  all  the  year  round.  It  is 
only  a  few  years  ago  that  the  mill  was  removed  but 

[87] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 

the  pond  remains  an  ornament  to  tlie  Milton  C. 
Xichols  place,  recently  erected  near  it. 

Giving  attention  to  the  mill  and  ice  crop  ex])lained 
in  part  M'hy  the  farm  was  not  more  carefully  culti- 
vated. Furthermore  his  sixty-five  acres  included 
considerable  woodland  from  which  wood  was  carted 
to  various  people  about  the  village  and  in  Cos  Cob. 
The  balance,  devoted  to  cultivation,  was  probably  no 
more  than  enough  to  maintain  his  oxen,  a  few  cows, 
sheejj  and  a  pair  of  horses. 

Another  reason  for  the  lack  of  attention  given  to 
the  farm  and  mill  was  ]Mr.  JNIead's  growing  passion 
for  speculation. 

He  was  always  in  a  hurry  to  get  rich  and  followed 
the  gold  market  with  a  vigilant  eye.  During  the 
war  of  18()1  and  up  to  187*)  gold  was  at  a  premium 
over  currency  which  necessitated  its  purchase  in  the 
o])en  market  when  required  for  mercantile  pur])oses 
or  the  payment  of  customs  duties.  The  gold  board 
in  New  York  city,  as  the  exchange  was  called,  was 
opened  to  trade  in  gold  coin,  just  as  stocks  are  in  the 
regular  exchange. 

Frequently  gold  fluctuated  ra])i(lly  and  many 
countrymen,  like  ]Mr.  ^Nlead,  were  interested  in  buy- 
ing and  selling  for  a  (|uick  profit.  He  was  therefore 
always  a  borrower  and  constantly  in  trouble  with 
small  local  creditors.  A  large  number  of  attach- 
ments were  filed  against  his  farm  and  sometimes 
judgments  were  entered  against  him.  This  condi- 
tion of  affairs  arose  from  his  inattention  to  business 

[88] 


THE  THEODORE  H.  MEAD  FARM 

and  not  because  lie  desired  to  ignore  the  demands  of 
creditors.  ^Vllenever  lie  was  sued  he  took  it  as  a 
matter  of  course,  paid  the  costs,  treated  the  sheriff 
to  a  glass  of  cider  and  repeated  the  operation  two  or 
three  times  within  the  next  week. 

Volume  39  of  the  land  records  devoted  to  real 
estate  attachments  tells  the  full  story  of  Theodore's 
troubles,  tliough  perhaps  I  ought  not  to  characterize 
them  thus  for  "Sir.  ^lead  rarely  was  troubled  with 
anything. 

He  liked  children,  perhaps  because  he  had  none  of 
his  own.  AVhen  the  Cos  Cob  boys,  students  at  the 
Academy,  came  up  the  hill  by  the  mill — a  very  steep 
hill  that  long  ago  disappeared  under  modern  grading 
and  road  making — he  would  often  call  them  in  and 
removing  the  bung  of  a  barrel  filled  with  sweet  cider 
supply  them  with,  the  necessary  straws.  If  the  cider 
was  running  through  the  spout  from  the  press  he 
would  hand  them  a  tin  cup  with  which  to  drink  their 
fill.  In  winter  these  same  boys  and  many  others 
helped  to  float  the  ice  cakes  down  to  the  slide. 

On  one  occasion  ^Nlr.  ^Nlead  was  invited  to  attend  the 
annual  din.ner  of  the  New  England  Society  in  the 
City  of  New  York  and  promptly  accepted. 

He  went  with  my  father  and  I  then  realized  that 
Theodore  H.  ^Nlead,  dressed  in  dark  clothes,  with 
polished  Ijoots  and  a  silk  hat,  was  a  very  handsome 
man.  Once  riding  along  on  a  bay  nag  that  seemed 
too  frail  to  carry  him,  he  drew  up  in  front  of  the 
Academy,  then  on  the  corner  where  Dr.  F.  C.  Hyde's 

[89] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 

house  stands,  while  the  boys  were  enjoying  the  noon 
recess.  Calhng  us  around  him  he  told  the  story  of 
Putnam's  ride  giving  it  to  us  just  as  he  had  heard  it 
from  the  lips  of  his  grandfather,  an  eye  witness. 

When  jNIr.  ^Nlead  died  his  creditors  were  numerous 
and  eventually  his  estate  was  settled  as  an  insolvent 
estate. 

Col.  Thomas  A.  ^Nlead  had  loaned  him  ten  thou- 
sand dollars  made  up  of  various  small  sums  and  his 
appeal  from  the  commissioners  on  Theodore's  estate 
furnishes  some  law,  still  unrevoked.  It  is  only  neces- 
sary for  me  to  refer  to  the  46  Vol.  of  Conn.  Reports, 
page  417,  and  to  suggest  that  if  the  details  of  a 
financial  wreck  are  interesting  they  may  there  be 
found. 

I  started  to  tell  about  the  farm  but  have  devoted 
most  of  the  chapter  to  its  eccentric  owner. 

The  estate  being  insolvent  all  of  the  farm  was  sold 
at  auction  by  order  of  the  Court  of  Probate.  It  was 
a  rainy  morning  in  the  spring  of  1881,  and  yet  there 
was  a  good  deal  of  money  in  the  crowd  that  gathered 
about  the  auctioneer,  in  front  of  the  old  homestead. 
The  sixty-five  acres,  with  ice  house,  mill  right, 
barns  and  the  grand  old  Colonial  liouse,  brought  only 
$5,400,  less  than  $100  an  acre.  The  widow,  Corneha 
J.  Mead,  was  then  living  and  as  the  property  was 
sold  subject  to  her  dower  it  had  an  intiuence  to  de- 
press the  price. 

Subsequently,  Solomon  ^lead,  John  Dayton  and 
Allen   H.    Close,    as   distributors   appointed   by   the 

[90] 


THE  THEODORE  H.  MEAD  FARJM 

court,  set  out  to  her  the  use  for  hfe  of  the  house  aud 
about  four  acres  of  land. 

She  died  on  the  26th  day  of  October,  1881.  The 
property  went  to  Henry  Webb  and  afterwards  to 
John  ^laher  and  much  of  their  fortune  may  be  traced 
to  that  fortunate  purchase  on  that  rainy  spring  morn- 
ing in  1881.  If  you  ask  the  genial  ice  and  coal 
dealer,  John  ^Nlaher,  how  much  he  has  made  out  of 


BUTTE  KM  ILK  1-  ALLb 
Photo  by  I.  L.  Mead 

the  farm  he  will  respond  with  a  jolly  laugh  and  noth- 
ing more.  The  small  parcel  recently  sold  is  said  to 
have  brought  $20,000. 

The  farm  included  a  large  tract  on  the  south  side 
of  the  road  now  included  in  jNIilbank  and  the  famous 
and  romantic  Buttermilk  Falls  tract  on  the  north. 
Here  are  the  homes  of  E.  Belcher  ^lead  and  J.  ]M. 
Menendez,  with  rustic  ledges,  beautiful  trees,  the  ever 
murmuring  brook  and  the  view  of  Ix)ng  Island  Sound. 

[91] 


CHAPTKH  IX 

THE    TITUS    MEAD    FAim 

17^  VER  V  one  knows  Titu.s  ^lead's  hill.  It  is  one 
-^  of  the  old  names  that  still  remain.  It  is  appro- 
priate, for  at  its  erest,  for  many  years  lived  a  farmer 
of  that  name.  The  line  of  splendid  maple  trees  along 
the  road  side  was  planted  hy  him  nearly  ninety  years 
ago. 

He  died  ^lareh  'iG,  18()<).  at  the  age  of  sixty-five 
years.  By  him  Mere  hnilt  some  of  the  stone  walls 
that  divide  tlie  fields  an^l  many  of  the  drains  that  have 
made  the  land  so  fertile.  He  was  ])rominent  in  town 
affairs,  when  I  Avas  a  hoy.  and  for  many  years  was 
Town  Treasnrer. 

His  wife  was  Lney  ]Mumford  ^Nlead,  danghter  of 
Andrew  ]Mead,  who  died  April  21,  1821,  "a  patriot 
of  the  Revolution,"  according  to  his  epitaph. 

Titus  ^Nlead  was  one  of  the  wealthy  men  of  his 
time.  He  had  a  large  and  profita})le  farm,  with  a 
short  haul  to  the  market  sloops.  The  inven.tory  of 
his  estate  reveals  only  the  choicest  securities  and  a 
long  list  of  local  mortgages. 

He  was  a  liheral  man.  As  the  treasurer  of  a  cer- 
tain lodge,  in  the  village  it  was  said  that  he  alwavs 

[92] 


THE  TITUS  MEAD  FARM 

paid  tlie  bills  although  they  were  fai  in  excess  of  the 
receipts  for  which  he  was  always  uuaniniously  re- 
elected. 

He  wrote  his  own  will,  using-  a  2)rinted  blank  in 
which  it  was  necessary  oidy  to  insert  tlie  name  of 
his  wife  as  sole  legatee  and  devisee.  He  executed 
it  July  9,  1862,  which  fact  would  appear  of  no 
moment   except   that   the   names   of   the   subscribing 


irrrs  .mi:.\i)  ho.mkstkad 

In  1859 

witnesses  bring  back  to  me  a  vivid  recollection  of  an 
old  Avheelwright's  shop  shaded  by  a  mammoth  button- 
ball  tree  which  stood  where  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church  now  stands.  Joseph  E.  Russell  ran  the  shop 
and  George  S.  Ray  worked  for  him.  Samuel  Close, 
the  Town  Clerk  and  Justice  of  the  Peace,  had  his 
office  near-by.  This  office  is  fully  described  in  Chap- 
ter III  of  this  volume. 

These  three  men  witnessed  the  execution  of  the  will 
and  we  can  readily  imagine  Squire  Close  calling  th.e 
other  two  to  come  across  to  his  little  office,  while  the 

[93] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREEXWICH 


shop  was  left  alone,  without  danger  of  anyone  call- 
ing- during  those  dull  days. 

Titus  Mead's  widow  outlived  him  twenty-two 
years  and  many  of  her  personal  friends  survive  her. 
She  was  a  delightful  lady  of  the  old  school  and  it 
always  gave  me  the  greatest  pleasure  to  call  upon  her. 
The  year  after  her  husband's  death,  in  1870,  she 
built   the   house   on   lower   Xorth    Street   since   very 

much  enlai-ged  by  the  late 
H.  P.  Whittaker,  and 
now  belonging  to  his  es- 
tate. He  called  the  place 
Prescourt. 

I^iving  in  the  village 
was  much  more  to  her 
taste,  than  living  in  the 
old  farmhouse  at  the  top 
of  the  hill,  after  her  hus- 
band had  gone.  But  she 
thought  a  great  deal  of 
the  place  and  although  she  had  many  offers  she  would 
not  part  with  it.  She  did,  however,  sell  many  acres  of 
her  farm,  including  Crest  View  to  Henry  C.  Bos  well, 
and  the  Wilham  H.  Teed  and  Thomas  Young  tracts. 
"The  Chimneys"  and  "Athelcroft"  were  built  by 
Clarence  M.  Hyde  and  his  late  brother  on  a  ])ortion  of 
Mrs.  Mead's  farm.  It  became  the  good  fortune  later 
of  Mrs.  Mary  E.  Andrews  to  purchase  from  the  lAicy 
M.  INIead  estate  the  valuable  tract  upon  which  stands 
the  fine  house   built   by  her  and   since   her   decease 

'[94] 


MRS.  LUCY  MUMFORD  MEAD 

1810-1891 


THE  TITUS  MEAD  FARM 

owned  by  her  daughter,  INIrs.  F.  Kissam  Brown.  She 
also  owns  the  old  Titus  ^Nlead  homestead  and  she  and 
her  husband  have  shown  their  wisdom  and  good  taste 
in  retaining  the  old  house  much  as  it  appeared,  in 
the  days  that  followed  the  Revolution  when  it  was 
one  of  the  mansions  of  the  town. 

Adjoining  the  Titus  ^Nlead  farm  on  the  south  lies 


PUTNAM    COTTAGE 

"he  home  for  ne   rly  a  century  of  Hezekiali  and  John  J. 
Tracy,   father  and   son 

territory  that  has  an  interesting  Revolutionary  his- 
tory. 

In  1775  Israel  Knapp  lived  in  what  is  now  known 
as  Putnam  cottage.  He  also  owned  many  acres  in 
the  neighborhood  of  "Great  Hill"  as  it  was  called  be- 
fore Putnam's  exploit.  Dying  without  a  will  his 
land  descended  to  his  widow  and  heirs  who  subse- 
quently sold  it  to  Reuben  Holmes.  He  was  a  man 
of  character,  education  and  standing;  by  profession 
a  teacher,  bv  trade  a  shoemaker.     He  had  a  large 

[95] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 

family  and  their  support  taxed  his  abilities  to  the  ut- 
most. In  his  school  by  day,  he  sat  on  his  bench  at 
niglit  and  was  not  satisfied  if  he  failed  to  finish  half 
a  dozen  pair  of  shoes  weekly. 

But  finally  he  abandoned  the  struggle,  sold  his  real 
estate  August  16,  1823,  and  moved  to  what  was  then 
the  far  west,  Geneva,  Cayuga  County,  Xew  York. 
Mrs.  Hannah  ^lead  bought  the  property  consisting 
of  thirty-two  acres,  for  $.3,.3()().  She  was  the  widow 
of  Joshua  jNIead  who  died  early  in  life  leaving  an 
only  child,  Solomon,  so  well  known  to  the  present 
generation.  This  parcel  of  land  extended  north  and 
included  land  now  owned  by  the  Parmelee  J.  IVIcFad- 
den  estate. 

One  of  the  daughters  of  Israel  Knapp  was  Amy 
K.  Thom])son,  who  appears  to  have  retained  an  in- 
terest in  her  father's  land  and  upon  her  decease  her 
four  children,  Harriet,  Cornelia,  James  and  Caroline, 
conveyed  it  to  Solomon  JNIead's  motlier. 

^Ir.  ^lead  always  spoke  of  his  mother  with  great 
admiration  and  affection  and  all  her  transactions  indi- 
cate that  she  was  a  AA'oman  of  unusual  ability.  She 
died  ^larch  14,  1844,  at  the  age  of  70,  leaving  Solo- 
mon as  her  sole  heir  at  law. 

Solomon  JNIead  was  a  prominent  man  in  Greenwich 
all  his  life  and  at  his  decease  June  14,  1898,  it  was 
found  that  he  was  wortli  more  than  any  other  native 
of  the  town,  who  had  passed  his  days  here. 

He  was  an  intelligent,  practical  and  painstaking 
man.     AVhile   his   mother   owned   the   little   farm   of 

[96] 


THE  TITUS  MEAD  FARM 

thirty-one  acres,  which  she  never  encumbered,  he 
made  many  improvemen.ts  upon  the  property.  Tlie 
bhnd  ditches  he  laid  for  drainage  purposes  still  re- 


cr 


1808-1898 


main  to  attest  his  skillful,  scientific  handlino-  of  the 
property. 

Its  present  appearance,  due  to  change  in  fence 
lines,  opening  of  highways,  demolition  of  old  build- 
ings, the  erection  of  new  ones,  and  the  ])lanting  of 

[97] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREEXWICH 

fruit  and  ornamental  trees — is  very  different  from 
its  appearance  eighty  years  ago, 

I^ong  before  my  remembrance  an  old  house  and  a 
barn  stood  near  the  highway  between  the  present 
Whittaker  and  ^NIcFadden  places.  Xot  many  years 
ago  I  found  the  old  well  near  the  present  line  of  high- 
way in  front  of  the  old  cellar  hole.  These  old  build- 
ings are  immortalized  in  Daniel  jNIerritt  Mead's  his- 
tory of  Greenwich,  pages  156,  157  and  158. 

After  the  tenancy  of  the  Holmes  family  in  the  Put- 
nam cottage  it  was  owned  and  occupied  by  Hezekiah 
and  John  Jay  Tracy,  father  and  son,  for  nearly  a 
century.  They  were  both  men  of  attainments  and 
they  each  occupied  the  office  of  Town  Clerk  for  many 
years.  John  Jay  was  secretary  of  the  Tammany  So- 
ciety in  X"ew  York.  The  public  records  kept  by 
these  men  are  models  of  penmanship  at  a  time  when  a 
(piill  pen  only  was  used. 

For  many  years  the  street  running  near  the  Put- 
nam cottage  through  land  of  A.  Foster  Higgins  was 
appropriately  called  Tracy  Street.  Its  present  name 
of  Park  Avenue  has  no  particular  significance. 

Prior  to  1858  Solomon  ]Mead  lived  in  an  old  fash- 
ioned sweep-back,  standing  just  inside  the  gateway 
leadino-  to  the  stone  mansion  erected  bv  him  in  1854- 
1858.  The  house  is  known  as  Xo.  48  INIaple  Avenue 
and  has  recently  been  occupied  by  the  family  of 
William  Cooney.  After  the  completion  of  the  new 
residence,  in  1859,  the  old  one  was  removed.  It  was 
a  prototype  of  the  old  Jared  ]Mead  house,  described 

[98] 


THE  TITUS  MEAD  FARM 

ill  Chapter  XIV.  Under  its  front  windows  were 
bunches  of  phlox  and  some  marigolds  were  nodding 
in  the  summer  breeze  when  I  first  saw  it.  It  had  a 
comfortable  "sit  down"  appearance,  characteristic  of 
all  the  old  gray  shingle,  low  studded  sweep-backs  of 
the  eighteenth  century.  Xear  its  north  end  was  the 
well  house  in  which  an  empty  bucket  hung  over 
the  curb.  It  was  overshadowed  by  the  great  stone 
house  which  was  then  completed,  and  it  was  only  a 
short  time  afterward  that  it  disappeared  and  the  old 
cellar  hole  was  filled. 

]Mr.  ]Mead  began  to  })uild  the  present  stone  house 
in  1854  and  completed  it  in  1858.  The  method  of 
thorough  construction  adopted  by  its  owner  attracted 
wide  attention.  The  walls  were  hollow  to  prevent 
dampness  and  the  stones  were  laid  up  in  shell  lime. 

jNIr.  ]Mead  has  often  told  me  that  in  those  days, 
from  his  front  piazza,  he  enjoyed  an  unobstructed 
view  of  Long  Island  Sound  as  far  east  as  the  Xor- 
walk  Islands.  But  in  late  years  the  shade  trees 
growing  tall  and  rank  have  destroyed  much  of  the 
summer  view. 


[99] 


o 


CHAPTER  X 

THE    SECOND    C'ONUHFXiATIOX AL    t'HUKCH 

X  Xovemlier  9,  191G,  will  occur  the  two  hun- 
dredth anniversary  of  the  estahlislinient  of  the 
Second  Congregational  Churcli.  The  one  hundred 
and  fiftieth  anniversary  was  held  in  ]8()(>  and  was 
one  of  the  most  important  that  ever  occiuM-ed  in 
Greenwich.  A  similar  occasion  in  these  days  would 
cause  less  in.terest  outside  the  cluu'ch  membershi]), 
because  the  population  is  larger,  more  varied  in  re- 
ligious faith,  and  ])erhaps  more  secular  in  (lis])ositinn. 
Rut  the  celebi-ation  in  18()()  was  largely  attended  and 
created  among  the  members  of  all  religious  sects  a 
general  interest. 

The  present  stone  church,  a  creation  of  Leopold 
Eidlitz,  one  of  the  most  famous  church  architects  of 
the  Nineteenth  century,  arouses  the  admiration  of 
every  resident  of  Greenwicl],  whatevei-  his  creed  or 
nationality. 

It  was  built  in  1856  under  somewhat  peculiar  cir- 
cumstances. Its  predecessors  had  })een  com])ara- 
tively  cheap,  wooden  affairs  and  when  the  building 
of  a  new  church  was  agitated  Mr.  Robert  Williams 
IVIead  led  the  minority  in  advocating  the  construction 

[100] 


SECOND  COXGREGATIOXAI.  CHURCH 

of  the  present  building.  Xot  only  plans  hut  a  per- 
fect model  in  plaster  were  shown,  displayino-  the 
splendid  ])roportions  and  lines  of  the  proposed 
church. 


ROBERT  W.  MKAI) 

1814  1875 

The  proposition  was  strongly  opposed  on  the 
ground  of  expense,  but  finally  when  "Sir.  ^lead  de- 
clared it  could  be  built  for  thirty  thousand  dollars 
someone  at  the  church  meeting  expressed  a  doubt  as 
to  his  ability  to  find  a  contractor  to  undertake  the 
work  at  that  price.     It  is  not  unlikely  that  ]Mr.  ^Nlead 

[101] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREEXWICH 

realized  this,  for  he  promptly  replied  tliat  he  woidd 
take  the  contract  himself. 

He  was  not  a  contractor  and  never  had  been  one, 
but  he  built  the  church  and  when  the  thirt}^  thousand 
dollar  appropriation  was  exhausted  he  sold  his  own 
securities  to  continue  and  complete  the  building. 

His  monument  stands  near  the  church  and  bears 
the  same  inscription  that  is  cut  in  the  tomb  of  Sir 
Christopher  Wren  in  St.  Pauls,  London.  "Si  mouii- 
nientum  quarae  circumspice" — "If  you  would  see  his 
monument  look  about." 

I  fear  that  Robert  Williams  INIead  never  received 
half  the  credit  that  should  liave  been  his  for  building 
the  handsomest  church  spire  in  New  England. 

He  was  a  son  of  Dr.  Darius  INIead,  whose  home 
was  on  the  crest  of  Putnam  Hill.  He  had  made  a 
fortune  in  mercantile  pursuits  in  New  York  City. 
When  he  built  the  church  he  resided  in  the  house  now 
owned  and  occupied  by  his  nephew,  Frederick  Mead. 
On  April  11,  1864,  he  sold  this  property  to  D.  Jack- 
son Steward,  who  held  it  till  April  15,  1868,  when  he 
sold  it  to  Edward  Slosson,  a  retired  New  York 
lawyer.  jNIrs.  Annie  Turnbull  Slosson,  his  widow, 
a  well-known  writer,  now  resides  in  New  York. 
After  the  death  of  JNIr.  Slosson,  by  a  deed  dated  ]May 
28,  1872,  the  property  went  to  Frederick  INIead,  tlie 
father  of  its  present  owner. 

The  interior  of  the  church  was  remodeled  in  11)00, 
at  an  expense  of  about  thirty  tliousand  dolhirs. 
Those  who  had  the  matter  in  hand  probably  acted 

[102] 


3xD    COXGREGATIOXAI.    CHURCH    IX    l!S?9 
(N"o  clock  at  that  time) 
Pastors:  Rev.    Dr.    Joel    H.    Linsley,    Rev.    Dr.    Frederick    G.    Clark, 
Rev.  Dr.  George  A.  Gordon 


SECOXD  CONGREGATIOXAL  CHURCH 

for  the  best  interests  of  the  ehiirch.      However,  sueh 
a  radical  change  was  a  great  disappointment  to  me. 

There  is  one  incident  in  connection  witli  tlie  ])uihl- 
ing  of  this  clmrch  tliat  sliould  not  be  omitted.  AVlien 
it  was  fully  completed  with  the  outside  scaffolding 
still  surrounding  the  spire  several  ladies,  members 
of  the  church,  climbed  on  open  ladders,  from  scaf- 
fold to  scaffold,  till  tliey  reached  the  circuhir  cap 
stone,  eight  feet  in  diameter,  around  wliicli  they  sat 
and  ate  their  supper,  undisturl)ed  by  the  fact  that 
they  were  two  liundred  and  twelve  feet  above  the 
ground.  ^Nlrs.  Julia  A.  Button,  ^Nliss  Clarissa  ^Nlead 
and  ]Mrs.  Edward  ^lead  were  among  the  number. 

But  to  recur  to  the  celebration  of  1806.  It  comes 
back  to  me  like  an  occurrence  of  yesterday.  Per- 
liti]3s  its  most  remarkable  feature  was  the  liistorical 
address  by  Rev.  Joel  H.  Einsley,  D.D.,  which  Avas 
his  last  public  effort.  He  had  been  the  pastor  of  the 
church  for  nineteen  years  and  was  then  the  honorary 
but  retired  pastor.  His  address,  finished  and  scliol- 
arly,  was  replete  with  matters  of  local  history  and 
startling  in  its  prophetic  portrayal  of  the  speaker's 
vision  of  the  future,  in  these  words. 

"This  town  will  not  for  many  years,  if  ever,  be  a 
place  distinguished  for  business  or  rapid  advance  in 
population.  On  this  very  account  it  is  all  the  better 
for  a  place  of  quiet  homes,  and  as  a  seat  for  the  best 
educational  institutions." 

The  committee  of  arrangements  consisted  of  Dea- 
con Philander  Button,  Deacon  Jonas  ^lead,  Dr.  T. 

[105] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 

S.  Pinneo,  William  A.  Howe  and  Ech^ard  P.  Holly. 
They  were  appointed  at  a  meeting  of  the  chureh  held 
in  March,  1866. 

During  the  summer  the  work  of  arranging  details 
became  so  onerous  that  the  committee  was  enlarged 
by  adding  the  following  men :  Isaac  L.  INIead,  Alex- 
ander ^lead,  Zophar  JNIead,  Shadrach  INI.  Brush.  Ben- 
jamin Wright,  Arthur  D.  ]Mead,  George  H.  jNIills, 
Gideon  Reynolds  and  the  following  ladies:  ]Mrs.  Ed- 
ward :Mead,  JNIrs.  Philander  Button,  ]Mrs.  T.  S. 
Pinneo,  ]Mrs.  Joseph  Brush,  Mrs.  Augustus  N. 
Reynolds,  3Irs.  Benjamin  Wright,  ^Nlrs.  Elizabeth 
S.  Hoyt,  Mrs.  Stephen  Holly,  ^Nlrs.  Moses  Cristy, 
Mrs.  Xehemiah  Howe,  Mrs.  Daniel  ^lerritt  JNIead, 
Mrs.  Charles  H.  Seaman,  ^Irs.  William  B.  Sher- 
wood, ^Irs.  Thomas  Ritch,  ]Mrs.  Lockwood  P.  Clark, 
:Mrs.  Caleb  Holmes,  ]Mrs.  Alfred  Bell,  ^Mrs.  Isaac 
Peck,  ]Mrs.  Jabez  ^Nlead,  JNIrs.  Stephen  G.  White, 
Mrs.  Henry  M.  Bailey,  Mrs.  William  T.  Reynolds, 
Mrs.  Eewis  A.  ^Nlerritt,  ]Miss  Hannah  ]M.  oNIead,  ^liss 
Eliza  J.  Scofield,  Mrs.  Joseph  E.  Russell,  Miss 
Louisa  INIead. 

As  I  write  these  names  their  owners'  faces  all  come 
])ack  to  me.  Of  the  committee  of  men  four  survive 
and  })ut  one  of  the  committee  of  women  is  liv- 
ing. 

The  day  was  one  of  the  finest  of  the  season.  It 
was  one  of  those  glorious  autumn  days  for  which 
Greenwich  has  always  been  so  famous  and  when 
doult  often  arises  wliether  there  is  more  beauty  in 

[106] 


SECOND  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH 

the  blue  waters  of  the  Sound  or  in  the  wealth  of  forest 
trees,  flaming  with  scarlet  and  orange. 

The  church  was  decorated  with  festoons  and 
wreaths  of  evergreen,  tastefully  interwoven  with  au- 
tumn flowers.  Upon  the  Mall  over  the  speakers' 
platform,  in  the  rear  of  where  the  organ  now  stands 
was  the  following  inscription: 

IN    THE    PLACE    OF    THE    FATHERS   ARE   THE    CHHDREX 

1716 

OUR  father's  god  is  our  god 
The  printed  programme,  a  copy  of  which  lies  be- 
fore me,  announced  the  following  order  of  exercises. 

1.  Invocation  rev.  platt  t.  hoi-ly 

2.  Reading  the  Scriptures       rev.  f.  g.  clark,  d.d. 

3.  Antliem — "O,  How  I^ovely  is  Zion." 

4.  Prayer  rev.  joel  m  ann 

5.  Historical  Discourse       rev.  j.  h.  lixsley,  d.d. 

6.  Praifcr  rev.  SxVMUEl  howe 

7.  Anthem — "Praise  Ye  the  Lord." 

8.  Benediction  rev.  stephex  hurbeij, 

Recess  For  Coleatiox 
p.  M. 

9.  Anthem. 

10.  Welcoming  Address       rev.  w.  h.  h.  murray 

11.  Historical  Paper  william  a.  howe 

12.  Anthem 

13.  History  Stillson  Benevolent  Society 

DR.  T.  S.  PIXNEO 

Would  it  be  possible  in  this  generation  to  hold  an 
audience  on  such  an  occasion  all  day  long? 

[107] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 

The  historical  address,  as  I  h.ave  stated,  was  the 
crowning  effort  of  Dr.  I^insley's  l)nsy  life.  He  died 
jNIarch  22,  18 08.  It  may  not  be  amiss  to  qnote  here 
the  peroration  of  that  disconrse. 

"This  is,  my  hearers,  of  all  tlie  days  since  Feaks 
and  Patrick  cnt  the  waves  of  the  Sound  with  their 
light  boat,  fastened  her  to  Elizabeth  Xeck,  and  by 
peacefnl  purchase  took  possession  of  these  fair  fields 
for  civilized  man,  the  best  and  brightest,  the  one  in 
which  it  is  the  greatest  privilege  to  live. 

"That  our  children  and  children's  children  are  to 
see  a  still  brighter  one,  I  liope,  nay,  I  believe. 

"And  when  we  scatter  at  the  close  of  this  auspicious 
occasion  from  this  beloved  hill  of  Zion,  let  us  retire 
with  gratitnde  for  what  our  fatliers  bequeathed  to 
us  from  the  past;  with  rejoicing  in  the  present,  th.at 
the  lines  have  fallen  to  us  in  pleasant  places,  and  with 
full  j)ur])()se  of  heart,  that,  (xod  hel})ing  us,  we  will 
transmit  a  still  richer  inheritance  to  those  who  shall 
come  after  us,  even  to  the  latest  generations." 

The  afternoon  session  opened  with  an  address  of 
welcome  by  Rev.  W.  II.  H.  ^Murray  which  seemed 
to  be  particularly  directed  to  the  ministers  present 
who  had  formerly  been  pastors  of  the  cliurch. 

Mr.  ^Murray  was  at  that  time  a  young  man  of 
twenty-six  years  and  acting  pastor  of  tlie  church. 
To  most  of  the  guests  he  was  unknown,  but  the  ad- 
dress of  welcome  thrilled  every  soul  and  left  such  an 
impression  that  tlie  memory  of  Murray  was  never 
dimmed. 

[108] 


SECOND  COXGREGATIOXAI.  CHURCH 

I  recall  distinctly,  how  in  tlic  midst  of  his  addi'css. 
he  ran  his  fingers  througli  his  thick,  raven  locks  and, 
turning  his  massive  figure  towards  Rev.  Joel  ^lann, 
the  oldest  ex-pastor,  said:  "But  more  especially  do 
we  rejoice  that  you,  the  most  aged  of  this  group, 
whose  sun,  though  glowing  and  bright,  is  near  the 
border  of  the  horizon,  should  once  more  be  with  us, 
to  behold  and  be  made  happy  at  the  sight  of  our 
prosperity,  lief  ore  the  shadows  deepen  farther,  and 
you,  passing  through  them,  be  lost  to  our  eyes. 

"It  is  well,  too,  that  those  of  us  in  this  congregation 
whose  heads,  in  the  passage  of  years,  have  whitened 
with  yours,  should  see  once  more  the  familiar  faces, 
the  countenances  of  former  an.d  still  beloved  pastors, 
before  that  hand,  which  smites  the  cloud  for  all, 
smites  it  asunder  for  us,  and  our  eyes  close  on  ter- 
restrial objects  forever." 

I  think  the  most  touching  incident  of  the  day  oc- 
curred at  its  close,  when  oMr.  ^Murray  rose  and  said : 
"There  is  one  man,  my  good  friends,  w^ho  did  you  a 
service  to-day  which  we  cannot  too  highly  appreciate. 
The  graves  have  been  alluded  to,  and  it  is  well  th.ey 
should  be;  but  before  we  go  out  let  us  remember  the 
cradles.  There  are  ears  too  young  to  hear  oiu"  speech 
to-night,  and  eyes  not  yet  instructed  in  vision,  so  that 
they  may  read  the  motto  above  our  heads;  and  there 
is  one  man  sitting  here  before  you  who  has  done  a 
service  for  this  class  that  I  can  not  overrate.  A  hand 
has  been  reached  into  the  past;  into  the  dark  past  of 
tradition,  and  out  of  it  fetched  something  more  valu- 

[109] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 

able  than  gold;  and  it  is  more  pleasant  for  me  to 
think  of  it,  because  that  hand  is  aged,  and  whether  it 
reaches  backward  or  forward,  it  will  reach  not  many 
years  again.  The  man  who  has  done  you  a  service 
you  can  never  repay  is  Rev.  Dr.  Linsley.  We 
cannot  consent  to  separate  until  this  aged  man, 
wlio  has  long  been  your  teacher,  and  who  has  done 
you  such  service,  shall  have  received  a  public  expres- 
sion of  your  respect  })y  this  audience  rising  in  his 
honor." 

I  shall  never  forget  the  thrill  that  went  through 
that  great  audience,  as  rising  to  their  feet,  ^Nlr,  JNlur- 
ray  said:  ''Receive,  my  aged  friend,  this  mark  of  a 
])e()ples'  respect.  The  thanks  of  men  are  common, 
but  the  thanks  of  the  multitude  are  few."  For  more 
than  forty-six  years  have  I  carried  in  my  memory 
the  burning  incidents  of  that  day.  Xo  one  present 
has  lived  to  forget  and  again  and  again  has  the  story 
been  told  to  the  new  generation,  those  w^io  now 
stand  in  th.e  place  of  the  fathers. 

I  cannot  conclude  this  chapter  without  referring 
to  George  A.  Gordon,  D.D.,  pastor  of  the  old  South 
Church,  Boston.  He  came  to  Greenwich,  as  the  pas- 
tor of  the  Second  Congregational  Church,  when  he 
was  on  the  sunny  side  of  thirty. 

He  was  born  in  Scotland.  He  has  often  told  of 
his  first  job  in  America,  when  as  a  greenhorn  he 
hired  out  to  a  blacksmith,  who  never  paid  him.  After 
that  he  took  care  of  the  Rev.  ]Mr.  Angler's  fiu-nace 
in  Cambridge  who  saw  that  the  boy  had  brains  and 

[110] 


SECOND  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH 

educated  hioi.  This  same  ]Mr.  Angier  afterwards 
supplied  the  pulpit  of  the  Second  Congregational 
Church  to  which  ^Ir.  Gordon  was  suhsequently 
called. 

Before  these  two  men  met  ^Ir.  Gordon  had  but  one 
given  name — George,  but  afterwards  Angier  was  in- 
serted as  the  middle  name. 

]Mr.  Angier  preaching  at  Greenwich  suggested 
young  Gordon  for  the  pastorate  and  he  accepted  al- 
though qualified  for  a  larger  field.  To  a  man  of  his 
ability  and  resources  the  Greenwich  church  was  as 
restricted  and  confining  as  a  fiying  cage  to  a  skylark. 

And  yet  when  the  summons  came  from  the  old 
South  Church  he  hesitated.  He  loved  Greenwich 
and  his  people  and  they  loved  him.  The  town  was 
more  rural  thirty  years  ago  and  he  loved  the  country. 
Round  Island,  Field  Point  and  all  the  territory  near 
were  open  to  his  saunterings.  His  parishioners  be- 
sought him  not  to  leave  and  for  two  years  he  heeded 
them  and  refused  to  go. 

On  the  23d  of  October,  1912,  he  came  back  to 
Greenwich  to  take  part  in  his  old  church  in  the  in- 
stallation of  Rev.  Charles  F.  Taylor.  He  was  the 
same  Gordon,  refined  and  matured.  He  spoke  feel- 
ingly of  the  other  days  but  nothing  he  said  had  more 
pathos  and  love  in  it  than  his  allusion  to  a  roll  of  pa- 
per among  his  revered  treasures.  Tied  with  a  blue 
ribbon,  the  paper  once  white,  but  now  yellow  with 
time,  contained  six  hundred  and  fifty  signa- 
tures of  those  who  thus  asked  him  to  remain  their 

[111] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 

pastor.  Some  were  children,  now  active  men  and 
women  and  many  were  old  men  who  have  gone  to  the 
hereafter.  And  then  turning  to  th.e  new  pastor  he 
said:  "There  is  the  same  fountain  of  loyalty  and  love 
here  as  there  was  thirty  years  ago." 

There  have  heen  four  Congregational  churches  in 
the  village,  all  occujjying  nearly  the  same  location. 
Of  the  first  house  of  worship,  in  which  the  Rev.  ]Mr. 
Morgan  preached,  little  is  known,  except  that  it  was 
32x26  and  like  the  one  in  "Old  Town"  (now  Sound 
Beach). 

The  second  was  erected  in  173()  and  was  a  plain 
barn-like  structure,  oOx.-Jo,  surmounted  by  a  tower 
which  was  taken  down  in  1749.  There  was  a  door  at 
each  end  and  one  in  the  side.  Twenty  square  pews 
were  located  about  the  sides  of  the  liouse  and  there 
were  five  in  the  south  gallery. 

This  structure  gave  way  to  the  third  house  in  1798. 
It  was  in  this  building  that  stoves  were  introduced 
in  1818,  in  the  face  of  great  opposition.  On  the  first 
Sunday  of  their  appearance  the  congregation  was 
almost  overcome  by  the  heat,  but  it  was  learned  after 
the  service  that  the  stoves  contained  no  fires  and  that 
the  intense  heat  was  but  the  force  of  imagination. 

When  the  foundation  for  the  present  building  was 
laid,  it  became  necessary  to  move  the  old  church  about 
one  hundred  feet  south.  Here  it  was  continued  in 
use  till  December  5,  1858,  when  Rev.  Dr.  Linsley  de- 
livered in  it  the  last  sermon,  which  was  in  the  form  of 
a  commemorative  discourse. 

[112] 


\ 

W  1  '1         •!       f.         <         !       1 


1    f '   I    •  ?  'I  «  !   ■^-    ^- 


EARLY   CHURCH    BUILDIXGS 
Insert — Rev.   Joel   .Mann 


SECOND  COXGREGATIOXAI.  CHURCH 

The  following  year  the  huiklino-  was  sold  to 
Thomas  A.  ^lead  and  Amos  ]M.  Brush,  who  subse- 
quently mo^'ed  it  to  the  corner  of  Putnam  Avenue 
and  Sherwood  Place,  then  ^lechanic  Street. 

But  before  moving  it,  the  steeple  was  cut  down. 
The  columns  at  the  belfry  were  first  sawed  nearly  olf , 
Stephen  Sillick  and  Henry  Waring  Howard,  then 
apprentices  to  Stephen  Sherw^ood,  doing  the  work. 
A  long  rope  had  first  lieen  attached  to  the  top  of 
the  spire  and  carried  down  beyond  the  Town  House 
and  tied  to  an  ox  cart  belonging  to  Joseph  Brush. 
]Mr.  Brush  drove  a  sturdy  pair  of  cattle,  that  he 
claimed  were  equal  to  pidling  the  moon,  if  he  could 
get  a  line  to  it.  Everything  being  made  fast  the 
cattle  were  started.  The  line  grew  taut;  the  steeple 
bent,  then  vibrated  under  the  increased  tension,  while 
the  ox  cart  went  up  in  the  air,  and  falling  back  to 
its  place  the  steeple  snapped  cart  and  oxen  more 
than  fifty  feet  up  the  road  and  landed  tliem  in  one 
promiscuous  heap.  The  steeple  was  finally  con- 
quered by  loading  the  cart  with  heavy  stones. 

This  building,  after  its  removal,  has  been  spoken  of 
in  Chapter  II.  Here  Dr.  Sylvester  INIead  first  ap- 
peared as  the  successor  of  Dr.  Aiken  in  the  drug  busi- 
ness, and  George  E.  Scofield  began  to  learn  the  art 
of  prescription  filling. 

On  the  afternoon  of  July  3,  1866,  a  small  boy 
thoughtlessly  tossed  a  lighted  fire  cracker  upon  the 
roof  of  the  old  church  and  at  sun-set  it  was  a  smoking 
ruin. 

[115] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GRP^ENWICH 

But  tlie  present  eliurch  ])iiilcling  every  one  knows. 
Of  I^eopold  Eidlitz,  an  architect  of  fame,  it  has  been 
said  that  of  all  his  successful  designs,  none  is  more 
graceful  than  that  beautiful  spire.     Where  can  you 


ROCKEFELLER    PARK    IX    ISftO 

The  large  elm   at  the  left  now  shades  tiie  home  of  Charles 

A.   Taylor   on   Coimeetieut    A\enue 

drive  in  Greenwich  and  lose  sight  of  it^  You  see  it 
as  3"ou  ascend  every  hill.  The  gleam  of  its  weather 
vane  reaches  every  valley.  Between  the  delicate 
lines  of  its  open  columns  the  setting  sun  will  often 
pierce  till  it  looks  as  thougl]  it  were  a  part  of  the 
azure  blue,  without  a  foundation  upon  earth,  resting 
in  the  clouds. 


[110] 


'        CHAPTER  XI 

THE  STORY  OF  A  STREET GREENAVICH   AAT.XUE 

EliGHTY  years  ago,  the  road  to  Pipino-  I'oint. 
was  eighteen  feet  wide,  dusty  in  summer  and 
muddy  in  winter  and  yet  it  was  a  much  traveled  way. 
Did  it  not  lead  all  Stanwich  and  Banksville  to  the 
home  of  the  humhle  clam,  and  wliat  Round  Hill  man 
has  not  traveled  it  in  search  of  the  hardy  hlack  fish? 

How  many  hundred  thousand  bushels  of  potatoes 
have  been  hauled  over  it  to  find  their  way  from 
Daniel  ^lerritt's  dock  to  the  city  of  New  York!' 
When  the  crop  was  ready  for  the  diggers  the  farmers 
often  worked  all  night  under  a  bright  October  moon 
and  in  the  early  morning  their  teams  waited  their 
turn  to  unload  at  the  dock. 

What  is  now  Arch  Street  was  then  the  only  con- 
tinuation of  our  present  Greenwich  Avenue. 

Beyond  was  the  farm  of  Daniel  S.  ]Mead,  the 
grandfather  of  Oliver  D.  ^Nlead  and  south  of  the 
present  railway  line,  on  Rocky  Neck,  was  a  forest  of 
great  trees,  beneath  which  the  luiderbrush  grew  rank 
and  tangled. 

The  road  to  Piping  Point,  as  the  old  records  term 
it,  deflected  to  the  southwest  from  a  point  near  the 
present  Police  Headquarters.  Xo.  270  Greenwich 
Avenue,  and  ran  over  the  top  of  a  knoll  that  oc- 

[117] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

ciipied  what  is  now  the  front  lawn  of  tlie  Havemeyer 
school. 

On  the  crest  of  this  knoll,  at  least  twenty  feet  high, 
stood,  within  my  recollection,  a  snug  little  cottage. 
Near  the  front  door  on  the  south  side  of  the  h.ouse  a 
long  well  sweep  pointed  to  the  north  star  and  the  wa- 
ter that  came  up  in  the  oaken  hucket  was  cool  and 
sweet.  How  many  teamsters  have  sto])])ed  for  the 
cooling  draught  and  to  gossip  a  moment,  with  the 
little  old  lady  who  lived  there!  Not  a  house  then 
save  one  from  that  hill  to  the  head  of  the  creek  and 
no  trees  to  shade  the  cultivated  fields.  Can  you 
imagine  the  view  the  little  house  had  from  its  vine 
embowered  porcli  f 

Further  north  on  the  east  side  of  this  same  way 
was  a  never  failing  spring  much  thought  of  by  those 
same  teamsters.  It  bubbled  up  at  the  top  of  a  knoll 
on  the  spot  where  now  stands  the  Prescott  building  at 
105  Greenwich  Avenue,  and  when  that  building  was 
erected  in  1891  the  spring  was  uncovered  and  at  con- 
siderable expense  turned  into  the  sewer.  It  had 
})een  covered  up  many  years  before,  when  Dr,  Lewis 
owned  the  farm  and  it  was  sorely  missed.  It  had 
come  to  be  considered  common  pro])erty  and  tlie  foot 
])ath  that  led  to  it  was  worn  deep  by  the  passage  of 
many  feet.  It  was  a  cozy  nook,  too,  for  the  bushes 
grew  high  above  it  and  kept  the  sun  from  its  lim])id 
waters.  To  what  degradation  has  it  fallen  that  it 
should  be  buried  beneath  a  brick  building  and  emp- 
tied into  a  sewer! 

[118] 


THE  STORY  OF  A  STREET 

But  as  early  as  18,54  tlie  road  had  lost  much  of  its 
rural  aspect.  The  railroad,  then  in  operation  five 
years,  had  brought  the  town  nearer  to  Xew  York. 


HEXRY    Yi.    BENEDICT 
President      Gold      Exchange      Bank,    X.   Y. 
Warden,   Borough  of  Greenwich 
18J4-1896 

Outsiders  had  discovered  the  natural  beauties  of  the 
place  and  had  begun  to  settle  here. 

Among  those  who  came  about  1850  was  Henry  ^I. 
Benedict,    a    man    of   great    abilitv,    of   magnificent 

[119] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

figure  and  large  wealth.  He  resided  on  Putnam 
Avenue  till  1873,  when  he  removed  to  Brooklyn. 
He  died  in  1896  at  Sunset  Park,  X.  Y. 

iNIr.  Benedict  did  not  like  the  road  to  the  depot 
and  he  set  ahout  to  have  it  widened.  Application 
was  made  to  the  selectmen  but  there  was  a  general 
opposition  to  the  scheme.  Eighteen  feet  was  deemed 
quite  wide  enough,  because  it  had  answered  the  pur- 
pose for  generations.  The  selectmen  ])erhaps  were 
of  the  same  opinion,  for  nothing  was  done.  jNIr. 
Benedict  then  employed  Julius  B.  Curtis,  a  young- 
lawyer  of  Greenwich,  subsequently  located  until  his 
death  in  Stamford.  He  ])rought  an  action  to  the 
County  Court,  then  having  jurisdiction,  and  after 
some  time  accomplished  his  purpose  and  opened  the 
road,  which  then  received  the  name  of  Greenwich 
Avenue. 

With  the  widening  of  the  street  real  estate  began 
to  look  up.  It  was  considered  a  side  street,  Putnam 
Avenue,  then  called  jNIain  Street,  claiming  all  the  pre- 
tensions of  a  business  thoroughfare.  As  a  residence 
street  Greenwich  Avenue  was  considered  attractive. 
Any  part  of  it  commanded  a  fine  Sound  view  and 
tliere  was  no  obstruction  to  the  refreshing  southwest 
breeze. 

Edwin  JMead,  a  brother  of  Daniel  S.  ^Nlead,  now 
residino'  in  California,  at  the  aoe  of  ninetv-three,  came 
into  possession,  by  inheritance,  of  a  number  of  acres 
north  of  Elm  Street.  He  had  his  land  surveyed 
and    divided   into   three-quarter-acre   plots,   offering 

[120] 


THE  STORY  OF  A  STREET 


them  at  six  liuiidred  dollars  each.  In  tliose  days 
such  a  plot  was  considered  very  small  and  the  price 
asked  quite  extravagant. 

William  ]M.  Tiers  bought  the  corner  lot,  where 
afterwards,  for  so  many 
years  resided  Dr.  T. 
S.  Pinneo.  Isaac  Weed 
bought  the  plot  now  occu- 
pied by  the  library  and 
Shadrach  Isl.  Brush  se- 
cured the  plot  still  owned 
by  his  sons,  S.  Augustus 
and  Henry  L.  Brush, 
^lost  of  these  sales  were 
made  in  the  spring  and 
summer  of  1855.  I  have 
avenue  in  Chapter  II,  and 
told  something  of  this 
there  is  very  little  left  to  say  concerning  its  progress 
excej^t  what  is  known  to  this  generation,  and  that  is 
not  the  province  of  tliis  volume. 

The  old  town  building,  now  occupied  by  flayer  H. 
Cohen,  is  still  the  property  of  the  town.  Its  story  is 
told  in  Chapter  XX. 

From  the  head  of  the  avenue  was  once  a  steep  hill; 
rustic  old  stone  walls  were  on  portions  of  either  side 
and  young  men  and  boys  found  it  a  convenient  place 
to  coast  in  winter,  as  late  as  thirty  years  ago. 

Hanford  ]Mead  had  a  tannery  where  Benjamin 
Lockwood's  restaurant  is  located  and  later,  on  Sep- 

[121] 


SHADRACH    :\r.    BRUSH 

181S-1903 
In  early  days  did  a  large  business 
at     ^Nlianus.     Suliseqiiently     con- 
ducted hnnher  business  at  Rocky 
Xeck. 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

tember  4,  1854,  Henry  Held  opened  a  market  in  a 
buildino-  lie  liad  ereeted  near  the  tan  vats.  He  was 
then  the  owner  of  all  the  land  on  the  west  side  of  the 
avenne  from  Peter  Aeker's  to  Capt.  Lyon's,  where 
the  Trnst  Company's  bnilding  is  located. 

A  Port  Chester  newspaper  came  out  will)  the  an- 
nouncement that  "Sir.  Held  was  about  to  build  "a 
new,  elegant,  imposing  and  commodious  market 
building."  This  was  an  innovation  that  was  un- 
looked  for  and  besides  it  was  the  beginning  of  a  "side 
street"  and  a  street,  too,  that  did  not  possess  popular 
favor.  W^hen  the  newspaper  later  came  out  with  a 
description  of  the  l)uilding  "to  be  filled  with  brick 
and  surmounted  by  a  balloon  frame,"  it  was  the  gen- 
eral opinion  about  the  vilhige  tliat  anything  in  the 
nature  of  a  balloon,  was  decidedly  unstable,  was  likely 
to  be  disastrously  affected  by  air  currents,  and  on 
a  windy  day  would  be  a  menace  to  those  who  hap- 
pened along  that  way. 

In  Peter  Acker's  store  the  subject  of  the  balloon 
frame  was  discussed  night  after  night  and  many  a 
hot  word  was  ])assed  over  the  subject.  No  one  dis- 
puted the  undesirableness  of  such  a  structure — it 
was  not  that:  they  were  all  opposed  to  the  bal- 
loon frame,  and  they  couldn't  agree  as  to  how  such 
a  thing  could  be  framed.  Solomon  S.  Gansej^ 
said  he  believed  they  had  ])een  used  some  in  other 
parts — "in  mild  climates  where  the  wind  blew  easy" — 
but  they  had  generally  been  set  up  where  they  were 
protected    by    forest    trees.      He    thought    he    could 

[122] 


THE  STORY  OF  A  STREET 


frame  one,  and  he  bad  a  theory  of  construction  which 
most  of  the  others  failed  to  favor  and  hence  tlie  heated 
argument  over  Held's  balloon  frame. 

But  the  building-  went  up,  and  as  the  first  building 
in  town  to  be  framed  after  the  balloon  method,  it  at- 
tracted wide  local  attention.  For  those  days  it  was 
really  fine.  Inside,  the 
marble  top  counters, 
against  the  wall,  meat 
hooks  of  the  latest  device, 
the  pictures  of  fat  cattle 
and  the  polished  horns 
that  stood  out  from  the 
wall,  with  streaming  red 
and  blue  ribbons  at  their 
tips,  made  an  impressive 
appearance.  JNIr.  Held 
was  pojnilar  with  all  his 
customers.  Xo  more  honest  or  conscientious  man  ever 
lived.  He  had  many  opportunities  to  invest  in  "Wall 
wStreet  and  to  buy  Greenwich  real  estate,  but  he 
availed  himself  of  Wall  Street  opportunities  not  at  all 
and  his  local  real  estate  holdings  were  never  large. 

One  morning  Capt.  Wm.  I^.  Lyon,  who  then 
owned  the  Voorhis  property,  tried  to  sell  him  all  the 
land  south  of  the  market,  now  Xo.  74  Greenwich  Ave- 
nue to  w^here  the  Greenwich  drug  store  stands,  for 
eleven  hundred  dollars  "and  trade  it  out  in  meat." 

It  is  not  surprising  that  JNIr.  Held  promptly  de- 
clined to  pay  what  was  then  a  large  price  for  land  he 
did  not  require. 

[123] 


CAPT.  W.  L.  I.YOX 

1808-18.58 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 

The  old  man  was  faithful  to  his  market  patrons 
for  many  years  and  at  last  one  afternoon  down  at 
Indian  Harhor,  his  life  went  ont  with  the  ebhing  tide 
that  Howed  under  liis  window,  a  man  honored  and 
respected  by  all  wdio  knew  him. 


[124] 


CHAPTER  XII 

WAR    TI3IES 

DURING  the  last  days  of  President  Buchanan's 
administration,  and  up  to  the  time  that  Fort 
Sumter  was  fired  on,  poHtics  in  Greenwich  were  so 
warm  that  they  sometimes  became  bitter. 

The  South  liad  many  symj^athizers,  called  Cop- 
perheads, while  those  who  favored  the  abolition  of 
slavery,  at  whatever  cost,  were  called  Black  Republi- 
cans. From  this  it  must  not  be  inferred  that  no  mem- 
ber of  the  Democratic  party  favored  the  abolition  of 
slavery,  for  there  were  many  among  them  known  as 
War  Democrats,  who  agreed  on  that  point  with 
members  of  the  other  party,  sometimes  termed  Radi- 
cals. The  shooting  of  young  Col.  Ellsworth,  the 
first  blood  shed  in  the  war — it  was  really  a  murder — 
created  great  excitement,  as  it  probably  did  all  over 
the  country.  His  photograph  encircled  with  a  l)road 
band  of  black,  was  on  sale  at  the  local  stores  and 
many  in  the  village  displayed  the  picture  on  their 
front  mantels. 

Long  special  trains  of  cars  often  went  tln-ough, 
the  bands  playing  and  the  car  platforms  filled  with 
soldiers.     In    some    instances    flags    were    disphn^ed 

[125] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 


i;!,.\Ai  ![AX    HUSTKI) 

Co.    I    loth    C.    V. 

Died    in    si-r\  ice,    1S()4. 


along  tlie  sides  of  tlie  cars  and  beneatli  tlie  folds  of 

the  flag  appeared  the 
name  and  number  of  the 
regiment  and  eoinpany. 

The  boys  about  tlie  vil- 
lage found  a  great  deal 
of  interest  in  watching 
these  trains  aud  discuss- 
ino'  amonij;  themselves  the 
places  from  whence  the 
soldiers  hailed,  all  of  them 
coming  from  Elaine  and 
other  eastern  States.  Be- 
ing  too   young   to   enlist, 

tliey  declared  that  they  regretted  it  and  one  or  two 

made  application   for  the  ])osition  of  drummer  lioy, 

but  with  what  success   I 

do  not  recall, 

A   fine,    tall    Hag    pole 

was  erected  at  tiie  foot  of 

Lafayette  I'lace  through 

the    efforts    of    William 

Scofield,  and  a  few  years 

ago,  when   the   watei-mg- 

trougli  was  ])ut  tliere.  the 

decayed    remains    of    the 

old   pole   were  taken   out  alvohd  teck 

„  ,  1  1         mi  1  Kii.    ISfil    Co.    I    loth    C.    v.,    Dis. 

ot  the  ground.      I  he  pole  is.ii 

remained  there  and  was  in  use  as  late  as  1872,  when  it 
had  so  far  decayed  that  it  was  removed. 

[126] 


ISAAC  L.  MEAD 
Serg.  Co.   I   17th  Ct.   V 
1834.-1913 


WILLIAM    PUHDY 

En.   Co.    I    10th   C.    V.    imj.     Di> 

close  of  war 


COUP.  WILLIAM   lURD 

Kn.    IS(iL      I)is.    11S()4.     Co.    I    lOth 
C.   V.     Br.  184J.     I).   I9(H 


SERC;.    CALEB    M.    HOLMES 
Fell     in    battle    before     Richmond 
Oct.   13,   1864,  aged  22,  while  in 
command   Co.   I    lOth  C.  V. 


WAR  TIISIES 


JOHX   BUSH   MATTHEWS 
Co.    I    10th    C.    V.     Served    3    vrs. 


This  pole,  when  it  was  first  contemplated,  was  a 
subject  of  great  delight 
and  anticipation.  For  sev- 
eral months  it  lay  along 
the  side  of  Lafayette 
Place,  while  the  car- 
penters and  painters 
smoothed  and  polished  its 
surface.  Lying  prostrate 
it  looked  very  short  and 
when  it  ^vas  finally  raised 

and  a  topmast  added,  it 
exceeded  the  ex2)ectations 
of    all.     A    magnificent    flag,    purchased    by    sub- 
scription,   floated    from    the   mast   head    every   day. 

Standing  where  Oscar 
Tuthill  and  his  brother 
conduct  the  Round  Hill 
Farms  Dairy,  was  a  small 
frame  two-story  buildiug. 
which  subsequently  was 
used  by  the  town  for 
public  offices  and  in 
1874  was  hired  by  Henry 
B.  ^larshall.  who  therein 
established  the  beginning 
of  the  present  ^Marshall's 
^larket.  During  the  early 
davs  of  the  war  this  building  was  used  as  an  enlisting 

[129] 


JAMES  GERALD 

Co.  I  10th  C.  V. 

En.    1861.     Died    in    service 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 

station.  Billy  Acker  with  his  drum  and  William 
Johnson  with  his  fife  were  constantly  at  work  drum- 
ming enthusiasm  into  possible  recruits.  It  was  an 
attractive  front  door  for  the  boys  who  hung  around 
,^  while   the   recruiting 

officer  measured  the 
applicants  and  took 
their  descriptions  be- 
fore including  them 
in  the  list  of  raw  re- 
cruits. 

Com])any  I  of  the 
Tenth  Conn.  Volun- 
teers was  the  first  to 
go  to  the  seat  of  war 
and  included  some  of 
the  finest  young  men 
in  town.  Daniel  INIer- 
ritt  jNIead,  after- 
wards JNIajor,  was 
the  captain  of  this 
company  and  for 
some  weeks  before 
they  left  he  was  about  the  streets  in  his  bright  new 
uniform ;  on  drill  days  with  his  sword  at  his  side. 

We  thought  him  a  grand  and  im]K)sing  figure,  as 
indeed  he  ^vas,  and  he  received  the  admiration  of  all 
the  boys,  without,  probably,  realizing  it. 

]My  brother,  I.^.  P.  Hubbard,  Jr..  had  enlisted  for 
three  years  in  a  jNIanchester,  New  Hampshire,  Regi- 

[130] 


MAJOR   D.   M.  MEAD 

Wlio    wt-nt    out    as    Ca]itain 


I.r.  TIIO-MAS  U.  -MEAD 

En.     lS(il.      Dit'd    in    service    Cant. 

of  Co.  C    10th  C.  V. 


ET.  DAVID  W.  MEAD 
En.  Co.  I    loth  C.   V.   ISIiJ.     lie- 
.siliiifd    lS(i:! 


WIEEEVM 
MORRISOX 

En.    lSCr2 


Co.    I     lOth    C.    V. 

Discliai'ged    chjse 

of  war 


HENRY    H.   MEAD 

Co.   I    10th  C.  V.     Died  in   service 

Apr.  ;20th,   18G;2,  at  age  of  -21 


SILAS  E.  MEAD 

Born    1841.     En.    1861    Co.    I    10th 

C.    V.     Discharged   close   of   war 


WAR  TIMES 


ment  and  this  gave  nie  a  good  standing  with  the  other 
boys  of  my  own  age,  whose  elder  brothers  and  fa- 
thers had  enhsted.  Snbsequently  when  my  brother 
made  us  a  visit  on  furlough  I  was  very  proud  to 
walk  by  his  side  as  he  went  al)out  tlie  village  in  his 
uniform. 

Finally  on  a  beautiful 
Autumn  day  in  1861 — • 
September  25 — came  the 
departure  of  Company  I. 
The  soldier  boys,  for  they 
were  generally  aliout 
t^^'enty-one  years  of  age, 
gathered  in  the  old  Town 
Hall  which  stood  where 
the  Soldiers'  monument 
so    appropriately    stands. 

I  quote  from  the  diary 
of  Capt.  Daniel  ^Nlerritt 
Mead: 

"On  the  morning  of  the 
"2oth    of    September   we 
"found  ourselves  ready  to  leave,  with  about  tifty-tive 
"men  for  rendezvous. 

"Our  friends,  at  home,  by  thousands  escorted  us  to 
"the  depot,  having  procured  a  brass  band  from  New 
"Roehelle.  We  marched  to  Putnam  Hill  to  meet  an 
"expected  escort  from  ^lianus  which  failed  to  come. 
"Then  we  returned  to  the  Congregational  Church 
"where  prayer  was  offered  by  Rev.  Dr.  Linsley  and 

[133] 


L.   P.    HUBBARD,  Jn. 

Served  :i  Year>,  Wounded  Battle  of 
Bull     Run 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 


"a  sword  presented  to  the  Captain.  The  presenta- 
"tion  speech  was  made  by  Julius  B.  Curtis  in  behalf 
"of  the  donors,  who  were  Stephen  G,  White,  Wil- 
"liam  Smith,  Eyman  JNIead,  and  Charles  H.  Seaman. 
"An  affectionate  leave-taking  from  friends  was 
"tlien  had,  when  we  took  up  our  line  of  ^larch  to  the 
"depot.  On  our  way  cheers  an.d  tears  were  alternat- 
"ing.     At    the    depot    a    speech    was    made    by    Dr. 


WILL  [AM    SMITH 

179S-1H7:.' 


LYMAX   MKAD 

18J4.-1H95 


"James  II.  Hoyt  and  rephed  to  })y  the  Captain, 
wlien  leave-taking  was  renewed  and  continued  until 
"the  arrival  of  the  train,  wlien  we  left  in  tlie  hist  car 
"for  Hartford." 

JNIany  of  tlie  soldiers  were  members  of  Dr.  liins- 
ley's  church  and  while  I  was  too  young  to  appreciate 
his  ])rayer,  it  was  said  to  have  been  very  fervent.  I 
recall  how  his  hands  trembled  as  he  extended  them 
in  his  final  benediction. 

All  the  village  boys  followed  the  soldiers  and  min- 

[134] 


C APT.    SELLECK    E.   WHITE 

Co.   I    loth  (\    V. 

Died  in  service   Aiiir.   lS(il. 


ET.    W.    E.    SW'AdE 

CD.    I     lOtli    C.    \'. 

E.n.    1S!)1.      Dis.    IS()4 


SERG. 
NORVEL   GREEN 

En.    1S()1 


Co.   I   10th  C.   V 

Re-enlisted 

1  S()  1 


CORP.    ALEX.\XI)l,l;     I   l.RRLS 

Color    bearer    Co.     1     10th    C.    V. 

Killed   at  Drnrv's    Bluff,    1864 


CORP.    WIEELS    H.    WIECOX 

En.  1801.     Served  3  yrs.  Co.  I  10th 

C.   V. 


WAR  TIMES 


JA.MES    H.    HOYT,  M.D. 

18:29-1S75 

vSurgeoii    General    State   of 

Connecticut 


o'led  in  the  crowd  that  filled  the  walk  on  either  side 
of  the  dusty  road. 

Until  five  years  ago  a 
black  mulberry  tree  grew^ 
on  the  east  side  of  Green- 
wich Avenue  just  below 
the  row  of  new^  brick 
stores.  As  I  reached  the 
mul])erry  tree  there  was 
a  slight  pause  in  the 
ranks.  Lieutenant  Ben- 
jamin Wright  and  Ser- 
geant William  Long, 
marching  side  by  side, 
drew  near.  I  noticed  the  dust  across  the  shoulders 
of   their   new   uniforms,   and   then   came   to   me   the 

impression  that  one  of 
them  would  never  come 
back.  And  so  it  was — 
Long  was  one  of  tlie  first 
to  lay  down  his  life. 

Company  I  was  re- 
markable in  the  fact  that 
its  ranks  included  no  less 
than  twelve  pair  of  broth- 
ers. They  were  Erastus 
and  James  Burns,  David 
and  Jared  Finch;  John 
and  Holly  Hubbard; Wil- 
liam and  Drake  Marshall ;  Charles  and  John  ]McCann ; 

[13T] 


CHARLES   H.   SEAMAN 
1819-1899 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

William  and  (Teorge  Jeriiian;  Stephen  and  Henry 
Brady;  George  and  ^.Villiani  Robbins;  TiOuis  and 
Jolm    SchafFer;   Henry  and   AVarren    Seott;   Aaron 

and  John  Sherwood, 
and  John  and  Thomas 
Wilson. 

In  addition  to  this 
there  were  three  in- 
stances where  father 
and  son  stood  side  by 
side,  and  in  the  ran.ks 
of  the  Company  were 
tliree  brothers-in-law. 
After  the  soldiers 
had  departed  they 
were  constantly  in 
mind  and  after  every 
engagement  the  pa- 
pers were  carefully 
scanned  for  news  of 
boys  at  the  front. 
Tetters     came     often. 


LIEUT.    m-'A.IA.MIX    WHKiin 


the  envelopes  covered  with  spirited  pictures  of  war 
scenes.  Indeed,  plain  white  envelopes  were  seldom 
seen  in  those  days,  a  Hag  in  colors  usually  occupying 
the  left  hand  corner. 

The  Sanitary  Commission  had  a  branch  here,  made 
up  of  ladies  who  sewed  for  the  well  soldiers  and  put 
up   bandages   and   lint    for   the   sick   and   wounded. 

[138] 


WAR  TIDIES 


Mi    f  • 


\ 


^~Sk_ 


Boxes  were  sent  out  by  the  families  of  soldiers  filled 
with  such  simple  things  as  corn  meal,  onions,  salt  and 
pepper;  essential,  but  often  difficult  to  get  at  the  front. 
Quite  frequently  the 
great  flag  hung  at 
half  mast  and  then 
the  boys  would  won- 
der who  had  gone 
and  whethei-  by  shot, 
shell  or  disease. 

There  w^ere  mil- 
itary funerals  of 
which  I  recall  that 
of  William  Donohue 
and  later  the  more 
imposing  funerals  of 
Sergeant  AVilliam 
Long,  Thomas  R. 
Mead,  Henry  ]Mead, 
and  Caleb  ]M. 
Holmes,  all  of  Com- 
pany I,  also  that  of 
Oliver  D.  Benson  of 
another  regiment. 

When  ]Major  Daniel  ^lerritt  ^lead  was  brought 
home  in  a  dying  condition  the  sympathy  of  all  was 
aroused,  and  as  he  lay  sick  for  two  weeks  in  the  old 
homestead  on  the  Post  Road  many  a  prayer  was  of- 
fered for  his  recovery.     But  he  passed  away  on  the 

[139] 


COL.   OTIS 
Of  the  lOth  Reg.  Conn.  Volunteers.     Not 
a  Greeinvieh  man  hut  l)el{)ve(l  hy  every 
niemher  of  Co.   I 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 


19th  day   of   September,   1862,   at   tlie   early  age  of 

twenty-eight. 

His  funeral  was  hekl  in 
the  Second  Congrega- 
tional Chmx'h  and  I  recall 
that  his  military  hat  and 
sword  rested  upon  the 
coffin.  The  church  was 
crowded  to  such  an  extent 
that    tile    support    imder 

.:t  , .  the  west  gallery  snapped 

SERG.  WILLIAM  LONG         like  the  report  of  a  pistol 

En.    ]H«1    Co.    I    10th   C.    V.     Died       ^^^j^j^     ^|^^     ^^^^j     ,^^     ^^^     ^j^^ 
.Morris    Island.    ISfiS  ^ 

people.  Few  realized  the 
cause  of  the  peculiar 
noise. 

It  was  a  sad  morning  in 
April,  180.5.  when  the 
news  of  the  assassination 
of  President  Lincoln 
reached  Greenwich.  ^Nlem- 
bers  of  both  political  par- 
ties bowed  their  heads  in 
sorrow  and  the  emblems 
of  moiu'iiing  were  univer- 
sal. 

The  follow^ing  chapter 
contains    an    account    of  ^^^^^  ^^^^^  ^^.^^ 

the   sermon   preached  by     Master's  Mate  u.  s.  n.,  isei-isoo. 

RTTiT-11-  TT         TT  l.;\^t     year    on     staff    of    .\dnir. 

ev.        VVllliam       H.       H.  Po,-ter'.     in     several      important 

eniiagements        inchidins):        Fort 
Fisher 


Murray  on  this  occasion. 


[140] 


CHAPTER  XIII 

KEY.    WILIJAM    H.    H.    MURRAY 

REV.  WILLIAM  HEXRY  HARRISON 
^lURRAY  was  born  in  Guilford,  Conn., 
April  26,  1840.  He  was  graduated  from  Yale  and 
from  a  school  of  Theology,  becoming  acting  pastor 
of  the  Second  Congregational  Church  at  the  age  of 
twentY-four.  He  remained  as  lono-  as  the  church 
could  keep  him,  but  in  1866  the  First  Congregational 
Church  of  jNIeriden  offered  him  a  liberal  salary  and 
he  left. 

When  he  came  to  Greenwich  he  was,  in  years, 
scarcely  more  than  a  boy,  yet  he  had  the  poise  and 
dignity  of  a  mature  man.  He  stood  OYer  six  feet 
in  height,  was  straight  as  an  arrow,  and  of  massiYC 
physique.  His  large,  well-shaped  head  was  coYered 
with  abundant  black  hair.  His  eyes  fairly  glittered 
with  life  and  animation. 

He  had  an  unbroken  colt  that  he  kept  at  Col. 
Thomas  A.  JNIead's,  also  a  row  boat  on  the  Sound. 
In  almost  cYcry  Congregational  home  were  dis- 
played, in  conspicuous  places,  the  photographs  of 
JNIr.  and  ^Nlrs.  ^Murray.  All  of  the  old  generation 
remember  him  distinctly.  The  younger  generation 
has  little  knowledge  of  him,  because  he  disappeared 

[141] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 

from  public  life  many  years  ago  and  the  old  ])hoto- 
graphs  have  been  hidden  away  or  destroyed.  He 
was  clever,  handsome  and  magnetic  and  fearless  in 


f%** 


*•  ^1  l- 


W.   H.   11.   MURRAY 

At   tlie  age  of  34. 


his  preaching.      His  originality  was  unique,  usually 
pleasing  and  often  startling. 

In  speaking  of  himself  in  tlie  latter  years  of  his 
life  he  once  said:  'T  was  born  of  j)oor  parents,  as 
the  majority  of  Xew  England  boys  were  in  my  day. 
There  had  never  been  a  rich  rascal  in  our  familv,  nor 

[142] 


REV.  WILLIA]\I  H.  H.  ^MURRAY 

did  I  come  of  literary  stock.  Xo  college-bred  dunce 
had  ever  handicapped  us  with  his  incapable  respect- 
ability. I  had,  therefore,  a  fair  start.  The  Con- 
necticut ^Nlurrays  were  not  afraid  to  tell  the  truth  to 
any  man  and  could  swear  heartily  at  hypocritical 
meanness — at  least  my  father  could.  At  the  age  of 
seven  I  began  to  earn  my  own  living,  as  every  boy 
should.  At  fourteen  I  read  all  the  books  I  could  lay 
my  hands  on.  At  sixteen  I  began  to  prepare  for 
college.  I  had  no  help,  no  encouragement.  INIy 
father  opposed  me  in  my  efforts  and  my  mother  said 
nothing.  jNIy  old  neighbors  in  their  ignorance  said: 
'I  wonder  what  liill  ^lurray  thinks  he  can  make  of 
himself?'  But  I  persevered.  I  was  sensitive  to 
ridicule.  I  had  an  impediment  in  my  speech,  but  I 
had  taken  hold  of  the  rope  of  knowledge  with  a  good 
grip  and  I  held  on. 

"I  started  for  Yale  with  four  dollars  and  sixty- 
eight  cents  in  my  pocket  and  two  small  carpet  bags 
in  my  hands — one  for  my  few  books,  tlie  other  for 
my  few  clothes.  While  at  the  university  I  was  urged 
by  family  and  friends,  more  than  once,  to  give  it  up. 
One  winter  I  lived  for  four  weeks  on  a  diet  that  cost 
fifty-six  cents  a  week:  Indian  meal  and  water — not 
over  much  meal  and  a  good  deal  too  much  water. 
I  went  through  the  entire  course — I  don't  remember 
that  I  lost  a  week.  I  was  graduated  crammed  full 
of  the  knowledge  of  books  from  enormous  reading, 
seasoned  with  a  fair  proficiency  in  the  studies  of  the 
curriculum,  but   not   over  seasoned.     Then   witliout 

[143] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 

pause  I  went  to  East  Windsor,  where  they  take 
young  men  as  Christians  and  make  them  over  into 
Calvinists,  and  studied  old  world  theology." 

While  at  Greenwich  "Sir.  ^Murray  made  his  tirst  ex- 
cursion into  the  Adirondack  wilderness.  It  was  then 
almost  an  unknown  territory.  While  at  INIeriden  he 
23assed  his  summer  vacations  in  the  Adirondacks  and 
wrote  to  the  Meridcn  Recorder  a  series  of  letters  that 
M'ere  afterwards  incorporated  into  a  hook  entitled 
"Adventures  in  the  Wilderness,"  which  made  him  a 
literary  celebrity  and  gave  liim  a  name  that  always 
stuck — "Adirondack  ^Murray." 

A])()ut  the  same  time  appeared  in  the  ^itJantic 
MontJtlif  a  story  entitled  "A  Ride  with  a  ^lad  Horse 
in  a  Freight  Car."  which  was  said  to  contain  the  best 
description  of  a  horse  in  action  tliat  was  ever  written. 

Before  coming  to  Greenwich,  ]Mr.  ]Murray  had 
married  the  daughter  of  Sh.eldon  Hull,  a  prosperous 
farmer  of  Essex,  Conn.  Her  sister,  Ida  Hull,  lived 
with  them  while  in  Greenwicli  and  attended  the 
Academy. 

The  news  of  the  assassin.ation  of  President  Lin- 
coln reached  Greenwich  on  Saturday  morning  at 
eight  o'clock.  Before  noon  a  meeting  of  the  pastor 
and  deacons  of  the  Second  Congregational  Church 
was  held  and  it  was  voted  to  drape  the  interior  of  the 
church  in  black.  ^Ir.  ^Murray  agreed  to  preach  an 
appropriate  sermon  the  following  morning. 

A  number  of  tlie  active  young  men  and  women,  as- 
sisted l)y  Mr.  ^lurray,  had  completed  the  decorations 

[144] 


REV.  WILLIAMS!  H.  H.  ^MURRAY 

by  sunset.  They  covered  the  front  of  the  galleries, 
twisted  the  black  muslin  a])()ut  the  posts,  looped  it 
around  the  pulpit  and  strung  it  above  the  organ,  till 
the  great  edifice  looked  heavy  with  the  folds  of  black, 
from  which  were  visible,  here  and  there,  the  bright 
colors  of  the  stars  and  stripes. 

After  it  was  all  finished,  ^Murray  said:  "I'll  take 
a  little  outdoor  exercise  after  supper  and  when  I  re- 
turn I'll  prepare  the  special  sermon  for  to-morrow." 

Late  that  night  there  was  a  light  in  his  study  in  the 
church.  He  had  a  window  open  and  he  coidd  hear 
the  voices  of  the  peepers  in  the  distance.  Plis  heavy 
black  hair  hung  like  a  great  shock  over  his  brow. 
His  thoughts,  at  times,  came  too  fast  for  his  fingers; 
but  at  the  weird  hour  when  the  night  begins  to  change 
to  another  day,  he  laid  down  his  pen,  put  out  the 
light,  and  with  body  erect  as  in  the  morning,  he 
strode  across  the  yard  to  the  parsonage  door. 

The  next  morning  as  he  arose  to  deliver  his  sermon 
to  an  immense  audience,  his  face  for  a  moment 
clouded  with  sorrow.  His  voice,  always  heavy,  res- 
onant and  musical,  was  at  first  husky,  but  as  he 
caught  the  sympathy  of  his  hearers,  his  voice  cleared 
and,  without  a  note,  he  delivered  one  of  the  most  elo- 
quent discourses  ever  heard  in  that  church. 

He  began:  "To-day  the  wicked  triumj^h  and  the 
"good  are  brought  low.  Two  days  ago  the  Republic 
"stood  erect,  strong  and  valiant;  her  foot  advanced 
"and  countenance  radiant  with  hope.  To-day  she 
"lies  prostrate  upon  the  ground,  her  features  stained 

[145] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

"with  the  traces  of  recent  grief,  and  her  voice  lifted 
"in  lamentation." 

The  sermon  of  this  boy  of  twenty-four  was  filled 
with  the  wisdom  of  a  sage.  As  he  drew  toward  the 
close  he  said:  "Nor  is  he  wholly  gone!  He  lives; 
"not  in  bodily  presence,  but  yet  he  lives,  in  the  his- 
"tory  of  his  times,  in  the  memory  of  his  age — in  the 
"affections  of  ns  all.  His  name  will  not  be  forgot- 
"ten.  The  living  of  to-day  will  tell  it  to  the  unborn 
"and  they,  in  turn,  will  repeat  it  to  the  remotest  age. 
"Amid  the  doings  of  the  great  of  every  clime  will  his 
"deeds  be  recorded.  Among  the  teachings  of  the 
"wise  will  his  sayings  be  written.  In  galleries  where 
"wealth  gathers  the  faces  of  the  loved  and  the  re- 
"nowned  will  his  portrait  be  suspended,  and  in  hum- 
"bler  homes  and  in  lowlier  hearts  will  his  face  and 
"his  memory  be  retained,  until  the  present  has  be- 
"come  the  past,  and  tlie  children  cease  to  be  moved 
"by  the  traditions  of  the  fathers. 

"We  cannot  measure  him  to-day.  Years  must 
"pass  before  his  influence  on  his  age  can  be  estimated. 
"It  needs  the  contrast  of  history  to  reveal  his  great- 
"ness.  In  tlie  native  vigor  of  his  intellect,  in  the  sin- 
"cerity  of  his  purpose,  in  the  originality  of  his  views, 
"in  the  simplicity  of  his  faith,  and  in  his  sympathy 
"for  the  oppressed,  what  potentate  of  his  time  will 
"l)ear  a  comparison  with  this  backwoodsman  of 
"America^  Untaught  in  the  formalities  of  courts, 
"he  aped  not  their  customs.  Unostentatious,  he  as- 
"pired  to  nothing  beyond  his   reach  and   seemed  to 

[146] 


REV.  WILLIAM  H.  H.  JNIURRAY 

"reach  more  than  he  aspired  after.  He  was  incapa- 
"ble  of  bitterness,  and  in  this  doth  his  greatness  most 
"appear,  that  having  defamers,  he  heeded  them  not, 
"persecuted  by  enemies  he  hated  them  not,  reviled  by 
"inferiors,  he  retorted  not." 

It  is  sad  to  think  that  a  man  as  capable  as  ^Murray 
should  have  gone  to  pieces,  like  a  ship  on  a  ledge. 
Leaving  jNIeriden,  he  was  the  settled  pastor  of  Park 
Street  Church,  Boston,  at  the  age  of  twenty-eight. 
But  in  Boston  his  career  seemed  a  striking  case  of  a 
square  peg  trying  to  fit  into  a  round  hole.  Sport  of 
all  kinds  fascinated  the  man,  and  the  conventionali- 
ties that  hedge  about  the  ministerial  cloth  became  ex- 
ceedingly distasteful  to  him. 

To  the  Park  Street  Church  deacons  it  was  equally 
distasteful  to  have  the  name  of  their  pastor  connected 
constantly  with  horse  racing.  \Vhether  jNIr.  jNIurray 
ever  risked  money  on  the  races,  was  never  established, 
but  that  he  organized  the  Boston  Buckboard  Co.  to 
introduce  a  trotting  sulky,  deemed  by  him  of  superior 
quality  and  put  a  good  deal  of  time  into  the  business 
of  breeding  ^lorgan  horses  at  his  Guilford  farm, 
there  is  no  question.  At  one  time  the  Guilford  es- 
tate, which  included  the  old  homestead,  which  he  had 
purchased  after  it  went  out  of  the  family,  was  worth 
seventy-two  thousand  dollars,  a  fact  quite  sufficient 
to  reassure  those  whom  ]Mr.  JNIurray  had  persuaded 
to  invest  heavily  in  the  Buckboard  Co. 

Racing  and  religion  soon  began  to  be  blended  by 
JNIr.   ^lurray  in  a  manner  most  severely  criticized. 

[147] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GRP:EXWICH 


0f 


He  owned  and  edited  a  weekly  paper  called  The 
Golden  Ihile,  which  had  a  laroe  niini})er  of  subscrib- 
ers in  (xi'eenwich.  In  this  paper  matters  pertain- 
in  <>•  to  the  turf  and  the  church  were  treated  with  so 
loose  an  attempt  at  im])artiality  that  tliere  seemed  at 
times  to  be  a  leaning  towards  favoring  the  turf  the 

more.     As  a  natural  con- 
^    .  sequence,  in  1874,  he  Avas 

4^  ^  forced     to     resign     from 

Park  Street  Church.  But 
for  the  following  three 
years  he  drew  great  audi- 
ences to  Music  Hall 
where  he  preached  lib- 
erty, free  speech  and  inde- 
pendent action. 

As  a  pulpit  orator  he 
was  incomparable.  There 
was  a  peculiar  charm  in  his  delivery,  a  magnetism  in 
his  presence  and  a  profound  logic  in  his  reasoning, 
which  rendered  his  talks  positive  rhetorical  studies. 
His  religion,  at  this  time,  was  the  doctrine  of  common 
sense. 

There  was  no  egotism  in  his  manner,  no  narrowness 
in  his  ideas.  To  liear  him  was  to  realize  his  powers 
of  mind.  To  meet  him  was  to  comprehend  his  graces 
of  manner,  and  to  know  him  was  to  appreciate  his 
goodness  of  heart. 

However    he    certainly    had    no    business    ability. 
The  Golden  Rule  failed  and  to  the  l)uckboard  enter- 

[148] 


THO.M AS    HITCH 

III     IHHO 


REV.  WILLIAM  H.  H.  ^MURRAY 

prise  there  came  a  financial  crisis.  One  morning-  the 
pastor,  author,  editor  and  manufacturer  was  missing. 
P^rom  Texas  he  sent  a  letter  to  the  Boston  newspapers 
declaring-  that  husiness  had  called  him  to  that  distant 


MRS.  W.   H.  H.  MURRAY 

III    18()4. 


State.  He  insisted  that  he  had  always  intended  to 
retire  from  public  life  when  he  was  forty  and  that  it 
was  in  fulfillment  of  this  determination  tliat  he  left 
Boston  a  few  weeks  before  his  fortieth  birthday. 

In  the  fall  of  1881  ^lurray  conceived  a  project  of 
shipping  Texas  wood  to  Chicago  and  other  northern 

[149] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

manufactiirino-  centers,  but  as  the  scheme  necessitated 
the  transportation  of  material  which  could  be  secured 
better  and  cheaper  nearer  home,  its  chance  of  success 
was  sliglit.  Yet  Murray  so  believed  in  it  that  he  built 
a  mill  on  the  Guadalupe,  about  forty  miles  from  San 
Antonio,  and  went  there  to  conduct  it.  He  also  in- 
duced people  to  invest  in  this  singular  enterprise. 
At  this  time  he  became,  himself,  a  teamster.  He 
dressed  in  brown  overalls,  cowhide  boots  and  a  blue 
and  white  checked  shirt.  Then  as  he  left  New 
England — with  many  debts  behind  him;  so  jNIr.  JNIur- 
ray  left  Texas. 

In  the  winter  of  1883,  tlie  late  Thomas  Ritch  told 
me  that  he  found  him  running  a  restaurant  called 
tile  ''Snow  Shoe"  in  ^Montreal  where  JNIurray  himself, 
in  cap  and  apron,  had  cooked  and  served  for  him  a 
plate  of  buckwheat  cakes.  Here  he  met  so  many  of 
his  old  parishioners  that  the  restaurant  actually  served 
as  an  entering  wedge  for  the  man's  return  to  the 
world  again. 

The  winter  of  1884  he  w^as  back  again  on  the  Bos- 
ton lecture  platform.  That  same  winter,  or  the  next, 
he  lectured  in  Ray's  Hall  in  Greenwich.  A  few  of 
his  old  friends  w^re  present,  but  nearly  every  one  had 
forgotten  the  eloquent  preacher  of  twenty  years  be- 
fore. And  yet,  after  all  his  vicissitudes,  his  charm  of 
old  had  not  departed.  That  niglit  he  read  from  his 
own  works  "How  John  Norton,  the  trapper,  kept  his 
Christmas,"  a  vivid  and  exquisitely  pathetic  descrip- 
tion of  a  lonely  mountaineer's  perilous  tramp  to  in- 

[150] 


REV.  WILLIA^I  H.  H.  :MURRAY 

sure  a  happy  Christmas  to  another.  As  tlie  story 
was  read,  with  the  same  deep  resonant  voice  of  old, 
those  who  heard  it  could  not  hut  do  homage  to  the 
liumanity  and  genius  of  its  writer. 

Before  I  close  this  painful  chapter  I  must  recur  to 
INIrs.  jNIurray  or  the  story  will  he  incomplete.  She 
was  a  remarkable  woman,  possessed  of  unusual  in- 
tellectual power.  The  year  that  her  husband  left 
her  she  entered  the  New  York  ^Medical  School  for  a 
term.  Then  she  went  to  Europe  and  for  three  years 
studied  in  Vienna  jNledical  College  and  finally  was 
graduated  in  surgery  as  well  as  medicine,  with  high 
honors.  She  was  the  first  American  woman  to  re- 
ceive, in  Europe,  a  diploma  entitling  her  to  practice 
as  a  surgeon.  Returning  to  her  native  land  she 
opened  an  office  in  New  Haven. 

The  same  year  that  his  wife  divorced  him  ]Mr. 
INIurray  married  jNIiss  Frances  ]M.  Rivers  of  ^lont- 
real,  a  Catholic.  With  her  and  their  four  daughters 
he  long  lived  happily  in  retirement  at  tlie  old  home- 
stead in  Guilford  and  there  he  died  in  11)06  in  the 
same  room  in  which  he  was  born.  His  body  was  laid 
at  rest  under  an  old  apple  tree  near  the  house. 

The  following  lines  were  written  by  INIr.  ^Murray 
in  1867  as  a  prelude  to  a  sermon  on  Faithfulness: 

The  play  is  done — the  curtain  drops 

Slow  falling  to  the  prompter's  bell ; 

A  moment  yet  the  actor  stops, 

And  looks  around  to  say  farewell, 

It  is  an  irksome  word  and  task. 

And  when  he's  laughed  and  said  his  sav, 

[151] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 

He  sliows,  as  he  removes  the  mask^ 

A  face  that's  anything  but  gay. 

So  each  shall  mourn,  in  life's  advance, 

Dear  hopes,  dear  friends,  untimely  killed — - 

Shall  grieve  for  many  a  forfeit  chance, 

And  longing  passion  unfulfilled. 

Amen  !     Whatever  fate  be  sent. 

Pray  God  the  heart  may  kindly  glow. 

Although  the  head  with  cares  be  bent, 

And  whitened  with  the  winter's  snow. 


[152] 


CHAPTER  XIV 

ALONG    PUTNAM    AVENUE 

AT  the  opening  of  the  nineteentli  century  tliere 
were  but  tliree  jjrominent  trees  on  the  main 
country  road  from  Putnam  Hill  to  Toll  Gate  Hill. 
The  husbandman.'s  ax  kept  the  hedge  rows  trimmed 
and  ornamental  trees  were  rarely  set  out,  as  they 
shaded  tlie  growing  crops. 

The  three  trees  that  held  their  branches  high  in  the 
air  were  plainly  A'isible  from  vessels  cruising  in  the 
Sound.  They  were  button-ball  trees;  one  stood  in 
fron.t  of  the  old  Hobby  tavern  on  what  is  now  the 
J.  H.  Fennessy  property  on  East  Putnam  Avenue; 
another  spread  its  immense  limbs  over  Dearfields,  the 
home  of  Richard  ^lead,  later  of  Col.  Thomas  A. 
Mead;  and  the  other,  until  1911,  stood  in  front  of 
the  Peter  Acker  homestead  on  Putnam  Avemie. 
This  latter  tree  was  the  smallest  of  the  trio,  but  had 
been  stmxly  and  vigorous  at  the  opening  of  the  Revo- 
lutionary War. 

The  Hobby  tavern  stood  almost  exactly  on  the 
ground  occupied  by  ]Mr.  Fennessy's  beautiful  house 
of  antique  style.  Capt.  John  Hobby  had  been  active 
in  the  eighteenth  century,  but  on  the  l.'3th  of  May, 
1802,  when  probably  an  old  man,  he  sold  all  his  Horse 

[153] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

Neck  real  estate  to  Hannah  Courtney.  This  con- 
sisted of  twenty-two  acres,  near  the  ^Meeting  House, 
on  l)oth  sides  of  the  Post  Road.  He  hounded  the 
southerly  tract  on  the  east  l)y  land  of  Jared  ^lead 
and  on  the  south  hy  land  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Isaac  I^ewis. 


PiKSIDI'.NC  I'.    OF    B?:ALK    \.    I.KWIS 

Erected     1S()7.     Subsequently     the     lionie     of     Henry     M.     Benedict     and 
Dr.    William    Cuy    Peck 

Subsequent  deeds  bound  it  on  the  west  by  land  of  Dr. 
Lewis,  and  it  apparen^tly  extended  east  to  wdiat  is  now 
the  Frederick  ^Nlead  place,  west  to  the  present  line 
of  INIason  Street  and  south  to  land  now  owned  by  the 
Greenwich  Hospital.  The  tract  on  the  north  side 
of  the  road  included  property  now  known  as  the  Elms 
and  a  considerable  tract  west  of  it.  But  the  land 
still  further  west,  belonging  to  Dr.  Carl  E.  ^Martin 

[154] 


ALONG  PUTXAM  AVENUE 

and  Walter  "Si.  Anderson  and  Ada  ]M.  Cook,  be- 
longed to  Thomas  Hobby,  probably  a  brother  of  the 
Captam. 

It  is  clear  that  Captain  Hobby  lived  on  the  south 
side  of  the  road  and  probably  on  the  commanding 
eminence  where  Henry  ]M.  Benedict  lived  so  many 
years,  and  afterward  owned  and  occupied  by  Pro- 
fessor Wm.  Guy  Peck  of  West  Point  and  Columbia 
College.  That  the  house  had  long  been  an  inn,  and 
that  it  was  of  ample  dimensions,  shaded  by  the  great 
button-ball  tree,  there  is  no  doubt.  But  the  shrewd 
Captain  Hobby  in  his  deed  to  ^Nliss  Courtney,  a  Xew 
York  lady  of  wealth  and  social  j^osition,  makes  no 
allusion  to  a  tavern,  inn,  or  public  house,  but  de- 
scribed the  buildings  as  a  "mansion  house  and  barn." 

jNIiss  Courtney  paid  $2,84<8.7.>  for  the  liandsomest 
piece  of  property  in  the  village  of  Horse  Xeck.  At 
that  time,  however,  it  could  hardly  be  termed  a  vil- 
lage. There  were  but  few  houses,  well  scattered  and 
whatever  commercial  interests  Greenwich  liad  were 
centered  at  ^lianus,  where  the  Town  Clerk's  office 
Mas  located. 

From  the  hilltop  purchased  by  ^liss  Courtney  was 
an  unobstructed  view  in  all  directions.  It  was  said 
that  travelers  by  stage  coach  along  the  Post  Road 
anticipated  with  pleasure  that  part  of  tlie  trij:)  from 
Putnam  Hill  to  Toll  Gate  Hill  where  the  view  of 
tile  Sound  was  unbroken  and  unobstructed  the  entire 
distance. 

]My  father  made  the  stage  coach  trip  from  Xew 

[155] 


:#  W»}^ 


'r<:'. 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 

York  to  Boston  in  1888,  and  stopped  at  wliat  was 
then  tlie  Mansion  House,  since  called  the  Lenox 
House,  kept  hy  Augustus  Lyon.  He  (my  father) 
often  referred  to  the  fact  th.at  the  two  front  rooms 
of  the  present  Lenox  House,  are  identical  with  tlie 
two  front  rooms  of  that  ancien.t  hostelry — the  3Ian- 
sion  Plouse. 

Hannah  Courtney  owned  the  Ilohby  pro])erty  hut 

five  years.  It  is  easy  to 
imaoine  that  she  did  not 
find  it  uninterestino-,  but 
that  it  Avas  remote  from 
New  York,  and  that  the 
means  of  transportation 
l)V  sloop  or  stage  coach 
were  not  agreeable.  At 
all  events  on  November 
11,1 807,  for  the  consider- 
ation of  'l^oOO,  she  sold  it 
to  Reale  N.  Lewis.  It  is  not  likely  that  ^Nliss  Court- 
ney suffered  such  a  loss,  or  that  JSIr.  Lewis  made  such 
a  good  bargain  as  to  actually  get  the  pro])erty  for 
-$.)()({,  which  was  doubtless  a  nominal  consideration. 
They  were  cousins. 

Reale  N.  Lewis  was  also  from  New  York  City,  and 
was  a  son  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Isaac  Lewis.  He  was  an 
able  lawyer  of  large  wealth.  As  soon  as  he  accjuired 
the  land,  he  removed  the  Hobby  tavern  and  built 
what  was  then  con.sidered  a  grand  mansion.  It  was 
not  dee])  but   it  was  wide,  built  like  three  cubes,  a 

[156] 


ALOXG  PUTXAM  AVENUE 

large  one  in  the  cen.ter,  and  one  at  eaeh  end  for  wings. 
He  died  possessed  of  the  proj>erty  in  the  spring  of 
1817,  leaving  a  widow,  Elizabeth  Lewis,  but  no  lineal 
heirs.  His  death  occurred  seven  years  before  that  of 
his  distinguished  father. 

On  ]May  11,  1829,  the  brothers  and  sisters  of  Beale 
X.  Lewis  conveyed  the  same  twenty-two  acres  to 
Peter  Tillott.  James  Tillott  and  Susan  Seymour. 
They  w^ere  probably  speculators  as  they  subsequently 
ow^ned  other  land  in  town,  and  did  consideralile  con- 
veyancing. But  the  venture  does  not  a])pear  to  have 
been  profitable  as  they  held  the  land  till  April  4,  1833, 
when  they  sold  it  at  cost  to  Alvan  Mead. 

In  1833  Cornelia  J.  Graham  and  3Iary  E.  Graham, 
sisters,  were  conducting  a  school  on  the  north  side  of 
the  Post  Road  where  they  owned  considerable  real 
estate.  The  Alvan  ^Nlead  purchase  was  bounded  on 
the  east  by  their  property.  The  school  was  carried 
on  in  the  house  now  known  as  the  Elms.  Tlie  Til- 
lotts  and  ^liss  Seymour  must  liave  been  exceedingly 
tired  of  carrying  the  property  as  they  accepted  tlie 
entire  purchase  price  in  a  note  secured  by  mortgage. 

Alvan  ^lead  held  it  four  years  when,  on  Fe])ruary 
6,  1837,  he  sold  it  to  Obadiah  Peck  at  a  profit  of 
$3,500. 

]Mr.  Peck  was  one  of  oiu'  earliest  real  estate  specu- 
lators. At  that  time  two  acres  was  considered  a 
small  plot.  ]Mr.  Peck  was  also  a  house  builder.  His 
aim  was  to  improve  the  land  with  buildings  and  sell 
at  a  profit.     He  occupied  the  Beale  X.  Lewis  home- 

[157] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

stead  whose  south  windows  and  broad  veranda  com- 
manded a  splendid  view  of  Lond  Island  Sound  and 
the  intervening  coun.try.  Here  Henry  ^I.  Benedict 
subsequently  resided  for  nearly  twenty  years.  This 
same  house  was  torn  down  by  L.  V.  Harkness  after 
he  purchased  it  from  the  William  G.  Peck  estate, 
Jvme  15,  1891. 

J5ut  to  return  to  Obadiah  Peck.  In  1854  he  built 
the  home  so  long  occupied  by  the  late  Jj.  P.  Hubbard 
and  now  owned  by  Dr.  Edward  ().  Parker.  Then 
he  built  the  Ranks  homestead  recently  moved  by  Mrs. 
Nathaniel  Witherell  to  make  room  for  the  new  Young 
JNIen's  Christian  Association  building.  This  last 
venture  of  jNIr.  Peck's  was  disastrous  and  he  made  a 
bad  financial  failure. 

Before  closing  this  chapter  and  leaving  the  neigh- 
borhood I  have  been  describing,  I  must  allude  to  the 
homestead  of  Jared  JNIead,  v/hich  stood  where  now 
stands  the  Frederick  ]Mea(l  homestead. 

Jared  jNIead  was  the  father  of  Alvan  ^lead  and 
here  Alvan  was  born  in  1795.  The  house  was  an 
old-fashioned  sweep-back,  covered  with  shingles  to 
the  sills,  which  were  close  to  the  ground.  In  the 
center  of  the  house  was  a  great  stone  chimney  which 
afforded  an  open  fire  place  in  each  room  of  its  two 
stories.  Down  the  hill  a  short  distance  were  the 
somber  farm  barns.  "Sir.  JNIead  was  a  sprightly  little 
man  with  a  numerous  family.  He  was  prominent 
and  active  in  the  affairs  of  the  fleeting  House,  hard 
by  on  the  hill.     Perhaps  it  should  be  called  the  Sec- 

[158] 


ALOXG  PUTNAM  AVENUE 

Olid  Congregational  Church  but  he  always  called  it 
"The  JNIeeting  House." 

The  house  was  double,  the  hall  in  the  center  ex- 
tending from  the  front  door  to  the  great  chimney, 
where  winding  stairs  with  white  painted  banisters 
and  a  cherry  rail  led  to  the  second  story.  On  one 
side  of  this  hall  was  the  living  room  and  the  other  the 
"best  room,"  in  later  years  called  the  "parlor."  Both 
these  rooms  had  grand  old  tire  places  with  crane 
and  pot  hooks,  blackened  by  the  smoke  and  flame. 
The  hearth  was  an  enormous  slab  of  blue  stone, 
cracked  across  from  the  heat  of  the  great  logs,  seven 
feet  long,  that  l)lazed  merrily  all  the  winter  day  and 
smoiddered  under  a  bed  of  ashes  all  night. 

It  was  3Ir.  ^Mead's  duty  as  an  active  member  of  the 
church  to  supply  the  Sabbath  attendants  w^ith  ma- 
terial for  their  foot  stoves.  On  Saturday  an  unusual 
supply  of  fire  wood  was  stacked  against  the  chimney 
jambs  and  by  ten  o'clock,  Sunday,  a  large  quantity 
of  live  coals  was  heaped  in  the  spacious  chimney  place. 
As  the  old  bell  in  the  ^Meeting  House  was  calling  the 
parishioners  to  worship,  they  would  repair  to  "Sir. 
INIead's  and  fill  their  foot  stoves  with  live  coals. 

It  was,  however,  a  rule  of  the  family  that  no  com- 
munication whatever  should  be  had  with  those  who 
called  and  no  member  of  the  family  should  go  into 
the  "best  room,"  lest  it  be  said  that  they  were  enter- 
taining visitors  on  the  Sabbath  day.  Those  who 
came  understood  and  approved  of  the  rule.  They 
opened  the  door  unbidden  and  tilling  their  stoves  with 

[159] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

coals  went  out  with  quiet  dignity,  Tliere  was  no 
levity;  no  common-place  remarks,  only  the  most  for- 
mal salutations  were  made.  If  anything  was  said, 
it  referred  to  tlie  discourse  wliicli  they  expected  to 
hear,  or  at  noon,  when  the  stoves  were  replenished, 
concerning  the  sermon  which  they  had  lieard.  The 
afternoon  was  a  repetition  of  the  morning  and  the 
winter  twilight  was  scarcely  an  hour  away  when  the 
church  was  closed. 


[160] 


CHAPTER  XV 

THE    DAYS    OF    BOSS    TWEED 

AT  the  present  time  there  are  many  people  resid- 
ing in  Greenwich  who  have  never  heard  of  Boss 
Tweed.  Since  his  day  the  new  generation  has  heen 
taimht  historv  but  local  characters  like  Tweed  have 
usually  been  ignored.  During  the  past  five  years  I 
have  made  a  test  and  have  been  surprised  how  the 
once  notorious  politician  has  been  forgotten.  For 
that  reason  this  chapter  will  be  devoted  to  the  man, 
without  any  allusion  to  his  residence  in  Greenwich. 

I  attended  Tweed's  trial  diu'ing  the  fall  of  1873 
and  also  did  some  clerical  work  for  the  Committee 
of  Seventy,  being  then  a  law  student  in  Xew  York 
City.  But  much  that  follows  in  this  chapter  has  been 
culled  from  R.  R.  Wilson,  who  wrote  a  pamphlet  on 
the  subject  which  is  said  to  have  been  suppressed. 

Until  the  year  1834  the  ^Mayor  of  the  City  of  New 
York  was  chosen  either  by  the  State  Council  of  Ap- 
pointments or  by  the  Common  Council  of  the  city. 
After  1834,  however,  that  official  was  elected  by  the 
citizens.  In  1846  the  judiciary  was  made  elective 
and  thereafter  most  local  offices  were  chosen  by  popu- 
lar vote.  During  the  first  seventy  years  of  Xew 
York's  historv  as  a  free  citv  the  Democratic  partv 

[161] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 

was  the  one  usually  in  power.  The  Federalists  and 
after  them  the  AVhigs  occasionally  secured  control  of 
affairs,  but  the  Democrats  always  recovered  their 
hold  on  the  reins. 

And  without  exception  all  the  Democratic  ^Mayors 
of  that  period  owed  their  election  to  Tammany  Hall, 
a  secret  association  whose  social  and  benevolent  aims 
had  been  early  put  aside  for  political  ones. 

Business  men,  then  as  now,  shrank  from  political 
activity,  while  tlie  men  who  directed  Tammany  Hall 
kn.ew  how  to  drill  and  control  the  mass  of  poor  and 
ioiiorant  voters,  mainlv  of  foreign  birth,  who  after 
1840  constituted  a  majority  of  the  voters.  Still  the 
majority  which  assured  the  continuance  in  or  return 
to  2)()wer  of  Tammauy  Hall  and  its  allies  was  often 
a  narrow  one  and  victories  were  <>'ained  by  fraud, 
intimidation  and  violence  at  the  polls. 

The  master  spirit  of  the  organization  in  the  early 
'5()'s  was  Fernando  Wood,  an  able  and  resolute  man, 
who  held  to  the  })elief  that  success  was  the  criterion 
in  politics,  and  that  almost  anything  was  justifiable 
to  win  it. 

In  18.54-  ^Vood  became  ^layor,  and  was  reelected 
at  the  end  of  two  years.  Then  he  quarreled  with  his 
associates  in  Tammany  Hall  and  failed  of  a  reelec- 
tion in  18.58.  Following  this  he  formed  ^Mozart  Hall 
as  a  rival  organization,  and  with  its  help  and  that  of 
the  mob  in  the  lower  wards  succeeded  in  1800  in  de- 
feating Tammany  Hall  and  putting  himself  at  the 
head  of  the  City  (xoverument. 

[162] 


WILLIAM   M.  TWEED 
Photo   by   Brady   in    1871 
l"8;33-187"s 


THE  DAYS  OF  BOSS  TWEED 

In  1862  Tammany  again  secured  control,  and  for 
several  years  political  corruption  was  rife  in  the  City 
of  Xew  York. 

This  era  of  corruption  was  made  easy  by  radical 
changes  in  methods  of  municipal  administration  ef- 
fected in  1857.  In  that  j^ear  a  new  charter  was 
passed  for  the  city,  which,  besides  dividing  tlie  re- 
sponsibility among  the  local  officers,  created  a  number 
of  Boards  and  Commissions,  the  heads  of  which  were 
not  appointed  by  the  JMayor,  but  elected  by  the  voters 
of  the  city,  as  were  also  the  Comptroller  and  Corpora- 
tion Counsel. 

More  important  still,  coincident  with  the  enact- 
ment of  the  new  charter,  a  law  was  passed  establishing 
for  the  County  of  Xew  York  a  Board  of  Supervisors, 
chosen  by  popular  vote,  which  was  made  inde- 
pendent of  the  city  authorities,  and  vested  with 
power  to  levy  tlie  local  taxes  and  to  direct  those 
branches  of  administration  which  in  the  State  at  large 
were  relegated  to  the  county  authorities. 

One  of  the  first  to  discover  the  chance  for  private 
gain  at  public  expense  made  possible  by  the  legisla- 
tive changes  of  18.57  was  William  ^I.  Tweed,  a  native 
of  the  city.  He  was  a  man  of  Scotch  parentage,  who 
after  failing  in  business  as  a  chairmaker  had  in  the 
late  '-iO's  turned  to  politics  as  a  means  of  livelihood. 

He  became  first  a  member  and  then  foreman  of 
one  of  the  volunteer  fire  companies  of  the  period, 
known  as  the  Big  Six,  thereby  achieving  popularity, 
which   brought   him   to   the   attention   of   Tammany 

[165] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

leaders.  He  was  elected  an  Alderman  of  the  city 
in  18,50  and  in  1853  was  chosen  a  member  of  Congress. 
But  he  never  cared  for  Washington  and  in  1857  he 
was  elected  Pul)lic  School  Commissioner  and  subse- 
quently State  Senator. 

^Meanwhile  Tweed  had  himself  elected  to  the  newly 
created  Board  of  Supervisors,  of  which  lie  was  four 
times  chosen  president  and  of  which  he  remained  the 
directing  spirit  until  1870  when  it  passed  out  of  ex- 
istence. 

I^eadership  of  this  board,  which  had  the  power  of 
auditing  accoiuits,  gave  him  an  opportunity  to  se- 
cure various  privileges  which  were  frauds  u])on  the 
city,  and  lie  made  the  most  of  it.  Tlius  obtaining 
control  of  an  obscure  newspaper,  he  secured  the  pas- 
sage of  a  l)iil  by  the  legislature  making  it  the  official 
organ  of  the  City  (rovernment  and  it  was  paid  over  a 
million  dollars  for  printing  the  proceedings  of  the 
Common  Council,  which  no  one  read. 

He  also  established  a  company  for  the  printing  of 
blank  forms  and  vouchers  for  which  in  one  year 
$2,800,000  was  charged.  A  stationers  company  con- 
trolled by  Tweed  whicli  furnished  all  the  stationery 
used  in  the  public  institutions  and  departments  re- 
ceived some  three  million  dollars  a  year.  Tweed  em- 
ployed certain  persons  as  executive  heads  of  these 
companies  who  were  also  upon  the  city  pay  rolls,  some 
receiving"  monev  for  work  never  done.  AVliile  serv- 
ing  as  State  Senator  and  president  of  the  Board  of 
Supervisors,   Tweed   also  held  the  office  of  Deputy 

[166] 


THE  DAYS  OF  BOSS  TWEED 

Street  Commissioner  witli  ''authority  to  a])point  as 
many  as  a  thousand  othee  holders,  many  of  wliom 
did  no  work  exce])t  to  serve  him,  yet  were  ])ai(l  out  of 
the  city  treasury." 

By  such  methods  as  tliese  Tweed  advanced  in  a 
few  years  from  poverty  to  *>Teat  wealth,  and  at  the 
same  time,  made  himself  undisputed  master  of  Tam- 
many Hall. 

In  1863  he  was  chosen  chairman  of  the  General 
Committee  of  the  oroanization  and  Grand  Sachem 
of  the  Tammany  Society.  In  1863,  also,  he  assured 
Tammany  Hall's  ah  solute  control  of  the  city  hy  ef- 
fecting a  truce  with  its  rival  organization.  A\^)od's 
Mozart  Hall,  the  price  of  peace  being  Wood's  elec- 
tion to  Congress.  This  truce  brought  Tweed  two 
efficient  lieutenants,  A.  Oakey  Hall  and  Albert 
Cardoza,  an  able  lawyer,  wlio  was  made  a  judge  of 
one  of  the  city  courts.  Two  other  men  placed  upon 
the  benx'h  about  the  same  time  because  "they  could 
be  relied  upon,"  were  John  H.  ]McCunn  and  George 
G.  Barnard.  Other  politicians  who  came  into  close 
alliance  with  Tweed  were  Richard  B.  Connolly  and 
Peter  B.  Sweeny. 

In  1865  Tweed  and  his  associates  secured  the  elec- 
tion of  John  T.  Hoffman-  as  ^Nlayor  and  three  years 
later  he  was  elected  Governor.  At  that  time  the 
charge  was  freely  made  that  Hoffman's  election  was 
secured  by  the  practice  of  frauds  described  as  colossal 
and  "embracing  every  known  method  of  corruption 
in  the  ballot  box."     Tammany  Hall  at  the  same  time 

[167]" 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

secured  control  of  the  legislature  of  the  State  and  the 
Common  Council  of  the  City. 

Hall  succeeded  Hoffman  as  ]Mayor;  Connolly  be- 
came City  Comptroller;  James  Sweeny  was  City 
Chamberlain  and  with  Tweed  supreme  in  the  street 
department  and  the  Board  of  Supervisors,  the  ring 
which  had  long  been  in  the  process  of  formation  "be- 
came completely  organized  and  matured."  Then 
Tweed  and  his  lieutenants  set  to  work  to  secure  a 
new  city  charter,  which  would  make  doubly  sure  their 
control  of  the  finances  of  the  city. 

This  charter  became  a  law  in  1870.  It  abolished 
the  Board  of  Supervisors,  again  vesting  its  functions 
in  the  ^Mayor,  Recorder  and  Aldermen  of  the  city, 
and  centered  responsil)ility  for  the  administration  of 
municipal  affairs  in  the  INIayor,  who  was  given  au- 
thority to  appoint  all  his  impoi'tant  subordinates. 
It  surrendered  the  Police  Department  to  men  con- 
trolled by  the  ring;  it  re-organized  the  Park  Depart- 
ment in  such  manner  that  three  of  the  five  commis- 
sioners became  for  five  years  each,  tools  of  Tweed; 
it  vacated  the  office  of  Street  Commissioner,  vesting 
all  the  powers  of  the  office  in  a  Commissioner  of 
Public  Works  to  be  appointed  by  the  INIayor  for  a 
term  of  four  years.  Tweed  received  the  appoint- 
ment. The  Governor  had  no  power  to  remove  him 
on  charges.  He  could  only  be  impeached  through 
charges  made  by  the  Mayor,  and  could  only  be  tried 
in  case  every  one  of  the  six  judges  of  the  Court  of 
Common  Pleas  was  present. 

[168] 


THE  DAYS  OF  BOSS  TWEED 

The  new  charter  also  created  a  Board  of  Apportion- 
ment made  up  of  the  JNIayor,  Comptroller,  Commis- 
sioner of  Puhlic  Works  and  President  of  the  Park 
Department,  and  vested  with  power  to  make  all  neces- 
sary appropriations  for  the  conduct  of  the  city  gov- 
ernment. The  men  who  composed  this  l)oard  were 
Hall,  Connolly,  Tweed  and  Sweeny,  who  had  re- 
signed the  office  of  Citv  Cliamherlain  to  hecome 
President  of  the  Park  Department.  And  in  this 
way  the  ring  secured  unchecked  control  of  the  ex- 
penditures of  the  city. 

Yet  another  tool  for  plunder  was  forged  at  this 
time.  By  a  special  act  of  the  legislature  a  Board  of 
Audit  was  created  and  it  was  vested  with  power  to  ex- 
amine and  allow  all  claims  against  the  city  prior  to 
1870.  Its  purpose  was  to  put  money  into  the  pockets 
of  members  of  the  ring  and  to  reimburse  them  for 
the  large  sums  they  had  been  compelled  to  spend  to 
secure  the  adoption  of  the  new  chartei-  by  the  legisla- 
ture. This  pm-pose  was  promptly  put  into  execution 
and  in  less  than  four  months  after  its  creation  orders 
were  made  by  the  Board  of  Audit  for  the  ])ayment 
of  claims  to  the  amount  of  $6,312,500,  ninety  j^er 
cent,  of  which  went  into  the  pockets  of  the  members 
of  the  ring. 

Various  other  special  legislative  acts  were  passed 
whereby  the  ring  had  power  to  raise  and  expend 
nearly  fifty  millions  of  dollars  in  a  single  year. 

Other  laws  were  passed  which  placed  the  ring  in 
more  complete  control  of  the  Board  of  P^ducation 

[169] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

and  of  the  Police  and  Health  Boards,  while  there 
was  also  created  a  Board  of  Street  Opening  and  Im- 
provement, composed  of  the  ^Nlayor,  Comptroller, 
Commissioner  of  Puhlic  Works  and  Tax  Commis- 
sioner, vested  with  power  whenever  its  memhers 
"deemed  it  for  the  public  interest  so  to  do"  to  close, 
open,  widen  or  straighten  any  or  all  of  the  streets  of 
the  city. 

The  passage  of  these  laws  marked  the  culmination 
of  the  ring's  power,  and  it  has  been  said  that  during 
the  winter  they  were  being  enacted  "Tweed  lived  in 
Albany  with  all  the  state  of  a  sovereign  who  had 
prodigious  favors  to  bestow  or  awful  penalties  to  en- 
force." There  seemed  never  to  have  entered  his  mind 
a  suspicion  of  the  jjower  of  an  aroused  public  opin- 
ion. 

Tlie  story  of  the  downfall  of  the  ring,  however, 
should  be  prefaced  by  a  brief  description  of  the  meth- 
ods which  it  employed  to  fill  the  pockets  of  its  mem- 
bers. The  opening  or  widening  of  streets  Avas  one 
of  the  most  fruitful  sources  of  illicit  gain.  A  favorite 
method  of  fraud  practiced  by  the  ring  consisted  in  the 
payment  of  enormously  increased  bills  to  mechanics, 
arch.itects,  furniture  makers,  and,  in  some  instances 
to  unknown  persons  for  supplies  and  services.  It 
was  the  expectation  that  an  honest  bill  would  be 
raised  from  sixty  to  ninety  per  cent.  The  average 
increase  was  such  as  to  make  it  possible  to  give  sixty- 
seven  per  cent,  to  the  ring,  th,e  confederates  being  al- 
lowed to  keep  the  thirty-three  per  cent.,  and  of  that 

'[170] 


THE  DAYS  OF  BOSS  TWEED 

thirty-three  per  cent,  probably  one-half  was  a  fraud- 
ulent increase. 

This  game  reached  a  climax  in  the  County  Court 
House,  still  standing  in  City  Hall  Park.  Work  on 
this  structure  was  begun  under  a  stipulation  that  the 
cost  should  not  exceed  $2,50,000,  but  before  1871  more 
than  eight  millions  had  been  spent  on  it,  one  million 
of  which  was  ultimately  traced  to  Tweed's  pocket. 

When  a  contractor  submitted  a  bill  he  would  be 
told  to  swell  the  amount  of  the  total,  at  the  same 
time  being  given  to  un.derstand  that  payment  de- 
pended upon  compliance  with  this  order.  Then  a 
warrant  woidd  be  drawn  for  the  padded  claim  and 
the  contractor  paid  a  sum  slightly  in  excess  of  his 
original  bill,  while  the  balance  would  be  divided 
among  the  members  of  the  ring.  Xor  was  there  any 
immediate  danger  of  detection.  Tweed  as  Commis- 
sioner of  Public  Works  would  order  work  done;  as 
President  of  the  Board  of  Supervisors  he  would  see 
to  it  that  the  bills  were  passed,  and  then  the  County 
Auditor,  who  was  his  pliant  tool,  would  issue  warrants 
of  payment. 

All  this  time  suspicion  was  rife  in  the  community. 
Thomas  Xast,  tlie  cartoonist  for  Harper's  Weekly, 
was  constantly  illustrating  the  iniquities  of  the  ring. 
Tweed's  face  and  figure,  with  the  blazing  diamond  in 
his  shirt  front,  were  always  before  the  public.  He 
once  said,  "I  don't  care  what  the  papers  print  so  much 
but  I  don't  like  those  pictures,"  and  in  the  end  they 
were  the  cause  of  Tweed's  apprehension. 

[171] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

One  of  the  politieiaiis  of  the  period  was  James 
O'Brien,  a  former  slierifF  of  the  county,  who  in  1871 
was  the  leader  of  the  Young  Democracy,  an  organiza- 
tion which  had  for  its  purpose  the  overthrow  of  the 
power  of  Tweed  in  Tammany  Hall. 

Through  O'Brien's  influence  a  friend  of  his  named 
Copeland  had  secured  a  place  as  an  accountant  in  the 
office  of  tlie  Comptroller.  The  magnitude  of  tlie  city 
expenditures  recorded  in  the  hooks  and  the  fact  tliat 
these  enormous  payments  were  made  to  a  few  persons 
aroused  Copeland's  suspicions.  He  transcrihed  the 
figures  and  showed  tlie  transcript  to  ^Ir.  O'Brien. 
They  were  taken  hy  the  latter  to  the  office  of  a  daily 
newspaper  in  tlie  city  and  ofl'ered  for  publication  but 
were  "declined  with  thanks." 

Thereupon  "Sir.  O'Brien  called  upon  George  Jones, 
publisher  of  the  Times,  and  handed  him  the  transcripts 
from  the  Comptroller's  accounts.  ^Ir.  Jones  con- 
sulted his  editorial  staff  and  it  was  decided  that  the 
figures  should  be  published.  This  decision  was  made 
known  to  Mr.  O'Brien,  who  took  the  incriminating 
accounts,  retained  them  for  a  short  time  and  then 
returned  them  to  Mr.  Jones  with  the  unconditional 
permission  to  publish. 

TM^eed  in  some  manner  discovered  that  his  guilty 
secrets  were  about  to  be  published  and  his  desperate 
efforts  to  forestall  the  publication  were  as  charac- 
teristic of  him  as  their  complete  defeat  was  charac- 
teristic of  JNIr.  Jones. 

Tweed  sent  an  offer  to  buy  the  Times  at  any  price. 

[172] 


THE  DAYS  OF  BOSS  TWEED 

The  emissary  who  was  sent  promptly  reported  the 
faihire  of  his  mission.  Tweed's  next  move  was  so 
extraordinary  that  JNlr.  Jones'  own  account  of  wliat 
happened,  taken  from  Harper's  JVceldi/  of  Fe!)ruary 
22,  1890,  deserves  to  he  reproduced  here. 

"This  conversation  (l)etween  Tweed's  emissary 
"and  3Ir.  Jones)  occurred  in  Jones'  office  in  the 
"^^ Times  Building,  then  down  town  in  Printing  House 
"Square.  A  lawyer  who  was  a  tenant  in  the  build- 
"ing  sent  for  JNIr.  Jones  to  come  to  his  office,  as  he 
"wished  to  see  him  on  an  important  matter.  Think- 
"ing  that  the  business  pertained  to  the  l)uilding,  ]Mr. 
"Jones  went  to  the  lawyer's  office,  and,  being  ushered 
"into  a  private  room,  was  confronted  by  Richard 
"B.  Connolly,  the  Comptroller,  Tweed's  partner  in 
"crime.  T  don't  w^ant  to  see  this  man,'  said  ^Ir. 
"Jones  and  he  turned  to  go  out  of  the  room.  Tor 
"God's  sake!'  exclaimed  Connolly,  'let  me  say  one 
"word  to  you.'  At  this  appeal  ]Mr.  Jones  stopped. 
"Connolly  then  made  a  proposition  to  forego  the 
"publication  of  the  documents  Jones  had  in  his  pos- 
"session,  and  offered  him  an  enormous  sum  of  money 
"to  do  this.  The  amount  of  this  offer  was  five  mil- 
"lion  dollars.  As  Connolly  waited  for  the  answer 
"Mr.  Jones  said,  T  don't  think  the  Devil  will  ever 
"make  a  higher  bid  for  me  than  that!'  Connolly 
"then  began  to  plead,  and  drew  a  graphic  picture  with 
"what  one  could  do  with  such  a  sum.  He  concluded 
"by  saying:  'Why,  with  five  million  dollars  you 
"can  go  to  Europe  and  live  like  a  prince!'     'Yes,' 

[173] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREEXWICH 

"said  ^Ir.  Jones,  'but  I  should  know  that  I  was  a 
rascal.'  " 

The  first  installment  of  the  accounts  was  printed  in 
the  Times  July  22,  1871.  They  showed  the  payment 
of  the  sum  of  $5,663,646  during  the  years  1869  and 
1870  for  "repairs  and  furniture"  for  the  new  Court 
House.  Each  warrant  was  signed  by  Comptroller 
Connolly  and  JNIayor  Hall,  and  all  were  endorsed  to 
"Ingersoll  &  Co.,"  that  is,  James  H.  Ingersoll,  the 
agent  of  the  ring. 

The  Times  followed  with  other  installments  of 
secret  accounts  more  fully  reyealing  the  extent  of 
the  plundering. 

It  had  unmasked  the  ring  and  it  pursued  its  ad- 
yantage  with  extraordinary  energy.  An  immense 
number  of  copies  of  each  issue  of  the  paper  contain- 
ing the  figures,  running  into  hundreds  of  tliousands, 
was  published.  These  proofs  awakened  the  slumber- 
ing city.  The  Committee  of  Seyenty,  made  up  of 
prominent  citizens,  was  formed  early  in  September  to 
obtain  legal  proof  of  the  frauds  reyealed  by  the  Times 
and  to  prosecute  the  offenders.  At  the  same  time 
Samuel  J.  Tilden,  aided  by  Charles  O'Conor  and 
Francis  Kernan,  all  three  lawyers  of  great  ability, 
set  to  work  to  achieye  the  same  end.  ^Vlr.  O'Conor, 
who  was  then  the  unchallenged  leader  of  the  X^ew 
York  bar,  consented  to  aid  in  the  inyestigation  only 
upon  condition  that  he  should  serye  without  com- 
pensation. 

The  task  of  bringing  the  offenders  to  justice  ap- 

[174] 


THE  DAYS  OF  BOSS  TWEED 

peared  at  the  outset  a  difficult  and  nearly  hopeless 
one.  Tweed  was  insolent  and  defiant.  The  Board 
of  Aldermen  and  all  the  local  officers  were  members 
of  the  ring. 

But  in  September,  1871,  an  effective  weapon  was 
unexpectedly  placed  in  the  hands  of  ]Mr.  Tilden. 
One  morning  in  that  month  he  was  visited  by  a  mes- 
senger from  Comptroller  Connolly,  who  was  con- 
vinced that  it  was  Tweed's  intention  to  offer  him  up 
as  a  sacrifice  to  appease  public  sentiment  on  the 
charge  that  the  frauds  had  been  committed  in  his 
department,  by  his  connivance  and  for  his  exclusive 
benefit. 

This  the  messenger  explained  to  Mr.  Tilden,  and 
asked  the  latter's  advice,  suggesting  that  it  might  be 
best  for  Connolly  to  resign  his  office.  Subsequently 
JNIr.  Tilden  suggested  that  Connolly  appoint  Andrew 
H.  Green,  an  eminent  and  honored  lawyer,  his  deputy 
and  then  surrender  the  office  to  him.  This  was  done 
and  Mr.  Green  became  head  of  the  Comptroller's 
office,  with  power  to  examine  and  publish  all  ex- 
penditures under  the  ring,  and  to  prevent  any  con- 
tinuation of  the  fraudulent  practices. 

Though  a  partially  successful  attempt  was  made  to 
burn  all  the  vouchers  soon  after  ]Mr.  Green  took  pos- 
session, of  the  charred  scraps  remaining  (great 
bundles  of  them),  ]Mr.  Tilden  was  engaged  for  some 
ten  days  in  making  a  searching  analysis,  which  fiu'- 
nished  legal  proof  of  the  crime.  He  succeeded  also 
in  tracing  through  one  of  the  banks  the  checks  which 

[175] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 

had  been  issued  in  payment  of  the  accounts  wliich 
the  vouch.ers  purported  to  represent. 

Indeed.  ^Ir.  Tilden's  study  of  the  vouchers  and  the 
.bank  accoinits  has  often  been  pronounced  one  of  the 
most  remarkable  pieces  of  analysis  ever  offered  to 
the  courts.  Judge  Noah  Davis,  of  the  Supreme 
Court,  who  sat  upon  the  trial  of  Tweed,  an.d  heard  this 
demonstration  offered  in  evidence,  afterwards  de- 
clared it  as  perfect  a  specimen  of  logic  and  mathemat- 
ical proof  as  the  books  any\\'here  contained. 

With  checks,  stubs,  charred  vouchers  and  other 
documents,  jNIr.  Tilden  was  able  to  show  the  exact 
amount  of  money  stolen  in  each  given  instance  and 
the  exact  division  of  the  spoils.  It  was,  however, 
then  or  later  impossil)le  to  make  an  accurate  estimate 
of  the  total  amount  of  money  stolen  by  the  ring.  Be- 
tween 1800  and  1871  the  debt  of  the  city  increased 
from  $2().()()(),()()0  to  $101, ()()(),()()(),  and  it  is  believed 
that  at  least  -$14,000,000  of  this  increase  represented 
fraud  and  theft. 

The  appointment  of  INIr.  Green  acting  Comptroller 
thoroughly  alarmed  Tweed,  and  he  made  des2)erate 
attempts  to  stem  the  tide  that  was  setting  against 
him.  At  the  Democratic  State  Convention,  held  in 
October,  he  received  the  nomination  to  the  State  Sen- 
ate and  his  personal  popularity  in  his  district,  where 
he  had  been  bountiful  in  his  gifts  to  the  poor,  assured 
his  election.  But  he  never  took  his  seat.  He  was 
arrested  October  26,  1871.  in  a  civil  action  instituted 
by  the  Committee  of  Seventv  and  released  on  bail. 

[176]' 


THE  DAYS  OF  BOSS  TWEED 

In  December  lie  was  indicted  for  fraud  and  felony, 
and  two  weeks  later  he  resigned  his  post  as  Commis- 
sioner of  Public  Works,  ceasing  about  the  same  time 
to  be  the  official  head  of  Tammany  HalL  He  was 
brought  to  trial  after  many  delays  in  January,  1873, 
but  the  ring  still  retained  sufKcient  influence  to  se- 
cure a  disagreement  of  the  jury. 

On  a  second  trial  in  the  following  November  he  was 
convicted  on  fifty  out  of  fifty-five  charges  against 
him  and  sentenced  by  Judge  Davis  to  an  aggregate 
of  twelve  years  imprisonment.  But  at  the  end  of 
the  year,  Tweed  was  released,  the  Court  of  Appeals 
holding  that  he  ccnild  not  begin  to  serve  a  new  sen- 
tence of  a  year  at  the  end  of  a  term  of  service  of 
punishment  upon  another  count. 

He  was  at  once  re-arrested  upon  civil  actions  to 
recover  six  million  dollars  stolen  from  the  city,  and 
being  unable  to  obtain  l^ail  was  kept  in  confinement 
in  Ludlow  Street  jail.  There  he  remained  until  De- 
cember. 187.5,  when  he  efl'ected  his  escape  and  was 
next  heard  of  in  Vigo,  Spain.  Here  he  was  arrested 
and  brought  back  in  a  Federal  man-of-war  and  re- 
turned to  jail.  This  was  in  November,  1876,  and  in 
the  following  ]March  the  city  recovered  judgment 
against  him  for  $6,500,000.  He  could  not  pay. 
In  April,  1878,  he  died  in  jail. 

I  have  told  this  lon.g  story  of  Tweed  in  order  that 
what  follows,  connecting  him  with  Greenwich,  may 
be  more  significant  to  the  younger  generation.  And 
before    I    close   this   chapter    it   should   appear   that 

[177] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 

Tweed,  more  than  any  other  man  of  his  time,  fore- 
saw New  York's  imperial  future. 

It  was  at  his  initiative  that,  in  1868,  the  legislature 
chartered  a  company  for  the  construction  of  a  rapid 
transit  subway  on  lines  nearly  identical  with  the 
lower  half  of  the  route  now  in  operation,  and  in  the 
same  year  he  was  instrumental  in  setting  apart  in 
Central  Pai'k  a  site  for  the  present  ^letropolitan 
Museum  of  Art. 

Credit  must  he  given  him  for  the  establishment 
of  fine  floating  baths,  the  Newsboys'  Lodging  House 
and  the  city's  paid  Are  department,  which  has  since 
])ecome  a  model  for  the  world.  He  did  much  to  aid 
the  extension  and  betterment  of  Central  Park,  and  it 
is  a  matter  of  record  that  those  who  had  the  work  in 
charge  never  appealed  to  him  in  vain  for  legislation 
or  for  funds. 

No  suspicion  of  fraud  ever  attached  to  this  great 
undertaking,  and  it  is  said  that  Tweed  ordered  his 
followers  to  keep  hands  off  the  park.  Another  great 
work  designed  and  accomplished  by  Tweed  was  the 
widening  of  Broadway  from  32nd  to  59th  Street  and 
the  construction  of  what  was  long  known  as  the 
Boulevard,  but  is  now  officially  a  section  of  Broad- 
w^ay,  and  which  before  its  improvement  was  a  narrow 
unpaved  country  road.  He  also  led  in  the  creation 
of  the  system  of  city-owned  and  improved  water 
front,  in  which  $60,000,000  is  invested,  and  which  has 
proved  a  boon  to  commerce  and  at  the  present  time 
affords  what  is  regarded  by  students  of  the  subject 

[178] 


THE  DAYS  OF  BOSS  TWEED 

as  the  most  striking  example  offered  here  or  abroad 
of  profitable  municipal  ownership.  "Tweed  was  not 
all  bad,"  once  declared  the  late  jNIayor  William  I^. 
Strong.  "He  gave  ns  the  Boulevard,  the  annexed 
district,  streets,  parks,  docks,  schools  and  hospitals." 


[179] 


CHAPTER  XVI 

WILLIAM    M.    TWEED    IX    GREENWICH 

WILLIAM  ]NL  TWEED  was  a  prominent  char- 
acter in  Greenwich  for  a  number  of  years.  He 
took  no  part  in  the  affairs  of  tlie  town,  but  his  pres- 
ence was  felt,  with  an  effect  very  different  on  some 
than  others.  The  sensible,  well-bred  men  and  women 
of  the  place  greatly  regretted  his  presence.  They 
felt  that  the  town  could  not  grow  in  wealth  and 
character,  rendering  Greenwich  desirable  as  a  place 
of  residence  so  lon.g  as  lie  remained  to  make  it  no- 
torious. 

It  probably  was  true  in  those  years  that  outsiders 
gave  us  a  sneer  when  they  alluded  to  Greenwich  as 
the  home  of  TwTcd  and  the  rendezvous  of  the  Ameri- 
cus  Club.  Hut  to  the  boys  wlio  admired  his  checker- 
board team,  his  ponies  and  dog  carts,  he  was  an  o])ject 
of  admiration.  If  they  ever  noticed  Tom  Xast's 
caricatures  in  Ilarper'n  W ccMij,  the  purpose  of  such 
things  was  probably  lost  and  as  for  reading  all  the 
papers  said  about  liim,  detrimental  to  liis  reputation, 
they  hardly  took  the  pains.  He  was  a  living  hero, 
with  untold  wealth,  a  great  deal  of  which  he  dispensed 
locally  with  a  liberal  hand. 

It  is  not  certain  whether  he  came  here  in  1860  or 

[180] 


WILLIAJNI  ]SI.  TWEED 

1861.  The  first  knowledge  that  came  to  any  of  the 
village  boys  was  that  a  number  of  tents  were  pitclied 
on  Round  Island  just  south  of  the  old  potato  cellar. 
And  this  fact  left  us  in  considerable  uncertainty  as  to 
what  the  tents  meant.  It  was  the  talk  among  the 
boatmen  in  the  harbor  and  at  Ephraim  Read's  on  the 
steamboat  dock  that  the  tents  were  occupied  l)y  a 
club,  but  Tweed's  name  was  not  mentioned  and  it 
was  not  until  the  following  summer  that  the  name 
Americus  Club  was  heard. 

But  Tweed  had  visited  Greenwich  during  the  first 
summer  that  the  tents  appeared.  Certain  members 
of  the  club,  which  afterwards  l)ecame  the  Americus 
Club,  had  preceded  him.  This  club  was  both  social 
and  political,  being  composed  of  Republicans  and 
Democrats,  although  more  of  the  latter  prevailed 
than  the  former.  I  have  never  seen  a  list  of  the 
members  during  those  early  years  of  the  club's  exist- 
ence, but  I  have  a  complete  list  of  tlie  membership 
of  1871,  which  was  the  most  prosperous  year  in  the 
clul)'s  history. 

It  was  George  E.  ^lann,  Charles  H.  Hall  and  P. 
B.  Van  Arsdale  who  one  day  hired  a  sailboat  at  City 
Island  and  sailed  up  the  Sound,  with  the  expectation 
of  returning  before  sunset.  But  the  weather  sud- 
denly changed  after  they  had  left  Execution  I^ight 
far  astern  and  rather  than  go  about  in  the  stiff  south- 
west breeze  that  was  l)lowing,  they  concluded  to  make 
a  harbor  for  the  night.  Accordingly,  they  found 
good  holding  ground  for  the  anchor  under  the  lee 

[181] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

of  Round  Island  and  the  tender  took  them  ashore 
where  they  pitched  a  tent  wliich  they  brouglit  from 
the  yacht. 

The  place  was  entirely  new  to  them  and  they  did 
not  realize  its  beauty  until  the  following  morning. 
I  have  often  heard  Charles  H.  Hall  tell  of  that  next 
morning  when  the  sun  rose  and  revealed  all  the 
beauty  of  their  surroundings. 

Finch's  Island,  later  known  as  Tweed's  Island,  had 
a  beautiful  grove  of  trees  and  its  irregular  shores 


tw?:ed\s  island,  isti 


were  not  disfigured  by  sea  walls.  Captain's  Island 
lighthouse  was  a  short  wooden  affair  to  which  was 
attached  the  diminutive  home  of  the  keeper.  The 
same  little  house  is  now  used  as  a  summer  kitchen 
and  store  room,  the  present  stone  building  being 
erected  in  1808.     There  was  no  fog  horn  then. 

The  more  the  young  fellows  looked  around  the 
better  they  liked  the  place  and  it  was  not  until  after- 
noon that  they  sailed  for  New  York.  Hall,  who  was 
afterwards  secretary  of  the  Americus  Club,  was  one 
of  the  clerks  in  the  Tombs  Police  Court.  He  was 
always  a  Republican,  but  he  was  a  great  favorite  with 

[182] 


WILLIAM  M.  TWEED 

Mr.  Tweed  and  as  long  as  Tweed's  influence  lasted 
Charlie  Hall  had  a  lucrative  place. 

]Mr.  Tweed  was  foreman  of  the  Big  Six  Volunteer 
Fire  Co.  with  headquarters  in  an  engine  house  on  the 
Bowery.  All  the  members  of  this  company  sooner 
or  later  were  members  of  the  Americus  Club. 

Tweed  was  accustomed  to  sit  with  the  firemen 
around  the  engine  house  and  he  soon  learned  of  the 
trip  up  the  Sound  and  of  the  discovery  made  by  his 
three  mates.  Their  frequent  allusion  to  the  beauty 
of  the  spot  finally  caught  Tweed's  attention,  with 
such  force  that  he  determined  to  investigate  for  him- 
self. 

Tweed  and  Hall  took  the  train  one  afternoon  con- 
sisting of  an  old  wood-burning  engine  and  yellow, 
gilt-trimmed  cars,  making  the  trip  in  the  best  time 
of  those  days,  one  hour  and  twenty  minutes  from  27th 
Street.  They  called  on  Oliver  ]Mead,  then  owner  of 
the  property,  and  secured  his  permission  to  camp  out 
on  Round  Island.  They  took  possession  a  few  days 
afterward  and  remained  to  the  end  of  the  season. 
They  had  two  or  three  sailboats  with  enormous  jibs 
and  when  they  were  not  bathing  on  the  beach  or  fish- 
ing or  sailing,  they  were  over  at  Rocky  Neck. 

The  saloon  on  the  point  was  an  attraction  as  was 
Capt.  Abraham  BrinckerhofF's  back  dooryard,  where 
they  exchanged  sea  tales  and  discussed  the  merits  of 
their  boats  by  the  hour.  Later  Captain  Brincker- 
holf  and  ^Ir.  Tweed  became  very  warm  friends,  and 
the  latter  gave  the  Captain  many  souvenirs  and  pic- 

[183] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 

tures,  that  constituted  an  interesting  asset  in  his  es- 
tate after  his  death.  Among  these  are  three  photo- 
graphs hy  A.  (rurney,  framed  in  ])lack  wahiut  and 
hanging  at  the  present  time  in  my  office.  One  rep- 
resents Indian  Harhor  from  Tweed's  Island,  includ- 
ing the  first  cluh  house  built  the  year  following  the 
fii-st  camp  on  Round  Island. 
This    building    was    of    simple    architecture,    two 

stories  high,  with  a  broad 
veranda.  Painted  under 
the  peak  of  the  roof  in 
prominen.t  black  letters 
were  the  words  "Ameri- 
cus  Club  of  Xew  York." 
It  must  have  been  about 
one  hundred  feet  in 
width.  On  the  first  floor 
was  a  spacious  reception 
room,  a  dining-room  and 
a  kitchen  in  the  rear. 
This  house  stood  on  the  extremity  of  the  point  nearly 
in  front  of  where  Elias  C.  Renedict's  house  now 
stands.  When  the  new  house,  which  afterwards  was 
known,  as  the  Morton  House  and  later  the  Indian 
Harbor  Hotel,  was  built,  the  old  house  was  removed 
to  a  point  in  "Chimney  Corner,"  now  occupied  by  ^Ir. 
Renedict's  loal house.  There  it  remained,  somewhat 
altered  and  enlarged  as  the  servants'  quarters  for  the 
hotel  until  1892  \vhen  it  was  torn  down  with  all  the 
other  buildings  on  the  Point. 

[184] 


CAPT.   BU I XC^ K Eli HOFF 

1SH)-1S94. 


WILLIAM  M.  TWEED 

The  other  picture  represents  jNIr.  Tweed  with  the 
members  of  the  chib  o-athered  about  him^  on  the  rocks 
at  the  west  side  of  the  house  and  on  the  veranda;  two 
groups  of  "the  boys,"  as  Tweed  used  to  call  them.  It 
is  quite  easy  to  distinguish  their  features.  The  presi- 
dent of  the  club  is  dressed  in  a  frock  coat  buttoned 
close  about  him.  His  hat  is  off,  and  a  white  neck- 
tie is  beneath  his  chin.  By  his  side  stands  Charles 
H.  Hall,  somewhat  foppishly  dressed  in  white 
trousers  and  dark  coat.  John  and  Dick  Kimmons, 
great  tall  twins,  and  P.  B.  Van  Arsdale  are  close  to 
George  E.  Mann,  who  was  Commodore  in  charge  of 
the  club  fleet.  These  pictures  were  taken  August 
30,  1863. 

The  other  picture  that  Captain  Brinckerhofl"  had, 
was  a  quarter  size  India  ink  photograph  of  ]Mr. 
Tweed  by  the  artist  Brady,  a  famous  war-time  pho- 
tographer. This  picture  was  autographed  but  un- 
dated. It  originally  hung  in  the  parlor  of  the  new 
club  house,  and  went  into  the  possession  of  Capt. 
BrinckerhofF  wlien  the  club  broke  up.  John  W.  De- 
laney  of  this  place  now  owns  it. 

In  tlie  original  club  house  the  Americus  boys  found 
their  greatest  enjoyment.  It  was  more  like  a  camp. 
The  members  appeared  in  their  shirt  sleeves,  and 
lolled  about  on  the  rocks,  or  under  the  shade  of  the 
tall  oaks,  enjoying  in  the  most  unrestricted  fashion 
their  summer  outing.  Occasionally  a  visitor  from  the 
city  or  the  village  would  appear,  in  which  event  Sec- 
'.     [187] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

retary  Hall  would  do  the  honors,  with  an  old-fash- 
ioned cake  hasket  and  a  little  w^ine. 

Sometimes  the  chib  members,  in  a  body,  would 
saunter  up  to  the  villao-e,  a  very  small  collection  of 
houses  then,  with  a  post  office  that  paid  the  postmaster 
only  $2.50  per  annum.  But  when  they  did  appear, 
with  all  sorts  of  pranks  played  upon  each  other  and 
with  jolly  songs  there  was  no  one  in  the  village  that 
did  not  realize  it,  especially  the  children. 

The  new  club  house  was  completed  in  1871  and 
stood  on  the  point  till  the  summer  of  1892.  It  was 
three  stories  high,  with  a  mansard  roof,  a  tall  tower, 
from  which  extended  east  and  north  two  wings,  termi- 
nating also  in  towers.  It  was  a  well-proportioned 
building,  not  architecturally  bad,  although  the  archi- 
tect. Gage  Inslee,  had  a  lingering  law  suit  in  our 
courts  in  the  endeavor  to  collect  his  fees.  It  occu- 
pied a  commanding  place  on  the  point  and,  painted 
white,  was  a  lan^dmark  for  many  miles  up  and  down 
the  Sound. 

The  summer  of  1872  was  the  first  season  of  its  oc- 
cupancy after  its  full  completion.  It  had  been  fur- 
nished without  regard  to  expense.  The  carpet  in 
the  great  front  room  was  woven  abroad,  on,e  single 
piece,  a  hundred  feet  long,  with  tigers'  heads  in  the 
corners  an.d  the  center,  A  grinning  tiger  was  the 
emblem  of  the  club  and  Pettier  &  Stymus.  who  had 
big  contracts  for  city  furnishings,  jiut  the  tiger's  head 
upon  every  piece  of  furniture  wherever  it  was  pos- 
sible. 

[188] 


WILLIA^SI  :M.  tweed 

But  ]Mr.  Tweed  and  his  associates  were  never  happy 
in  this  building.  He  had  a  grand  room  in  the  cen- 
tral tower,  and  Secretary  Hall's  suite  was  next,  but 
in  1873  the  revelations  came  and  the  place  was  aban- 
doned as  a  club  house.  It  was  said  that  $105,000  was 
the  expense  of  running  the  club  that  season. 

Tw^eed's  best   enjoyment   of  his   club   was   before 


THE    TWEED    BATH    HOl'SE 
Built   1870 


1870.  He  was  considered,  in  Greenwich,  a  very  rich 
man  and  yet  compared  with  the  owners  of  the  pres- 
ent-day fortunes,  his  circumstances  were  moderate. 
He  was  an  extremely  generous  man,  and  indeed  it 
has  many  times  been  said  that  had  he  not  been  anx- 
ious to  enrich  every  one  of  his  acquaintances  no  no- 
tice would  have  been  taken  of  his  irregularities.  The 
amount  he  made  out  of  the  city  contracts  was  small 
compared  to  the  sums  which  went  to  his  friends;  and 
some  whom  he  supposed  were  his  friends  were  dis- 

[189] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREEXWICH 

loyal  in  tlie  (>l()()niy  fall  of  1873  when  his  arrest  and 

indictment  were  accomplished. 

No  man  from  Green- 
wich, however  humhle, 
ever  went  to  that  little 
office  in  Duane  Street  for 
help  that  he  did  not  get  it. 
If  Mr.  Tweed  heard  of  a 
threatened  foreclosure  he 
hought  the  mortgage  and 
collected  such  interest  as 
.^^x^nT   ^.   i.,^^,,^   t  t^ic  mortgagors  found  it 

DAMEL  S.   MEAU,  Jr.  ^    ^ 

1840-1888  convenient  to  pay.     The 

Land  Records  show  these  transactions  and  they  also 
sliow  where  from  time  to  time,  Mr.  Tweed  took  a  deed 
of  a  small  piece  of  pro])- 
erty,  which  it  was  said  the 
owners  were  unahle  to  dis- 
])ose  of  to  any  one  else. 

Early  in  the  summer  of 
1870,  Mr.  Tweed  desired 
to  have  a  family  bath- 
house and  with  that  end  in 
view"  he  purcliased  on 
June  3,  of  Daniel  S. 
^lead,  three  hundred  and 
thirty-five  feet  of  land  on 
the  easterly  side  of  Rocky  Neck  harbor.  The  price  he 
])ai(l  was  $2,()()(). 

On  the  mud  fiats  south  of  the  causeway  to  William 

[190] 


H.  AV.  H.  HOYT 

State  Senator  1869 
1 84;?-!  894 


HKrSTED   W.    K.    HOYT 
As  Judge  of  the  Borough  Court 


WILLIAINI  M.  TWEED 


J.  Smith's  dock,  he  hiiilt  an  octagonal  bath  house, 
which  was  daily  used  by  his  family  at  high  tide.  The 
interior  contained  a  bathing  pool,  the  mud  liaving 
been  removed,  and  replaced  by  a  large  (juantity  of 
fine  sand.  Around  this  central  pool  were  a  num- 
ber of  rooms  for  tlie  bath- 
ers, and  it  afforded  a  safe 
and  secluded  bathing 
place,  approached  by  a 
wooden  bridge  from  the 
shore.  Mr.  Tweed  sel- 
dom, if  ever,  visited  this 
house. 

After  the  stress  of  hard 
times,  on  February  8. 
1876,  he  sold  this  water 
front  to  Daniel  S.  ^lead, 
Jr.,  a  son  of  the  original 
owner,  for  $1,000.  The 
sale  included  the  bath- 
house which  is  said  to  have 
cost  more  than  a  thousand 
dollars.  The  house  was  subse(|uently  moved  to  the 
shore  and  for  a  time  was  used  as  a  dwelling.  Later 
it  was  con.verted  into  an  office  for  the  Electric  Light 
Co.  and  is  now  used  by  that  company  as  a  store  room. 
The  outward  appearance  of  the  building  and  its  color 
remain  the  same,  with  the  possible  exception  of  an 
added  cupola.  Portions  of  this  land  wliich  cost 
Tweed  twenty-seven  dollars  a  front  foot,  have  since 

[193] 


H.  W.  R.  HOYT 

Aa-e  of  -'() 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

been  sold  for  about  two  buiidred  dollars  per  foot. 
After  Mr.  Tweed  was  arrested  in  1873  the  late 
Col.  Heiisted  W.  R.  Hoyt  was  his  local  counsel. 
William  L.  Ferris,  a  clerk  in  his  office,  made  frequent 
trips  to  Eudlow  Street  jail  in  those  days.  Tweed 
occupied  three  splendidly  furnished  rooms  on  the 
ground  floor.  The  first  was  a  reception  room  cov- 
ered with  velvet  carpet  and  supplied  with  luxurious 

couches  and  chairs.  Ad- 
joining was  the  business 
office  where  his  private 
secretary,  S.  Foster 
Dewey,  had  his  desk  and 
MMprY  beyond     that     was     ]Mr. 

^^LmII^^^^  Tweed's  bedroom. 

p^     JmKl^  Once      when      money 

seemed     to     be     a     little 
scarce  witli  the  old  man, 
PHILANDER  liLTTOX       he   brought    out    a    large 
1812-1878  i^^^j^^y^      ^f      promissory 

notes,  given  by  oyster  men  and  mechanics,  but  the 
notes  were  of  no  value.  "Well,"  said  JMr.  Tweed, 
"they  had  a  value  once.  I  had  a  lot  of  pleasure  in 
taking  them,  when  the  money  was  needed." 

It  was  in  18()5,  after  he  had  established  the  Ameri- 
cus  Club  in  their  first  house  at  Indian  Harbor  that 
JNIr.  Tweed  became  an  actual  resident  of  the  village, 
although  voting  in  New  York.  He  bought  of  Lillie 
A.  Hardenbrook  what  had  been  known  as  the  Phil- 
ander Button  place.     ]Mr.  Button,  who  w^as  the  prin- 

[194] 


WILLIAM  :M.  tweed 


cipal  of  the  Greenwich  Academy,  had  purchased  it 
April  1,  1848,  of  Alvan  ^Nlead  for  $5,400.  It  in- 
cluded eighty  acres,  now  a  part  of  ^lilbank.  He 
built  a  modest  house  on  it  and  sold  the  buildin^g  and 
forty  acres,  in  January,  1859,  to  Mrs.  Hardenbrook 
for  $15,000.  She  sold  it  to  JNIr.  Tweed's  wife,  INIary 
Jane  Tweed,  in  1865,  for  $18,000. 

INIr.  Tweed  remodeled 
and  enlarged  the  house 
and  built  a  $40,000  barn 
that  attracted  a  great 
deal  of  attention  locally 
as  well  as  in  Xew  York. 
The  Xetc  York  Sun  sent 
up  a  reporter  who  de- 
scribed this  wonderful 
barn  and  its  contents, 
telling    how    the    horses 

M^ere  standing  on  pleated 
straw.     The  barn  remained  in   use  till  about   1907 
when  it  was  torn  down. 

^Ir.  Robert  Williamson,  the  superintendent  at  ^Slil- 
bank,  has  told  me  that  it  was  no  easy  matter  to  ac- 
complish, as  the  building  was  braced  with  hackmatack 
braces  and  trimmed  with  black  walnut  and  other  ex- 
pensive wood. 

Tweed  was  a  lover  of  horses  and  he  had  some  fine 
ones  in  his  barn.  His  checkerboard  four-in-hand 
team,  to  which  I  have  already  alluded,  consisted  of 
coal  black  and  milk  white  horses,  a  black  and  white 

[195] 


DR.  L.  P.  JOXES 

In  1884 
1846-190T 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREEXWICH 

and  a  white  and  black  in  alternating  colors.  They 
were  driven  to  a  very  hi^j'h  two-seated  depot  wagon. 
The  year  1867  was  remarkable  for  the  craze  for  high 
carriages. 

Tweed  occupied  the  back  seat  of  this  conveyance, 
with  its  enormously  high  springs.  Usually  his  son 
was  by  his  side,  but  his  great  weight  of  nearly  three 

hundred  pounds  gave  the 
wagon  a  decided  list. 
He  generally  wore  a 
stove  pipe  hat  and  the 
closely  buttoned  frock 
coat  and  white  tie.  It 
was  this  rig  which  took 
him  to  the  railroad  sta- 
tion that  summer  morn- 
ing in  1870  when  he 
bought  the  eighteen  acres 
of  Frederick  ^Nlead. 
E.  Jay  Edwards  i-ecently  told  this  story  in  The 
Evening  Mail,  but  I  allude  to  it  particularly  because 
in  some  quarters  it  has  been  doubted  and  the  asser- 
tion made  tliat  Mr.  JNIead  never  owned  land  east  of 
wdiat  is  now  ]VIilbank  Avenue. 

That  street  was  a  very  narrow  country  road  in 
those  days,  called  I.rOve  Lane.  It  was  never  digni- 
fied with  a  proper  street  name  until  3Irs.  Jeremiah 
iNIilbank  generously  put  the  Town  Clock  in  the  Con- 
gregational Church  steeple  and  then  Dr.  Leander 
P.  Jones  had  it  changed  to  ^lilbank  Avenue. 

[196] 


JOSl'.PH    G.    MKUIMir 

lSi()-lHS,5 


WILLIAM  M.  TWEED 

In  1870  Frederick  JNIead  owned  eighteen  acres 
directly  across  the  street  from  the  Congregational 
Church,  bounded  on  the  west  by  I^ove  Lane  and  on 
the  south  by  Davis  Lane,  now  Davis  Avenue.  There 
were  a  few^  apple  trees  on  it  and  at  times  ^Ir.  Mead 
used  it  for  pasture.  It  made  a  fine  romping  place 
for  the  Academy  boys.  Down  at  the  soutli  end  was 
an  old  yellow  barn,  the  front  doors  o^'  which  were 
locked  with  a  padlock  much  larger  than  is  made  m 
these  days.  This  lock  made  a  fine  target,  although 
it  w^as  quite  a  long  time  before  any  one  of  the  l)oys 
was  able  to  put  a  bullet  from  a  pistol  through  the 
keyhole  of  that  lock.  It  was  finally  accomplished 
however  and  the  back  of  the  lock  knocked  off'  by  a 
man  now  very  well  known  in  New  York  City,  as  a 
mining  engineer. 

Tweed  had  long  wanted  this  land,  and  when  ]Mr. 
Mead  declined  to  put  a  price  on  it,  T^vee(l  said, 
"Well,  you  will  take  a  Tweed  price,  will  you  not?" 
He  had  paid  for  several  small  places  about  town, 
anything  that  the  owners  demanded  and  when  the 
price  was  large,  as  it  always  was,  it  had  been  usual 
to  designate  it  as  a  "Tweed  price."  Tweed  knew  this 
and  when  he  intimated  that  he  was  willing  to  pay  a 
"Tweed  price,"  he  expected  to  pay  more  than  the  land 
was  worth.  In  reply  jNIr.  jNIead  said,  "Why,  yes. 
I'll  sell  for  $55,000,"  which  was  at  least  four  times 
the  actual  value  of  the  land  at  that  time.  But  it  did 
not  feaze  ^Ir.  Tweed.  He  asked  Joseph  G.  ^Nlerritt, 
the  ticket  agent  at  the  railroad  station,  for  pen  and  ink 

[197] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

and  taking  out  a  pocket  check  book  he  wrote  a  check 
for  the  amount  to  ^Ir.  ^Mead's  order  and  asked  him  to 
send  him  a  deed  conveying  the  property  to  JNIary 
Jane  Tweed.  She  hekl  it  until  1879,  when  it  was 
inckided  with  all  the  rest  of  the  Tweed  place  in  the 
sale  to  Jeremiah  JNlilbank  for  $4*7, oOO. 

When  Tweed  bought  this  land  the  stone  fence  that 
enclosed  it  from  the  street  was  perhaps  a  century  old, 
and  somewhat  out  of  order.  He  replaced  it  with 
the  present  bluestone  wall,  which  extends  from  the 
property  of  A.  Foster  Higgins  along  Putnam  Ave- 
nue, down  ^Milbank  Avenue  to  where  the  old  yellow 
barn  stood  at  the  top  of  the  hill  across  the  road  from 
the  cemetery. 

In  those  days  the  north  end  of  I^ove  Lane  at  its 
junction  witli  Putnam  Avenue  turned  with  an  angle 
to  tlie  west.  AA'^hen  it  was  known  tliat  ^Ir.  Tweed 
was  about  to  build  the  new  stone  wall,  ^Ir.  Solomon 
JNIead,  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Burgesses,  called 
upon  him  to  see  how  much  he  would  ask  for  a  small 
angle  of  this  valuable  land  to  straighten  the  road. 
"Xot  a  cent,  not  a  cent,"  said  ]Mr.  Tweed.  "Take 
all  you  want;  just  l^ave  your  surveyor  drive  the  stakes 
and  I  will  build  my  \^'all  according  to  his  lines."  And 
the  wall  stands  there  to-day  just  as  perfect  as  when 
JNIr.  Tweed  finished  it,  more  than  forty-two  years 
ago. 

Before  I  close  this  chapter  it  seems  best  to  give 
the  entire  roll  of  members  of  the  Americus  Club  in 

[198] 


WILLIAM  M.  TWEED 

1871.  3Iany  of  them  besides  Tweed  were  promi- 
nent and  will  be  remembered  by  the  older  generation. 
Perhaps  in  no  other  way  ^Wll  this  list  be  permanently 
preserved.  The  officers  were  William  ^I.  Tweed, 
237  Broadway,  President;  Henry  Smith,  300  :SIul- 
berry  St.,  Vice  President ;  Charles  H.  Hall,  135  ]Madi- 
son  St.,  Secretary;  George  E.  ^Nlann,  197  ]Mon- 
roe  St.,  Captain;  John  Vanderbeck,  221  Christie  St., 
Actuary.  Besides  the  officers  were  the  following 
members:  John  S.  Betts,  Francis  Vanderbeck,  John 
^IcGarigal,  P.  B.  Van  Arsdale,  William  Davison, 
Lewis  J.  Kirk,  Edward  A.  Davin,  Lawrence  Clancy, 
Francis  Kinney,  Edward  ^larrenner,  William  H. 
SchafFer,  William  B.  Dunley,  Joseph  Southworth, 
John  Scott,  Edward  J.  Shandley,  George  W.  Butt, 
James  ^I.  ^Nlacgregor,  William  I^.  Ely,  Christian  AV. 
Schaffer,  Walter  Roche,  Peter  D.  Braisted,  Edward 
D.  Bassford,  Andrew  J.  Garvey,  William  K. 
O'Brien,  George  W.  Rosevelt,  Patrick  II.  Keenan, 
Joseph  Shannon,  James  L.  ]Miller,  Terence  Farley, 
Sheridan  Shook,  William  H.  Charlock.  John  T. 
Barnard,  James  Watson,  Henry  H.  Huelat,  Edward 
Boyle,  William  P.  Stymus,  John  Pickford,  Jr., 
Owen  W.  Brennan,  Eugene  Durnin,  Charles  G. 
Cornell,  John  J.  Ford,  Edwin  ]M.  Hagerty,  Edward 
Hogan,  Claudius  S.  Grafulla,  ]\Iorgan  Jones,  Wes- 
ley S.  Yard,  John  T.  King,  Edward  Kearney,  Joseph 
B.  Young,  Cornelius  Corson,  Robert  ^I.  Taylor, 
Edward    Jones,    Joseph    A.    Jackson,    Amaziah   D. 

[199] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

Barber,  Charles  L.  Fleming,  Jacob  Sharp,  Edward 
Cuddy,  James  O'Brien,  John  Satterlee,  Andrew 
Bleakley,  Thomas  Donohoe,  JNIartin  B.  Brown, 
Thomas  E.  Tripler,  John  T.  INIcGowan,  John  INIc.  B. 
Davidson,  James  H.  Ingersoll,  William  C.  Rogers, 
Sol.  Sayles,  Ell)irt  A.  Woodward,  George  S.  Miller, 
John  H.  Keyser,  William  C.  Dewey,  Daniel  Berrien, 
David  Miller,  James  Ryan,  ^lichael  J.  Shandley, 
Isaac  J.  Oliver,  Charles  L.  Lawrence,  Henry  D. 
Felter,  John  F.  Chamberlain,  James  W.  Boyle, 
Chris  O'Connor,  Kruseman  van  Elten,  Daniel 
Winants,  Alexander  Frear,  James  Fisk,  Jr.,  Jay 
Gould,  Thomas  Kirkpatrick,  Joseph  G.  Harrison, 
Reeves  E.  Selmes,  Charles  E.  Loew,  Thomas  C. 
Fields,  George  H.  ^Mitchell,  John  Pyne,  James  J. 
Gumbleton,  Thomas  H.  Ferris,  Tlios.  J.  O'Donohue, 
James  E.  Jones,  John  Garvey,  James  L.  Ilarway, 
T.  Augustus  Phillips,  John  M.  Carnochan,  Matthew 
T.  Brennan,  James  Barker,  AVilliam  B.  Borrows, 
Henry  A.  Barnum,  Schayler  Halsey,  James  S.  Wat- 
son, Newell  Sturtevant,  James  W.  Collier,  Henry 
T.  Helmbold,  George  A.  Osgood,  John  Brice, 
Francis  McCabe,  Jolm  H.  Harnett,  James  PI  Coul- 
ter, Gunning  S.  Bedford,  George  G.  Barnard,  An- 
drew Bleakley,  Jr.,  Augustus  Funk,  Peter  Trainer, 
William  Schirmer,  Adolph  E.  Georgi,  Joseph  Koch, 
William  Van  Tassell,  John  Pentland,  Thomas  Ca- 
nary, S.  Foster  Dewey,  Dennis  Burns,  James  JNIc- 
Gowan,  George  G.  Wolf,  Frank  S.  E.  Beck,  Joseph 
D.  C.  Andrade,  John  D.  Welch,  Jr.,  Henry  M.  Wil- 

[200] 


willia:m  m.  tweed 

Hams,  Albert  H.  Wood,  John  W.  Oliver,  James 
G.  Dimond,  George  B.  Van  Brnnt,  Alex  W.  Harvey, 
Richard  O'Gorman,  William  Hitchman,  Thomas  J. 
Creamer. 


y 


[201] 


CHAPTER  XVII 

LIN  WOOD THE    JOHX    K0:MER 

THE  2)lace,  now  known  as  JNIilbank,  owned  by 
^Irs.  A.  A.  Anderson,  was  tlie  home  of  William 
jNI.  Tweed.  The  present  property  includes  mnch 
more  territory,  eiglity  acres  being  its  extent,  when  it 
was  known  as  Linwood.  ]Mr.  Tweed  was  very  proud 
of  the  place  and  lavished  money  on  it  without  stint. 
The  name  Einwood  seems  to  have  been  a  favorite 
of  his,  because  lie  had  a  yacht  of  the  same  name  and 
the  word  was  prominent  on  his  stationery. 

Tlie  yacht  IJtncood  was  a  modest  craft,  possibly  a 
catboat.  His  big  sailing  yacht,  a  jib  and  mainsail 
boat,  bore  the  name  of  his  wife,  Mary  Jane  Tweed. 
These  boats,  and  indeed  all  tlie  pleasure  boats  in  the 
har])or  in  those  days,  would  not  compare  very  favor- 
ably with  the  boats  of  the  present  time.  When  it  was 
reported  that  Tweed  had  built  a  steam  yacht,  a  good 
deal  of  interest  was  manifest  along  the  water  front. 
There  may  have  been  steam  yachts  long  before,  but 
none  had  been  in  this  harbor,  at  least  not  to  remain 
any  length  of  time. 

When  she  came  steaming  in  from  Northport  where 
she  was  launched,  she  was  considered  a  wonder.  Dr. 
William   Schirmer,   Abraham  Brinckerhoff,   Simeon 

[202] 


LINWOOD— THE  JOHN  ROMER 

Morrell  and  a  string  of  the  club  members  were  on  the 
steamboat  dock  as  she  came  to  an  anchor.  It  seemed 
to  me  that  none  of  them  was  very  enthusiastic  about 
her. 

Her  hull  was  shaped  somewhat  like  an  ocean-going 
tuff,  although  only  half  the  size  of  such  a  vessel. 
Her  graceful  mold  was  well-nigh  destroyed  in  ef- 
fect by  the  boxlike  structure  which  made  a  large, 
high,  and  elegantly  furnished  cabin.  She  had  side 
wheels,  housed  in  like  those  of  an  old-fasliioned  ferry- 
boat, and  her  name  which  w^as  displayed  on  the  pilot 
house  in  large  gilt  letters  was  that  of  the  owner. 
Tweed  took  a  great  deal  of  comfort  in  his  pioneer 
steam  yacht. 

In  tliose  days  races  among  the  oyster  l)oats  were 
common  and  regattas,  in  which  those  boats  figured, 
were  organized  several  times  during  the  season. 
They  were  very  fast  jib  and  mainsail  boats  and  often 
stowed  below  were  balloon  jibs  and  topsails  that  on 
occasion  were  run  up  to  their ,  places,  when  some 
other  similar  craft  was  showing  a  disposition  to  take 
the  lead.  There  were  no  steamers  then  for  oyster 
dredging  and  among  the  owners  of  these  sailing  ves- 
sels there  was  much  rivalry.  It  was  not  limited  to 
Greenwich  oystermen,  for  these  graceful  little  ves- 
sels came  to  join  in  the  regattas  from  across  the 
Sound.  They  came  also  from  Norwalk,  Five  iNIile 
River  and  JNIamaroneck. 

Nothing  pleased  Mr.  Tweed  better  than  to  witness 
a  race  between  these  boats,  and  he  always  tendered 

[203] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

his  steam  yacht  for  the  use  of  the  judges  and  the 
press.  Of  coiu'se  that  meant  an  elaborate  spread  in 
the  cabin,  with  a  lot  of  guests  always  eager  to  quench 
their  thirst.  While  the  yacht  was  homely,  she  was 
very  comfortable,  for  the  saloon  was  large,  hioh  and 
square.  The  table  in  the  center  on  such  occasions 
was  loaded  with  all  kinds  of  good  things. 

To  a  hungry  youth — and  wdiat  youth  is  not  in- 
variably hungry — these  yacht  races  were  memorable 
events.  Plenty  to  see  and  plenty  to  eat,  what  ex- 
periences were  they!  And  how^  well  I  recall  the  al- 
most affectionate  way  in  which  ^Ir.  Tweed  would  put 
his  2)udgy  hand  on  my  shoulder,  with  the  remark, 
"Boy,  did  you  get  enough  down  below!'  Better  go 
down  and  get  another  bird  or  a  plate  of  whitebait." 
Of  course  he  had  no  interest  in  me,  except  such  feel- 
ings as  any  host  possesses  for  a  guest,  but  beyond 
that  was  his  intense  desire  to  stand  well  with  the  press. 
In  a  mixed  crowd  his  first  thought  was  for  the  news- 
paper representatives. 

He  had  a  great  admiration  and  affection  for 
Greenwich.  He  often  steamed  the  yacht  down  to 
Jones'  Stone  and  then  back  to  the  mouth  of  the  Cos 
Cob  harbor,  and  back  again  to  Byram,  all  the  while 
watching  and  commenting  on  the  beauty  of  the  shore. 

One  day  he  asked  me  to  bring  my  camp  stool  near 
the  capacious  chair  he  occupied  in  the  bow,  and  with 
a  wave  of  his  hand  he  directed  my  attention  to  all 
the  wooded  shore  from  Byram  Point  to  Cos  Cob,  re- 
marking: 'T  shall  not  live  to  see  the  day,  but  possibly 

[204] 


LINWOOD— THE  JOHN  ROMER 

you,  and  certainly  your  children,  will  see  all  this 
land  occupied  by  the  fine  estates  of  New  York  })usi- 
ness  men.  In  my  judgment  Ochre  Point  at  New- 
port is  not  as  favorable  for  places  of  residence  as 
Field  Point  and  Nelson  Rush's  farm."  The  latter 
is  now  Relle  Haven  Park.  Perhaps  I  looked  in- 
credulous, for  he  at  once  repeated  the  prophecy  with 
emphasis  an.d  with  just  the  suspicion  of  a  shadow  on 
his  face  he  added:  "When  I  am  dead,  say  twenty- 
five  years  from  now,  I  wish  you  would  come  out  here 
and  see  how  near  I  have  hit  it."  He  never  lived  to 
see  his  dream  realized,  })ut  it  came  true  in  less  time 
than  he  allotted. 

His  great  hobby  during  those  days  was  a  daily 
steamboat  to  New  York.  He  supposed  that  such  an 
enterprise  would  yield  a  large  pecimiary  profit,  and 
the  subject  was  frequently  on  his  lips,  when  aboard 
the  yacht.  He  would  call  a  few  members  of  the  club 
about  him,  an.d  ask  their  opinion,  none  of  whom  knew 
anything  more  about  it  than  he;  yet  he  would  seek 
from  them  information  on  the  cost  of  coal,  the  prob- 
able number  of  passengers  and  the  amount  of  freight 
likely  to  be  carried.  He  exercised  his  own  judgment 
finally,  but  he  was  led  astray  in  this  instance  by  his 
overweening  desire  to  increase  the  popularity  and  the 
convenience  of  Indian  Harbor. 

While  he  could  figiu'e  out  in  a  moment  the  prob- 
able majority  of  a  certain  candidate  in  a  city  elec- 
tion, he  had  no  idea  of  the  possibility  of  the  success 
or  failure  of  such  an  enterprise.     Indeed,  it  is  prob- 

[205] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

able  that  he  h.ad  no  anxiety  on  that  point,  provided 
he  accomplished  his  purpose. 

One  day  as  we  were  sitting  on  the  wide  cane  settee 
back  of  the  pilot  house  jNIr.  Tweed  appealed  to  Capt. 
Abe  BrinckerhofF  and  I  recall  how  the  latter  twisted 
the  tobacco  under  his  tongue  and  drawled  out:  "She 
won't  earn  the  purser's  salary,  ]Mr.   Tweed."     The 

latter  looked  quite  crest- 
fallen, and  said,  "Do  you 
tliink  so,  Abe?"  And 
that  was  all  he  did  say 
for  fully  ten  minutes  ex- 
cept to  order  up  some 
seltzer. 

But      as      usual      JNIr. 
Tweed  had  his  way,  and 
he  had  a  steamboat,  the 
T.  F.  SECOR  beautiful     John     liomcr. 

1809-1901  gi^g   ^^.^g  ^  ^.gj,y   f^^^   |3^^^ 

and  she  did  not  end  her  career  until  the  middle 
eighties  when  she  was  on  the  line  between  Boston, 
Hingham,  Hull  and  Nantasket. 

He  talked  about  his  plans,  as  they  matured.  He 
was  very  particular  about  a  bartender,  and  eventu- 
ally he  selected  just  the  right  man  as  well  as  excellent 
officers  for  the  steamer. 

The  Romer  came  from  Wilmington,  Del.  She 
was  built  by  tlie  famous  firm  of  Harlan  &  Hollings- 
worth  and  was  supplied  with  Allaire  engines.  The 
Allaire  Engine  Co.  built  most  of  the  marine  engines 

[20(5] 


LINWOOD— THE  JOHX  ROISIER 


installed  immediately  after  the  war.  The  president 
of  the  Allaire  Co.  was  Theodocius  F.  Secor,  who 
resided  on  Lake  Avenue  for  many  years  and  died 
April  27,  1901,  at  the  age  of  92.  His  widow  still 
lives  here. 

The  Romer's  furnishings  were  luxurious  and  her 
speed  was  greater  than  most  boats  of  her  length  and 
tonnage.     The       price, 
asked    was    $.50,000,    but 
her   owners   were   pecun- 
iarily    embarrassed     and 
]Mr.    Tweed  got   her   for 
$35,000 — a     great     bar- 
gain.    He      was      never 
known    to    haggle    at    a 
price,  and  doubtless  some 
of  the  officers  of  the  cor- 
poration   known    as    the 
Greenwich  &  Rye  Steam- 
boat Co.  should  have  the  credit  of  making  the  pur- 
chase. 

This  corporation  was  formed  early  in  1866.  Capt. 
Thomas  jNIayo,  whose  daughters  still  reside  here,  was 
elected  its  president,  and  Sanford  ]Mead,  secretary. 
Subsequently  Philander  Button,  then  principal  of 
the  Academy,  occupied  the  position  of  president. 
The  capital  stock  was  $75,000,  of  which  $70,000  was 
paid  in,  one-half  of  which  went  for  the  piu'chase  of 
the  Homer.  ]Mr.  Tweed  held  200  shares,  par  value 
$100,  and  members  of  the  Americus  Club  held  a  suffi- 

[207] 


CAPT.    THOMAS    MAYO 

1819-188T 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 

cieiit  number,  with  ]Mr.  Tweed,  to  control  the  com- 
pany. The  bahmce  of  the  stock  was  held  in  small 
lots  in  Greenwich  and  Port  Chester. 

The  boat  was  decidedly  popular,  as  is  evident  from 
the  fact  that  her  gross  earnings  the  first  year  were 
$21,7<)3.1.5,  expenses  $21,417.28,  leaving  a  net  bal- 
ance of  only  $.'54.3.87.      This  small  amount  was  kept 

as  a  reserve  fund  to  dis- 
appear the  following  year 
in  financial  chaos.  The 
summer  of  1867  was  the 
last  of  the  Romer  in 
these  waters. 

In  passing,  I  must  re- 
call two  of  her  officers — 
Captain  Stephen  G. 
White  and  the  pilot. 
Hilly  Witherwax.  Capt. 
White  had  had  experi- 
ence as  a  steamboat  captain  on  the  Pacific  Coast,  and 
he  made  an  efficient  and  popular  commander.  He 
was  a  round,  jolly  man  with  a  merry  laugh,  the  ring 
of  which  I  well  remember.  His  son,  Warren  P. 
White,  is  a  resident  of  Greenwich,  as  is  also  his  daugh- 
ter, ]Mrs.  lAicy  M.  Delano. 

Pilot  ^Vitllerwax  had  been  commander  and  part 
owner  of  a  sky-sail  yard  flyer,  that  had  successfully 
rounded  Cape  Horn  so  many  times  that  he  was  worth 
$50,000 — a  snug  fortune  for  those  days.  He  had  re- 
tired from  the  sea  wlien  ^Nlr.  Tweed  met  him  and  he 

[208] 


SANFOHD  MEAD 

1803-187.3 


LINWOOD— THE  JOHX  ROMER 


consented  to  take  a  position  on  the  Romcr  as  a  favor 
to  ^Ir.  Tweed.  He  was  a  typical  sailor.  His 
square  built  form  had  the  power  of  an  ox,  while  his 
sphinx-like  face  recalls  the  former  Vice-President 
of  the  United  States,  William  A.  Wheeler. 

To  make  the  boat  pop- 
ular, the  company  re- 
sorted to  every  legitimate 
means  to  introduce  her 
to  the  public.  With  this 
end  in  view  a  grand 
Fourth  of  July  excursion 
to  Xew  Haven,  with 
Dodworth's  band  in  at- 
tendance, was  announced 
in  1867.  The  proposed 
trip  was  the  talk  of  the 
town,  and  when  on  that 
beautiful  summer  morn- 
ing, the  order  was  given 
to  cast  off  the  lines,  the 
boat  was  loaded  with  a 
party  decidedly  miscellaneous  in  its  make-up,  but  evi- 
dently happy  and  bent  on  having  a  good  time. 

As  we  passed  Red  Rock,  I  remember  well  how 
Capt.  White  stood  forward,  chewing  an  unlighted 
cigar  and  congratulating  everybody  on  the  beauty 
of  the  morning.  But  Billy  Witherwax  was  unusu- 
ally glum  and  once  as  I  met  him  aside  from  the 
crowd,  he  significantly  remarked,  "Capt.  White  likes 

[209] 


STEPHEX    G.    WHITE 

18.'(j-lS81 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

this  weather,  hut  I  don't.  Look  out  for  a  hlow  when 
the  tide  turns."  I  inquired  why  he  thought  so,  and 
he  rephed,  "jNIares'  tails  to  the  s\ith'ard!"  and  diving 
into  the  pilot  house  closed  the  door. 

Eveiything  went  well  until  after  we  left  New 
Haven  to  return.  I  had  forgotten  Pilot  Wither- 
wax's  remark  about  the  mares'  tails,  when  I  suddenly 
became  conscious  of  the  fact  that  the  wind  was  fresh- 
ening and  that  the  sky  was  becoming  overcast. 
Ladies  were  sending  for  extra  wraps  and  there  was 
a  general  disposition  to  seek  the  seclusion  of  the 
cabin.  Inside,  the  roll  of  the  vessel  became  more  per- 
ceptible; a  general  complaint  concerning  the  close- 
ness of  the  atmosphere  was  heard  and  then  followed 
a  stampede  for  the  deck.  The  storm  had  arisen  with 
great  suddenness,  and  as  the  passengers  came  out, 
many  of  them  were  drenched  with  flying  spray.  The 
boat  rolled  terribly,  and  the  noise  of  the  guards  strik- 
ing the  water  as  she  lay  in  the  trough  of  the  sea 
struck  terror  to  the  now  thoroughly  frightened  ex- 
cursionists. Two  lunch  counters  and  a  liberally 
stocked  bar  had  been  well  patronized  all  the  morn- 
ing. In  the  tumult  of  the  angry  elements  there 
seemed  to  be  universal  nausea  attributable  in  part  to 
the  choppy  sea  and  in  part  to  the  conviviality  of  the 
forenoon. 

Under  the  circumstances  two  hundred  and  fifty 
people  found  it  necessary  to  visit  the  boat's  rail  and 
as  the  wind  was  blowing  a  gale,  broadside  on,  the  sea- 

[210] 


LINWOOD— THE  JOHX  ROMER 

sick  excursionists  found  the  weather  rail  unsatisfac- 
tory. 

They  all,  therefore,  with  one  accord  sought  the  lee 
rail  and  there  endeavored  to  relieve  their  sufferings. 
As  the  steamer  was  three  decks  high,  two-thirds  of 
the  passengers  suffered  intensely  from  their  location 
and  the  only  clean  hats,  coats  and  honnets  were  in 
possession  of  those  who  occupied  the  upper  deck.  Xo 
sicker,  sorrier  or  more  dejected  set  of  human  beings 
ever  landed  in  Port  Chester  than  those  who.  late  tliat 
night,  went  ashore  from  the  Roiner.  It  was  deemed 
unsafe  to  land  at  Greenwich. 

^lany  of  the  present  generation  have  never  heard 
of  this  sea  trip  because  those  of  the  older  generation 
hate  to  think  of  it,  and  never  speak  of  it. 

There  is  one  other  incident  in  connection  with  the 
Roiner  that  I  cannot  omit.  Greenwich  has  always 
been  interested  in  temperance,  if  one  may  judge 
from  the  societies  and  legions  which  have  usually  ex- 
isted here.  In  1866  that  famous  but  erratic  man, 
William  H.  H.  ^lurray,  was  the  preacher  at  the  Sec- 
ond Congregational  Church.  He  was  a  strong  ad- 
vocate of  temperance.  He  rejoiced  over  the  new 
steamboat,  but  when  he  was  told  that  a  bar  was  to  be 
maintained  he  predicted  the  failure  of  the  enterprise. 
It  was  his  wish  that  the  boat  should  be  run  without 
a  bar,  and  in  a  quiet  way  he  made  every  effort  to 
have  his  wish  complied  with.  The  stock  list  showed 
a  large  number  of  Congregationalists  who  doubtless 
would  have  been  glad  to  have  no  bar,  but  the  Tweed 

[211] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

stock  controlled  and  the  bar  was  an  established  fact. 
Sanford  JNIead  made  every  endeavor  to  keep  ont  the 
bar. 

Mr.  jNIurray,  however,  was  not  satisfied.  He  be- 
lieved that  it  was  his  dnty  to  preach  against  that  bar, 
even  if  some  of  the  company's  directors  did  occupy 
prominent  ])ews  in  liis  church.  Accordingly,  the 
sermon  was  announced  a  week  in  advance  and  tlie 
church  was  crowded.  I  cannot  recall  the  text,  nor 
can  1  remember  much  about  the  sermon.  There  was, 
however,  one  exclamation  from  tlie  preacher  that  I 
have  never  forgottfu.  Pie  alluded  to  the  fact  that 
excuses  had  been  made  for  the  existence  of  the  bar 
and  that  one  of  the  officers  had  informed  liim  that  it 
was  "out  of  sight;  way  down  below."  Then  shaking 
his  black  locks  from  his  forehead  in  that  tragic  way 
so  common  to  him  he  added:  "And,  l)rethren.  so 
is  hell,  way  down  below!"  Foin*  years  after  that 
memorable  sermon  was  delivered,  JNIurray  was  the 
pastor  of  the  Park  Street  Church,  in  Boston, 
and  the  John  Romcr  was  running  from  Rowe's 
Wharf  in  the  same  city  to  Hull,  Hingham  and 
Nantasket. 

As  I  have  said,  the  Homer  was  a  boat  of  great 
speed  and  no  steamer  of  her  size  going  out  of  the 
port  of  New  York  could  overhaul  her.  The  Sea- 
tvanhaka  was  a  fine  boat  running  to  Sea  Cliff.  She 
was  twice  the  size  of  the  Homer,  with  engines  of  enor- 
mous power  for  a  small  boat,  and  equally  well 
manned  and  officered.      She  represented  the  wealth  of 

[212] 


LIXWOOD— THE  JOHX  R0MP:R 

Roslyii  and  Sea  Cliff  and  was  launched  early  in  18(>(>. 
The  claim  was  freely  made  that  her  speed  would  ex- 
ceed that  of  any  other  steamer  on  the  Sound. 

The  Romer  had  always  been  able  to  take  the  lead 
on  the  run  from  her  berth  to  Kxecution  Li()ht,  and 
it  struck  Capt.  AVhite  and  Billy  Witherwax  rather 
hard  to  think  of  giving  up  their  laurels.  For  a  time 
they  managed  to  keep  out  of  the  Seawanlialxci's  way. 
but  finally  on  the  second  day  of  June,  1867,  it  was 
apparent  to  all  on  board  that  a  race  was  inevitable. 
One  of  the  officers  of  the  Romer  gave  me  this  account 
of  the  affair: 

"We  had  three-quarters  of  an  hour's  start  of  the 
''Seawanliaha,  but  as  we  approached  Throgg's  Xeck 
"we  could  see  her  astern,  gaining  ra])idly.  Pilot 
"Witherwax  was  at  the  wheel  and  Capt.  White 
"stood  aft  with  a  pair  of  glasses  watching  the  on- 
"coming  steamer.  Kvery  two  or  three  minutes  With- 
"erwax  would  ring  for  more  steam,  till  at  last  John 
"Darrah,  the  engineer,  called  through  the  speaking 
"tube  that  he  was  doing  all  he  could  and  that  it  was 
"useless  to  keep  ringing,  as  the  throttle  was  wide  open 
"and  there  was  no  more  steam  to  be  had.  'Well, 
"make  more  steam,'  was  Witherwax's  reply;  in  re- 
"sponse  to  which  I  lieard  the  engineer  groan  as 
"though  the  task  imposed  upon  him  was  hopeless. 

"It  was  evident  that  the  pilot  intended,  if  possible, 
"to  keep  the  lead  until  he  could  reach  the  narrow 
"channel  between  Riker's  Island  and  Barrow's  Point, 
"for  beyond  that  he  thought  that  once  ahead  of  the 

[213] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

"Seaxcanhaka  he  could  maintain  his  position  for 
"the  balance  of  tlie  trip.  The  intense  interest  in  the 
"pilot  house  and  the  engine  room  amounted  to  ex- 
"citement  among  the  j)assengers  and  many  bets  were 
"made  on  the  residt.  Some  of  the  Americus  Club 
"boys  on  the  quarter  deck  became  hilarious  and  the 
"secretary  of  the  Steamboat  Co.,  who  happened  to  be 
"aboard,  went  to  the  bartender  and  said,  'Now 
"Henry,  I  wish  you  would  go  a  little  easy  with  the 
"boys.'  'AVhy,  what  do  you  mean,  ]Mr.  Mead?'  said 
"Henry.  'Well,  I  mean,'  was  the  reply,  'that  while 
"this  race  lasts  you  must  give  the  boys  sarsaparilla 
"when  they  ask  for  whisky,  and  if  they  call  for 
"brandy,  make  it  a  point  to  serve  seltzer.'  Henry 
"smiled  at  the  idea  of  thus  fooling  an  Americus  Club 
"man  but  nevertheless  he  promised  to  try  it. 

"But  to  return  to  the  race.  Pilot  Witherwax  had 
"calculated  correctly,  for  he  succeeded  in  getting 
"abreast  of  North  Brother  Island  before  the  Seawan- 
''haka  began  to  lap  over  the  Komcr.  At  this  point 
"she  was  slii:)ping  by  at  the  rate  of  about  ten  feet  a 
"minute,  guard  to  guard,  with  the  Homer  so  close 
"that  conversation  was  easily  carried  on  between  the 
"two  vessels. 

"The  j^assengers  and  crews  of  both  boats  were  now 
"in  a  fever  heat  of  excitement. 

"I  think  I  never  saw  such  a  crazy  lot  as  yelled  at 
"each  other  across  the  span  of  a  dozen  feet  between 
"the  two  boats.  Women  shook  their  parasols  in  the 
"air  and  S(|uealed  like  a  flock  of  geese. 

[214] 


LINWOOD— THE  JOHX  ROMER 

"Billy  Witherwax's  face  was  as  stern  as  an  In- 
"dian's.  Again  he  gave  the  bell  for  more  steam  only 
"to  be  disappointed.  Every  minute  made  a  decided 
"difference  in  the  relative  position  of  the  contending 
"steamers,  and  it  was  plain  that  something  more  must 
"be  done,  and  without  delay,  or  the  Romer  w^ould  be 
"left  behind. 

"Witherwax  again  sought  the  tube  and  yelled: 
"  'Give  her  more  fire.  If  you  can't  find  anything 
"else  throw  Pat.  Donnelly  into  the  furnace.  We 
"must  have  more  fire,  and  I  guess  he'll  burn.' 

"Patrick  Donnelly,  only  recently  deceased,  then 
"occupied  a  responsible  position  on  the  quarter  deck 
"of  the  Romer.  He  knew  all  about  the  freight  and 
"how  it  was  stowed.  He  knew^  exactly  where  to  put 
"his  hand  on  a  tub  of  Abe  Acker's  lard  and  when 
"he  heard  the  order  repeated  by  the  engineer,  ratlier 
"than  be  sacrificed  himself,  he  produced  the  lard. 
"The  fireman  seized  it  and  flung  it  on  the  coals.  The 
"steamer  leaped  ahead  like  a  sailboat  in  a  squall. 
"Black  smoke  belched  from  the  stack.  Slie  walked 
"by  the  Secncanhaka  as  the  Pilgrim  will  pass  the 
'\Sarah  Thorp. 

"Witlierwax's  triumph  was  complete  and  he  held 
"the  Romer  on  her  course  in  an  undisputed  lead  all 
"the  way  to  Twenty-third  Street." 

The  Seawatihaka  never  bothered  the  Romer  again, 
but  I  never  pass  the  "sunken  meadows"  and  see  the 
ghostly  hog  frame  of  the  lost  Seaivanliaka  rising 
amid  the  swaying  drift  of  sedge  grass  that  I  do  not 

[215] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

recall  the  fact  that  the  2nd  June,  1880,  when  she  was 
driven  onto  those  meadows,  wreathed  in  flames,  was 
the  thirteenth  anniversary  of  her  famons  race  with 
the  John  Bonier. 


[216] 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

THE    TWEED    FA:MIEY 

THK  members  of  ]Mr.  Tweed's  family  were  well 
known  about  the  villaf>e.  While  many  of  the  vil- 
lagers treated  them  with  something  like  an  air  of  awe, 
they  mixed  in  quite  well  and  those  who  knew  them 
liked  them. 

The  oldest  son  was  William  ^L,  Jr.  We  knew 
him  as  "Billy"  and  he  was  quite  intimate  with  Henrj^ 
]M.  FitzGerald  and  Stephen  G.  White. 

Billy  Tweed  was  a  fine-lookini)-  vouno-  man  in  those 
days.  He  was  tall  and  straight,  carried  himself 
well,  and  wore  Dundreary  whiskers.  If  a  man  could 
raise  a  good  pair  of  "side-boards,"  as  such  whiskers 
were  called,  he  was  all  right.  And  this  Billy  had 
done  to  perfection. 

It  is  somewhat  singular  that  William  ]M.  Tweed, 
Jr.,  married  a  Greenwicli  girl  whom  he  met  in  New 
York  City.  Her  father  and  many  earlier  gen.era- 
tions  were  natives  of  the  town  and  lived  at  Davis 
Landing.  Her  father  was  Silas  Davis,  who  for 
many  years  was  engaged  in  the  flour  business  in  Xew 
York  under  the  firm  name  of  Davis  &  Benson.  He 
had  made  a  large  fortune  and  his  daughter  had  all 
the  advantages  afforded  by  wealth.  She  ^\  as  then  a 
beautiful  girl  of  fin.e  character  and  she  is  still  a  hand- 

[217] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

some  woman,  upon  whom  the  hand  of  time  has  rested 
lightly.     Her  husband  died  about  1908. 

The  next  son  was  Richard.  He  had  a  very  fast 
black  horse  that  he  drove  at  top  speed  from  Maple 
Avenue  to  Putnam  Hill.  It  was  his  habit  to  do  this 
nearly  every  day,  till  the  warden  of  the  Borough  put 
a  stop  to  it  by  telling  Dick  that  if  he  wanted  to  trot 
his  horse,  he  had  better  enter  him  at  Jerome  Park. 
Richard  went  to  Europe  in  1879,  subsequently  mar- 
ried the  widow  of  his  brother  Charles  and  shortly 
afterward  died  in  Paris. 

There  were  two  daughters  whose  names  I  do  not 
recall.  They  married  two  wealthy  lirothers  by  the 
name  of  ^IcGuinness  who  resided  in  New  Orleans 
and  tliere  they  went  to  live  about  1871.  I  am  told 
that  one  is  still  living  and  moves  in  the  best  circles 
of  that  aristocratic  southern  city. 

Josephine  came  next.  She  was  a  young  lady  of 
great  l)eauty,  a  brunette,  and  was  about  eighteen 
years  old  when  her  father  was  at  the  height  of  his 
glory.  She  drove  a  pair  of  beautifully  matched, 
high-spirited  black  horses.  It  was  certainly  a  pleas- 
ure to  observe  the  skill  and  dignity  with  wliich  she 
would  rein  the  team  up  in  front  of  the  post  office  for 
the  afternoon  mail.  She  married  a  wealthy  New 
Yorker  by  the  name  of  Frederick  Douglas  and  in 
1898  they  were  living  on  Staten  Island. 

Jennie  was  a  school  girl  in  1865  and  was  thus  well 
known  by  the  school  children  of  that  period.  Hers 
was  a  short  life,  as  she  died  before  she  was  twenty. 

[218] 


THE  TWEED  FAMILY 

Charlie  was  a  romping  boy  in  his  early  teens,  with 
a  lively  pony  and  without  nuicli  time  for  his  books. 
School  had  little  attraction  for  him  and  at  one  time  he 
had  a  tutor.  Had  he  lived  in  these  days  he  would 
have  possessed  a  high  power  motor  car,  if  not  a  fly- 
ing: machine.  But  everybody  liked  Charlie  Tweed 
and  all  were  saddened  at  the  news  of  his  death  some 
years  after  Lin  wood  was  sold. 

George  was  a  baby  in  1865.  Of  him  1  never  had  a 
very  intimate  knowledge,  as  he  died  in  early  youth. 

After  Tweed's  troubles  began  in  1873,  the  glory 
of  Linwood  began  to  wane.  The  checkerboard  team 
was  seen  no  more  and  many  of  the  other  fine  horses 
were  sold.  ^Nloney  ceased  to  flow  in,  and  after  the 
incarceration  in  I^udlow  Street  jail,  the  demands  that 
were  made  upon  Tweed  by  his  lawyers  for  a  defense 
fund  were  large.  John  Graham,  bewigged  and  al- 
ways wearing  kid  gloves  with  the  Angers  amputated, 
was  his  chief  counsel.  Elihu  Root,  now  so  well 
known,  was  at  the  head  of  a  younger  coterie  of  men 
who  worked  up  the  details  of  the  defense  that  did  not 
succeed. 

All  this  required  large  sums  of  money  and  from 
time  to  time  various  things  w^ere  sold  at  Linwood. 
The  greenhouses  were  stripped  of  rare  plants  and 
many  articles  that  had  special  value  because  of  their 
association,  were  quietly  disposed  of  for  a  substantial 
consideration.  When  Greenwich  Avenue  was  re- 
cently widened  at  its  lower  end,  on  what  was  formerly 
the  Thomas  Ritch  property,  I  saw  a  couple  of  ornate 

[219] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 


i]'on  lamp  posts  pulled  down  that  formerly  stood  in 
front  of  the  house  at  Linwood.  There  were  many 
other  things  that  found  their  way  into  the  possession 
of  Greenwich  people  who  afterwards  would  some- 
times covertly  allude  to  their  origin. 

By  this  it  must  not  he  inferred  that  the  family  was 
impoverished.     Mrs.  Tweed  owned  valua])le  real  es- 

.  tate  here  and  in  New 
York  City  and  it  was 
prohahly  only  hecause  of 
a  desire  to  limit  expenses 
and  prepare  for  the  final 
disposition  of  Linwood 
that  she  made  such  dis- 
position of  her  person- 
alty. The  property  was 
listed  with  many  real  es- 
tate agencies  in  New 
York  City  and  was 
brought  to  the  attention  of  many  local  capitalists,  but 
it  remained  unsold  year  after  year,  when  the  pi'ice 
asked  for  eighty  acres  was  only  fifty  thousand  dollars. 
Finally  in  the  fall  of  1878  a  syndicate  was  formed 
consisting  of  A.  Foster  Higgins,  Solomon  ]Mead, 
Frank  Sliepard,  principal  of  the  Academy,  and  one 
or  two  others,  whose  names  I  do  not  recall.  To  one 
of  the  syndicate,  whose  name  is  not  mentioned,  was 
entrusted  the  duty  of  closing  the  deal. 

The  purpose  of  the  syndicate  was  to  establish  a 
residence  park,  something  like  Rockefeller  Park,  al- 

[220] 


FRANK   SHEPARD 

III    IS(i<) 


THE  TWEED  FAMILY 

though  the  demand  for  lioiise  lots  was  not  as  aetive 
in  those  days  as  it  was  after  the  puhlie  water  and 
sewers  had  been  intro(hieed.  It  would  liave  made, 
however,  an  ideal  residence  park  and  it  was  the  pioneei" 
effort  in  that  direction.  The  matter  dragged  along 
through  the  winter  montlis  of  1878,  without  any  re- 
port to  the  syndicate,  and  finally  in  February,  1871), 
its  members  awoke  to  the  fact  that  the  land  liad 
sli])ped  away  from  them  and  had  become  the  prop- 
erty of  Jeremiah  ]Milbank,  having  sold  for  $47,500. 

AVhen  the  title  was  being  closed  in  the  old  Town 
Clerk's  office  I  asked  William  M.  Tweed,  Jr.,  who 
represented  his  mother,  liow  it  happened  tliat  the 
$50,000  offer  was  rejected.  "No  sucli  an  offer  was 
made,"  said  he.  "I  would  have  been  glad  of  $2,500 
more,  but  the  offer  that  came  to  me  from  the  syndi- 
cate w^as  $40,000  and  I  was  told  that  no  better  offer 
would  be  made."  It  was  just  one  of  those  Httle  inci- 
dents, growhig  out  of  lack  of  judgment,  probably, 
that  often  attend  real  estate  transactions  and  are  far- 
reaching  in  tlieir  consequences. 

In  1868  and  1869  ^Nlr.  Tweed  was  in  the  height  of 
his  glory.  He  ruled  New  York  with  an  iron  hand  and 
yet  there  must  have  been  times  when  he  realized  that 
his  political  power  rested  on  a  thin  sliell  of  corru])tion. 
liable  any  day  to  collapse  and  plunge  him  into  a 
vortex  of  adverse  public  sentiment.  He  loved  flat- 
tery and  he  hated  to  be  criticised.  Tom  Nast,  Har- 
pers' famous  cartoonist,  had  even  then  sharpened  his 
pencil    and    occasionally    Tweed    appeared    in    the 

[221] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

WecMy  with  a  blazing  diamond  in  his  shirt  front. 
But  nothing  in  those  years  appeared  that  seemed 
serious  to  Tweed,  although  they  greatly  annoyed  him. 

As  an  offset  to  such  influences.  Senator  Harry 
Genet  and  a  few  of  that  ilk  started  a  oeneral  contri- 
bution  to  a  fund  for  a  public  statue  to  ]Mr.  Tweed,  to 
be  erected  in  Central  Park.  These  men  realized  what 
many  people  have  failed  to  give  jNIr.  Tweed  credit 
for,  and  that  was  his  remarkable  conception  of  the 
future  of  the  City  of  New  York.  He  often  ex- 
])resse(l  regret  that  jNlanhattan  Island  with  its  mag- 
niflcent  Mater  front,  should  have  been  laid  out  in 
angles  and  squares,  and  it  was  he  who  planned  the 
Boulevard  and  Riverside  Drive. 

During  this  period  he  cast  about  for  sustaining 
influences  an.d  in  the  summer  of  1868  and  18H9  he 
invited  the  children  of  the  city  orphan  asylum  on 
Randall's  Island  to  visit  him  at  I^inwood.  They 
were  called  for  short  the  "Randall's  Island  children," 
and  their  coming  was  announced  several  days  in  ad- 
vance. Dodworth's  band — Tweed  would  have  noth- 
ing else — came  with  them  on  a  steamboat  chartered 
for  the  occasion.  They  were  marched  up  Green- 
wich Avenue  and  down  Putnam  Avenue  to  Linwood, 
with  the  band  in  advance  and  most  of  the  villagers 
looking  on  with  pride  at  the  benevolent  act  of  their 
distinguished  neighbor.  ]Mr.  Tweed  in  his  silk  hat 
and  frock  coat  with  the  inevitable  white  tie,  stood 
out  on  the  lawn  in  front  of  the  house  and  reviewed 
his  youthful  guests;  on  one  occasion  addressing  tliem 

[222] 


THE  TWEED  FAMILY 

as  the  future  voters  of  the  great  nietropohs.  After 
this  ceremony  they  dishanded,  with  evident  reHef, 
and  were  turned  loose  on  the  Linwood  grounds,  to  the 
great  disgust  of  Theodore  H.  ^Nlead,  whose  ap])le 
orchard  adjoined  and  suffered  accordingly. 

Perhaps  it  was  the  same  spirit  of  assumed  henevo- 
lence  that  caused  him  to  donate  to  one  of  the  village 
churches  a  sandstone  baptistry  around  the  base  of 
which  was  inscribed,  with  letters  deeply  cut,  the 
words,  "The  gift  of  William  :M.  Tweed,  18()9."  It 
still  remains  within  the  church,  although  it  lias  lost 
its  former  jjlace  of  prominence. 

During  this  period  he  was  also  recognized  as  gen- 
erous to  the  bearer  of  a  subscription  paper  and  the 
object  mattered  not;  black  or  white.  Catholic  or 
Protestant,  all  were  received  with  a  benign  smile  and 
a  ready  response. 

On  one  occasion  the  good  ladies  of  a  certain  re- 
ligious organization  called  upon  him  with  the  request 
for  a  subscription  for  an  organ.  Before  approach- 
ing him,  however,  they  had  gathered  up  all  the  sub- 
scriptions possible,  but  had  found  rather  hard  sled- 
ding, with  the  result  that  the  pledges  were  only  half 
sufficient. 

Taking  the  subscription  paper,  he  footed  up  the 
various  small  amounts,  with  the  stub  of  a  pencil  he 
had  taken  from  his  vest  pocket,  and  looking  over  his 
gold-rimmed  glasses  at  the  somewhat  awed  commit- 
tee, he  said,  "Well,  what  is  the  damn  thing  going  to 
cost,  anyway?" 

[223] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 

The  ladies  were  shocked  at  tlie  expression,  but  a 
(juickly  drawn  clieck  for  the  balance  required,  served 
as  a  relief  for  their  feelings,  and  they  left  express- 
ing many  thanks  and  a  world  of  good  wishes. 


[224] 


CHAPTER  XiX 

THE   ESCAPE   OF   AVILLIAM    M.    TWEED 

IX  Chapter  XV  allusion  lias  l)eeii  made  to  the  escape 
of  Tweed  from  jail  and  his  subsequent  a])prehen- 
sion  and  arrest  in  Vii>'o,  Spain.  One  of  his  own  ap- 
pointees in  the  Sheriff's  office  took  him  out  for  a  ride; 
he  stopped  to  make  a  call  at  his  own  home  in  the  city, 
and  he  never  appeared  a<»'ain  until  several  months 
had  elapsed.  ^lany  accounts  have  been  given  of  his 
escape  and  of  his  place  of  hiding  before  he  em])arke(l 
for  Spain,  but  all  of  them  are  very  far  from  the 
truth. 

Before  I  relate  the  actual  story  of  his  esca])e,  let  me 
recall  certain  facts,  within  tlie  memory  of  many 
Greenwich  people,  which  are  closely  connected  with 
that  event. 

On  the  ninth  day  of  June.  1870.  one  Isaac  Mosher 
sold  twenty-four  acres  of  land  and  a  farm  house 
northwest  of  Cos  Cob  village  to  Lydia  G.  ^IcMullen, 
the  wife  of  William  JNlc Mullen.  The  price  ])aid  was 
$12,300  and  the  transaction  was  closed  in  the  office 
of  Col.  Heusted  W.  R.  Hoyt,  counsel  for  JNlr.  Ta\  eed. 
The  latter  was  present  on  the  occasion  and  su])se- 
quently  he  gave  a  great  deal  of  attention  to  the  im- 
provements made  to  the  property.     This  place  is  lo- 

[22.-,] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 

cated  on  tlie  easterly  side  of  the  hi"-hwav  runniiifir 
northerly  from  the  Post  Road  near  the  residence  of 
Augustus  and  Catherine  ]Mead  which  was  then  known 
as  the  Edward  ^lead  homestead.  The  house  is  still 
standing,  hut  since  the  days  of  Tweed  has  been  much 
enlarged  and  more  recently  has  been  known  as  the 
Ardendale  Sanitarium.  Pie  introduced  ]Mrs.  Mc- 
jNIullen  as  his  niece  and  it  was  understood  that  she 
and  her  husband  were,  to  a  certain  extent,  dependent 
upon  him. 

Andrew  J.  (xarvey,  a  member  of  the  Americus 
Clul),  and  generally  known,  from  his  numerous  con- 
tracts, as  the  city  plasterer,  paid  all  the  repair  bills 
on  the  ^Ic^lullen  house.  Garvey  usually  left  the 
train  at  Cos  Cob  carrying  a  carpetbag  filled  with 
greenbacks  with  which  to  pay  the  mechanics  and  ma- 
terial men  employed  on  the  job.  Subsequently  in 
one  of  the  ring  prosecutions  in  the  New  York  Su- 
preme Court,  the  fact  ap]jeared  that,  at  least  the 
plastering,  if  not  all  of  the  repair  work  on  the  ^Ic- 
Mullen  house,  was  charged  to  the  city. 

At  that  period  the  Cos  Cob  station  agent  was  a 
young  man  who  has  since  been  a  prominent  resident 
and  officeholder  in  the  Borough.  He  had  consider- 
able to  do  with  handling  the  freight  and  express  pack- 
ages for  the  JNIc^Mullen  house,  to  his  pecuniar}^  ad- 
vantage, and  after  the  family  moved  in,  he  continued 
to  be  a  great  favorite  with  them  because  of  his  uni- 
versal courtesy  and  promptness. 

On  his  home  trip  from  the  Duane  Street  office  in 

[226] 


ESCAPE  OF  WILLIAM  INI.  TWEED 

New  York,  JNlr.  Tweed  usually  left  the  train  at 
Greenwich,  but,  as  he  held  in  high  esteem  his  nephew 
and  niece,  it  is  not  stran*>e  that  occasionally  he  was 
invited  to  \rdss  the  night  with  them  at  Cos  Cob. 

The  young  station  agent  began  to  notice  that  the 
9.15  evening  train  at  Cos  Cob  would  frequently  stop 
a  thousand  feet  west  of  the  station,  down  by  Edward 
Mead's  bars,  and  then  crawl  up  to  the  station.  In 
the  glare  of  the  headlight  it  was  hard  to  determine 
why  the  pause  was  made,  as  down  the  length  of  the 
train  was  impenetrable  darkness.  Frank  Hermance 
was  the  conductor  of  the  train.  He  was  one  of  the 
old-fashioned  conductors,  who  carried  a  lantern  with 
his  name  ground  on  the  glass  globe  and  a  rose  in  his 
buttonhole.  When  he  entered  the  door  he  came  with 
a  bound  and  a  smile  and  many  will  recall  how  he 
purred  the  words,  "Good  morning,  brother,"  as  he 
punched  the  tickets. 

It  was  the  duty  of  the  station  agent  to  report  such 
an  irregularity  as  halting  a  train  down  by  Edward 
JNIead's  bars  and  especially  when  the  occurrence  was 
frequent.  Finally  he  told  ^Ir.  Hermance  that  he 
would  be  obliged  to  report  him  if  it  occurred  again, 
but  Frank  only  smiled  and  gave  the  station  agent  a 
friendly  salute  as  he  started  his  train. 

About  this  time  Tweed  was  indicted  by  the  Grand 
Jury  of  Xew  York  County,  locked  up  in  the  Tombs 
and  upon  the  trial  before  Judge  Noah  Davis  and  a 
jury  was  convicted.  Judge  Davis  had  never  been 
a  friend  of  Tweed's  and  on  the  opening  day  of  the 

[227] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

trial,  Joliii  Graham,  bis  leading-  counsel,  very  humbly 
suggested  that  His  Honor  "was  disqualified,"  for 
which  insinuation  INIr,  (Traham  was  promptly  fined 
$250.  Rut  the  charge  to  the  jury  was  fair  and  the 
only  critieism  counsel  for  the  defense  made  was  "the 
remarkable  sentence  imposed  by  the  Court." 

He  was  convieted  on  fifty  out  of  fifty-five  charges 
against  him  and  sentenced  by  Judge  Davis  to  an 
aggregate  of  twelve  years  imprisonment.  He  might 
have  been  sentenced  for  sixty  years,  but  Judge  Davis 
deeided  that  he  would  give  bJm  a  sentence  ])roportion- 
ate  to  his  avei"age  share  in  the  stealings;  that  is  that  he 
would  give  him  twenty  per  cent,  of  what  he  might 
have  im})osed  uj)on  him. 

Tlien  the  (juestion  was  generally  discussed  as  to 
whether  a  cumulative  senteiiee,  as  it  was  ealled,  was 
legal,  (xraham  appealed  to  the  (Tcneral  Term,  now 
called  the  Appellate  Division,  and  was  defeated,  but 
afterwards  the  Court  of  Ai)peals  held  that  'I'weed 
could  not  })egin  to  serve  a  new  sentence  of  a  year  at 
the  end  of  a  term  of  service  of  ])unishment  upon  an- 
other count. 

jNleanwhile  Tweed  went  to  RlackwelTs  Island  and 
began  to  serve  his  sentence,  occupying  a  double 
room  luxuriously  furnished,  near  the  northeast  end 
of  the  penitentiary  building.  In  going  down  the 
East  River,  on  the  Brooklyn  side  you  may  still  see 
in  the  grim  walls  of  the  great  building  a  double  win- 
dow, the  only  one,  which  was  made  expressly  to  add 
to  the  comfort  of  ]Mr.  Tweed  in  his  days  of  imprison- 

[228] 


ESCAPE  OF  WILLIAM  M.  TWEED 

meiit,  when  he  was  heiiit>'  attended  by  the  officers  wiio 
awed  tlieir  appointment  to  their  prisoner. 

Upon  the  reversal  of  the  jndgment  by  th.e  Conrt 
of  Appeals  ]Mr.  Tweed  was  re-arrested  and  held  in 
IakIIow  Street  jail  under  the  eivil  suit  brought  by  the 
city  for  six  million  dollars  damages  and  it  was  from 
this  place  that  one  night  he  made  his  escape. 

It  is  unnecessary  here  to  go  into  the  ])articulars 
of  that  escape  furtlier  than  as  they  are  connected 
with  and  apply  to  the  town  of  Greenwich.  Tweed 
had  disappeared  and  there  was  no  clew  to  his  where- 
abouts. Andrew  H.  Green,  Charles  O'Conor, 
J()se])h  H.  Choate  and  the  others  of  the  famous  Com- 
mittee of  Seventy  offered  a  reward  of  fifty  thousand 
dollars  for  his  apprehension.  If  you  will  read  the 
newspapers  of  those  days  you  will  notice  that  from 
the  time  of  his  departure  till  he  was  reported  in  Vigo, 
Spain,  there  is  no  positive  account  of  his  whereabouts. 
There  were  at  least  two  men,  however,  who  might 
have  made  the  story  clear.  One  was  the  young  sta- 
tion agent  at  Cos  Cob  and  the  other  was  George  AV. 
Hoffman. 

It  was  in  the  early  winter  of  187.5  that  the  Cos 
Cob  agent,  who  had  just  laid  aside  an  evening  paper 
telling  of  the  escape  of  Tweed  and  advertising  the 
fifty-thousand  dollar  reward  notice,  that  the  9.1.5 
train  again  made  its  mysterious  stop  at  Edward 
Mead's  bars.  The  agent  was  angry.  The  conduc- 
tor had  disregarded  his  threat  to  report  him,  and  was 
again  disobeying  the  rules.      Seizing  a  lantern  he  ran 

[229] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREEXWICH 


down  the  track.  As  he  passed  beyond  the  glare  of 
the  headlight  and  reached  the  baggage  car,  he  saw 
the  side  door  slide  open.  At  that  moment  a  w^oman 
from  })ehind  smashed  his  lantern.  Bewildered  in  the 
sudden,  darkness,  he  stepped  forward  and  put  his 
hand  on  the  great  bulk  of  William  JNI.  Tweed.  There 
was  a  man  with  him  and  a  woman  followed,  leaping 

across    the    ditch    beside 
the    track,    and    up    the 
bank     through     Edw^ard 
iNIead's     bars.     There     a 
carriage    was    in   waiting 
and    George    W.    Hoff- 
man was  on  the  box. 
Who     was     Hoffman? 
I    He  was  not  a  member  of 
the  Americus  Clul)  and  I 
'    could  never  get  anv  defi- 

.lA.MKS    KLPHICK  .  .  .  ' 

18:24—1889  nite     information     as     to 

W'ho  he  W'as,  except  that  Philip  X.  Jackson,  the  son 
of  an  Americus  Club  man,  said  he  was  one  of  Tweed's 
men.  Jackson  was  a  messenger  in  the  Xew  York  Su- 
preme Court  by  Tweed's  appointment  and  in  the  late 
seventies  and  early  eighties  was  the  trial  justice  in 
Greenwich. 

After  Tweed's  death  Hoffman  came  to  Green- 
wicli  to  reside.  He  apparently  had  considerable 
money  and  he  purchased  of  James  Elphick  a  large 
area  of  oyster  ground.  A  long  and  serious  litigation 
then  followed  between  Elphick  and  Hoffman  over 

[230] 


ESCAPE  OF  WILLIAM  M.  TWEED 

the  contracts  for  the  purchase  of  this  oyster  ground, 
and  the  case  finally  terminated  in  the  Court  of  Errors 
in  favor  of  Mr.  Elphick  and  is  reported  in  the  49th 
volume  of  Connecticut  Reports. 

While  this  litigation  was  in  progress,  I  saw  much 
of  Hoffman  and  on  more  than  one  occasion  lie  ad- 
mitted that  Tweed  came  up  on  the  9.15  on  the  night 
in  ({uestion,  occupying  the  baggage  car.  Hoffman 
never  told  how"  he  got  Tweed  into  the  car  at  42nd 
Street,  but  at  that  time  there  was  ample  opportunity 
to  walk,  unseen,,  down  wdiat  had  once  been  Fourth 
Avenue,  on  the  south  side  of  the  train  and  slip  into 
the  baggage  car. 

From  Cos  Cob  the  carriage,  with  Tweed  in  it,  was 
driven  to  the  ^NIcMullen  house,  where  his  last  meal 
in  Greenwich  was  eaten.  Thence  he  was  driveii  across 
to  Tarrytown  where  a  tug  chartered  by  Hoffman 
was  waiting.  This  tug  took  ^Ir.  Tweed  down  to  the 
lower  bay  and  to  an  outgoing  freight  steamer  bound 
for  Cuba. 

In  the  port  of  Havana  under  the  beetling  walls 
of  jNIoro  Castle  Tweed  was  transferred  to  another 
steamer  bound  for  Spain  and  was  subsequently  cap- 
tiu'ed  at  Vigo  and  sent  back  to  Ludlow  Street  jail 
where  he  died  April  12,  1878,  at  the  age  of  fifty-five. 

Often  I  have  thought  of  that  $50,000  reward  that 
the  3'oung  station  agent  made  no  attempt  to  earn. 
How  easy  it  would  have  been  to  telegraph  the  authori- 
ties who  had  offered  the  reward,  and  to  have  caught 
Tweed  that  night  as  his  last  dinner  in  the  ^NIc^NIullen 

[231] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 

house  was  being  served.  The  agent  knew  exactly 
where  he  was.  He  was  poor  then,  but  now  he  is 
worth  more  than  twice  the  amount  of  that  reward. 
Once  I  asked  him  about  it.  He  took  from  his  lips 
an  expensive  cigar  and  contemplated  reflectively  its 
lono',  unbroken  ash.  Then  he  looked  at  me  and  said, 
"I  thought  of  it,  but  how  could  I?" 


[232] 


CHAPTER  XX 

THE    OI>D    TOWN    HALL 

THE  old  Town  Hall,  which  stood  where  tlie  Sol- 
diers' ^Monument  now  stands,  was  hurned  the 
night  of  October  15,  1874.  This  building  had  lieen 
used  many  years  for  public  meetings,  theatrical 
shows,  church  fairs,  elections,  and  as  a  court  room 
for  the  trial  Justice  of  the  Peace. 

It  was  a  single  room,  lighted  by  eight  windows, 
containing  a  portable  bench  for  the  covu't  and  an 
enclosure  for  the  lawyers,  which  usually  stood  on  the 
east  side  of  the  room.  The  Selectmen  and  otiier  town 
officials  had  their  offices  in  a  small  frame  building,  on 
Greenwich  Avenue,  which  stood  where  the  brick 
building  of  Tuthill  Brothers  now  stands.  At  a  later 
date  the  officials  occupied  rooms  in  the  old  Congre- 
gational Cliurch  building  after  it  was  removed  to  the 
corner  of  Putnam  Avenue  and  Sherwood  Place. 

At  the  time  of  the  fire  it  had  outlived  its  useful- 
ness. As  early  as  1873  the  question  of  a  new  town 
hall  was  seriously  considered.  At  the  annual  meet- 
ing in  that  year,  Luke  A.  Lockwood,  Drake  ^Nlead, 
William  J,  ^Nlead,  Odle  C,  Knapp  and  Thomas  A, 
jNIead  were  appointed  to  inquire  into  the  expediency 
of  erecting  a  new  building.     This  committee  was  also 

[233] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

charged  with  the  duty  of  recommending  the  location, 
the  size,  architectural  character  and  internal  arrange- 
ment of  such  a  building,  and  the  estimated  cost. 
The  following  year  the  committee  was  continued. 


TOWN    HALI> 

Drawn    from    description   by    Carleton    W.    Hubbard 

having  reported  progress.  A  set  of  plans  had  been 
prepared  for  a  building  which  was  to  be  erected  on 
the  northeast  corner  of  Putnam  Avenue  and  Sher- 
wood Place,  then  considered  the  business  center. 
These  plans  were  afterwards  framed  and  for  many 
years  luing  on  the  wall  of  the  Town  Clerk's  office. 

INIr.   George  Jackson   Smith,  the  Town  Clerk  at 
that  time,  had  a  habit  of  lioasting  of  his  expensive 

[234] 


THE  OLD  TOWN  HALL 


wall  decoration,  for  the  picture  cost  the  town  twelve 
hundred  dollars. 

It  woidd  seem,  however,  that  many  were  interested 
in  the  suhject  and  desirous  of  carrying  out  the  plans, 
because  in  1874  the  Selectmen  were  authorized  to  ap- 
ply to  the  General  Assembly  for  authority  to  bond 
the  town  for  $75,000,  for  the  purpose  of  building  a 
new  town  hall.  A  spe- 
cial town  meeting  was 
called  Xovember  28, 
1878,  and  the  Town  Hall 
C  o  m  m  i  1 1  e  e  was  in- 
structed to  present  plans 
and  make  report  to  a 
"special  meeting  here- 
after to  be  called  to  con- 
sider the  whole  subject 
of  a  new  Town  Hall." 
While  the  new  Town  Hall  was  being  discussed,  the 
officials  moved  into  Aaron  P.  Ferris'  new  building, 
which  had  been  erected  for  a  hotel  and  is  the  building 
now  owned  by  the  town  and  occupied  by  ]Mayer  H. 
Cohen. 

The  town  paid  an  annual  rent  of  $600.  The  Se- 
lectmen occupied  the  south  side  and  the  Town  Clerk 
and  Judge  of  Probate  the  north  side,  first  floor.  The 
second  and  third  floors  were  occupied  as  tenements 
until  the  first  of  July,  1875,  when  the  second  floor 
was  converted  into  public  oflices.     ^Nlyron  L.  ]Mason, 

[235] 


GEORGE  J.  SMITH 

1814-1877 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

Edward  J.  Wright.  Charles  Cameron,  I^eaiider  P. 
Jones,  INLI)..  Dr.  Beverly  E.  Mead,  R.  Jay  Walsh, 
James  F.  Walsh,  Frederick  A.  Huhliard  and  pos- 
sihlv  others  ocenpied  offices  on  the  second  floor  of  this 
bnildino-. 


TOWN   HALL   IX   IS7S 

.riihn    IL    I{a\     juul    John    E.    Ray    stand    in    the    foresiround    under    tlie 

tree   ])lanted   liv   Edward   J.   Wriglit 

It  was  crowded,  uncomfortable  and  badly  ar- 
ranged for  such  ])urposes  and  yet  for  years  it  was 
the  only  phice  for  an  office  because  it  was  the  actual 
business  center.  The  Assessors,  Board  of  Relief 
and  Tax  Collector  all  found  places  wherever  they 
could,  unless  actually  excluded  by  a  justice  trial,  held 
in  the  Selectmen's  office. 

[236] 


THE  OLD  TOWN  HALL 

But  the  .sc'lit'ine  to  build  a  new  town  hall  was  for- 
gotten and  we  might  still  be  using  the  Aaron  P.  Fer- 
ris building,  but  for  the  liberality  of  the  late  Robert 
]M.  Bruce  who,  with  his  sister,  ^liss  Sarah  Bruce, 
donated  the  new  liuildiu". 


ROBEUT  M.   BRUCE 

Philanthropist 
Besides    many    other   benevolent    gifts,    donated   to   Greenwich    its    Town 
Hall,    Puhlie    Park    and    Hospital 

On  ^lay  15,  187o,  "Sir.  Ferris  made  a  written  prop- 
osition to  sell  his  buildin^g  to  the  town.  He  described 
the  property  as  50  feet  wide  and  25-i  feet  deep  and 
the  price  named  was  $11,500,  to  be  paid  in  a  series  of 
notes,  drawmg  interest  at  the  rate  of  seven  per  cent., 
payable  over  a  term  of  ten  years.     The  proposition 

[287] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

was  accepted  at  a  special  town  meeting  and  the  town 
took  title  and  still  owns  the  property;  the  front  half 
of  Avhich  yields  a  rental  of  ahout  twelve  hundred  dol- 
lars a  year  and  reserves  shed  room  in  the  rear. 

At  the  time  the  town  took  title  we  had  no  public 
water,  sewers  or  lights.  The  water  supply  for  the 
town  ])uilding  was  a  large  well,  which  was  filled  up 
in  1896.  But  the  occupants  of  the  building  realized 
its  unsanitary  condition  and  at  the  annual  town  meet- 
ing in  1878  the  Town  Clerk  and  the  Judge  of  Pro- 
bate were  appointed  a  committee  "whose  duty  it  shall 
be,  at  an  expense  not  exceeding  $300,  to  make  needed 
repairs  and  improvements  in  and  about  the  rear  of 
the  town  building,  for  the  purpose  of  proper  use  and 
protection  of  the  well;  to  effect  safe  and  convenient 
exit  from  the  rear  doors  of  the  building;  to  build  a 
cistern  for  the  use  of  the  tenants  and  as  a  provision 
against  fire."  At  the  same  meeting  it  was  voted  to 
build  a  lockup  and  it  is  still  standing  as  a  storage 
room  in  the  rear  of  Cohen's  store. 

But  for  seventeen  years  matters  went  on  in  this 
way  without  a  ripple  until  September  9,  1895,  when 
an  attempt  was  made  to  purchase  the  land  adjoining 
on  the  south  owned  by  JNIarj^  F,  Dayton  and  now 
occupied  by  Elias  S.  Peck.  It  was  thought  that  the 
lot  enlarged  to  a  width  of  100  feet  would  warrant  the 
town  in  tearing  down  the  old  building  and  erect- 
in"-  a  new  town  hall  about  fiftv  feet  back  from  the 
street,  with  light  on  all  sides.  But  the  proposition 
was  voted  down  and  we  struggled  on  under  the  old 


t^fi' 


[238] 


THE  OLD  TOWN  HALL 

conditions  until  January  1,  1906,  when  the  new  town 
hall  was  occupied. 

Both  of  these  old  town  buildings  are  of  peculiar 
interest.  The  first  one  was  probably  built  about 
1830  and  represented  a  building  tyjjical  of  the  rural, 
farming  people.  The  illustration  which  is  given  is 
made  from  a  description  of  the  building,  there  being- 
no  photograph  of  it  in  existence.  But  the  drawing 
so  accurately  illustrates  the  old  ])uilding  that  those 
of  the  older  generation  will  at  once  recognize  it. 
During  all  those  fervid  times  before  and  during  the 
war  of  1861  it  was  used  as  a  polling  place,  as  indeed 
it  was  up  to  the  time  of  its  destruction.  But  in  the 
war  time  it  was  the  place  of  many  an  angry  debate 
and  many  incidents  occurred  which  are  still  talked 
about. 

Two  very  estimable  and  prominent  neighbors  once 
got  into  a  hot  political  dispute  on  an  election  day. 
One  resisted  the  entrance  of  the  other,  through  the 
door,  with  the  result  that  one  of  the  doors  was  pulled 
oif  the  hinges  and  the  two  contestants  with  the  door 
rolled  down  the  hill. 

From  1854*  till  long  after  the  war  tlie  Borough 
meetings  were  held  in  the  old  town  hall,  })ut  the  Bur- 
gesses met  at  private  houses  and  usually  at  tlie  home 
of  the  Clerk. 

I  first  knew  of  Borough  meetings  in  1860.  Billy 
Trumble,  a  quaint  little  old  man,  was  the  town  jani- 
tor. For  a  number  of  years  he  had  been  man  of  all 
work  for  th.e  Rev.  Dr.  Joel  H.  Linsley,  and,  holding 

[239] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 

such  a  post,  he  fancied  he  knew  all  the  affairs  of  the 
parish. 

The  old  man  had  quite  an  attraction  for  me  and 
his  sterling  character  and  odd  sayings  made  their  im- 
pression. It  was  his  duty  to  open  and  light  the  hall 
for  the  annual  meetings  of  the  Borough. 

After  he  had  arranged  the  henches  and  dusted  the 
chairs,  he  would  take  his  seat  and  with  the  immense 
hrass  door  key  across  his  lap  await  the  coming  of  the 
Warden.. 

On  such  occasions  I  enjoyed  sitting  by  his  side  and 
listening  to  the  queer  stories  of  what  he  claimed  to 
have  seen  and  heard  around  the  old  white  church, 
then  standing  in  front  of  the  present  stone  edifice. 
I  was  only  a  small  boy,  ])ut  I  realize  how  the  old  man 
enjoyed  impressing  upon  my  youthful  fancy  his  visits 
at  night  to  the  pulpit  and  the  pews,  where  he  routed 
out  the  bats  that  were  circling  around  in  the  moon- 
light. 

In  those  days  the  workmen  were  busy  on  the  new 
ch.urch  and  piles  of  rubliish  and  blocks  of  cut  stone 
occupied  every  possible  place  about  tlie  town  hall. 
The  cellar  had  also  been  invaded  by  the  stonecut- 
ters and  it  was  a  weird  place  at  night  after  they  had 
abandoned  it  to  the  darkness  and  the  bats.  One  of 
Billy's  duties  was  to  gatlier  up  the  chisels  and  ham- 
mers which  tile  workmen  liad  carelessly  left,  and  as 
his  "chores"  at  the  parsonage,  as  he  called  his  small 
errands  about  the  place,  often  kept  him  till  his  lan- 
tern was  needed,  it  was  my  great  delight  to  go  with 

[240] 


THE  OLD  TOWN  HALL 


him  on  such  nocturnal  trips,  poking  about  among  the 
chips  for  the  stray  tools. 

But  nothing  was  more  agreeable  to  Billy  than  the 
occasion  of  the  annual  Borough  meeting.  I  think  he 
felt  (piite  as  important  as  the  Warden  and  he  was 
certainly  better  paid,  as 
that  official  drew  no  sal- 
ary. 

After  the  arrival  of  the 
Warden  the  next  man  to 
appear  was  Robert  W. 
JNIead,  the  clerk.  These 
officials  would  talk  a  few 
minutes,  but  no  one  else 
appearing,  the  Warden 
would  step  over  to  the 
parsonage,  while  the 
clerk  would  hurry  up  to 
Solomon  ^lead's  and 
Charles  H.  Seaman's, 
and  Billv,  while  I  tagged 
at  his  heels,  would  be  sent 
down  to  invite  Henry  M. 
Benedict,  L.  P.  Hubbard,  Joseph  E.  Brush  and 
George  Selhck  up  to  vote. 

It  was  invariably  the  case  in  those  days  that  a  suf- 
ficient number  of  voters  to  fill  the  offices  would  not 
attend  the  meetings  except  upon  personal  solicitation, 
and  Billy  and  I  did  most  of  the  roping  in.  ]My  part 
was  to  carrv  the  lantern.     He  had  an  odd  but  very 

[241] 


A.MOS   M.   BRUSH 
In    1S()0 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

jDolite  way  of  touching  his  hat  and  saying,  "Please, 
sir,  there  are  only  four  at  the  meeting  and  it  takes 
eight  to  fill  the  offices.  Won't  you  come  up  and  vote 
for  somehody,  and  somehody  will  vote  for  you?" 

Such  an  appeal  was  irresistihle  and  we  elected  the 
full  Board.  I  can  remember  no  other  moderator  in 
that  building  on  election  days  except  Amos  ]M.  Brush. 

In  those  times  there  was  not  such  a  system  of  regis- 
tration and  such  a  poll  list  as  are  now  employed. 
Of  course,  the  Town  Clerk's  record  showed  who  wei'e 
voters  and  when  they  became  voters.  Both  political 
parties  were  represented  at  the  polls  and  there  was 
always  a  record  of  the  number  of  votes  deposited. 

Mr.  Brush,  the  moderator,  stood  behind  the  ballot 
box  and  as  the  voter  deposited  his  ballot  ]Mr.  Brush 
would  poke  it  down  among  the  others  with  liis  lead 
pencil.  On  one  occasion  a  voter,  whose  political  be- 
lief was  opposed  to  that  of  the  moderator,  charged 
the  latter  with  not  depositing  his  ballot  in  the  box. 
"Stop  the  voting,"  said  Mr.  Brush,  "unlock  the  box 
and  count  the  ballots,"  which  was  quickly  done,  and 
the  disgruntled  voter  was  satisfied  that  his  ballot  was 
among  the  others  and  not  upon  the  floor,  as  he  had 
charged. 

In  the  old  days  when  the  town  building  on  Green- 
wich Avenue  was  filled  with  tenants,  a  local  wit 
dubbed  it  "Lincoln's  Inn,"  and  a  young  man  who 
then  resided  here  but  who  subsequently  became  a 
grave  and  learned  professor  in  a  great  American  Uni- 
versity wrote   the   following  lines  which  were  x)ub- 

[242] 


\ 

THE  OLD  TOWN  HALL 

lished  in  the  Stamford  Herald.     The  first  and  last 
verses  only  are  quoted: 

Oh,  I  wish  I  livfd  in  Lincohi's  Inn 
Where  the  signs  are  made  of  gilt  and  tin ; 
With  my  feet  in  a  chair  I'd  sit  and  grin. 
It's  tlie  way  they  do  in  Lincoln's   Inn. 

Then  at  night  when  the  darkness  is  complete^ 
When  tlie  faithful  watchman  treads  his  beat, 
And  his  boots  resound  in  the  silent  street. 
Full  many  a  spectre,  weird,  he  sees. 
The  ghosts  of  departed  lawyers'  fees 
And  spirits  pale  of  all  degrees. 
Who  perch  in  the  dark;  on  the  signs  of  tin — 
Oh.  a  rare  old  ])lace  is  Lincoln's  Inn. 


[243] 


L 


CHAPTER  XXT 

THE    I.EWIS    AND    :MAS0N    FAMIIJES 

EWIS  and  jMasou  Streets  are  named  after  two 
prominent  old-time  families.  One  of  the  most 
interesting'  spots  in  the  Borough,  rife  as  it  is  with 
historic  memories,  is  the  northeast  corner  of  Putnam 
Avenue  and  I^afayette  Place,  where  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Lewis  lived,  and  which  was  suhsequently  owned  by 
his  daughter,  JNIrs.  INIary  E.  Mason,  and  his  grand- 
son, Theodore  L.  JNIason,  ^l.D. 

Before  the  war  of  the  Revolution  this  corner  and 
many  acres  besides  belonged  to  Henry  jNIead.  He 
was  the  landlord  of  a  Colonial  tavern  which  stood 
near  the  junction  of  tlie  main  country  road  and  the 
road  to  Sherwood's  Bridge,  now  Glenville.  Here  he 
entertained,  in  such  style  as  the  times  permitted,  Gen. 
Putnam,  Gen.  Lafayette  and  other  Revolutionary 
notables. 

Times  were  hard  in  Greenwich  after  the  close  of 
the  war  and  Henry  ]Mead  struggled  along  for  a  few 
years  and  then  moved  with  his  family  to  New  York 
City.     As  far  as  is  known,  none  of  them  returned. 

He  sold  the  old  homestead  or  tavern  in  1787  for 
three  hundred  and  twenty  pounds.  The  land, 
bounded  northerly  by  the  highway  and  what  is  now 
the  Lenox  House  property  and  westerly  by  the  road 

[244] 


\ 

THE  LEWIS  AXD  MASON  FAMILIES 

to  Piping  Point,  now  Greenwich  Avenue,  was  pur- 
chased from  Amos  JNIead  and  Henry  ^Nlead,  respec- 
tively. 

Lewis  Street  divides  the  southerly  tract  and  was 
very  appropriately  named  after  Dr.  Lewis. 

He  was  a  man  of  note  throughout  Xew  England. 
He  was  graduated  from  Yale  College  in  the  class  of 
17<>.5,  and  entered  the  ministry  of  the  Congregational 
Church.  His  long  and  lahorious  professional  life 
was  largely  passed  in  tlie  pastorate  of  the  Second 
Congregational  Society  in  this  town.,  which  position 
he  assumed  in  1786  and  occupied  for  tliirty-three 
years.  In  1792  Vale  College  conferred  on  him  the 
degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity,  and  from  1816  to  1818 
he  was  a  memher  of  the  Corporation,  and  in  181()  was 
made  a  Fellow  of  tlie  College.  Upon  acijuiring  the 
property  he  at  once  proceeded  to  remove  the  Henry 
^lead  house,  and  as  the  church  then  had  no  parson- 
age, he  built  a  fine  Colonial  mansion  about  seventy- 
five  feet  back  from  the  corner. 

The  old  fig  tree,  still  tliere,  was  planted  by  liim  and 
it  grew  verv  near  the  south  end  of  the  house.  It  was 
a  beautiful  house  in  all  its  proportions  and  in  the 
look  of  hospitality  wliich  always  pervaded  it.  It  was 
built  in  the  summer  of  1786,  but  was  not  an  old-fash- 
ioned swee])-back,  because  the  Colonies  had  become  in- 
dependent, and  the  necessity  for  a  one-story  house, 
which  is  said  to  have  been  exempt  from  taxation  by 
the  Crown,  no  longer  existed. 

I  have  had  many  interesting  conversations  with  the 

[24.5] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

late  Col.  Thomas  A.  JNIead,  Solomon  S.  ^lead,  D. 
Smith  Mead  and  Isaac  I.^.  ^Nlead  concerning  this  old 
mansion.  There  was  no  conflict  among  them  as  to 
the  location  and  appearance  of  the  house.  As  the  fig 
tree  grew  near  the  south  end,  it  is  easy  to  locate  it. 
The  house  faced  the  west,  and  from  the  front  door, 
over  which  was  an  old-time  porch  with  a  graceful 
trellis,  a  walk  hetween  rows  of  hox-wood  lead  to  La- 
fayette Place. 

It  was  considered  a  grand  house  and  its  owner  was 
looked  up  to  by  old  and  young  as  a  wise  and  good 
man.  It  was  his  home  for  thirty-three  years,  and 
during  that  period  it  was  the  center  of  social  and  re- 
ligious activities.  "He  was  kind  and  affectionate  in 
his  social  relations,  and  for  piety  and  learning  emi- 
nently distinguished,"  according  to  his  epitaph.  It 
is  easy  to  believe  he  wielded  a  powerful  influence  for 
good  in  the  community. 

Dr.  Eewis  died  August  27,  1840,  at  the  age  of 
ninety-five,  leaving  six  children  and  a  considerable  es- 
tate. 

Here,  also,  on  November  20,  1821,  died,  at  the 
early  age  of  twenty-four,  ^Nliss  Elizabeth  Stillson  of 
Bethlehem,  Conn.,  a  member  of  the  family  of  Dr. 
Lewis,  for  whom  the  Stillson  Benevolent  Society  of 
the  Second  Congregational  Church  was  named. 

The  children  who  survived  Dr.  Lewis  were  Zaeh- 
ariah;  Isaac,  who  succeeded  his  father  as  pastor  of  the 
church;  INIrs.  Piatt  BufFett  of  Stanwich;  "Sirs.  jNIary 
E.  jNIason,  widow  of  David  JNIason;  Roswell  W.,  and 

[246] 


THE  LEWIS  AND  MASON  FAMILIES 

Sarah.     ^Irs.   Hannah  Lewis,   the   mother  of  these 
children,  died  in  April,  1829. 

On  the  10th  of  Decemher,  1846,  all  the  Lewis  prop- 
erty was  conveyed  to  ^Nlary  E.  ]Mason  and  Sarah 
Lewis,  and  until  1850  they  were  inmates  of  tlie  old 
mansion.  Later  they  moved  to  the  new  house  which 
was  huilt  in  that  year  and  is  still  standing.  ^lary  E. 
Mason  was  the  mother  of 
Dr.  Theodore  L.  ^Nlason,  ^^ 

for  whom  Mason  Street, 
opened  in  1881,  was  ap- 
propriately named. 

JNIiss  Sarah  Lewis  was 
very  active  in  the  church 
that  for  so  many  years 
had  been  under  the  pas- 
torate of  her  father  and 
brother.  She  organized 
the  Sunday  School,  and 
was  its  first  superintendent.  Her  portrait  hangs 
ujjon  the  wall  in  the  Sunday  School  room. 

In  1801  David  JNIason,  Esq.,  married  Mary  Eliza- 
beth I^ewis,  daughter  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  I^ewis.  at  the 
old  homestead.  He  was  a  lawyer  of  al)ility  and  as 
an  advocate  had  special  influence.  He  was  engaged 
in  practice  in  Cooperstown,  N.  Y.,  with  ^Ir.  AVilliam 
Cooper,  an  elder  brother  of  James  Fenimore  Coo])er. 

His  cousin  was  Jeremiah  Mason  of  Boston,  who  in 
his  day  often  crossed  swords  with  Daniel  Webster  in 
the  courts  of  ^lassachusetts  and  New  Hampshire. 

[247] 


MISS  SARAH  LKWIS 
1 784-1  S(SO 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 


David  ^Nlasoii  wa.s  the  father  of  three  children,  of 
whom  Theodore  L.  INIason  was  tlie  eldest.  At  his 
death  his  widow  and  children  removed  to  Dr.  Eewis' 
residence  in  Greenwich,  where  Theodore's  youth  and 
early  manhood  were  spent.  Under  the  direction  of 
various  teachers,  and  notahly  in  the  private  school  of 
his  uncle,  the  Rev.  Piatt  RufFett  of  Stanwich,  he  re- 
ceived   a    tlioi-ouii'li    training    in    English    and    the 

classics.  Later  he  he- 
came  a  medical  student 
under  the  direction  of  Dr. 
Darius  ]Mead,  who  lived 
on  the  top  of  Putnam 
Hill  where  Edwin  H. 
Raker's  h  o  u  s  e  n  o  w 
stands.  Dr.  ]Mead  gave 
the  young  men  who 
studied  under  him  clinical 
instruction  at  the  hedside 
of  the  sick,  as  well  as  in- 
struction in  the  proper  text  hooks. 

Suhsequently  young  Dr.  JNIason  was  graduated 
from  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons  in  New 
York  and  practiced  a  few  months  in  Cireenwich. 
He  then  went  to  AVilton,  Conn.,  and  later  to  New 
York  City,  removing  from  there  to  Rrooklyn,  N.  Y., 
in  1834,  where  he  remained  in  the  active  practice  of 
his  profession  until  his  death  February  12,  1882. 
He  frequently  visited  Greenwich  and  during  his  life 

[248] 


DK. 


DAPvirS    MEAD 

In    18(j() 

1788-1864 


THE  LEWIS  AND  MASON  FAMILIES 

was  well  known  in  this  town.  After  his  death  the 
land  on  hoth  sides  of  INIason  and  Lewis  Streets  as 
well  as  that  alono-  Greenwich  Avenne  was  sold. 


[249] 


CHAPTER  XXII 

THE   OLD   BLACK   WALNUT  TREE 

THE  oreat  ])lack  walnut  tree  that  stands  on  ]Mrs. 
George  E.  Nichols'  front  lawn  on  jMaple 
Avenue  is  said  to  be  the  largest  in  the  State.  It  is 
certainly  a  very  old  tree  and  was  a  seedling  long  be- 
fore the  Revolution.  It  must  have  been  planted  very 
early  in  the  eighteenth  century  and  it  is  not  improb- 
able that  the  Rev.  Abraham  Todd,  a  minister  who 
served  the  Second  Congregational  Church  for  forty 
years,  planted  it  with  his  own  hands.  At  that  time 
and  until  188.3  the  church  owned  no  parsonage,  but 
in  addition  to  his  salary  the  minister  was  given  the 
use  of  the  "parsonage  lands." 

JNIr.  Todd  was  graduated  from  Yale  in  1727  and 
came  to  Greenwich  five  years  later.  For  those  days 
his  salary  was  princely.  He  received  a  "settlement" 
of  one  thousand  dollars,  the  use  of  the  parsonage 
lands  and  five  hundred  dollars  per  annum,  besides 
firewood,  and  after  three  years  an  additional  one 
hundred  and  fifty  dollars  ])er  annum.  ; 

As  ]Mr.  Todd  on  the  29th  of  May,  1733,  purchased 
for  eleven  hundred  dollars  twelve  acres  of  land  of 
Theophilus  Peck,  with  liis  homestead,  we  may  as- 
sume that  the  "settlement"  money  above  referred  to 

[250] 


THE  OLD  BLACK  WALNUT  TREE 

M'as  thus  invested  and  here  was  estabhshed  the  j)ar- 
sonage. 

These  twelve  acres  were  identical  with  the  land 
now  extending  from  Patterson  Avenue  south  to 
property  of  Edward  Brush  and  ^vest  beyond  ^laher 


SACKETT   HOMESTEAD 

Built  1779.  Suhseqiu'iitly  the  homes  of  James  W.  Doiniiiiek  and  Jolin 
Sniffen.  Remodeled  IS.jO.  The  old  tree  does  not  ajipear  in  tiie 
photograjth 

Avenue.  In  this  tract  stood  for  many  years  the 
John  Sniffin  house.  When  jNIr.  Todd  bought  the 
land  it  was  bounded  on  the  east  by  Xorth  Street, 
the  name  by  which  ^Nlaple  Avenue  was  known  until 
long  after  the  adoption  of  a  Borough  government  in 
1854. 

The  house  occupied  bv  Mr.  Todd  until  his  death 

[251] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

in  177'^  stood  well  back  from  the  road,  in  what  was 
subseqaently  called  the  old  orchard.  ISir.  Alvan 
JNlead,  who  died  at  an  advanced  age  in  1881,  was  able 
to  locate  the  house  by  tradition  and  to  describe  it  as 
an  old-fashioned  sweep-back,  facing  the  south. 

]Mr.  Todd  left  seven  children.  Five  years  after 
his  death  they  sold,  for  twenty-three  liundred  and 
fifty  dollars,  the  place  occupied  ])y  the  family  for  more 
than  forty  years.  Neliemiah  jNlead,  Jr.,  was  the 
purchaser  and  it  may  not  be  uninteresting  to  copy  the 
descri])tion  of  tlie  property  as  it  appears  in  his  deed. 
He  purcl^ased  from  the  Todd  heirs  "Fourteen  acres, 
"be  it  more  or  less,  with  a  dwelling  house  and  barn 
"thereon,  northward  of  the  Country  road  (meaning 
"what  is  now  Putnam  Avenue)  it  being  that  house 
"and  land  whereon  our  honored  father.  Rev.  Abra- 
"ham  Todd,  deceased,  lately  lived.  Bounded  East- 
"erly  ])y  North  Street,  Northerly  by  land  of 
"Humphrey  Denton,  ^^^esterly  by  land  of  Justus 
"Sackett  in  part  and  partly  by  land  of  Isaac  Holmes, 
"Jr.,  and  Southerly  by  land  of  Justus  Sackett." 

JNIr.  ^Nlead  held  it  for  only  nine  months  when,  on 
December  1-,  1778,  he  sold  it  for  one  pound  more  than 
lie  paid  to  Justus  Sackett, 

It  was  jNIr.  Sackett  who  built  the  original  John 
Sniffin  homestead  under  the  shade  of  the  old  black 
walnut  tree  and  it  was  probably  built  immediately 
after  he  came  into  possession,  in  the  Summer  of  1779. 
Here  he  lived  until  January  15,  1827,  when,  he  died 
at  the  age  of  eighty-seven  years. 

[252] 


\ 

THE  OLD  BLACK  WALNUT  TREE 

In  passing  it  may  not  l)e  amiss  to  (|uote  from  "Sir. 
Sackett's  will  in  which  he  speaks  of  the  "Todd  lots," 
referring  to  the  location  near  the  old  orchard,  the 
former  home  of  Rev.  Abraham  Todd.  This  spot  is 
not  far  from  the  place  occn])ied  by  the  recently  re- 
moved and  remodeled  "Sniff'en  homestead"  on  Pat- 
terson Avenue  belonging  to  William  H.  Hoggson. 
To  his  son  he  gives  his  black  boy  "Charles"  and  the 
ancestral  tall  clock,  showing  that  slavery  was  extant 
in  Connecticut  as  late  as  1815,  when  the  will  was 
dated,  and  that  the  tall  clock  was  then  valued  more 
than  by  later  generations. 

Anna  Sackett,  the  widow,  continued  to  reside  in. 
the  homestead  in  the  enjoyment  of  her  dower  until 
February  15,  1887,  when  she  died  at  the  age  of  ninety- 
six  years.  Justus  Sackett,  Jr.,  was  the  next  owner 
of  the  property.  He  a])pears  to  have  been  some- 
what of  a  trader  in  real  estate,  for  in  1882  he  acquired 
contiguous  property  extending  north  and  west  as  far 
as  Sanford  ^lead's  and  south  to  Augustus  Lyon's, 
later  known  as  the  Perry  land  and  now  belonging  to 
William  G.  and  Percy  A.  Rockefeller.  He  did  not 
hesitate  to  borrow  money  and  give  mortgages,  a 
somewhat  unusual  proceeding  in  those  days.  But  on 
INIarch  19,  18-1(),  he  seems  to  have  been  willing  to 
abdicate  in  favor  of  his  son,  William  H.  Sackett,  to 
whom  he  gave  a  deed  of  more  than  fifty  acres,  re- 
serving to  himself  a  life  estate. 

William  H.  Sackett  continued  to  reside  in  the  old 
homestead  under  the   famous  tree  until   1851   when 

[253] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREEXWICH 

he  sold  the  property  to  Justus  Ralph  Sackett,  who 
held  it  until  October  1,  1852,  when  he  sold  and 
conveyed  it  to  James  W.  Dominick.  And  now 
we  get  down  to  the  memory  of  many  Greenwich 
people. 

James  W.  Dominick  and  his  brother,  AVilliam,  who 
resided  on  Putnam  Avenue  in  the  house  now  owned 
by  INIrs.  Susan  C.  Talbot,  were  two  of  the  early 
Greenwich  commuters.  They  each  possessed  a  fam- 
ily of  likely  boys,  who  have  sustained  their  early 
reputations  and  are  now  men,  well  known  in  financial 
circles  being  honored  and  respected  by  all.  George 
F.  Dominick  and  his  son  of  the  same  name  are  both 
residents,  but  James  W.  Dominick's  sons  have  never 
lived  here. 

JNIr.  James  W.  Dominick  was  rated  a  rich  man  and 
he  belonged  to  a  lineage  of  culture  and  refinement. 
Therefore  the  old  Sackett  homestead  built  in  1779 
was  not  to  his  liking.  It  is  true  it  possessed  some 
attractive  features,  both  within  and  without.  The 
wide  fireplace,  the  quaint  mantel  cupboards,  the 
long  shingles  and  the  colonial  roof  with  its  diminu- 
tive dormers  were  artistic,  but  more  room  was  needed 
and  hence,  more  than  fifty  years  ago,  the  remodeling 
was  accomplished.  Until  it  was  moved  in  1906  to 
make  room  for  the  new  X^ichols  house  it  remained 
unchanged.  It  went  to  John  SnifFen  jNIay  19,  1864, 
and  continued  in  his  possession  until  his  death  Janu- 
ary 31,  1888.  It  was  subsequently  sold  by  the  widow 
and  heirs. 

[254] 


THE  OLD  BLACK  WALNUT  TREE 

The    Sackett   boys,    the   Dominick   boys    and  the 

SnifFen  boys  all  had  a  happy  home  under   the  old 

black  walnut  tree  which  may  continue  to  grow  for 
centuries  to  come. 


[255] 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

ROCKY    NECK THE    SILLECK    HOUSE 

A^IOXG  the  cherished  articles  of  personal  prop- 
erty found  among  the  effects  of  the  late  Solo- 
mon jNIead  and  now  owned  by  his  nephew,  Elbert 
A.  Silleck,  is  a  map  of  "Rocky  Xeck  Point."  Ex- 
actly given,  the  title  of  the  map  is  as  follows:  "]Map 
"of  eleven  acres  of  land  lying  on  Rocky  Xeck  Point, 
"Greenwich  steamboat  landing,  laid  out  into  build- 
"ing  lots  50  feet  front  on  the  road,  unless  otherwise 
"expressed  upon  tlie  map  and  extending  to  the  water. 
"Surveyed  October,  1836,  and  plotted  from  a  scale  of 
"132  feet  to  one  inch  by  Wm.  H.  Holly,  X.  Currier 
"Eith.,  Cor.  Xassau  and  Spruce  Streets,  X.  Y." 

The  map  shows  Indian  Harbor  Point,  Field 
Point  and  an  island  then  called  Great  Island,  but 
now  Round  Island.  It  also  shows  the  depth  of 
water  at  the  steamboat  landing  to  be  six  feet  at  low 
tide,  and  it  indicates  the  course  of  a  steamboat  to 
Stamford  and  Sawpits.  The  latter  place  now  has 
the  more  dignified  name  of  Port  Chester.  At  the 
foot  of  the  map  is  written  in  ink,  "the  above  lots  to 
be  sold  on  the  'iSd  of  ]\Iarch,  1837."  This  is  sug- 
gestive of  a  vendue,  as  an  auction  in  those  da3^s  was 
called.  There  were  fifty-eight  lots  and  one  acre  on 
the  extreme  point  was  reserved. 

[256] 


% 

ROCKY  XECK— THE  SILLECK  HOUSE 

From  the  fact  that  this  map  was  lithographed  hy 
the  firm  afterwards  so  well  known  as  Currier  &  Ives, 
it  is  clear  that  the  puhlic  vendue  must  have  heen  ex- 
tensively advertised. 

At  that  time  New  York  City  was  a  day's  journey 
away  and  was  reached  usually  by  market  sloop  and 
sometimes  by  team  down  the  stage  road. 

Greenwich  was  then  sparsely  settled,  devoted  to 
agriculture  exclusively,  and  i)ossessed  of  considerable 
wealth.  The  land  in  (juestion  was  wild,  filled  with 
rocks,  an.d  seamed  with  ledges  overshadowed  by 
enormous  trees.  Tlie  eleven  acres  included  all  the 
land  south  of  the  north  line  of  the  property  of  Wil- 
liam H.  Teed. 

It  appears  from  the  records  that  as  early  as  17*2,5, 
all  the  land  from  Grigg  Street  south  to  the  end  of  the 
point  and  east  as  far  as  the  Held  House  was  called 
"Rockie  Xecke."  It  was  common  land,  as  wild  as 
the  Adirondack  forest.  About  that  time  it  was  ap- 
portioned off  by  the  town  to  the  different  taxpayers, 
who  were  called  "Proprietors,"  in  proportion  to  their 
respective  assessmen.t  lists.  Under  the  apportion- 
ment and  by  a  few  subsequent  conveyances  all  of 
"Rockie  Xecke"  went  into  the  possession  of  two 
brothers,  Daniel  Smith  and  John  Smith, 

Through  the  marriage  of  a  daughter  of  Daniel 
Smith  much  of  this  property  went  to  Daniel  Smith 
^Nlead,  the  grandfather  of  Oliver  D,  JNIead. 

When  the  Rocky  Xeck  Co.  was  formed  Daniel 
Smith  ^lead  was  deceased  and  the  company  bought 

[257] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

the  land  of  his  lieirs.     This  purchase  represented  the 
first  effort  of  hind  speculators  in  Greenwich. 

I  often  talked  with  those  interested  in  the  venture 
and  I  recall  very  distinctly  the  details  of  the  transac- 
tion as  they  were  given  to  me  and  as  they  are  found 
in  the  puhlic  records.  It  was  a  wild  and  rocky 
stretch  with  nothing  hut  a  cart  path  over  the  line  of 
the  present  highway. 

No  attempt  had  heen  made  to  cultivate  any  part 
of  it.  ^lany  of  the  primeval  forest  trees  were  still 
standing — great  oaks  that  had  stretched  their  limbs 
across  the  Indian  paths  of  a  century  earlier.  There 
were  bowlders  of  enormous  size  covered  with  a  wealth 
of  moss,  and  resting  in  beds  of  lichens  and  ferns  that 
grew  with  rank  luxiu'iance  about  their  base.  One 
larger  and  more  rustic  than  all  the  others  was  shaj^ed 
like  a  great  chair,  filled  with  moss  and  backed  with  ce- 
dars over  which  the  woodbine  trailed  in  graceful  profu- 
sion. It  was  well  named  the  "Indian  Chief's  Throne." 
To  cut  such  a  piece  of  land  as  that  into  fifty-eight 
building  lots  seemed  a  wild  and  chimerical  scheme. 

But  as  I  read  the  list  of  stockholders  of  the  Rocky 
Neck  Co.  I  find  them  all  men  of  nerve  and  character, 
as  far  as  I  knew  them,  and  I  have  a  personal  knowl- 
edge of  all  but  three.  These  were  John  D.  Spader, 
who  held  three  shares,  Benjamin  Andrews,  two  shares 
and  Thomas  Simons  four  shares.  jNIr.  Spader  was 
the  man  who  subsequently  married  a  daughter  of 
Silas  Davis  and  the  other  two  were  probably  residents 
of  New  York. 

[258] 


ROCKY  NECK— THE  SILLECK  HOUSE 

The  other  stockholders  were  Silas  Davis,  one 
share;  Augustus  Lyon,  five  shares;  William  A. 
Husted,  two  shares ;  Jonathan  A.  Close,  three  shares ; 
Walter  Davis,  one  share;  Alvan  JNIead,  one  share; 
Solomon  JNIead,  three  shares;  Daniel  S.  JNIead,  one 
share;  Zaccheus  Mead,  Jr.,  two  shares;  Husted 
Hobby,  two  shares;  Abraham  B.  Davis,  three  shares; 
and  Thomas  A.  jNIead,  two  shares.  Each  share  had 
a  par  value  of  one  hundred  dollars. 

Silas  Davis  appears  to  have  been  the  leader  of  the 
enterprise,  as  he  held  what  was  termed  a  refusal  of 
the  property  for  $3500.  At  the  present  time  it  would 
be  called  a  thirty-day  option,  except  that  Mr.  Davis 
had  nothing  in  writing.  But  perhaps  he  was  merely 
carrying  out  the  instruction's  of  such  men  as  Solomon 
INIead  and  Thomas  A.  Mead  in  securing  the  option. 
At  that  time  Solomon  JNIead  was  only  twenty-eight 
years  old  and  as  he  lived  here  all  his  life  and  died  at 
the  age  of  ninety,  possessed  of  more  than  a  million 
of  dollars,  it  is  fair  to  assume  tliat  this  apparently 
crazy  investment  was  advised  an.d  perliaps  urged  by 
him.  Although  he  thouglit  the  price  too  liigh,  he 
finally  approved  the  sclieme,  put  up  his  three  hun- 
dred dollars  and  carefully  preserved  the  map,  pos- 
sibly as  a  reminder  that  in  this  enterprise  he  made 
some  of  his  first  dollars. 

The  company  was  formed  under  the  joint  stock 
laws,  and  the  articles  of  the  association  which  appear 
in  the  land  records  were  evidently  prepared  by  a 
lawyer. 

[259] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREEXWICH 

Tile  purpose  of  tlie  association  was  to  accjuire  the 
land  and  to  build  a  store  house  or  store  houses,  and 
a  wharf  in  order  that  passengers  and  freight  to 
Stamford,  Xew  Vork  and  other  points  could  be 
transported.  This  was  clearly  a  bid  to  steamboats 
and  sailing  vessels  to  call  for  passengers  and  produce, 
but  no  suggestion  was  made  that  the  company  should 
engage  in  the  trans])ortation  business. 

The  corporation  was,  however,  to  be  a  close  one 
and  a  special  ])rovision  was  made  whereby  any  stock 
seeking  a  purchaser  must  be  offered  to  the  other 
stockholders.  This  was  too  good  a  thing  to  afford 
even  a  taste  to  outsiders. 

The  first  meeting  was  called  for  September  14, 
1836,  at  seven  o'clock  in  the  evening  at  the  inn  of 
Augustus  Lyon.  The  name  of  that  inn,  which  was 
one  of  the  stage  stops  on  the  mail  route  between  Xew 
Vork  and  lioston,  was  "The  ]\Iansion  House,"  since 
known  as  the  Lenox  House.  Here  all  the  incorjx)- 
rators  gathered  and  evidently  without  any  lawyer, 
because  all  they  did  was  to  sign  the  articles  of  incor- 
poration. There  appears  to  have  been  no  election 
of  officers  or  directors.  However,  we  can  imagine 
what  a  jolly  time  these  young  men  had  in  the  front 
room  of  the  inn  that  September  night.  They  all  ])ut 
up  their  money,  and  in  due  time  the  land  was  con- 
veyed and  in  the  following  month  "Bill  Hen"  Holly, 
of  Stamford,  as  everybody  called  him,  made  the  sur- 
vey and  map. 

The  following  Spring  sales  began  to  l)e  made,  but 

[260] 


ROCKY  XECK— THE  SILLECK  HOUSE 

they  were  not  very  active  and  many  times  the  owners 
were  ahnost  discouraged. 

It  is  not  unreasonable  to  suppose  that  most  of  the 
buyers  were  discouraged  too,  for  Captain  Abraham 
Brinckerhoff ,  who  bouglit  one  of  the  lots  from  tlie 
map.  discovered  when  he  made  his  way  in   l)etween 


RESERA'ED  LOT  IX  1876  SHOWIXG  EPHRAIM  READ  HOME- 
STEAD IX  FOREGROrXD  AXD  THE  MARBLE  HOUSE 
BEYOXD 

the  rocks  and  trees,  that  in  order  to  reach  his  lot  he 
would  have  to  buy  two  more. 

The  map  shows  one  acre  reserved  on  the  extreme 
point.  This  was  afterwards  known  as  the  Ephriam 
Read  property  and  includes  the  Indian  Harbor 
yacht  club  house  and  grounds  and  the  cottage  sites 
on  the  east  side  of  the  road,  built  by  Charles  T.  Wills, 
now  owned  by  the  Indian  Harbor  yacht  club.  The 
incorporators  all  agreed  that  the  reservation  should 
be  made,  but  no  two  of  them  thought  alike  as  to  the 
purpose  of  the  reservation.     One  wanted  it  for  a  com- 

[261] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 

mon  cow  2)a.sture,  after  the  trees  were  removed,  for 
the  use  of  those  who  might  buy  aud  build  on  the  lots. 
Another  suggested  that  such  a  dense  forest  would 
supply  sufficient  firewood  for  all  who  might  buy 
lots.  Another  urged  the  erection  of  a  cider  mill. 
William  A.  Husted  thought  that  the  lumber  could 
be  shipped  to  Xew  York  at  a  large  profit  and  the 
cleared  ground  used  for  an  apple  orchard.  Col. 
JNIead  [who,  by  the  way,  had  no  such  title  tlien,  but 
was  just  Thomas]  and  Solomon  ^Nlead  thought  that 
as  the  reservation  had  been  made,  there  was  n.o  imme- 
diate necessity  of  passing  upon  the  question  of  its 
disposition.  They  thought  that  would  take  care  of 
itself,  and  indeed  it  did. 

Four  of  the  company  built  potato  cellars  where  the 
Silleck  House  now  stands.  They  were  built  with 
openings  at  either  end,  like  the  one  on  Round  Island, 
which  bears  the  date,  1827.  These  cellars  belonged 
to  Solomon  jNIead,  Thomas  A.  JNIead  and  Zaccheus 
JNIead,  Jr.,  but  it  is  uncertain  who  owned  the  fourth 
one.  The  Silleck  House  was  erected  over  these  very 
cellars  in  1838,  just  one  year  after  they  were  built. 

This  l)uilding,  a  small  affair,  owned  by  Jared 
Mead,  proved  to  be  unsuccessful.  Situated  near  the 
shore  with  a  dense  forest  on  three  sides,  it  was  an 
ideal  spot  for  a  quiet  summer  retreat.  The  trouble 
with  the  "White  House,"  as  Mr.  JNIead  called  it,  was 
due  to  the  fact  that  table  supplies  were  difficult  to 
obtain.  At  that  time  there  was  no  market  in  Green- 
wich.    To  supply  the  table  with  meat  it  was  Jared 

[262] 


\ 

ROCKY  XECK— TPIE  SILLECK  HOUSE 

Mead's  custom  to  purchase  lambs  and  calves  of  the 
farmers  and  ])utclier  them  on  the  premises.  Vege- 
tables were  secured  at  the  market  sloops.  Butter 
was  difficult  to  buy  as  the  farmers  preferred  to  send 
it  to  Xew  York.  The  cows  were  pastured  on  Field 
Point,  assuring  a  good  supply  of  milk  and  cream. 
The  water  was  brought  from  one  of  the  Field  Point 
springs,  there  being  no  well  near  the  hotel.  Apples 
were  free  to  anyone  who  would  gather  them. 

]Mr.  INIead  had  a  good  class  of  boarders  at  what 
was  then  thought  to  be  remunerative  prices,  but  he 
found  it  quite  a  struggle  to  maintain  a  satisfactory 
table.  His  fried  fish,  broiled  lobsters,  succulent  oys- 
ters and  scallops  were  considered  most  palatable,  but 
there  always  came  a  time  when  the  appetite  demanded 
fresh  meat. 

In  the  spring  of  1849,  when  the  railroad  was  just 
six  months  old,  he  sold  out  to  ^Irs.  Fanny  Rimyan 
and  ]Mrs.  ]Mary  Dennis.  These  ladies,  although  they 
were  joint  owners  of  the  real  estate,  were  partners  in 
business  only  one  summer.  On  the  9th  of  February, 
1850,  ]Mrs.  Dennis  sold  out  to  Thomas  Funston. 
His  w^ife  was  "Sirs.  Runyan's  sister  and  ^Irs,  Elbert 
A.  Silleck  is  his  granddaughter. 

In  the  winter  of  1854-5  upon  the  death  of  "Sirs. 
Funston,  ^Ir.  Funston  sold  his  interest  to  Thaddeus 
Silleck,  although  he  did  not  take  title  till  ^lay  25  of 
the  latter  year. 

The  Silleck  House  is  the  oldest  hotel  on  either 
shore  of  the  Sound  from  Sands'  Point  to  Stonington. 

[263] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 


These  details  have  been  carefully  gathered  for  the 
reason  that  it  has  many  times  been  erroneously  stated 
that  Thaddeus  Silleck  was  the  founder  of  the  hotel 
bearing  his  name  since  1876. 

jNIrs.  Runyan  died  at  Rocky  Neck  Jan.  26,  1913, 
aged  98.  From  her  I  obtained  many  interesting  facts 
about  the  White  House  long  before  the  war.  Imag- 
ine board  at  $2.50  per  week!     And  yet  she  and  Mr. 

Silleck  had  many  serious 
conferences  that  first  year 
.\  of  their  partnership  over 

the  advisability  of  in- 
creasing the  rate  a  single 
dollar.  But  when  it  was 
done,  to  their  great  sur- 
prise, nobody  objected 
and  they  found  it  just  as 
easy  to  collect  the  $3.50 
as  the  old  rate. 

The  old  registers  show 
the  class  of  boarders  was 
exceptionally  good.  Among  them  were  Prof.  King 
of  Cohnnbia  College,  W.  B.  Taylor,  the  New  York 
postmaster,  Robert  "SI.  Bruce,  Horace  Greeley, 
Charles  A.  Whitney,  Jolm  G.  Wellstood,  Charles  G. 
Cornell,  Peter  Asten,  Archibald  Parks,  John  Hoey, 
afterwards  President  of  the  Adams  Express  Co.,  and 
his  talented  wife,  for  many  years  the  leading  lady  at 
Wallack's. 

Years  ago  there  was  a  fascination  about  Greenwich 

[264] 


JOHN    C.    W  I',1.I,S1()()I) 

]Si:i-lS93 

Fatlier    of    Town    Clerk    Wellstood 


ROCKY  NECK— THE  SILLECK  HOUSE 

that  to  some  extent  has  disappeared.  The  place  was 
rather  inaccessible,  the  roads  were  poor,  there  were 
no  sidewalks  or  modern  conveniences  of  any  kind, 
bnt  there  was  the  beautiful  Sound,  serene  skies,  the 
broad  fields,  with  no  barbed  wire  fences  or  trespass 
signs,  so  that  all  the  blessings  seemed  to  be  individual 
in  which  one's  ownership  was  perfect. 

This  is  probably  what  made  Greenwich  so  popular 
when  once  established  as  a  place  of  quiet  enjoyment. 
The  children  and  the  grandchildren  of  many  of  those 
early  boarders  are  still  patronizing  the  Silleck  House. 

The  old  land  company  has  been  well-nigh  side- 
tracked. Let  us  see  how  it  finished.  The  amount 
invested  had  been  small  but  the  stockholders  sighed 
for  dividends,  and  some  were  so  disappointed  that 
they  sold  out  to  the  others  at  a  loss.  But  the  re- 
served acre  on  the  point  saved  the  day  to  those  who 
held  on  and  about  18.50  all  the  land  had  been  sold  at 
constantly  increasing  prices.  When  the  final  settle- 
ment was  made  there  was  distributed  to  the  survivors 
a  net  profit  of  a  substantial  amount. 

Before  Solomon  ^lead  died,  that  reserved  acre  had 
been  sold  for  about  fifty  thousand  dollars.  How 
much  Solomon  ]Mead  made  out  of  his  first  venture  is 
unknown,  but  he  was  one  of  the  survivors  and  he 
always  said  he  was  satisfied  with  the  result. 

When  I  look  at  the  map  that  he  folded  away  so 
many  years  ago,  I  am  inclined  to  believe  that  he  re- 
garded the  Rockv  Xeck  I^and  Co.  as  the  corner  stone 
of  his  great  fortime. 

[265] 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

RAILROADS  IX  THE  EARLY  DAYS 

EARIA^  ill  the  nineteenth  century  there  was  con- 
siderable activity  in  our  General  Assembly,  in 
granting  charters  to  railroads.  The  turnjjikes  and 
canals  of  the  preceding  century  had  proved  remu- 
nerative and  it  was  reasoned  that  railroads  as  means 
of  transportation  would  be  still  more  profitable. 

In  18.32  the  Xorwich  &  Worcester  was  incorpo- 
rated, followed  in  1836  by  the  Housatonic;  the  Xew 
A^ork  k  Xew  Haven  in  1844;  the  Xaugatuck  in  1845, 
and  the  Xew  Haven  &  Xorthampton  in  1846. 

I  am  not  aware  when  these  roads  were  constructed 
but  the  Xew  Haven  R.  R.  sent  its  first  train  through 
Greenwich  on  Christmas  day,  1848.  Among  the 
passengers  from  Xew  York  was  William  Henry 
Mead  and  he  is  the  last  survivor  of  the  Greenwich 
people  who  were  on  that  train.  He  was  also  on  the 
first  trolley  car  that  came  up  Greenwich  Avenue, 
August  17,  1901. 

It  has  been  said  that  tlie  first  construction  of  the 
Xew  Haven  railroad  was  quite  a  crude  affair.  But  in 
1859  it  was  double-tracked  and  had  in  a  great 
measure  recovered  from  the  financial  difficulties  into 
which  its  first  president,  Robert  Schuyler  of  Xew 
York,  had  plunged  it, 

[266] 


RAILROADS  IN  THE  EARLY  DAYS 

In  the  early  days  a  stockholder,  and  there  were 
many  in  Greenwich,  was  never  willing  to  admit  that 
he  owned  a  share.  Owing  to  what  were  termed  the 
"Schnyler  frauds"  and  also  to  great  losses  occasioned 
b}"  the  Xorwalk  disaster  whicli  occurred  ^lay  6,  1853, 
when  a  train  ran  into  an  open  draw  and  killed  fifty 
jjassengers,  the  stock  had  very  little  value.  At  that 
time  Justin  R.  Buckley  of  New  York  was  president 


"TSS^r.-- 


LOCOMOTIVE   NO.  -27 

N.  Y.  &  N.   H.   R.   R. 

and  among  the  directors  were  Capt.  William  L. 
Lyon  of  Greenwich  and  J.  W.  Leeds  of  Stamford. 

Capt.  Lyon  owned  and  occupied  what  is  now  known 
as  the  John  Voorhis  homestead  on  Putnam  Avenue, 
with  extensive  gardens  and  lawns  extending  along 
Greenwich  Avenue  as  far  south  as  the  garage  of 
Allen  Brothers.  He  was  the  grandfather  of  Luke 
Vincent  Lockwood. 

James  H.  Hoyt  of  Stamford  was  Superintendent 
and  he  possessed  greater  power  and  influence  in  the 

[267] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 


management  of  the  road  than  the  president,  wlio  was 
little  known  in  Connecticut.  Superintendent  Hoyt 
was  the  father  of  George  H.  Hoyt,  who  hegan  his 
business  career  as  ticket  agent  in  the  Stamford  station 
and  at  the  time  of  liis  death  had,  for  many  years,  been 
president  of  the  Stamford  Savings  Bank. 

The  rails  were  light,  rarely  meeting  at  the  ends, 
being  plugged  with  a  block  of  wood.      The  rails  rested 

on  wliat  were  called 
"chairs'  and  were  not 
fastened  so  as  to  make  a 
practically  continuous  rail 
as  at  present.  To  travel 
on  such  a  railroad  re- 
quired considerable  forti- 
tude as  well  as  patience. 

Greenwich  had  seven 
trains  each  way  in  1859 
and  no  Sunday  trains. 
There  were  five  trains  to 
New  York  in  the  morning,  namely  the  .5.20,  6.36,  7.21, 
8.37  and  11.36.  The  7.21  was  the  popular  morning 
train,  used  by  the  commuters,  of  whom  tliere  were  a 
very  limited  number.  Of  these  I  recall  Robert  ]M. 
Bruce,  John  G.  Wellstood,  Charles  A.  Whitney, 
Moses  Christy,  Luther  Prescott  Hubbard  and  Henry 
M.  Benedict. 

From  New  York  the  first  train  left  Twenty-seventh 
Street  at  7  a.  m.  The  cars  were  drawn  up  Fourth 
Avenue — four  horses  to  each  car — to  32nd  Street  [a 

[268] 


MOSKS  C'ULSTY 

1S17-1SS4 


RAILROADS  IX  THE  EARLY  DAYS 

little  later  to  -l^nd  Street]  where  a  wood  burning 
engine  was  attached.  Tliink  of  sueli  a  thing  happen- 
ing now  in  front  of  the  new  Yanderbilt  Hotel! 

The  first  stop  was  at  Williamsbridge  at  T-'i?.  This 
was  originally  tlie  northern  terminus  of  the  Harlem 
railroad,  the  first  railroad  built  out  of  New  York,  and 
on  the  north  side  of  the  track  may  still  be  seen  the 
remains  of  the  foundation  of  the  old  turntable. 

The  stations  following  were  ^It.  Yernon,  Xew 
Rochelle,  ^Nlamaroneck,  Rye  and  Port  Chester,  reacli- 
ing  Greenwicli  at  8.21.  There  were  no  such  stations 
as  Columbus  Ave.,  12oth  St.,  Pelham,  Larchmont  or 
Harrison.  There  was  at  that  time  no  Soutli  Nor- 
walk,  but  at  the  Xorwalk  station  a  horse  car  line 
ran  to  the  Borough  of  Xorwalk. 

The  time  table  of  that  year,  a  bit  of  yellow  paper, 
printed  on  both  sides  and  only  six  by  ten  inclies  in 
size,  is  among  my  possessions.  The  difi'erence  be- 
tween that  modest  little  aflfair  and  the  through  time 
table  of  to-day,  with  its  sixty-two  pages,  represents 
the  difference  in  the  importance  of  the  road  then  and 
at  the  present  time. 

This  was  before  the  days  of  consolidations  and  the 
inconveniences  of  transportation  of  half  a  century 
ago  have  been  eliminated  by  the  union  of  corporation's. 

We  take  a  parlor  car  at  X^ew  York,  and  in  five 
hours,  liaving  had  all  the  comforts  of  a  delightful 
journey,  step  out  at  the  South  Station  in  Boston. 
But  on  this  little  yellow  time  table  there  is  no  assur- 
ance that  the  Boston  express — there  were  two  daily — 

[269] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

would  ever  carry  you  beyond  New  Haven.  That 
was  the  end  of  the  hue  and  upon  arrival  you  were 
turned  over  to  another  road.  If  the  trains  made 
good  connections  you  might  expect  to  reach  Boston 
in  seven  hours,  including  ten  minute  stops  for  refresh- 
ments, at  such  points  as  Hartford,  Springfield  and 
AVorcester.  You  were  in  charge  of  a  new  set  of 
trainmen,  without  uniforms,  and  vou  ioffoed  on  over 
a  rough  roadbed,  dodging  hot  cinders  from  the  engine 
and  swaying  back  and  forth  in  the  narrow  rigid  seats. 

There  existed  scarcely  a  community  of  interest 
between  the  New  Haven  road,  seventy-two  miles 
long,  and  the  other  roads  of  the  State.  The  first 
train  out  of  New  York  left  at  7  a.  m.  and  passengers 
for  the  Danbury  &  Norwalk  R.  R.  were  told  to 
take  that  train  and  change  cars  at  Norwalk.  The 
same  remark  was  made  of  the  Housatonic,  the  Naug- 
atuck  and  New  London  R.  R.  Companies.  Each 
was  an  in.dependent  concern,  never  waiting  beyond  its 
time  of  departiu'e.  Tlie  New  Haven  road  simply 
suggested,  but  not  in  words,  "we  will  take  you  where 
you  can  find  another  railroad  and  you  take  your 
chances." 

Rut  the  road  was  making  money  and  paying  ten 
per  cent  dividends,  with  a  good  surplus  in  the  treas- 
ury. Indeed  the  law  makes  it  compulsory  to  pay  to 
the  State  all  railroad  earnings  in  excess  of  ten  per 
cent  unless  the  same  is  required  for  equipment  or 
roadbed.  It  is  needless  to  say  that  the  State  has 
never  received  a  dividend.     There  were  enough  op- 

[270] 


RAILROADS  IX  THE  EARLY  DAYS 

portunities  to  make  improvements  and  one  of  these 
was  in  new  locomotives. 

When  Xo.  27  came  out  the  directors  gave  Currier 
&  Ives  of  Xew  York  a  commission  to  make  litho- 
graph prints,  in  colors,  of  the  engine  and  they  were 
ffiven  away  to  friends  of  the  road.     It  was  a  lioht 


GUEEXWIC'H    H.    H.    STATION    IS,,!) 

affair,  with  a  great  l]ulging  smoke  stack,  the  driving 
wheels  painted  a  gay  red,  but  half  the  weight  of  an 
ordinary  yard  engine  of  the  present  day. 

In  the  spring  of  1868  two  parlor  cars  were  put  on 
the  Boston  express  trains.  These  it  was  believed 
would  add  materially  to  the  comfort  of  the  traveler. 
These  cars  were  of  the  English  Coach  model,  divided 

[273] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 

into  compartments  with  a  door  from  eacli  opening 
onto  the  running  board.  They  were  called  "New 
York"  and  "Boston"  and  left  each  city  about  eight 
o'clock.  They  were  supplied  by  the  Wagner  Parlor 
Car  Co.  They  were  never  popular  and  the  following 
year  one  was  destroyed  in  a  train  shed  fire  and  the 
other  w^as  withdrawn. 

The  club  car  was  unknown  in  those  days  but  cer- 
tain commuters  who  desired  to  play  cards  occupied 
their  own  camp  chairs  in  the  baggage  car.  These 
chairs  Avere  in  charge  of  the  baggage  master,  who  had 
little  else  to  do,  and  his  compensation  was  a  generous 
Christmas  collection.  This  was  the  origin  of  the 
present  club  car  service. 

The  location  of  the  Greenwich  station  in  18.59  was 
about  seventy  feet  north  of  the  present  site  but  the 
building  now  in  use  is  the  same,  enlarged  and  im- 
proved, when  the  four  tracks  were  laid  in  189.3. 

It  was  a  quiet  si)ot,  where  that  old  station  stood 
fifty  years  ago.  Henry  Sackett's  great  farm  barn 
across  the  road,  south  of  where  the  Daly  building 
now  stands,  gave  forth  an  aroma  of  the  country  as 
the  passengers  left  the  train  and  walked  past  it  on  a 
lane  twelve  feet  wide  to  Greenwich  Avenue.  There 
was  always  one  hack  in  attendance,  owned  and  oper- 
ated by  William  Elliott.  He  was  a  man  of  various 
responsibilities,  for  besides  being  the  hackman  he 
was  the  ticket  agent,  baggage  master  an,d  hotel  pro- 
prietor. He  was  just  such  a  bustling  type  of  thin, 
sinewy   man   as   one   finds   to-day   occupying?;   similar 

[274] 


\ 

RAILROADS  IX  THE  EARLY  DAYS 

positions,  at  remote  little  stations  in  ^Nlaine  and  New 
Hampshire. 

In  those  days  there  was  no  telegraph  station  and 


WILLIAM    H.    WALLACE 

At   ag-L-   of   1() 

it  was  years  afterwards  before  the  Adams  Ex])ress 
Co.  took  any  notice  of  Greenwich. 

It  was  ]Mr.  Elliott's  custom  to  sit  on  the  station 
platform  during  the  long-  summer  days,  fighting  flies 
and  dozing  away  the  time  l)etween  trains,  while  the 
bovs  would  sneak  up  behind  him  and  tickle  his  ears 

[27.5] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 


with  a  tiiiiotliy  liead.  When  they  tired  of  this,  they 
would  go  down  under  the  stone  arch,  after  which  the 
street  has  since  heen  named,  and,  hurrvino-  alonu'  the 
dusty  road  in  their  haste  to  get  into  the  water  at 

the  head  of  the  creek,  shed 
their  clothing,  one  ])iece 
after  another,  until  there 
was  scarcely  a  ]3ause  be- 
fore they  were  nude  and 
immersed. 

But  the  hoys'  fun  was 
considerably  curtailed  af- 
ter Mr.  Elliott  employed 
William  H.  A¥allace  as 
an  assistant.  Although 
''Billy"  Wallace  was  then 
only  sixteen  years  old  he 
felt  the  res])()nsibihties  of 
his  position  and  the  hoys 
had  to  stop  fooling  around 
the  station,  although  it  was 
several  years  before  the  swimming  hole  was  aban- 
doned. 

Tliere  wasn't  much  for  young  Wallace  to  do  but 
])aint  the  chairs  and  scrub  the  floors,  but  he  made  the 
old  station  such  a  model  one  that  it  attracted  the  at- 
tention of  the  officials.  His  reputation  for  cleanli- 
ness must  have  been  well  established  among  the  school 
children,  for  I  know  that  the  following  incident  actu- 
ally  occurred:     One   day   Charles    H.   Wright,   the 

[276] 


CH AKLKS    H.    WHIGHT 

Age    of    J4 
18;U-1878 


RAILROADS  IX  THE  EARLY  DAYS 


principal  of  the  public  school,  was  walking  along  the 
track  with  a  favorite  scholar.  The  summer  sun  was 
just  sinking  in  the  west  as  the  man  and  hoy  looked 
ahead  at  the  glittering  rails  and  exclaimed  "How 
beautiful!"  At  their  feet 
the  iron  was  dull  and  tar- 
nished but  where  the  sun- 
light struck  tliem,  in  front 
of  the  station  and  down 
at  the  Field  Point  cross- 
ing, the  rails  shone  like 
burnished  silver. 

"It  is  the  finger  of  God 
in  the  sunshine,  my  boy. 
that  turns  this  homely 
iron  to  those  threads  of 
silver,"  said  the  teacher. 
The  boy  replied,  "Oh,  no 
scouring  'em." 

However,  ]Mr.  ^Vallace  secured  the  confidence  of 
the  officials  and  became  the  first  liaggage  master  at 
the  station.  Then  he  succeeded  ]Mr,  Elliott  as  ticket 
agent  and  from  freight  conductor  to  conductor  of  one 
of  the  finest  throush  trains,  he  finally  became  assist- 
ant  superintendent,  which  position  he  held  for  many 
years,  with  an  office  at  New  Haven.  He  died  at  his 
home  on  ^Nlilbank  Avenue  April  5,  1906. 

In  those  days  there  were  no  through  freight  trains ; 
one  local  that  ran  down  in  the  forenoon  and  back 
at  night.     Conductor  Jones  was  in  charge  with  old 

[277] 


WILLIAM    H.   WALLACE 
\s  Asst.  Sunt.  X.  Y.,  X.  H.  &  H. 
H.    R. 

Eillv  Wallace  has  been 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

engine  No.  10.  He  knew  everybody  on  the  line  and 
after  his  freight  was  loaded  he  was  sometimes  reluc- 
tant to  leave  till  an  especially  good  story  was  told. 

The  milk  train  down  at  10.30  at  night  was  some- 
times used  by  passengers  who  occupied  the  caboose. 

The  conductors  and  brakemen  were  not  compelled 
to  wear  a  uniform,  the  only  mark  of  their  official  posi- 
tion being  a  piece  of  metal,  fastened  to  the  front  of 
the  cap  marked  "Conductor"  or  "Brakeman."  But 
the  conductor  then  had  all  the  responsibility  of  run- 
ning his  train,  while  now  tlie  trains  are  controlled  by 
tlie  tower  men.  They  were  often  the  recipients  of 
presents  from  commuters  in  the  form  of  gold  watches 
and  lanterns  of  rich  cut  glass,  bearing  the  name  of  the 
official. 

The  cars  were  low,  and  covered  with  a  flat  roof,  with- 
out ventilators,  with  very  small  windows  and  lighted 
])y  four  coach  lamps  containing  coal  oil.  This  ab- 
sence of  light  recpiired  the  conductor  to  have  a  lantern 
on  his  arm  while  punching  and  collecting  tickets  and 
reading  by  the  passengers  was  impossible.  At  each 
end  of  th.e  car  was  a  long  wood  stove,  by  the  side  of 
which  was  a  wood  box,  usually  flUed  with  white  birch. 
The  brakeman  attended  to  the  fire  and  "broke"  the 
train  at  the  call  of  the  engineer  by  two  sharp  whistles. 

Every  train  carried  a  "water  boy"  whose  duty  it 
was  to  go  through  the  train  occasionally  and  su])])ly 
the  passengers  with  water  carried  in  a  tin  receptacle 
resembling  a  watering  pot,  without  the  rose,  and  sur- 
rounded  by   half   a   dozen   glasses   in   tin   brackets. 

[278] 


RAILROADS  IX  THE  EARLY  DAYS 

JNIany  of  the  old  time  conductors  rose  from  the  humble 
post  of  water  boy,  entering  the  service  at  the  age  of 
fourteen.  , 

It  was  certainly  no  easy  task  to  travel  and  yet  I 
recall  one  occasion  when  I  rode  with  my  father  over 
the  "Old  Colony  &  Xewport  R.  R.,"  such  rolling  stock 
as  I  have  described  was  referred  to  as  the  ''luxuries  of 
travel"  and  so  it  was  in  comparison  to  the  stage  coach 
and  canal  which,  as  means  of  transportation,  had  been 
abandoned  but  comparatively  few  years. 


LIXJKIXG    DOWN    THK    HARBOR    1SJ9    FROM    NEAR    R.    R. 

STATION 


[279] 


CHAPTER  XXV 

RIVERSIDE  AND  SOUND   BEACH 

PRIOR  to  1870  Riverside  was  unnamed  and 
Sound  Reach  was  Old  Greenwich.  A  century 
earher  it  was  "Old  Town."  All  that  portion  of  the 
town  now  known  as  Sound  Reach  is  historic  ground. 
In  1640  it  was  called  Monakawaye,  that  name  oradu- 
ally  limiting  itself  to  the  point,  which,  a  few  years 
later,  hecame  Klizaheth  Xeck,  which  name  it  retained 
for  many  years.  I^ater,  it  hore  the  name  of  Old 
Greenwich  Point  and  J.  Kennedy  Tod  calls  it  Innis 
Arden. 

It  received  its  first  Knglish  name  from  Klizabeth 
Peaks,  who,  under  the  first  Indian  deed,  hecame  a 
part  owner  of  that  territory  and  with  lier  husl)and, 
John  Peaks,  lived  on  the  beautiful  point.  "Good  ]Ma 
Peaks,"  as  she  was  called,  w^as  a  daughter  of  John 
Winthrop,  who  was  (xovernor  of  ^lassachusetts  w^ith 
little  intermission  from  1(580  until  his  death  in  1649. 
She  and  her  husband,  with  Capt.  Daniel  Patrick, 
Capt.  John  Plnderhill,  JefFre  Perris,  and  a  few 
others,  were  the  first  settlers  of  Greenwich  and  they 
established  themselves  along  the  shore  of  the  Sound. 

Patrick  and  I^nderhill  were  fighting  characters  and 
gallantly   shared   with   Ca])t.   John   ^lason,   another 

[280] 


\ 

RIVERSIDE  AND  SOUND  BEACH 

fighting  man,  the  liardsliips  and  glories  of  tlie  Pequot 
War  in  1637.     The  other  settlers  were  men  of  peace. 

Feaks  and  Patrick  came  to  Greenwich  early  in 
1640.  Tliey  were  acting  under  the  authority  and  in 
behalf  of  the  Colony  of  Xew  Haven  and  they  at  once 
opened  negotiations  with  the  Senawaye  Indians  for 
the  purchase  of  land  for  a  settlement.  The  red  men, 
caring  less  for  land  than^  for  coats  and  blankets,  were 
quite  willing  to  part  witli  their  ancient  possessions, 
and  on  July  18,  1640,  they  formally  executed  to  Feaks 
and  Patrick  a  conveyance  of  a  large  tract  including 
all  of  what  is  now  Sound  Beach.  This  deed  was  un- 
recorded for  forty-five  years,  when  it  took  its  place  in 
Vol.  1,  page  1,  of  the  Greenwich  Land  Records,  where 
the  copy  now  is,  yellow  and  faded  with,  age  but  per- 
fectly legible,  under  a  magnifying  glass,  and  signed 
by  old  Amogorone,  whose  name  is  now  associated 
with  the  Greenwich  Fire  Department. 

In  the  early  sixties  there  was  nothing  but  open 
fields,  beautiful  trees,  along  the  highways  and  a  mag- 
nificent view  at  Sound  Beach.  Of  course  it  had 
farmers  and  they  Mere  prosperous,  because  tlie  soil 
was  wonderfully  productive — the  place  often  being 
called  the  garden  spot  of  Greenwich.  The  soil  is 
black,  free  from  ledge  or  bowlder  and  well  adapted 
to  the  cultivation  of  celery,  strawberries  and  aspar- 
agus. When  it  was  out  of  season  on  the  farm  there 
was  an  oyster  boat  in  the  cove  near  by,  for  the  Sound 
Beach  farmer  plowed  the  sea  as  well  as  the  land. 

The  old  Ferris  homestead,  still  standing,  was  at  the 

[281] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

entrance  gate  of  tlie  Sound  shore,  where  scallops  in 
large  quantities  were  caught  after  the  first  of  October. 
Durinii"  the  warm  summer  days  after  the  hay  had 
been  gathered  and  the  potatoes  hoed  for  the  last  time, 
the  farmers  from  Greenwich  and  Stamford,  and  some 

even  from  Bedford,  made 

it   a   point   to   give   their 

a»  «-  families  an  outing  on  the 

'    *--  broad  beach  or  they  would 

camp  out  for  a  week  or 

^  Uvo  un.der  the  great  oaks 

'^,    /  ,^  that  grow  on  the  point. 

Riverside  had  no  rail- 
road  station   until  about 
1870.      Both   the    station 
LIKE  A.  LOCKWOOD  and  the  ])ost  office   were 

is;33-i905  established    through    the 

efforts  of  Jeremiah  W.  Atwater  and  Luke  A. 
Lockwood.  JNIr.  Atwater  and  his  family  came 
to  Greenwich  from  Brooklyn  and  bought  a  house 
and  lot  of  Titus  ^lead  on  February  27,  186.5. 
The  place  was  located  on  the  west  side  of  North 
Street  and  is  now  owned  by  William  F.  H.  I^ock- 
wood.  jNIr.  Atwater  was  a  commuter  on  the  railroad, 
having  a  real  estate  office  in  New  York.  Some  three 
or  four  years  afterwards  he  moved  to  wdiat  is  now 
Riverside  and  fjegan  the  active  development  of  that 
part  of  the  town.  He  bought  large  tracts  at  what 
were  considered  large  prices  but  what  he  sold  brought 
him  a  good  profit.     He  also  engaged  in  house  con- 

[282] 


RIVERSIDE  AND  SOUND  BEACH 

struction,  building  some  of  tlie  ])e.st  houses  in  River- 
side and  thus  improving  his  land  was  better  able  to 
dispose  of  it.     , 

He   was   verv   ODtimistic   and    althouoh    the   hard 


AMASA  A.   MARKS 
1835-1905 

times  of  1873  and  the  years  that  preceded  the  re- 
sumption of  specie  payments  made  his  schemes  of 
development  more  difficult,  he  never  lost  courage  but 
was  always  confident  that  in  the  end  he  would  "come 
in  a  sure  winner,"  as^  in  fact,  he  did. 

Luke  A.  Lockwood,  a  New  York  lawyer  who  lived 
at  the  old  homestead  and  died  November  20,  1905,  in 

[283] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

the  house  in  wliich  he  was  horn,  gave  to  ]Mr.  Atwater 
hearty  encouragement  and  thus  were  estahhshed  the 
railroad  station,  a  post  office,  and  St.  Paul's  chapel, 
now  an  Episcojjal  Church  independent  of  Christ 
Church,  organized  originally  as  a  private  corporation. 

The  growth  and  importance  of  Soun.d  Reach  may 
he  largely  attrihuted  to  tlie  efforts  of  Amasa  A. 
^larks.  He  w^as  a  New  York  manufacturer  and 
business  man,  who  came  to  (Greenwich  and,  on  Janu- 
ary 12,  187'i,  bought  of  Charles  Hendrie,  Jr.,  about 
twxnty-five  acres  of  shore  front  land  for  $10,500. 
The  price  he  paid  for  the  land  shows  that  he  was  a 
])ioneer.  The  man  who  sold  him  the  land  was  a  native 
and  tlie  old  homestead  still  stands,  a  beautiful 
example  of  an  old-time  mansion. 

Mr.  Cliarles  Hendrie  had  a  brother,  J.  W.  Hendrie, 
who  is  well  remembered  by  his  neighbors  at  Sound 
Reach.  He  was  a  graduate  of  Yale  College,  a  mem- 
ber of  tlie  famous  class  of  1851,  and  upon  receiving 
his  degree  he  embarked  for  California.  In  the  city 
of  San  Francisco,  where  he  was  early  a  large  land- 
owner, lie  became  rich  from  the  profits  of  the  gold 
mines.  The  law  school  building  at  Yale,  known  as 
Hendrie  Hall,  was  his  gift. 

INIr.  INIarks  and  Mr.  Hendrie,  who  in  those  early 
days  spent  a  few  months  each  year  at  the  old  liome- 
stead,  cooperated  as  far  as  possible  in  the  improve- 
ment of  the  roads,  the  construction  of  a  new  school 
building  and  in  manv  other  ways  made  their  influence 
felt  in  the  community.     ^Ir.  INIarks  left  a  son,  Wil- 

[284] 


\ 

RIVERSIDE  AND  SOUND  BEACH 

liam  1.1.  ]Mark.s,  who  is  still  a  resident  of  Sound 
Beach,  heing  the  public  spirited  owner  of  Laddin's 
Rock  Farm.  George  E.  JNIarks,  another  son,  who  in 
his  younger  days  was  a  civil  engineer  in  town,  is  now 
a  resident  of  New  York  City. 

The  advent  of  the  railroad  in  1848  led  many  of  the 
old  residents  to  believe  that  a  station  would  be  located 
in  that  neighborhood.  Gilbert  ^larshall  resided  in 
the  house  still  standing  nearly  opposite  the  present 
Sound  Beach  station.  He  owned  considerable  land 
in  that  vicinity  and  it  was  his  desire  to  have  a  station 
at  that  point. 

It  is  difficult  to  imagine  for  whose  accommodation 
it  was  required,  but  JNIr.  Marshall  was  determined  to 
get  the  station  and  he  got  it — on  the  map.  In  his 
deed  of  a  part  of  the  right  of  way  he  had  his  lawyer  in- 
sert these  words:  "Said  Com])any  is  to  esta))lish  a 
"regular  stopping  place  on  said  land  and  if  said  Com- 
"pany  should  fail  to  use  it  as  a  passenger  depot  for 
"three  months  at  any  one  time  after  said  road  shall 
"have  been  completed  between  New  Haven  and  New 
"York,  then  the  said  land  shall  revert  to  and  ])ecome 
"the  property  of  said  ^Marshall." 

The  old  man  told  me  it  was  just  as  strong  as 
Charles  Hawley  could  write  it  and  still  the  station 
remained  a  promise  unfulfilled  for  thirty-one  years 
and  long  after  the  old  man  had  passed  away.  For 
years  before  his  death  I  often  saw  him  standing  at  tlie 
south  door  as  the  train  rattled  by  looking  as  if  he  was 
still  waiting  and  expecting  the  long  deferred  statioi^. 

[•285] 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

THE    Oci^AGON    HOUSE 

THE  Greenwich  Hospital  on  Milbank  Avenue 
occupies  land  wliere  formerly  stood  the  Octagon 
House. 

In  the  spring  of  1859  this  house  stood  alone  in  a 
wide  territory  of  farm  land.  It  had  been  built  about 
two  years.  ]Mason  Street,  then  called  on  a  map  in 
the  Town  Clerk's  office  "First  Avenue,"  had  not  been 
opened  and  Milbank  Avenue  from  Putnam  Avenue 
to  Davis  Avenue  was  called  I.,ove  I^ane,  sometimes 
jMill  Lane.  South  of  that  it  went  by  the  name  of 
Second  Avenue. 

Aaron  Woolsey  and  Edwin  Mead  owned  all  that 
tract  north  of  Elm  Street  bounded  on  the  east  by  jNIil- 
bank  Avenue,  on  the  west  by  Green-wich  Avenue  and 
extending  nortli  to  the  Mason  property,  now  Lewis 
Street.  This  land  was  all  very  productive  and  from 
the  Octagon  House  was  an  unbroken  view,  south  and 
west  across  fields  of  timothy  and  grain. 

Solomon  S.  Gansey  built  the  house  from  plans 
claimed  by  him  to  be  original.  He  said  he  expected  to 
build  a  house  of  an  entirely  new  and  original  style 
of  architecture  and  the  plan  as  first  drawn  showed 
one  more  story  than  was  finally  constructed.     The 

[286] 


THE  OCTAGON  HOUSE 

third  story   for  lack  of   funds   was  omitted  and  the 
cupola  occupied  its  place. 

Jacob  T.  Weed  had  an  inn  at  the  head  of  (xveen- 
wich  Avenue,  in  those  days,  and  among  those  who 
made  the  inn  a  place  of  rendezvous,  particularly  Sat- 


T]1K  OCTACiOX    HOL'SK 

urday  nights,  was  the  builder,  ]Mr.  Gansey.  When 
JNIr.  Gansey  showed  the  plans  to  INIr.  Weed,  the  latter 
suggested  that  the  house  be  built  out  of  plumb,  so  as 
to  resemble  the  leaning  tower  of  Piza.  INIr.  Gansey 
told  JNIr.  Weed  that  he  didn't  know  what  he  meant, 
but  that  he  had  a  suspicion  that  JNIr.  Weed  was 
laughing  at  him. 

However,  the  house  construction,  went  on  with  its 

[287] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 

windows  and  doors  on  eight  sides,  till  it  was  com- 
pleted in  the  imperfect  manner  already  described. 

Brnsli  Knapp  was  a  native  of  Greenwich  who, 
when  he  was  a  youth,  had  left  the  Round  Hill  farm 
for  Xew  York  City.  He  became  wealthy  as  a  whole- 
sale grocer  and  in  1850  retired,  and  purchased  of 
A\^illiam  I^.  I^yon  seven  acres  and  a  dwelling  house 
on  Xorth  Street,  now  the  property  of  Cornelius 
Mead  and  lately  occupied  by  George  Guion. 

On  the  second  of  April,  1859,  he  bought  the 
Octagon  house  of  George  A.  Palmer  for  $5,000,  in- 
cluding one  and  one-half  acres  of  land.  The  same 
month  lie  bought  of  Aaron  Woolsey  of  Bedford, 
N.  Y.,  for  $1,500  five  acres  adjoining  his  first  pur- 
chase. At  that  time  the  opening  of  Avhat  is  now  ]Ma- 
son  Street  between  Elm  and  the  present  I^ewis  Street 
was  somewhat  uncertain,  as  shown  by  jNIr.  Knapp's 
deed  which  reads  as  follows : 

"In  case  the  said  Brush  Knapp  and  adjoining 
"owners  shall  deside  to  keep  it  (First  Avenue)  per- 
"maiiently  closed  then  eacli  party  shall  own  to  the 
"center  of  said  First  Avenue,  opposite  the  land  owned 
"by  him." 

It  was  about  ten  years  before  this  portion  of  ^Nlason 
Street  was  opened  and  it  held  the  name  of  First 
Avenue  till  1881  when  it  was  extended  north  to  Put- 
nam Avenue  and  the  street,  for  its  entire  length, 
named  ]Mason  Street. 

jNIr.   Knapp  had  been  an  active  business  man  in 

[288] 


3i|r 


THE  OCTAGOX  HOUSE 

Xew  York  and  for  those  days  had  amassed  a  fortune. 
He  was  pleased  with  tlie  location  and  surroundings  of 
the  house,  but  he  often  stated  that  when  the  place  was 
new  to  liini  he  had  to  take  his  bearings  with  some  care, 
lest  in  attempting  to  go  out  at  the  front  door  he 
emerged  at  the  back  door,  so  confusing  was  the  con- 
struction of  his  eight  sided  house. 

Mr.  Knapp 
was  a  man  of 
excellent  judg- 
ment and  was 
active  in  the 
management  of 
Borougli  affairs, 
occui^ying  the 
position  of  Bur- 
g  e  s  s  ma  n  y 
terms.  His  keen 
business  instinct 
enabled  him  as 
the  Borough 
grew  to  sell  off 
from  time  to 
time  portions  of 
his  original  purchase  until  he  had  gotten  his  money 
back  several  times  over,  and  still  retained  his  home 
with  ample  ground. 

AVhen  ^lason  Street  was  opened  from  Elm  Street 
to  Lewis  Street  he  built  one  of  the  first  houses  on  the 

[289] 


BRUSH    KXAPP 

At    75 
1807-189.5 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 

street,  wliere  his  daughters,  Amelia  and  INIartha 
Kna])p,  lived  for  a  luimber  of  years.  The  house  is 
now  owned  by  David  K.  Allen. 

In  1885  JNlr.  Knapp  sold  the  liome  to  ^lary  War- 
ing INIead  and  went  to  live  in  the  JNIason  Street  house, 
where  his  last  days  were  spent. 


[290] 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

THE  oi.D  :miij,  at  stonybkooke 

THE  first  house  north  of  Cornehus  Mead's  on  the 
road  to  Stanwich  is  th.e  home  of  George  P. 
Waterbnry,  known  as  Stonybrooke,  and  recently 
purchased  by  J.  Howland  Hunt.  One  huncb'ed  and 
seventy  years  ago  this  road  was  called  the  By- 
field  Road.  No  one  knows  why  it  ])ore  that  name, 
but  it  is  fre(juently  mentioned  in  the  early  land  records 
and  may  have  referred  to  a  road  l)y  a  field,  at  a  time 
when  cleared  ground  was  rare. 

The  house,  which  stands  on  a  knoll  beneath  an  an- 
cient elm,  looks  out  across  a  merry  brook  and  down 
a  road,  curving  betw^een  moss-covered  stone  walls. 
Beyond  this  road,  with  its  graceful  curves,  is  a  broad 
stretch  of  meadow%  called  in  the  old  deeds  "the  Hook 
land,"  and  still  farther  away  the  trees  of  a  dense 
forest  meet  the  sky  line. 

The  first  settler  on  this  spot,  tlien  common  land, 
was  Caleb  ^lead.  He  was  born  in  1G93  and  tradition 
has  it  that  he  was  forty-one  years  old  when  he  built 
the  first  house  at  Stonybrooke.  It  was  on  the  exact 
spot  where  the  present  house  stands.  In  17.50  at  the 
age  of  fifty-six  Caleb  jNIead  died,  leaving  three  sturdy 
sons,  Caleb,  Jeremiah  and  Titus. 

[291] 


OTPIER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

Caleb,  the  father,  left  a  will  by  which  he  gave  all 
his  land,  divided  and  undivided,  "lying  in  Greenwich 
Township,  Fairfield  County,  Connecticut  Colony,  in 
New  England,"  to  be  equally  divided  between  his 
three  sons,  above  mentioned.  After  his  death  the 
l)oys  made  division  of  the  huid  by  the  exchange  of 
quit  claim  deeds,  and  the  homestead  went  to  Jeremiah. 

The  following  year,  1751,  Jeremiah  tore  down  the 
old  house,  and  using  some  of  the  ohl  frame.  ])uilt  the 
western  half  of  the  ])resent  house.  Tlie  tire])Iaces 
in  the  kitchen  and  living-room  and  in  tlie  chambers 
above  are  suggestive  of  a  time  when  tliey  were  the 
only  means  of  cooking  tlie  food  and  warming  the 
house.  The  eastern  half  of  the  house  lias  been  built 
within  the  last  sixty  years.  That  portion  of  the 
liouse  first  built,  reveals  massive  oak  beams,  wrought 
iron  nails  and  handmade  latches  and  hinges  that  tell 
of  house  construction  methods  one  hundred  and  fifty 
years  ago. 

It  is  pr()ba])le  tliat  al)out  this  time  the  mill  site  on 
the  property  was  first  utilized. 

While  the  dam  was  rebuilt  in  1880  and  bears  that 
date,  it  is  well  known  that  the  new  dam  gave  place 
to  one  of  more  ancient  construction  and  by  some  it  has 
been  claimed  that  Caleb  Mead,  the  first  settler,  made 
use  of  the  water  j)()wer  for  a  cider  mill,  traces  of  the 
foundations  of  which  are  still  pointed  out  in  the 
orchard  south  of  the  house.  It  is  more  likely,  how- 
evei",  tliat  the  first  use  of  the  water  power  was  for  a 
saw   mill.      It    is   known    that   many    of   the   earliest 

[292] 


^/ 


i^"^. 


THE  OLD  MILL  AT  STONYBROOKE 

houses  in  Greenwich  were  supplied  with  material 
sawed  at  tliat  mill.  Jeremiah  Mead  ran  the  mill  and 
managed  the  farm  during  his  life. 

His  son,  Edmund  JNIead,  taking  up  the  work  after 
his  death,  raised  a  familv  of  twelve  children.     The  lat- 


LOWER    FALLS,   STONYBROOKE 
Power    for    the    churn    and    ice-cream    freezer 

ter  consisted  of  six  hoys — James,  Reuhen,  Allen,  Al- 
fred, Edmund  and  Irving,  and  six  daughters,  I^aura, 
Eunice,  Anna,  livdia,  Emeline  and  Samantha. 
Upon  the  third  son,  Allen,  the  father  of  Dr.  Beverly 
E.  JNIead,  devolved  early  in  life  the  management  of 
the  old  mill.  He  measured  the  lumher  and  therehy 
learned  to  solve  manv  a  mathematical  prohlem  which 

[295] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  OREENWICH 

the  school  l)oys  of  those  clays  could  not  master.  He 
learned  music  when  musical  attainments  were  not 
looked  upon  ^\■ith  favor  by  the  hard-working  farmers, 
but  Allen  caught  many  a  spare  moment  among  the 
logs  around  the  old  mill  to  study  the  art  of  music 
as  taught  ])y  Lowell  Mason,  a  famous  Boston  teacher 
who  had  a  class  in  Stamford. 

Eater,  the  farm  descended  to  the  son,  Edmund, 
who  ran  the  mill  for  many  years  and  died  at  the  old 
place  IMay  9,  1893.  He  was  the  father  of  Irving 
Mead  of  Stanwich  and  of  jNIrs.  John  H.  Banks  of  the 
Borough.  It  was  less  than  thirty  years  ago  that  the 
mill  wheel  was  st()p])e(l  and  the  old  mill  was  given 
over  to  the  storage  of  plows  and  liarrows.  It  was 
torn  down  about  1909. 

The  illustration  shows  how  the  old  building  rested 
aoainst  a  "reat  tree.  But  for  that  tree  it  would  have 
fallen  several  years  before  it  finally  Ijecame  unsafe. 
It  was  probably  the  last  of  its  kind  near  the  village 
and  it  was  an  interesting  relic  of  the  generations  that 
have  gone  before. 


[296] 


SNAP    SHOTS    AT    STOXYBROOKE 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 

THE    OLD    MILL    AT    DAVIS    LANDING 

IN  an  early  chapter,  reference  has  been  made  to  tlie 
old  Davis  mill.  It  was  a  great  disappointment  to 
me  that  it  had  to  be  torn  down,  becanse  I  always 
loved  the  old  mill.  I  caught  eels  under  its  great 
wheel  before  I  was  ten  years  old.  I  dove  from  the 
rocks  into  the  pond,  and  swam  with  the  tide  through 
the  race-way  and  as  I  grew  older  I  fished  for  snap- 
pers from  the  window  on  the  south  side.  I  knew 
every  mysterious  nook  and  cranny  in  tlie  old  building. 

But  at  last  it  grew  so  weak  with  age  that  it  was 
no  longer  safe  to  allow  it  to  stand.  The  upper  part 
of  the  building  was  sound.  Every  timber  and  plank 
in  it  were  hewn  from  the  native  forests  and  the  marks 
of  the  adze  were  visible.  Some  of  the  oak  was  as 
hard  as  bone,  but  the  sills  and  the  lower  floor  timbers 
had  for  so  many  years  felt  the  direct  influence  of  the 
salt  water  that  they  w^ere  thoroughly  decayed  and 
there  was  great  danger  of  a  complete  collapse. 

The  mill  was  built  in  1705.  At  that  time  Church 
and  State  were  closely  united.  Ecclesiastical  prop- 
erty was  town  property.  The  meeting  house,  as  the 
name  indicates,  was  used  for  both  religious  and  secu- 
lar purposes.  The  minister  was  supported  by  the 
taxpayers,  and  the  town  meeting  hired  and  discharged 

[299] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GKEEXWICII 

as  it  saw  fit.  Rev.  Joseph  ^Morgan  was  the  minister 
in  that  year  and  hy  a  vote  of  tlie  town,  January  9, 
1704,  he  was  oranted  the  privilege  of  hnilding  a  mill 
on  Cos  C'oh  river. 

The  stream  referred  to  as  Cos  Coh  river  was  some- 
times known  as  Brothers  hrook  and  later  Davis'  creek. 
jNIany  have  supposed  that  the  river  referred  to  is  the 
creek  at  Cos  Cob,  but  in  tliis  they  are  mistaken,  ms 
that  was  always  called  in  the  records  the  "JMyan.os 
river." 

The  grant  to  build  the  mill  was  accorded  to  Mr. 
^ioi-gan  with  a  view  to  aiding  in  his  support,  and  as 
a  convenience  to  tlie  inhabitants  who  wanted  their 
corn  ground.  Rut  the  mill  was  very  profitable  and 
it  became  a  serious  (|uestio]i  with  the  deacons  of  the 
church  whether  "Sir.  ^lorgan  was  not  devoting  less 
time  to  the  s])iritual  interests  of  his  ])arish  and  more 
to  the  I'unuiiig  of  the  mill  than  was  best  for  those 
concerned. 

The  town  had  given  to  ^Ir.  Morgan  thirty  acres 
of  common  land  and  a  liouse  lot  where  the  village  is 
now  located,  and  the  people  thought  he  should  be 
tliere  most  of  the  time,  rather  than  at  the  mill. 

There  was,  however,  a  difference  of  opinion  as  to 
whether  ^Ir.  JNIorgan  was  justified  in  his  course  and 
therefore  at  a  town  meeting  held  July  20,  1708,  it 
was  voted  to  leave  the  matter  for  decision  to  the  minis- 
ters of  the  County,  very  much  as  such  differences  in 
these  days  would  be  settled. 

Ebenezer  Mead  and  Caleb  Knapp  were  appointed 

[300] 


i\         f» 


-45  J 


1  :iM 


THE  OLD  MILL  AT  DAVIS  LANDING 

a  committee  to  lay  the  subject  before  the  united  min- 
istry of  Fairfiehl  County  and  the  result  was  adverse 
to  Mr.  Morgan.  The  ministers  decided  that  ^Ir. 
JNIorgan  ought  to  hire  a  competent  miller,  while  its 
owner  should  attend  to  the  spiritual  wants  of  his 
parish. 

The  matter  was  decided  with  great  jjromptness, 
but  ]Mr.  ^Morgan  showed  a  reluctance  to  yield  and  on 
the  27th  of  August.  1708,  the  town  voted  that  :Mr. 
JNIorgan  must  obey  or  the  committee  should  hire  an- 
other minister  by  "ye  last  of  September." 

However,  ]Mr.  ^lorgan  held  out  till  the  17th  of 
October,  when  he  gave  up  the  fight,  stuck  to  his  mill, 
and  the  committee  secured  another  preacher. 

The  mill  must  have  been  a  source  of  great  profit, 
for  after  ]Mr.  ^lorgan's  death  it  was  sold  at  auction 
for  a  large  price,  and  what  seems  very  singular  to  a 
man  who  had  no  interests  here — to  a  genuine  out- 
sider by  the  name  of  Valentine.  He  lived  in  Oyster 
Bay,  Long  Island,  then  called  "Nassau  Island."  He 
owned  a  trading  sloop,  that  had  frequently  made  a 
harbor  in  "Chimney  Corner"  and  in  that  way  Capt. 
Valentine  knew  of  the  value  of  the  property  and  was 
present  when  it  was  offered  for  sale. 

The  Valentine  family  owned  the  old  mill  till  1761 
when  it  was  sold  to  Thomas  Davis,  who  also  came 
from  Oyster  bay.  He  ran  the  mill  up  to  the  time  of 
the  Revolutionary  war.  His  two  sons,  Stephen  and 
Elisha,  ran  it  jointly  during  the  war.  Elisha  Davis 
was  a  Tory  and  secretly  ground  grain  for  the  British 

[303] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

fleet  lying  in  tlie  Sonnd.  Stephen  Davis  remained 
loyal  and  at  the  end  of  the  war  the  State  of  Con- 
neetient,  lieing  able  to  convict  Elisha  Davis  of  his 
offense,  confiscated  his  property,  which  constituted 
the  undivided  half  of  tlie  mill. 

Afterwards,  liy  an  act  of  the  General  Assembly 
and  in  conformity  with  the  treaty  of  peace  with  Great 
Britain,  Stephen  Davis  ])ouoht  back  the  sliare  which 
liad  been  taken  from  liis  l)r()ther  and  for  many  peace- 
ful years  thereafter  the  wheel  went  round  with  every 
tide  for  the  convenience  of  tlie  people  and  the  profit 
of  Stephen  Davis. 

For  more  than  a  century  thereafter,  the  white- 
aproned  miller  that  lifted  the  sacks  of  grain  in  at 
the  old  Dutch  door  and  passed  back  tlie  meal  into 
the  waiting  ox  cart,  was  a  Davis. 

Ste})hen  Davis  was  laid  at  rest  with  his  father  on 
the  liillside,  in  the  woods  just  north  of  the  railroad 
and  was  followed  by  his  sons  and  his  grandsons,  all 
millers.  Tliere  was  Silas,  Walter  the  "Commodore," 
Henry  and  last  of  all,  Edward,  who  died  in  the  winter 
of  1891. 

He  loved  the  old  mill  but  he  realized  that  its  end 
had  come  and  the  day  before  the  demolition  began 
he  went  all  through  it  in  his  half  blindness.  He 
passed  his  hands  over  the  girders  and  the  floor  timbers 
and  stroked  the  long  shingles  as  though  they  were 
creatures  of  life  and  knew  him  and  realized  the  part- 
ing hour.  The  warming  pan,  the  old  brass  andirons 
and  the  ancient  clock  of  his  forefathers  were  all  in 

[304] 


THE  OLD  :\IILL  AT  DAVIS  LAXDIXG 

the  mill,  but  were  taken  out  witli  tender  care  and  not 
long  since  I  saw  the  clock,  now  more  than  two  liundred 
years  old,  still  ticking-  the  time  away  in  the  shop  of 
Henry   Schifferdecker. 

Although  the  old  mill  is  gone,  all  the  surroundings 
are  much  as  they  were  fifty  years  ago.  The  winding 
road  with  the  wayside  well,  the  pictiu'esque  Avails, 
the  granite  bowlders,  mciss-covered  and  overgrown 
with  stunted  cedars  and  climbing  vines,  the  bold  and 
Avooded  shores  up  and  down  the  creek  all  lend  a  charm 
to  Davis  Landing  that  the  removal  of  the  old  mill 
has  not  eifaced. 


[305] 


CHAPTER  XXIX 

THE    ANCIENT    HIGHWAYS 

THE  highway  commissioner,  I.,eon  H.  Peck,  says 
there  are  about  one  hundred  and  seventy-five 
miles  of  public  ways  and  streets  in  (xreenwich. 

During  the  last  half  century  they  have  increased 
in  small  proportion  to  the  growth  of  the  town.  The 
map  of  (xreenwich,  from  a  siu'vey  made  in  October, 
1757,  and  April,  177'i,  a  copy  of  which  appears  in 
Spencer  P.  jNIead's  history,  shows  practically  the 
same  highways  that  ai"e  in  use  to-day. 

As  a  boy  and  youth  I  was  familiar  with  all  the 
roads.  ^Nlany  of  the  old  landmarks  have  disap- 
peared; the  dirt  road  has  been  changed  to  macadam; 
grades  have  been  altered;  ancient  stone  walls  have 
been  sacrificed  to  the  greed  of  the  house  builder  and 
curves  have  been  eliminated  to  accommodate  the 
swift  moving  motor  car. 

I  like  to  think  of  them  as  they  were  in  other  days, 
althou"h  we  are  not  without  artistic  and  beautiful 
highways.  But  fifty  years  ago  all  our  roads  ran 
between  ancient  walls  of  granite  bowlders,  softened 
with  the  moss  of  a  century  and  overrun  with  creep- 
ing vines.  The  stone  fences  were  one  of  the  prettiest 
featiu'es    of    an    afternoon    drive.     They    were    as 

[306] 


THE  ANCIENT  HIGHWAYS 

crooked  in  their  winding  as  the  track  of  an  adder. 
They  were  strangely  irregnhir  in  shape;  some  h)W 
and  some  high;  some  of  small  stones  and  some  of 
massive  howlders. 

jNIany  of  them  would  have  fallen  to  the  ground  hut 
for  the  tenacious  grasp  of  the  ivy  that  ran  in  and  out 
the  fissures  of  the  rock  and  held  them  like  the  strong- 
est mortar.     Some  of  them  were  so  huried  heneath 


WOODSEY    ROAD 

the  foliage  tliat  only  here  and  there  was  revealed 
a  glimjjse  of  their  mossy  surface.  It  was  hard  to 
believe  that  they  were  the  creation  of  man,  and  not 
the  wild  growth  of  nature. 

JNIany  of  the  roads  were  shaded  and  some  of  them 
w^ere  typical  "woodsy  roads"  where  the  maiden  hair 
fern  would  rustle  against  the  spokes  of  the  wheels 
and  the  overhanging  chestnuts  brusli  against  the 
carriage  top. 

The  farmhouses  all  had  a  look  of  prosperity. 
The  massive  chimneys  were  the  style  of  a  century 

[307] 


OTHER  DAYS   IX   (GREENWICH 

before,  wlieii  the  great  open  fireplace  was  the  only 
method  of  heating  the  house.  Some  of  the  fields 
were  rugged  with  rocks.  The  plowman  would 
dodge  between  the  ledges  and  back  and  go  ahead 
again  with  perfect  indifference.  The  soil  was  sweet 
and  warm  l)etween  the  rocks  and  the  harvest  always 
abundant. 

The  houses  were  never  connected,  l)v  woodsheds, 


ROUXD    HILL    WOODSHKI) 

Avith  the  barns,  as  in  Xew  Hampshire  and  in  many 
parts  of  jNIassachusetts.  The  snow  has  never  pre- 
vailed sufficiently  in  these  jjarts  to  warrant  such  a 
construction  of  farm  buildings  that  a  fire  in  one  of 
them  means  certain  destruction  to  all. 

The  woodshed  was  usually  a  feature  among  the 
farm  l)uildings,  although  at  points  near  the  village 
it  had  often  been  degraded  into  a  storehouse  for 
broken  down  farm  implements,  among  which  the 
hens  would  steal  their  nests  and  hatch  their  young, 
out    of    season    and    in    open    defiance.     For    what 

[308] 


THE  ANCIENT  HIGHWAYS 


farmer's  boy  would  hunt  for  eggs  between  tlie  rusty 
knives  of  discarded  mowing  machines^     But  in  the 
northern  part  of  the  town  the  woodshed  continued 
to     perform     its 
(hity  of  a  century 
earUer.       In    the 
fall      and      early 
winter      it      was 
piled  to  the  roof 
w  i  t  h    seasoning 
hickory    and    ap- 
ple tree  wood  and 
its    2^erfume   was 
easily      detected. 
As  the  shades  of     " 
evening  came  on 
one  could  see  the 
thin  line  of  wood 
smoke    from    the 
great   chimney 
and      often      the 
odor  of  flap- jacks 
came   out   at   the 
half  open  door. 

The  Greenwich  farmers  always  lived  well.  I  used 
to  note  the  bee  skips  about  the  back  yard  and  the 
milk  cans  upon  pegs  in  the  cleansin.g  sunlight. 
There  were  vegetable  gardens,  apple  orchards  and 
melon  patches.  Rows  of  ^lason  jars  in  the  pantry 
told  of  how  they  had  everything  "in  season  and  out." 

[309] 


ISAAC    HOWE   .MKAl) 

Snapshot    by    Xelson    B.    Mt-ad 

18^3-1889 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 


In  other  days  the  walk  to  Cos  Cob  was  over  the 
Post  Road  unless  one  avoided  the  dust  in  summer 
and  the  mud  in  winter  by  going  "across  lots"  from 
Davis  I^anding  over  the  dam  and  through  tlie  Isaac 
Howe  JNIead  farm,  now  Bruce  Park.  In  laying  out 
Bruce  Park  care  was  taken  to  preserve  all  the  natural 
and  rustic  features  of  the  place,  but  the  removal  of 

the  old  stone  fences  and 
the  construction  of  invit- 
ing drives  has  taken  away 
all  the  seclusion  that  its 
former  inaccessibility  as- 
sured. 

South  of  the  Isaac 
Howe  Mead  farm  was  the 
farm  of  Charles  JNIead, 
usually  known  as  jNIead's 
Point,  for  it  has  a  magn.if- 
icent  water  front.  It  had 
yielded  liay  and  grain  to  successive  generations  of 
Meads.  The  ancestral  home  stood  not  far  from  the 
present  house  owned  by  his  sons.  Whitman  S.  JMead 
and  Charles  N.  JNIead.  The  old  house,  which  was  su- 
perseded by  the  new  house  longer  ago  than  I  can  re- 
meml)er,  had  Dutch  doors  and  a  brick  oven  which 
told  something  of  the  family  life  of  those  who  lived 
there  more  than  a  century  ago.  Like  all  Greenwich 
farms,  it  had  its  potato  cellar  and  once  on  the  key- 
stone of  its  arch  I  dug  the  moss  from  the  words 
"Noah  Mead,   1812."     The  marks  of  the  chisel  re- 

[310] 


CHARLES  MEAD 
1813-1898 


THE  ANCIENT  HIGHWAYS 


vealed  the  hand  of  a  boy  who  like  the  boys  of  to-day 

had  left  his  name  and  the  date  for  future  generations 

to  read.     The  same  boy    r-^ — -^■ 

lived  to  honored  manhood 

and    died   at   the   age  of 

seventy-seven. 

Isaac  Howe  ]Mead  lived 
in  the  first  brick  house 
built  in  Greenw^ich.  It 
stood  near  the  road  in 
front  of  the  present  home 
of  WiUiam  H.  Truesdale. 
Along  the  lane,  for  the 
road  was  scarcely  more, 
where  this  house  stood,  the  oaks  are  very  old  and  thrifty 
and  even  in  these  days  artists  find  many  a  subject 


EDWARD   MEAD 

1809-188,5 


EDWARD    MEAD    HOMESTEAD 

Built  18:5;^ 

for  their  brush.  Cos  Cob  harbor  and  the  Sound  are 
in  plain  sight  and  to  the  northwest  one  could  look 
across  the  fields  and  over  the  tree  tops,  now  Avithin 

[311] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

the  enclosure  of  jNIilbaiik,  to  the  village  with  its  tall 
church  spire. 

Just  north  of  the  Isaac  Howe  ^Nlead  house,  on  the 
same  road,  was  a  square  white  house  still  standino', 


.)()Si:!'ll    Ultl'SH 

but  now  surrounded  l)y  other  dwellings  which  was 
the  lionie  of  I^ivman  ^lead.  He  was  prominent  in 
town  affairs  for  many  years,  and  a  member  of  the 
Legislature. 

A  little  farther  along,  through  a  road  that  retains 

[312] 


THE  AXCIEXT  HIGHWAYS 

all  of  its  former  l)eauty,  is  the  old  Post  Road  at  Cos 
Cob.  Opposite  the  junction  of  these  roads  stands 
one  of  the  old-time  mansions,  with  its  four  great 
chimneys  an.d  its  chaste  and  artistic  front  door  im- 


JOSEPH  BRUSH  IIOMKSTKAI)  HL  ll.T  IN  I  UK  .MIDDLK  OF 
THE    EIGHTEENTH    CENTURY 

This  house  and  the  Ei)hrann  Lane,  James  Waring,  and  Robert  Clark 
houses  were  the  homes  at  one  time  of  fifty-three  children.  In  the 
Brush  Homestead  were  born  all  of  the  fourteen  children  in  the  family 
with   the  exce]ition  of  Amos,  the  eldest,  who  was  born   in   Horseneck 

mortalized  by  Nutting,  the  artist.  It  bears  the  date, 
1832.  The  home  of  Edward  ^Nlead,  for  many  years 
it  was  the  center  of  the  social  life  of  earlier  days 
when  all  the  children  were  there  to  join  in  the  merry 
times  that  cannot  be  forgotten.  Tliere  is  only  one 
Cos  Cob  in  the  world,  and  that  is  our  Cos  Cob. 

[313] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

A  few  years  ago  some  one — perhaps  more  than 
one — conceived  the  idea  of  changing  the  name  of 
Cos  Coh  to  Bayport.  An  apphcation  was  made  to 
the  Post  Office  Department,  and  the  name  of  the  office 


HOLI.Y    IXX,   cos   COB 

was  actually  changed  to  the  very  common  name  of 
Bayport.  But,  fortunately,  the  railroad  company 
declined  to  change  the  name  of  the  station.  The 
school  authorities  clung  to  the  old  name  for  the  district 
and  poor  little  Bayport  was  only  six  feet  square, 
being  a  small  part  of  a  small  room,  where  the  resi- 
dents of  Cos  Col)  went  for  their  daily  mail. 

There  are  two  very  old  residences  in  the  center  of 
Cos  Cob  and  once  there  was  an  old  tide  mill.  The 
mill,  when  it  was  destroyed  by  fire  January  28,  1899, 
was  one  of  the  oldest  buildings  in  town.     The  two  old 

[314] 


THE  ANCIENT  HIGHWAYS 

residences  are  on  opposite  sides  of  the  road,  the  one 
on  the  east  side  being  the  Joseph  Brush  homestead 
which  has  long  since  been  abandoned  as  a  dwelling. 
The  one  on  the  west,  belonging  to  jNIrs.  Edward  P. 


FALLS  NEAR  THE  OLD  UOLLIXG  MH.L 

Holly,  is  a  popular  inn.  Within  its  walls  are  many  in- 
teresting pieces  of  antique  furniture.  The  shining 
brass  knocker,  on  the  broad  front  door,  the  diminutive 
window  panes,  the  steep  pitch  of  the  rear  roof  and 
the  massive  chimney  all  tell  their  story  of  the  long 
ago. 

It  is  said  that  artists  enjoy  this  inn  and  JNIr.  Hobart 
B.  Jacobs  tells  me  that  he  knows  of  no  better  oppor- 
tunity for  the  use  of  pencil  or  brush  than  amid  the 

[315] 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 

surroundings  of  Cos  Col).  The  old  mill  was  a  study 
in  itself  and  many  a  picture  has  heen  drawn  of  its 
open  door  with  the  grist-laden  miller  within  and  the 
foaming  water  below,  that  had  "ground  the  grist  and 
will  never  turn  the  wheel  again." 

An  odd  kind  of  a  mill  is  a  tide  mill,  for  it  will  not 


ELKAXAH   MEAD   HO.MKSTKAI) 

grind  except  at  the  ebb  of  the  tide,  and  to  take  it 
at  the  ebb  the  miller  must  ofttimes  work  at  the  mid- 
night hour. 

Xearl)y  was  the  Palmer  &  DufF  shipyard.  Plow 
many  years  it  was  the  center  of  activity  at  Cos  Cob! 
The  click  of  the  ship  carpenter's  hammer  and  the 
smell  of  oakum  will  never  depart  from  my  memory. 

Going  north  from  Cos  Cob,  the  Cognewaugh  Road 
always  had  its  attractions.  It  was  narrow  and 
crooked  and  the  hills  were  steep.  The  trees  hung 
low  and  the  tangled  vines  grew  close  to  the  track 
of  the  wheels.  It  was  along  such  a  road  that  one 
would  expect  to  find  abandoned  farms,  but  there  were 

[316] 


THE  ANCIENT  HIGHWAYS 


never  any  such  farms  in  Greenwich.  There  were, 
however,  a  number  of  abandoned  houses  and  on  more 
than  one  occasion  I  found  a  spot  where  a  house  had 
sometime  stood  and  nothing  remained  but  a  gnarled 
cherry  tree  and  an  overgrown  hlac  bush,  rehcs  of 
the  front  dooryard.  The  locust  trees  grew  on  that 
road  and  in  the  spring  the 
air  was  heavy  with  the 
fragrance  of  their  blos- 
soms. 

Near  some  of  the  aban- 
doned houses  ,  were  piles 
of  locust,  in  lengths  for 
posts,  looking  old  and 
storm-beaten  as  though 
they  had  been  entirely 
forgotten  and  liiid  ]io 
value.  Years  ago — more  than  fifty — these  small 
places  ^\'ere  occupied  by  operatives  in  the  rolling  mill 
long  ago  abandoned. 

Th.e  Cognewaugh  Road  enters  the  North  Cos  Cob 
Road,  not  far  from  the  little  settlement,  with  school- 
house  and  church-  that  once  went  by  the  name  of 
Dingletown,  perhaps  because  the  cow  bells  were  so 
often  heard  in  that  neighborhood.  Not  far  away 
was  the  home  of  Elkanah  ^lead.  It  was  a  great 
white  house  visible  for  half  a  mile  down  the  road. 
Here  he  lived  for  forty-eight  years.  He  saw  his 
children,  that  were  spared,  grow  up  to  honor  and 

[31T] 


ELKANAH  MEAD 

1818-1891- 


OTHER  DAYS  IX  GREENWICH 

cherish  him  in  his  decHiiing  years.  How  much,  of 
joy  and  sorrow  came  to  him  in  this  home!  So  much 
that  it  made  liim  the  sweet-tempered  and  genial  old 
man  that  everyone  loved  and  respected. 

The  heauty  of  Greenwich  is  in  its  valleys  as  well 
as  its  hills.  There  is  much  life  and  w^armth  hidden 
in  the  meadows  and  by  the  hrooksides.  And  in 
other  days  most  of  the  farmers  appreciated  the 
beauties  of  n.ature.  It  is  true  they  were  living  in 
houses,  built  by  earlier  generations,  who  had  had  no 
time  to  look  beyond  the  hay  field.  In  many  instances 
magnificent  views  had  been  obstructed  by  planting 
apple  orchards  or  by  th.e  erection  of  barns  and  out- 
])uildings,  when  perhaps  a  hundred  acres  more  de- 
sirable for  such  pin-pose  had  been  left  open  for  culti- 
vation. But  they  were  always  quick  to  admit  the 
mistake  and  to  point  out  the  prominent  knolls  on  the 
farm,  where  a  view  could  be  obtained  and  where,  in 
many  instances,  have  since  been  built  fine  residences 
for  city  people  who  appreciate  the  country. 

One  of  these  is  Benjamin  T.  Fairchild,  who  bought 
the  sightly  Caleb  W.  Merritt  home  at  North  Green- 
wich years  before  the  automobile  had  made  the  place 
accessible  and  furnished  it  throughout  with  Colonial 
furnitiu'c.  He  may  drive  or  ride  one  of  his  fine 
horses  across  to  Round  Hill,  but  his  automobile, 
never.  Down  in  that  deep  valley,  approached  by  a 
tortuous  road,  runs  the  infant  Byram  roaring  over 
the  rocks  of  an  ancient  millsite.  Here  in  Revo- 
lutionary days  the  military  operations  in  Westchester 

[318] 


THE  ANCIENT  HIGHWAYS 

County  and  in  Western  Connecticut  were  conceived 
and  planned. 

The  old  mill,  which  long  ago  disappeared,  was  the 
meeting  place  of  the  Generals  and  on  one  occasion 
in  1781  Washington  himself  was  present  to  advise 
and  encourage. 

Round  Hill  was  always  a  fascinating  place.  It 
was  so  quiet,  so  rural, 
so  peaceful.  Perhaps  to- 
day it  has  as  many  attrac- 
tions as  in  the  past,  hut 
they  are  not  (piite  the 
same.  Grand  mansions, 
beautiful  lawns,  tall 
fences  and  formidable 
gateways  o  c  c  u  p  y  the 
places  of  many  old  houses 
with  well-sweeps  in  the 
yards  and  the  simple  latch 
gates  that  led  out  to  the 
road.  In  the  early  morning  hours  the  salty,  pungent 
odor  of  the  sea-marsh,  seven  miles  away,  has  often 
been  borne  to  my  nostrils  by  a  favorable  wind. 

Perhaps  Saturday  night  in  Round  Hill  was  no 
different  from  other  weekday  nights  and  yet  some- 
times as  I  drove  through  that  quiet  hamlet  there  ap- 
peared evidences  that  the  week's  work  had  terminated 
differently  from  that  of  other  nights.  The  farmer 
boys  had  tidied  up  the  side-bar  buggy  and  the  silver- 
mounted  harness,  preparatory  to  the  Sunday  drive 

[319]' 


C  H  l^  R  C  H  AT  NORTH 
GREENWICH  DESTROYED 
BY    FIRE    DEC.    15,    1895 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

with  their  best  girls.  The  carriage  house  doors  were 
still  open,  while  the  pool  of  water  by  the  grassy  wash- 
stand,  the  rubber  boots  and  the  water-soaked  overalls 


^sSl^v^M 


ODI.E  C.   KXAPP 

1815-1888 


drip])ing  on  their  pegs  told  their  own  story.  Round 
Hill  was  a  village  with  a  store,  a  post  office  and  a 
hill  of  the  same  name.  To  see  the  hill  in  all  its  glory 
one  must  ascend  it  at  high  noon  of  a  clear  October 
day  and  look  at  the  horizon  of  forest,  farms  and  water 
in  one  grand  sweeping  circle.  It  is  now  the  prop- 
erty of  the  banker,  William  Stewart  Tod,  but  once 

[320] 


THE  ANCIENT  HIGHWAYS 

eight  acres  on  the  summit  helonged  to  Frederick 
Bonner,  one  of  the  sons  of  Robert  Bonner,  of  Phila- 
delphia Ledger  fame. 

Fred  Bonner  was  tlie  chum  of  Alexander  Taylor, 
Jr.,  and  once,  when  on  the  latter's  steam  yacht,  SJcij- 
lark,  cruising  in  the  Sound  he  saw  through  the  glasses 
Round  Hill  with  its  single  apple  tree  at  the  apex. 
Turning  to  Taylor  he  said,  "Alex,  do  you  see  that 
land  that  lies  nearer  to  Heayen  than  any  other  in 
sight?  I  want  to  buy  it."  And  within  a  month  it 
was  his. 

The  old  store  at  Round  Hill  stood  on  the  west  side 
of  the  road,  in  those  days,  but  since  it  has  been 
moyed  across  the  way.  It  belongs  to  Nathaniel  A. 
Knapp,  but  the  name  "().  C.  Knapp"  over  the  door 
has  looked  the  same  since  the  son  was  a  baby  boy, 
making  mud  pies  with  his  brothers  and  sisters  in  the 
little   pools   about  the   hitching  posts. 


[321] 


CHAPTER  XXX 

BEIJ.E    HAVEN 

RECURRIXG  finally  to  the  farms  which  consti- 
tuted rural  (xreenwich  half  a  century  ago,  the 
Xelson  Bush  farm,  now  Belle  Haven,  comes  naturally 
to  mind.  In  1882  this  farm  was  put  on  the  market 
at  forty  thousand  dollars.  George  H.  and  Henry 
Dayton  hought  six  acres  of  it  for  $6,000,  which 
brought  the  price  of  the  balance  down  to  $34,000. 
Subsequently  the  Belle  Haven  Land  Co.  paid  that 
amount  to  the  Bush  heirs  and  acquired  the  land.  A 
tract  of  twelve  acres  was  also  ])urchased  of  Augustus 
1.  ]Mead  for  $12,000,  located  about  where  the  Hackett 
Day,  Wilbur  S.  Wright,  Thompson  and  Tyler  cot- 
tages stand.  This  made  the  total  original  cost  of 
Belle  Haven,  before  any  improvements  were  made, 
about  $46,000,  quite  small  compared  to  the  price  of 
$150,000,  paid  for  the  D.  Smith  iNIead  farm  in  1907. 
I  visited  the  ground  with  about  a  dozen  prospective 
stockholders  early  in  the  spring  of  1883.  Xo  finer 
day  could  have  been  selected  for  the  purpose.  There 
was  just  a  reminiscence  of  winter  in  the  air  and  the 
soiled  snow  lay  in  ridges  along  tlie  north  side  of  the 
stone  walls.  But  the  sun  was  warm  an^d  the  twitter 
of  the  bluebirds  and  the  joyful  whistle  of  the  meadow 
lark,  the  first  of  all  oiu"  song  birds,  could  be  heard 

[322] 


BELLE  HAVEN 

across  the  fields.  The  matter  of  the  purchase  was 
practically  settled  that  day  and  Belle  Haven,  the  first 
residence  park  that  Greenwich  ever  had,  was  an  as- 


^  ~«j%^-„((in«&    -m-^.y^  • 


NELSON   BUSH 

1800-1875 

sured  fact  hefore  the  cheery  trees  liad  hlossonied. 
Before  this,  land  had  been  divided  into  building  plots 
such  as  Rocky  Xeck,  but  this  was  the  first  land  specu- 
lation that  could  really  claim  the  name  of  a  residence 
park.  In  1882  all  the  land  now  included  in  Belle 
Haven  exceptino-  the  William  H.  ]McCord  property 

[32.3] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

and  about  forty  acres  besides,  was  assessed  for  town 
taxes  at  $15,490,  yielding  an  annual  tax  of  $193.62. 
The  taxes  now  paid  by  the  various  owners  at  Belle 
Haven  amount  to  many  thousand  dollars.  The 
men  who  bravely  took  up  the  Belle  Haven  enterprise 
saw  many  dark  days  and  in  1885,  '86  and  '87  the  sales 
were  slow  and  expenses  heavy.  There  were  mo- 
ments, perhaps,  when  they  wished  they  had  taken 
pronounced  views  against  farm  land  on  that  spring 
day  in  1888. 

Capt.  Thomas  JNIayo,  Nathaniel  Witherell  and 
Robert  M.  Bruce  were  among  the  pioneers  in  the 
Belle  Haven  scheme.  It  is  interesting  to  think  of 
Belle  Haven,  when  it  was  an  open  farm  many  years 
ago.  Once  I  knew  an  old  man  who  gave  his  personal 
recollections  of  the  place  as  it  appeared  early  in  the 
last  century.  On  the  Byram  side  of  Belle  Haven 
was  what  was  known  as  the  Banks  lands,  consisting 
of  29  acres,  and  after  the  park  was  quite  well  built  up, 
it  was  bought  of  Nelson  B.  INIead  for  $9,000.  This 
occurred  in  January,  1889.  It  was  shortly  after  this 
that  I  had  an  interview  with  the  old  man  and  his 
recollections  are  as  follows: 

"I  enjoyed  going  down  there  as  early  as  1820, 
"when  Samuel  Bush  owned  what  is  now  the  upper 
"portion  of  the  park.  ]My  recollection  of  the  old 
"gentleman  is  very  distinct.  Never  a  great  talker, 
"he  possessed  plenty  of  ideas  and  the  quaint  origi- 
"nality  with  which  they  were  expressed,  made  it  worth 
"all  it  cost  to  get  them.     When  alone  he  said  but 

[324] 


\ 

BELLE  HAVEX 

"little,  but  when  I  lured  him  up  to  Deacon  Abraham 
"jNIead's  or  down  to  John  Banks'  he  would  talk, 
"especially  if  he  got  onto  the  subject  of  Obadiah 
"Banks'  will.  Obadiah  was  the  father  of  nine  chil- 
"dren,  all  of  whom  grew  to  full  age,  and  in  the  early 
"years  of  the  nineteenth  centm-y  lived  in  that  part  of 
"Belle  Haven  purchased  of  Xelson  B.  Mead.  The  old 
"man  died  in  1790.  He  had  been  jjersonally  inter- 
"ested  in  the  Revolutionary  war,  and  the  flint-lock 
"gun  that  hung  above  the  mantel  had  been  his  pride. 
"His  son,  John  Banks,  and  the  widow,  Elizabeth, 
"never  removed  it,  and  I  used  to  see  it  just  as  it  hung 
"when  its  owner's  silent  form  was  carried  out  of  the 
"narrow  south  door  for  its  last  resting  place.  Well, 
"Obadiah's  will  was  always  an  interesting  topic  for 
"Sam  Bush  and  Deacon  Abraham  ]Mead.  Sam  never 
"liked  it.  He  used  to  say  that  Obadiah's  widow 
"was  altogether  too  restricted  in  her  rights  to  the 
"farm,  and  that  when  he  made  his  will  he  would  pro- 
"vide  that  his  widow  should  have  the  use  of  all  his 
"farm  for  twenty-one  years  after  his  death.  And 
"that  is  exactly  what  he  did  when  he  came  to  make  his 
"^Wll  along  in  corn-husking  time  in  1826.  But  he 
"used  to  complain  to  the  Deacon  that  the  widow  Banks 
"had  too  liberal  a  dower  in  the  use  of  the  house  and 
"barn  which  Deacon  ^lead  had  set  out  to  her  in  the 
"following  language: 

"  'The  one-third  part  of  the  dwelling  house,  being 
"the  w^est  room,  with  the  chamber  above  said  room 
"and  one-third   part   of   the   cellar,   with  the   privi- 

[325] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

lege  of  the  entry  and  chamber  stairs  to  go  to  and 
from  said  cliamber,  and  to  bake  in  the  oven;  also 
the  one-third  part  of  the  barn  being  the  west  bay, 
with  the  liberty  of  the  floor  to  cart  in  and  throngh.' 

"Sam  thonght  that  the  mother  and  girls  could 
manage  their  unity  of  interest  in  the  oven,  but  that 
when  a  sudden  shower  was  coming  up  and  tlie  widow 
and  her  sons,  Ben,  Daniel,  John  and  Joshua,  were 
each  getting  in  their  hay,  on  their  respective  parcels, 
thej^  were  all  likely  to  get  a  load  to  the  barn  at  the 
same  time  and  in  the  strife  for  the  'liberty  of  the 
floor'  the  hay  miglit  get  wet.  It  was  certainly  a 
small  barn  for  all  that  was  expected  of  it,  and  I 
felt  a  little  sorry  to  hear  that  it  was  torn-  down  last 
week.  Sam  Bush  at  times  would  tell  us  of  his  boy- 
hood days  and  how,  in  the  summer  evenings,  he  used 
to  sit  by  Obadiah's  west  door,  and  count  the  potato 
laden  sloops  sail  down  the  Sound.  He  thought  a 
wonderful  sight  of  Obadiah's  children,  the  oldest  of 
whom  was  quite  grown,  but  the  little  tow-lieaded 
ones  were  a  merry  lot  and  they  were  in  and  out  at 
the  door,  off  to  the  barn  and  back,  across  the  knoll 
to  tlie  sliore,  singing  and  laughing  like  school  chil- 
dren at  recess. 

"When  winter  came  and  the  snow  fell  deep  in  the 
Field  Point  Road  and  drifted  across  the  lane.  Dea- 
con Abraliam  ^lead's  boys,  Isaac  and  Zophar,  ac- 
companied by  the  Ban.ks  boys  with  their  ox  team, 
would  join  forces  in  breaking  the  roads.  After 
tlie  work  was  done  and  the  evening  chores  at  the 

[326] 


BELLE  HAVEN 

'barn  accomplished,  how  natural  it  was  for  the  boys 
'to  retrace  their  steps  over  the  newly  beaten  track 
'to  Obadiah's  home,  wliere  the  glow  of  the  great  open 
'fire  filled  the  south  room  and  shone  out  of  the  win- 
'dows  across  the  snow,  to  where  the  tide  had  tumbled 
'the  ice  against  the  scarred  and  seamed  rocks  along 
'the  shore. 

"The  striped  cider  mug  on  the  shelf,  the  apple 
'basket  and  the  pop  corn  bag,  were  not  greater  at- 
'tractions  to  them  than  the  merry  girls  gathered  in 
'a  half  circle  about  the  hearth. 

"I  remember  well  just  how  the  old  Banks  home- 
'stead  looked,  both  without  and  witliin.  In  the  cor- 
'ner  cupboard  of  the  south  room  was  the  best  blue 
'china,  that  made  a  beautiful  array,  and  so  precious 
'that  to-day  the  few  pieces  that  remain  would  almost 
'bring  their  weight  in  silver.  Their  odd  but  grace- 
'ful  shapes  were  decorated  with  historic  scenes,  of 
'which  I  recall  Washington  crossing  the  Delaware, 
'the  siege  of  Yorktown  and  the  landing  of  Columbus. 
'One  could  eat  veal  pie  and  study  history  at  the  same 
'time. 

"Near  the  china  cupboard  was  a  square  mahogany 
'clock,  trimmed  with  brass,  that  has  long  outlived 
'its  owner,  for  in  a  certain  ofiice  in  the  village  it  still 
'ticks  the  time  away.  Upstairs,  the  great  canopied 
'bedsteads  were  piled  high  with  featliers,  and  the 
'small  windows  were  curtained  with  the  most  delicate 
'shades  of  chintz.  There  were  two  pictiu'e  mirrors 
'that  hung  on  the  wall;  one  of  exquisite  design  and 

[327] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

workmanship,  representing  the  fierce  marine  strug- 
gle between  the  frigates  Gucrriere  and  Constitution 
in  the  war  of  1812. 

"Tlie  Cotistitiition  on  even  keel,  her  flags  flying, 
but  her  sails  riven  with  shot,  was  firing  with  terrible 
effect  upon  the  hapless  Gucrriere  lying  almost  upon 
her  beam  ends,  with  her  foremast  gone  by  the 
board,  and  her  severed  shrouds  hanging  over  the  bul- 
warks. 

"Sam  Bush  bouglit  the  mirror  in  New  York  in 
1813  for  his  neighbor,  Thomas  Hobby,  and  after  ^Ir. 
Hobby's  death  John  Banks  bought  it  at  a  vendue. 
The  other  mirror  was  much  older,  but  more  crude 
in  design  and  workmanship.  It  represented  a  girl 
— a  grotesque  little  thing — with  a  basket  on  her  arm 
and  her  forefinger  in  her  mouth.  Her  rosy  cheeks 
and  red  boots  were  of  the  same  tint  and  she  stood 
out  against  a  yellow  background  and  beneath  a 
scarlet  canopy. 

"For  more  than  twenty-five  years  after  Obadiah 
died,  his  son,  John  Banks,  occupied  the  old 
homestead,  but  his  brothers  Uan,  Joshua,  Ben  and 
their  sister  Elizabeth  from  time  to  time  sold  their 
lands  to  Deacon  Abraham  Mead,  till  finally  in  1825, 
after  the  deacon  had  died,  John  Banks  sold  the  home- 
stead to  Isaac  Mead,  the  son  of  Abraham  INIead  and 
the  grandfather  of  Nelson  B.  Mead." 

Just  as  the  old  man  gave  me  these  facts,  with  here 
and  there  some  verbal  changes  and  the  occasional 
insertion  of  a  date,  I  have  written  them.     As  I  sat 

[328] 


BELLE  HAVEN 

listening  to  the  story  I  could  see  him  close  his  eyes 
as  though  visions  of  the  past  filled  hjs  mind.  With 
the  present  he  showed  no  sympathy,  and  expressed  no 
interest  except  as  it  pointed  to  the  past  and  to  those 
who  had  gone  hefore. 

In  his  anticipations  of  the  future  he  again  saw  his 


NKl.SOX     lU  Sll     Il().Mi:.Sl'KAI) 
Belle  Haven 

old  neighhors.  He  remembered  them  as  patient,  in- 
dustrious, sober.  Their  hours  of  enjoyment,  aside 
from  those  given  to  the  cultivation  of  the  soil,  which 
was  their  life,  were  few.  Their  integrity  was  pro- 
verbial and  their  confidence  in  tlie  honesty  and  purity 
of  their  fellow  men,  unlimited.  Sentiment  and  af- 
fection in  their  natures  were  not  so  much  lacking  as 
the  ability  or  disposition  to  express  them. 

[329] 


OTHER  DAYS  IN  GREENWICH 

A  sturdy,  honest,  reputable  race  were  they  of 
whom  their  descendants  may  well  be  proud  and  whose 
sterling  qualities  very  generally  have  descended  to 
the  presen.t  generation. 


THE    END 


[330] 


INDEX 


INDEX 


Acker,    Abraham,    -20,   215 

Acker,      Peter,      20;      garden      and 

homestead    of,   23,    122,    153 
Acker,  William,  drums  up  recruits, 

130 
Adams,    Samuel,    5 
Aiken,   Dr.   James,   19,   115 
Allen,  David   K.,  property  of,  289 
Allen  Brothers,  garage  of,  267 
Allaire    Engines,    used    in    marine 

service,  20fi,   207 
Americiis  Club.   180,   181,  182,   184, 

187,  188,  189,  194;  members  of, 
—  63,  199,  200,  201,  203,  205,  207, 

214 
Amogorone,  281 
Andrews,  Benjamin,  258 
Andrews,    (Mrs.)    Mary    E.,   prop- 
erty of,  94 
Andrews,   Chief  Justice,   sitting  in 

trial.    Mead    will    case,   opinion 

of,  50 
Anderson,  Walter  M.,  projiertv  of, 

155 
Anderson,    (Mrs.)    A.   A.,   jiropertv 

of,   202 
Andrade,  Joseph  D.  C,  200 
Apples,      become      a      product      of 

Greenwich    farms,  83 
Apartment  houses,  Italian,  32 
Arch  Street,  26,  117 
Arclendale   Sauifarhim,   226 
Artisans,    Port    Chester,    employed 

in   Greenwich,  23 
Asten,  Peter,  264 
Athelcroft,  94 
Atwater,   Jeremiah   W.,  282,   284 


Bniley,    (Mrs.)    Henry   M.,  106 
Baker,  Edwin  H.,  residence  of,  248 
Balloon  frame  building,  projection 

of   causes   comment,    122 
Banks,   Beniamin,  326,  ,328 
Banks,  Daniel,  ,326,  328 


Banks,    (Mrs.)    Elizabeth,  325,  328 

Banks,  John,   44,  325,  326,  328 

Banks,    (Mrs.)    Jolui    H.,    296 

Banks,  Joshua,  326,  328 

Banks,  Obadiah,  homestead  of, 
325,  326,  .327;  will  of,  325,  326 

Banks'  Homestead,  built  by  Oba- 
diah  Peck,   158 

Banksville,   61,    117 

]5anksville  stage,  connecting  link 
with    Greenwich,   61 

Baptistrv,  donated  bv  Wm.  M. 
Tweed,   1869,  22'^ 

Barber,  Amaziah  D.,  200 

Barker,  James,  200 

Barnard,  George  G.,  167,  200 

Barnum,  Henry  A.,  200 

Barnard,  JoIiii't.,   199 

Barrow's    Point,  21,3 

Bars,  unknown   in   Greenwich,   21 

Bassford,   Edward   D.,   199 

Bathhouse,   The   Tweed,    190,    193 

Bay])ort,    314 

Beck,  Frank  S.  E.,  200 

Bedford,  282 

Bedford,  Gunning  S.,  200 

Bedford  stage,  sto])])ed  at  Sfnn- 
wich  Iini,  6() 

Bell,  (Mrs.)   Alfred,  106 

Belle  Haven,  322,  32,3,  324;  objec- 
tion of  residents  to  extension 
of  shore   road,   44 

Belle  Haven  Land  Co.,  jirojierty 
of,   322 

Belle   Haven    Park,   205 

Benedict,    (Miss)    Belle,    12 

Benedict,  Elias  C,  residence  of, 
184 

Benedict,  Henry  M.,  8,  12,  119,  241, 
268;  residence  of,  155,  158;  se- 
cures widening  of  Greenwich 
Avenue,   120 

Benedict   Place.   12,   13 

Benson,  Oli'er  D..  139 

Berrien,    Daniel,    200 


[333] 


INDEX 


Betts,  John  S.,   199 

Big    Six    Volunteer    Fire    Co.,    165, 

183 
Black   Republicans,  abolitionists  so 

called,    1:^5 
Black  well's  Island,  Wni.  M.  Tweed 

sent  to,  2^8 
Black  Walnut  Tree,  the  old,  250 
Bleaklev,   Andrew,  200 
Bleaklev,   Andrew,  Jr.,   200 
Bonnett,   (Mrs.)   A.  I.eta,  ()(> 
Bonner,     Frederick,     property     of, 

321 
Borrows,  William  B.,  200 
Boswell,  Henry  C,  ])roperty  of,  94 
Boulders.     The,     home     of     F..     li. 

Close,   76 
Bo  vie,  Fdward,   199 
Bovle,  James  W.,  200 
Bradv,   Henry,  138 
Brady,  Stejihen,  138 
Braisted,  Peter  D.,  199 
Brennan,    Matthew   T.,   200 
Brennan,  Owen  W.,  199 
Brice,  John,  200 
Brinckerhoff,      Cajitain      Abraiiam, 

183,    187,   202,   206,   261 
Brookside  Drive,  74 
Brothers'  Brook,  16,  300 
Brown,    (Mrs.)    F.    Kissam,    ])ro])- 

ertv   of,  95 
Brown,'  Martin   B.,  200 
Bruce   Park.   16,  310 
Bruce,    Robert    M.,    237,    264,    268, 

324 
Bruce,    (Miss)    Sarah,  237 
Briish,   Amos  M.,  19,   115,  242 
Brush,  S.   Augustus,  T21 
15rush,  Cliarles,   jjropcrty  of,  66 
Brush,  Edward,  pro])erty  of,  251 
Brush,  Henry  L.,  23,  121 
Brush,  Joseph,  17,  18,  35,  115,  241; 

homestead  of,  315 
Brush,    (Mrs.)    Josei)h,    106 
Brush,  S.   A.,  23 
Brush,  Shadrach  M.,  106;  ))roiU'rtv 

of,   121 
Brush,  Shubel,   granddaughters  of, 

66;   ])roperty   of,   66 
Brush,   William,  property  of,  66 
Buchanan,  James,   Pres.    U.   S.    .V., 

18,  125 
Buckley,  Justin   R.,  267 
Buffett,   Rev.   Piatt,  348 
BuflFett,    (Mrs.)    Piatt.  246 
BuUard,  John  A.,  21 


Burying  ground,  the  Davis,  57,  60 

Burke,   Dr.   AVilliam,   7 

Burnes,    Judge    Charles    D.,    prop- 
erty of,  74 

Burns,   Dennis,   200 

Burns,  Erastus,  137 

Burns,  James,   137 

Bush,  Xelson,  farm  of,  205,  322 

Bush,  Rebecca,  2 

Bush,  Samuel,  325,  326,  328;  prop- 
erty of,  324 

Bush,   William,  2,  5 

Butt,  George  W.,   199 

Buttermilk    Falls,    tract    so   called, 
91 

Button-ball  Trees,  the  old,  153 

Button,    (Mrs.)    Julia    A.,    105 

Button,  Philander,  105,  194,  207; 
farm  of,   1,  86,  194 

Button,   Philander    (Mrs.),  106 

Byfield  Road,  the,  291 

Byram,  27,  204,  324 

Byram    Point,    27,   204;    rural   con- 
dition of,  28 

Byram   River,  30,  318 

Cameron,    Charles,   236 

Canary,    Thomas,   200 

Captain's     Island,     lighthouse     on, 

182 
Cardoza,   Albert,   167 
Carnochan,   John    M.,   200 
Central    Park,    Tweed    statue    pro- 

jiosed  for,  ^^^ 
Chamberlain,  John   C,   attorney  in 

Mead  will  case,  48,  49 
Chamberlain,  John  F.,  200 
Chapman,      John      D.,      owner      of 

Round  Island,  45 
Charlock,  John  T.,  199 
Cherrfii'ale.    Recreation    Home    for 

Working  Girls  at,  85 
( 'hiniiiei/s'.  the,  94 
Chimney  Corner,  the,  184,  303 
Choate,"  Jose})h  H.,  229 
Cliristensen,  Carla,  artist,  31 
Cristy,  Moses,  268 
Cristv,    (Mrs.)    Moses,  106 
City  "island,  181 
C'a'rk,  Dr.  J.  A.,  home  of,  14 
Clark,    (Mrs.)    Eockwood  P.,  106 
Clancy,   Lawrence,    199 
Close,"  Allen   H.,  90 
Close,  E.  B.  owner  of  the  "Bould- 
ers,''   76 
Close,  Jonathan  A.,  259 


[334] 


INDEX 


Close,  Samuel,  18,  35,  ST,  93 

Coasting,  favorite  jilace  for,  1:21 

Cognewaiigh  Road,  ;51(),  317 

Cohen,  Maver  H.,  JSo;  proj)ertv 
of,  l-'l,"  ;?38 

Collier,  James  W.,  ;?00 

Colonial    Tavern,    Mead's,    2U 

Columbia,  District  of,  compared  in 
size  with   Greenwich,   :;?5 

Company  I,  Tenth  Conn,  ^'olun- 
teers,  first  to  go  to  war,  130, 
133,   137 

Committee  of  Seventv,  work  of, 
161,  174,  17(),  :?-'9  ■ 

Congregational  Church,  old,  19; 
first  edifice,  115;  second  edi- 
fice 1730,  11:3;  third  edifice 
1798,  11-2;  burning  of  1866,  115 

Connolly,  Richard  B.,  167,  169, 
173",  175 

Cooney,    William,    residence   of,    98 

Cook,  Ada  ]\I.,  property  of,  155 

Cooper,  "William,  associate  of 
David   Mason.  217 

Copjierheads,  Southern  symjiathiz- 
ers  called,  125 

Cornell,  Charles  G.,  199,  ;364 

Corson,  Cornelius,  199 

Cos  Cob,  17,  25,  26,  54,  88,  :?04, 
225,  226,  229,  231,  310,  313, 
314,  316;  Harbor,  311;  River, 
300 

Coulter,  James  E.,  200 

Courtney,  (Miss)  Hannah,  prop- 
erty  of,    154,    155,   156 

Cozine,  John   R.,  2 

Crabs,  found  at  old  White  Bridge, 
60 

Cretit    Viev.   sale  of,  94 

Cramer  Building,  8 

Creamer,  Thomas  J..  201 

Cuddy,   Edward,  200 

Curtis,  Julius  B.,  attorney  for  H. 
M.  Benedict,  19,  120,  "134 

Daly  Building,  274 

Dam,  the  old,   12,   14,  16 

Dandi/.     horse     owned     by     Judge 

Mead,  34 
Danes,    po])ulation    in     East     Port 

Chester.  31 
Danish  Club   House,  Iniilt  by   Milo 

Mead,  31 
Darrah,  John.   213 
Davin,   Edward    A.,   199 
Davis  Avenue,  6,  7,  16,  197,  286 


[33 


Davis,     Abraham     B.,     2,     5,     259; 

farm   of,    1 
Davis'  Creek,  54,  300 
Davis  Cemetery,  57,  60 
Davis"   Dock,  origin  of,  68;   owned 

and  held  by   Davis  family,  69; 

litigation    over    ownership,    69, 

70,  71;  jury  in  litigation  over 

ownershi}>,  71 ;  witnesses  called 

in  suit  over  ownership  of,  71 ; 

ownership     of    Walter    Davis, 

sustained   1837,  70,   71 
Davis,  Edward,  304 
Davis,  Eleanor  R.,  6;  estate  of.  6, 

69 
Davis,   Elisha,  303,  304 
Davis,  Henry,  304 
Davis   Landing,  2,  217,  310 
Davis  Lane,  197 
Davis   Mill,   old,  57,   299,  300,  303, 

304,  305 
Davis.   Judge  Xoah,   176,   177.  227, 

228 
Davis  Pond.  16 
Davis,  Silas,  2,  25H,  259,  304 
Davis,  Stephen,  303,  304 
Davis,   Thomas,  303 
Davis,    Walter,    259,    304 
Davidson,   John    McB.,   200 
Davison,   William,   199 
Day,    Hackett,   residence   of,  322 
Dayton.    George    H..    property    of, 

■  322 
Dayton,    Henry,    property    of,    322 
Dayton.  Jacob,  Jr..  70 
Dayton,  John,  22,  90 
Dayton,  Mary  F.,  ]>roj)erty  of,  238 
Dearfields.  2,"  153 
Dearfield,  built   in  1799,  73;  origin 

of  name,  73 
Dearfield    Drive,    origin    of    name, 

73 
Deep   Hole,  16 
Decker,   William    F.,    residence   of, 

85 
Delano,    (Mrs.)   Lucy  M.,  208 
Democratic      Party,      during      war 

times.  125 
Dennis,    (Mrs.)    Mary,  263 
Denson,  Frederick,  proiierty  of,  18 
Denton.   Humphrey,  252 
Derby,  Silas,  61,  62;  reminiscences 

of,  62,  63 
Dewey,     S.     Foster,     secretary     to 

Wm.    M.    Tweed,    194,   200 
Dewey,  William   C,  200 

5] 


INDEX 


Dimond,   James   G.,  301 

Dingletown,  so  called,  317 

Dodworth's  Band,  :.^09,  222 

Docks,  the  Town,  31 

Dock,  the  Daniel   Merritt,  117 

Dominick,  George  F.,  25i;  prop- 
erty of,  41 

Dominick,  George   F.,  Jr.,  354 

Dominick,  James  W.,  354 

Dominick,  William,  354 

Donnelly,    Patrick,    315 

Donoluie,    Thomas,    300 

Donohue,   William,   139 

Douffan,  (Mrs.)  Amelia  J.,  prop- 
erty of,  69 

Douglas,   Frederick,  318 

Draw   Bridge,  the  Cos  Cob,  58,  59 

Duane  Street,  office  of  Tweed  in, 
190 

Dunley,  William  B.,  199 

Durnin,   Eugene,   199 

East   Putnam    Avenue,   11,   153 

East    River,  the,  338 

E(hf('iro(i(l  Inn.  76 

Edf/eirood  Park.  73,  76 

Edwards,  E.  Jay,  writer  for  N.  Y. 
Evening   Mail.   196 

Eidlitz,  Leopold,  architect  of  Con- 
gregational Church,  100,  116 

Electric  Eight  Co.,  office  of,  193 

Elizabeth   Xcck,  380 

Elliott,   William.  374,  375,  377 

Ellsworth,   Col.,   shooting   of,   135 

Elm  Street,  7,  14,  130,  386,  388, 
389 

EIm.<i.  The,  154,  157 

Elphick,  James,  330,  331 

Elten,  Kruseman  van,  200 

Elv,  William  !>.,  199 

Engine   No.   10,  378 

Engine  No.  37,  373 

Enlisting  station,  the  wartime,  130 

Episco]ial    Ciiurch,    Riverside,   384 

Episco)>alians,  earlv,  37 

Execution   Light,   181,  313 

Farley,  Terence,  199 

Farms,   early   iminciunbered,  25 

Farm    ]iroducts,    1859,    25;    sent    to 

N.  Y.,  26 
Farm    prod>ice,    earlv    shippers    of, 

26 
Farmers,    early     Greenwich,    1,    2; 

average  wealth  in  1859  of,  25 


Fairchild,    Benjamin    T.,    residence 

of,  318 
Feaks,    (Mrs.)    Elizabeth,  280 
Feaks,  John,  380,  381 
Fclter,  Henry  D.,  300 
Fennessy,   J.    H.,   property   of,   153 
Ferris,  Aaron  P.,  j)ropertv  of,  335, 

337 
Ferris,   Jeff  re,   280;   homestead   of, 

381 
Ferris,  Joshua    B.,  attorney  Davis' 

Dock   Suit,   71 
Ferris,  Thomas  H.,  300 
Ferris,  Wm.   L.,  194 
Fessenden,     Sanniel,     attorney     in 

Mead  will   case,   46,  47,  49,  50 
Field    Point,    111,    305,    256,    277,- 

early  settlers  on,  38;  originally 

conunon  land,  37;  centre  of  in- 
terest,   43;    cultivation    of,   41; 

sales  of  shore   front,  53 
Field  Point  P(trk,  part  of  original 

Oliver   Mead   Farm,  37 
Field    Point   Pasture,   263 
Field   Point   Road,  326 
Field   Point  s])rings,  263 
Fields,  Thomas  C,  200 
Finch,  David,  137 
Finch's    Island,    182 
Finch,  Jared,  137 
I'innev,  B.  Frank,  14 
First  "Avenue,  286,  288 
Fi7-st   Presbyterian   Church,   93 
Fisk,  James,  Jr.,  200 
Fitz  Gerald,   Henrv   M.,  217 
Five  Mile  River,  203 
Flag  pole,  erected  during  wartime, 

126,   139,  139 
Fleming,  Charles   !>.,  300 
Fold,  Tiie,  a  home  for  children,  84, 

85 
Ford,  John  J..   199 
Fort    Sumter,    fired    upon    in    Civil 

War,  135 
Frear,    Alexander,    300 
Freight    tonnage,   early,    36 
Fre.^h    Air   Home,    opened    by    Xa- 

tlianiel   Witherell,  84 
Funk,  Augustus,  300 
Fuiiston,  Thomas,  363  ^^ 

Gansey,   Solomon   S.,   133,   286,   287 
Garvey,  Andrew  J.,  199,  226 
Garvev,  John,  200 
Genet,'   Harry,   233 
Georsii,   Adolph   E.,  300 


[336] 


INDEX 


Golden,   Kphraiiii,   70,   71 
Gordon,     Kev.     Cieorge     A.,     D.D., 
])a.stor       of       Second        Cong-. 
Church,   110,    111 
Gould,  Jay,  200 

Glenville,  2M;   woolen  mills   at,  31 
Glenville      Road,      divided      Mead 

farms,  73 
Grafulla,  Claudius  S.,  199 
Graham,   (Miss)   Cornelia  J.,  157 
Graham,    John,    chief    counsel    for 

Wm.  M.  Tweed,  ;;?19,  ;?^'8 
Graham,    (Miss)    Mary    E..    157 
Grand      Jury      indicts      Wm.       M. 

Tweed,  221 
Grant,  the  Justus  Bush,  (iS,  (i!) 
Great      Hill,      owned      by      Israel 

Knajip,   95 
Great    Island,   256 
Greeley,   Horace,  26i 
Green,  Andrew  H.,  175,  17(5,  229 
Green   Court  lun,  5 
Greenwich  Academy,  195,  197,  207, 

220 
Greenwich    Avenue,    7,    ;^0,    22,    23, 
118,     123,    137,    319,    222,    233, 
212,    24:5,    2i9,    266,    267,    271, 
2H6;  first  purchase  of  land  for 
business  ])ur])oses,  22;  original 
widening-  of,  \20 
Greenwich  Fire  De]>artment,  ::?81 
Greenwich   Hospital,  28();  property 

of,    154 
Greenwich   Library,  8 
Greenwich,   ^Mead's    History   of,   98 
Greenwich    &    live   Steamlioat    Co., 

formed  1866,  207 
Greenwich    Savings    Bank,    22 
Greenwich    Trust   Co.,   building  of, 

23,   122 
Grigg,  John  R.,  farm  of,  32 
Grigg  Street,  :357 
Gurney,    A.,    184 
Guion  George,  2?>S 
Gumbleton,   James  J.,   200 

Hagerty,  Edwin  M.,  199 
Hall,  A.  Oaklev,  167,  169,  174 
Hall,    Charles  "H.,    181,    IS2,    183, 

187,   188,   189,   199 
Hall,   Judge,   hands   down   decision 

in   Davis   Dock  litigation,   72 
Halsey,  Schuyler,  200 
Hamilton  Avenue,  32 
Hanan,  John  H.,  property  of,  32 


Ilardenbrook,      (Miss)      Lillie      A., 

l)r()]H-rty  of,  194,  195 
Harkncss,   L.    V.,   property   of,    158 
Harnett,  John  H.,  :-'00 
Ilarperx'    Weekli/,    222 
Harrison,  Joseph   G.,  200 
Harway,  James  L.,  :200 
Har\ey,    Alex    W.,   200 
Havemeyer   School,   6,    118 
Hawley,    Charles,    attorney    Davis' 

Dock    suit,    70,   :385 
Hawthorne,  origin  of  name,  31 
Held    House,    site    of    old    jiotterv 

plant,   38,   257 
Held,   Henry,  meat  market  of,  x?3, 

\22,    123 
Heml)ol<l,   Henry  T.,  200 
Hemlock    Woods,    73,    74 
Henderson,   John,   market    of,   20 
Hendrie,  Charles,  Jr.,  property  of, 

;-^84 
Hendrie,  J.  W.,  ::284 
Hermance,   Frank,   :?37 
Higgins,   A.   Foster,   220;   property 

of,   98,    198 
Historians,  local,  X^'II 
Hitchman,  William,  ;.'01 
Hobby,   Ca])tain   John,    153,   155 
Hobby,  Husted,  -.'59 
noJ>}ni    Tarerii.   153,   156 
Hobliy,  Thomas,  3J8;   ])ro]ierty  of, 

155 
Hoey,  John,  261 
Hoey,    (Mrs.)   John,   J64 
Hoffman,  George  W..  229.  230,  231 
Hoffman,  John  T.,  Mayor  of  New 

York  1865,  167,  168 
Hogan,    Edward,   199 
Hoggson,  William  H.,  residence  of, 

253 
Holly,  Edward  P.,  106 
Holly.    (Mrs.)    Edward   P.,  315 
Holly,    Frank    M.,    M.D.,    property 

of,  35,  37 
Holly,    (Mrs.)   Stephen,  106 
Holly,  William  H.,  360 
IfnIIti  Inn.  315 
Hohiies,   Captain   Caleb,   26 
Holmes,  Caleb   M.,  139 
Holmes,    (Mrs.)    Caleb,    106 
Holmes,   Frank,   2\ 
Holmes,      Reuben,      characteristics 

of,   96;   ])roperty  of,  95 
Holmes,    Isaac,   Jr.,   252 
Homestead  IlaJJ.  origin   of.  33 
Hook  lands,  the  so  called,  291 


[337] 


INDEX 


Horse  Neck,  :26;  origin  of  name, 
38 

Horse  Xeck,  HohI)\'  ])r()i)ertv  in, 
154  ■ 

Horse  Xeck  Brook,  77;  territory 
near,  37 

Horse  Xeck  Field  Point,  original 
name,  38 

Houses,  muiiber  l)uilt  and  assessed 
up  to  1859,  25 

Howard,   Henry   Waring,    115 

Howe,    (Mrs.)  "Xehemiah,  10(j 

Howe,  William   A.,  KXi 

Hoyt,    (Mrs.)    Elizabeth   H.,   10() 

Hoyt,  George  H.,  2()S 

HoVt,  Col.  Heusted  W.  li.,  J3,  194, 
■  235 

Hoyt,  Dr.  James  H.,  267,  268;  de- 
livers farewell  speech  to  Co.  I, 
1.34 

Hubbard,  Frederick  A.,  236;  home 
in    1859,    11 

Hubbard,  Holly,  137 

Hubbard,  John,    137 

Hubbard,  L.  P.,  J41,  26H;  home- 
stead of,   157 

Hubbard,  L.  P.,  Jr.,  enlists  in  X. 
H.   Regiment,   130 

Huelat,    Henrv    H.,    199 

Hunt,  J.    Hovvland,   ^91 

Husted,  William  A.,  ^59,  262 

Hvde,  Clarence  M.,  property  of, 
94 

Hyde,   Dr.    F.    C,   i)roi)erty   of,   90 

Hvde,  Seymour  J.,  property  of, 
'    41        ■ 

Ice  cream,   sold   in   fish  market,  23 
Ice  house,  first  in  town,  34 
Indian    Chief's    Throne,    landmark 

at   Rocky  Xeck,  i?58 
Indian    Field,   Fresh    Air   Home  at, 

84 
Indian    Harbor,   121,   184,   194,  205; 

Mead   Home  at,  38 
Indian    Harbor  Hotel,   184 
Indian   Harlior  Point,  256 
Indian     Harbor    Yacht    Clul),    26, 

261 
Ingcrsoll,   James    H.,    174,   200 
Ingersolls',  property  of,  66 
Innift  Arden,  280 
Inslee,  Gage,  architect,  188 


Jackson,   Joseph    A.,   199 


Jackson,  Philij)  X.,  230 
Jacobs,  Hobart  B.,  315 
Javnes  Park,  jiart  of  Grigg.s'  farm, 

33 
Jerman,  George,  138 
Jerman,   AVilliam,   138 
Jerome  Park,  218 
John   Romer,  the,  63,  64,  206,  207, 

208,    209,    211,    212,    213,    214, 

215,  216 
Johnson,    William,    solicits    recruits 

with   fife,   130 
Jones,  Conductor,  277 
Jones,  Edward,  199 
Jones,     George,     j)ublisher    of    the 

A".   Y.  Times,  172,  173,  174 
Jones,  James  E.,  200 
Jones,    Dr.    Leander    P.,    196,    236 
Jones,  Morgan,   199 
Jones'  Stone,  204 
June,      Theodore,      kept     boarding 

scluK)l    for  boys,    67 

Kearney,    pjdward,    199 

Keeler,  John  E.,  attorney  in  Mead 

will    case,   47,   48,   49 
Keenan,   Patrick   H.,   199 
Kernan,  Francis,  174 
Keyser,  John  H.,  200 
Kimmons,   John,   187 
Kimmons,    Richard,    187 
King,  John   T.,   199 
King,    Professor,   264 
Kinne\',    Francis,    199 
Kirk,  "Lewis  J.,    199 
Kirk]>atrick,   Thomas,   200 
Knapp,    (Miss)    Amelia,  14,  289 
Knapp,  Brush,  8,  13,  288,  289,  290 
Kna}))),  Caleb,  .300 
Kna])]),    Israel,  jiropertv  of,  95 
Knai)p,    (Miss)    Martha,  289 
Knaj)]),  X'athaniel  A.,  property  of, 

321 
Kna]))),  Odle  C,  233,  321 
Koch,    Josei)h,    200 

I>addin's  Rock  Farm,  285 

Lafayette,   General,  244 

Lafayette  Place,  126,  129,  244,  246 

I^ake  Avenue,  207 

Lawrence,    Charles    I^.,    200 

Lawrence,  Rt.  Rev.  William, 
Bishop  of  Mass.,  decries  use 
of  stained   windows,  65 

Leeds,  J.   W.,  267 

Lciio.r  House,  20,   156,  244 


[338] 


indp:x 


Lewis,  Beale  N.,  15(3;  property  of, 

156,  15T 
Lewis,    Rev.    Dr.    Isaac,    15(5,    346, 

247,    248;     residence    of,     118, 

154,    244,   245,   246,    248 
Lewis,   (Mrs.)   Elizabeth,  widow  of 

Rev.   Dr.   Lewis,   157 
Lewis,     (Mrs.)     Hannah,    wife    of 

Dr.    Lewis,   247 
Lewis,   (Miss)   Mary  Elizabeth,  247 
Lewis,   Roswell   AV.",  246 
Lewis,   (Miss)   Sarah,  247 
Lewis    Street,    244,    245,    249,    286, 

288,  289 
Lewis,  Zachariah,  246 
I^exino-ton   Avenue,  8,  14 
Lincoln,  Abraham,  Pres.   U.  S.   A., 

18,  35,  140,  144 
Lincoln  Avenue,  8,  1,3 
Lincoln's  Inn,  so  called,  242 
Linslev,  Rev.  Joel  H.,  D.D.,  Pastor 

2nd    Cong.    Church,    105,    108, 

112,  133,  239 
Linwood.  202,  219,  220,   2^2,  223 
Llnirood,  the  vacht  owned  bv  Wni. 

M.  Tweed,  202 
Lockwood,  Beniamin,  property  of, 

23,  121 
Lockwood,     (Miss)     Harriette     L., 

property  of,  66 
Lockwood,  i.uke  A.,  233,  282,  283 
Lockwood,  I^uke  V.,  267 
Lockwood,  Oliver,   grocery   of,  23 
Lockwood,    "William    F.    H.,    ^iroji- 

erty  of,  282,  283 
Lowe,  Charles  E.,  200 
Long   Island   Sound,   153,   181,   183, 

188,    203,    263.    280,    282,    311; 

view  of,  11,   14,  20,  32.  37,  91, 

99,     155,     158;     Sound     shore 

tract,  32 
Long,  Serg.  William,  137,  139 
I,ove  Lane,  6,  16,  196,  197,  198,  286 
Lower  Landing,  26 
Lyon,  Augustus,  156,  259;  property 

of,  253 
Lyon,  Daniel,  farm  of,  27 
Lvon,  Captain  William  L.,  23,  122, 

123,  267;  property  of,  122,  288 
Ludlow   Street   Jail,   194,   219,  229, 

231 


Macgregor,  Jameson,   199 
Maher,  John,  property  of,  86,  91 
Maher   Avenue,   251 


Maine,  soldiers  from  State  of.  12() 

Main  Street,  17,  120 

Mallory,  Charles,  28;   ]>ro])crty   of. 

32' 
Mallory,   Henry   R.,  28 
Mania roneck,  203 
Mann,     Rev.     Joel,     ex-pastor     of 

Second   Cong.   Church,   109 
Mann,    Commodore    Geo.    15.,    181, 

187,  199 
Mansion    House,  the,   156 
Ma])le  Avenue,  98,  218,  250,  251 
.Markets,    Early,   o])en    only    in   the 

forenoon,  23 
Marks,  Amasa  A.,  284 
Marks,   George  E.,  285 
Marks,  William  L.,  285 
Marrenner,  Edward.  199 
Marshall,  Drake,  137 
Marshall,  Gilbert,  residence  of,  285 
Marshall,   Henry   B..  6,  129 
Marshall,   William,   137 
Marston,  Edgar  L.,  property  of,  32 
Martin,   Dr.   Carl   E.,   pro])erty   of, 

154 
Mason,  David,  246,  247,  248 
Mason  t'arm,  the,  14,  15 
Mason,  Jeremiah,  247 
Mason,  Captain  John,  280 
Mason,    (Mrs.)    Mary  E.,  244,  246, 

247 
Mason,  Myron  L.,  235 
Mason,    Dr.    Theodore    L.,    14,    20, 

244,   247,   ^'48;    farm    of,    1 
Mason  Street,  13,  14,  154,  244,  249, 

286,  288,  289 
Mayo,  Captain  Thomas,  36,  207,  324 
Mayo,   (Mrs.)   Rebecca  R.,  36 
McCabe,  Francis,  200 
McCann,  Charles,  137 
McCann,  John,    137 
McCord,  William   H.,  jiropcrty  of, 

323 
McCunn,  John  H.,  167 
McCutcheon,   James,   45 
McFadden,  Parmelee  J.,  estate  of, 

96 
McGarigal,   John,   199 
McGowan,  James,  200 
McGowan,  John   T.,  200 
McGuinness  brothers,  218 
McMullen,   William,  22r);   property 

of,  231 
Mc:\Iullen,    (Mrs.)    Lydia   G.,   226; 

nroperty  of,  225 
McXall,  George  G.,  44 


[339] 


INDEX 


Mead,    Deacon    Abraham,    38,    3-25, 

3x?8 
Mead,    Alexander,    106 
Mead,  Alfred,  :39,5 
Mead,  Allen,  295,  396 
Mead,  Alvan,  8,  158,  359;  property 

of,   157 
Mead,  Amos,  345 
Mead,  Andrew,  93 
Mead,    (Miss)    Anna,  395 
Mead,   Arthur  D.,   106 
Mead,  Augustus,  33 
Mead,     Augustus,     son     of     Isaac 

Mead,  38;   farm  of,  33 
Mead,     Augustus,     son    of     X.     B. 

Mead,  34-;  residence  of,  336 
Mead,    Augustus    I.,    34;    property 

of,  333 
Mead,   Judge    Augustus,   35,   3() 
Mead,   E.   Belcher,  home  of,   91 
.Alead,  Dr.  lieverley  E.,  336,  395 
Mead,  Caleb,  391,"  393 
Mead,   Caleb,  Jr.,  391 
Mead,   (Miss)   Catherine,  336 
Mead,  Charles,  -26;   farm  of,   310 
Mead,  Charles  X.,  310 
Mead,    (Miss)    Clari.ssa,    105 
Mead,   Cornelius,  property  of,  388, 

391 
Mead,    (Mrs.)    Cornelia  J..  90 
Mead,  Major  Daniel  Merritt  XVII, 
22;  cai)tain  of  Co.   I,  26,   130; 
sword    ji resented    to,    134;    ex- 
tracts    from     diary,     133;     re- 
turns   dying,    139;    death    and 
fimeral   of,   140 
Mead,    (Mrs.)    Daniel   Merritt,    106 
Mead.  Daniel  S.,  130,  359;  property 

of,   117,   190,  357 
Mead,  Daniel   8.,   Jr.,  property  of, 

193 
Mead,  Daniel  Smith,  6 
Mead,   D.    Smith,  6,   346;    farm   of, 

1,  6,  333 
Mead,   D.    Snuth,   2nd,   7 
Mead,   Dr.    Darius,  103,  348 
Mead,    (Mrs.)   Deborah,  79 
Mead,  Drake,  26,  333 
Mead,  General  Ebenezer,  sees  Gen. 
Putnam    esca])e    from    British, 
1779,  86 
Mead,  Pev.  Ebenezer,  half  brother 

of  Theodore   H.,  87 
Mead.   Edmund,  395,  396 
Mead,   Edmund,  Jr.,  395 


Mead,  Edward,  home  of,  236,  227, 

329,  230,  313 
Mead,    (Mrs.)    Edward,    105,   106 
Mead,   Edwin,   7,  386;   property  of, 

130 
Mead,  Elkanah,  administrator.  Es- 
tate of  Judge  Mead,  36;  home- 
stead of,  317 

Mead,    (Mrs.)    Elsie,  76 

Mead,    (Miss)    Emeline,  395 

Mead,   (Miss)    Eunice,  295 

Mead,  Frederick,  103;  property  of, 
103,   154,  158,  159,  196,  197 

Mead,  Hanford,  121 

Mead,   (Miss)    Hannah  M.,  106 

Mead,     (Mrs.)     Hannah,     i)r()i)erty 
of,   9() 

Mead.   (Miss)    Hannah  P.,  80;  leg- 
acies of,  83 

Mead,    Henry,    245;     property    of, 
344 

Mead,  Henry,  military  fimeral  of, 
139 

M<'(nrx   Hintory.  306 

Mead,  Isaac,  38,  336,  338 

Mead,  Isaac  Howe,  farm  of,  16, 
84,  310,  311,  313 

Mead,  Isaac  L.,  106,  346;  l)ui]ding 
of,  20 

Mead,  Irving,  295,  296 

Mead,   (Mrs.)  Jabez,  106 

Mead,  James,  295 

Mead,  Jared,  property  of,  154,  158, 
262,  263 

Mead,  Jeremiah,  291,  292,  295 

Mead,  Job,  76 

Mead,  Deacon  Jones,  27,  105;  death 
of,  39;  Estate  of,  27,  29 

Mead,  Joshua,  96 

Mead,    (Miss)    Laura,   295 

Mead,    (Mrs.)    Laura,  80 

Mead,  Lot,  26 

Mead,    (Miss)    Louisa,    106 

Mead.  (Mrs.)  Lucy  Mumford,  93, 
94 

Mead,    (Miss)    Lydia,   395 

Mead,  I^'man,  part  donator  of 
sword,  134;  homestead  of, 
313 

Mead,  Lyman,  meadow,  60 

Mead,  Matthew,  21 

Mead,  Mark,  27,  29;  property  of, 
33 

Mead,  Mary  Waring,  property  of, 
i^90 

>'ead,  Merwin,  farm  of,  14 


[340] 


INDEX 


Mead,  Milo,  ;-^7,  -'9,  SO;  licld  in  es- 
teem by  Danes,  '.m 
Mead,  Xelienilali,  Jr.,  J52;  property 

of,  25 J 
Mead,  Xelson  B.,  34,  328;  property 

of,  324 
Mead,  Oliver,  26,  3S,  183;  conten- 
tion over  will  of,  43,  45,  46,  47, 
48,  49,  50,  51,  52;  Estate  of, 
41;  farm  of,  37;  Errors,  Su- 
preme Court  of,  decides  for 
jierfect  title  to  Oliver  Mead 
farm,  45;  last  will  and  testa- 
ment  of,  42,  43,  44,   4(),  47,  51 

3Iead,  Oliver  D.,  43,  44,   117,  257 

fJead's  Point,  310 

Mead,  Richard,  73;  homestead  of, 
153 

Mead,   Reuben,  295 

Mead,  Robert  Williams,  241;  ad- 
vocates new  church  building, 
100;  home  and  interests  of, 
102;  builds  Second  Cong. 
Church,   10:2 

Mead,    (Miss)    Samantha,  295 

Mead,  Sanford,  207,  212,  214;  Pres- 
ident Greenwich  &  Rye  Steam- 
boat Comjiany,  63;  property 
of,  253 

Mead,  Silas  Merwin,  7;  farm  of,  1 

Mead,  Solomon,  90,  9(5,  97,  198,  220, 
241,  24(),  256,  259,  262,  265; 
early  residence  of,  98;  later 
residence,  99;   farm  of,  98 

Mead,  Spencer  P.,  XVII 

Mead,  Dr.   Sylvester,  115 

Mead,  Theodore  H.,  characteristics 
of,  86,  88,  89;  farm  of,  sold  by 
order  of  Probate  Court,  90; 
speculations  of,  88,  89,  90; 
property  of,    16,  86,   223 

Mead,   Theodore,   86 

Mead,  Colonel  Thomas  A..  2,  16,  19, 
26,  77,  233,  246.  259,  262;  home 
of,  153;  loans  to  Theodore  H., 
90;  buys  old  Cong.  Church 
building,  115;  farm,  1,  15,  73, 
76 

Mead,  Thomas  R.,  military  funeral 
of,  139 

Mead,  Titus,  291;  Town  Treasurer, 
92;  hill  so  called,  92;  will  of, 
93;  property  of,  1,  86,  92,  95, 
282 

Mead,  Whitman  S.,  310 


-Mead,    Rev.    William  Cooper,  D.D., 

L.   E.  D.,  87 
Mead,  William  Henry,  266 
Mead,   William  J.,  233 
Meadville,   origin    of,   30 
Mead,  Zaccheus,  26;  characteristics 

of,     78,     80;     ])roperty    of,     1, 

73,    74,    75,    77;    prjvisions    of 

will,    79 
Mead's   Lane,   Zaccheus,   15 
Mead,    Zaccheus,   2nd,    76,    78,    259. 

262 
Mead,  Zophar,  38,  106,  .326;  one  of 

original   settlers,  37 
3Iechanic  Street,  115 
Meeting   House,  the  old.  154,  158 
iNIenendcz,  ,1.  M.,  property  of,  91 
Merritt,  Calel)   W.,    farm" of,  318 
Merritt,  Henry  A.,  coiulitions  gov- 
erning   his    ]nirchase    of    dock 

property.  31 
Merritt,  Josej^h   G.,   197 
Merritt,  John   H.,  23 
Merritt.    (Mrs.)    Lewis   A.,   106 
Metro])olitan    Museum   of   Art,   site 

of.    178 
Mianus,  17,  26,  155 
Miaiuis    River,    streams    that     join, 

61 
Middle   Patent,  hills  of,  61 
Milbank,  15.  91,  195,  202,  312 
Milbank  Avenue,  196,  198.  277,  286; 

origin  of  name,   196 
Milbank,    Jeremiah,    198;    jirojierty 

of,  221 
Milbiink,    (Mrs.)   Jeremiah,  donates 

Town  Clock,  196 
Milbank,   Joseph,   property   of,  32 
Milk,   jiresent   im])ortations  of,  27; 

shi))ments  of,  26 
Miller,  David,  200 
Miller,  George  S.,  200 
Miller,  James  L.,  199 
Mills,  George  H.,  106 
Mill  Lftne,  2H6 
Minor,  Sheldon  E.,  44 
Mitchell.  George  H.,  200 
Monakawaye,  280 
Morgan,     Rev.     Joseph,    300,     303; 

pastor    in    first    house   of  wor- 
ship, 112 
Morrell,  Simeon,  203 
Morton    House,   184 
Mosher,   Isaac,  pro])erty  of,  225 
Mozart  Hall,  established  by  Mayor 

W(>(k1,  162,  167 


[341] 


INDEX 


Mulberry  tree,  old  landmark  on 
Greenwich  Avenue,  137 

Murray,  Rev.  William  H.  H.,  140, 
201,  212;  birth  and  early  days 
of,  141,  143;  characteristics 
and  life  of,  141,  U2,  143,  144, 
147,  148,  149,  150;  delivers  ad- 
dress of  welcome,  108,  109, 
110;  pastorate  at  Greenwich, 
141 ;  sermons  and  writings  of, 
144,  145,  147,  148,  150,  151,  152, 
312;  lectures  in  Ray's  Hall, 
150 

Murray,  (Mrs.)  W.  H.  H.,  141, 
144,  151 

Mvanos   River,  300 


Nast,  Thomas,  cartoonist  for  II ar- 
pei-'s    Weeklif,    171,    180,    221 

News  Boys'  Lodging  House,  estab- 
lishment of,  178 

New  Haven,  excursion  on  the  John 
Rnmer  to,  209,  210,  211 

New  Lebanon,  docks  at,  30,  31 ; 
school  district  of,  31 ;  Sage  of, 
29;  origin  of  name,  30 

Newman  and   Hewes,  17 

Newport,  205 

New  York,  Munici])al  and  ])olitical 
affairs  from  1834-1873.  Ifil, 
1()2,  1H3,  165,  lfi(i,  107,  168,  169, 
170,  171,  172,  173,  174,  175,  176, 
177,  178,  179 

Nichols,  Milton  C,  property  of,  88 

Nichols,    (Mrs.)    George  E.,  250 

North  Brother  Island,  214 

North  Castle,  hills  of,  61 

North  Cos  Cob  Road,  317 

North   Greenwich,  318 

Northport,  202 

North  Street,  26,  94,  251,  288 

Norwalk,  203;  horsecar  line  at,  269 

Norwalk  Islands,  visible  from  Solo- 
mon Mead  homestead,  99 


O'Brien,  James,  172,  200 
O'Brien,  William  K.,  199 
O'Connor,  Charles,  174,  229 
O'Connor,  Chris.,  200 
O'Donohue,  Thos.  J.,  200 
O'Gorman,  Richard,  201 
Oak   trees.   The  Oliver  Mead,  41 
Ochre  Point,  205 


[34 


Octagon    House,   the,    13,   286,   287, 

288 
Old  Greenwich,  280 
Old    Greenwich    Point,    280 
Oliver,  John  W.,  201 
Oliver,  Isaac  J.,  200 
Old  Town,  280 
Osgood,  George  A.,  200 
Opera  House,  31 

Park      Avenue,     originally     Tracy 

Street,  98 
Park   Street   Church,   Boston,   212 
Parsonage  Road,  27 
Patterson  Avenue,  251,  253 
Palmer,    George    A.,    property    of, 

288 
Page,   Benjamin,   owner    (1837)    of 

Inn  at  Mianus  Landing,  70,  71 
Parker,  Dr.  Edward  O.,  11;  home- 
stead of,  158 
Parks,    Archibald,    264 
Parlor  cars,  first  used  1868,  273 
Patrick,  Captain  Daniel,  280,  281 
Peck,  Benjamin,  21 
Peck,  Elia's  S.,  23,  238 
Peck,  (Mrs.)   Isaac,  106 
Peck,  Leon    H.,  306 
Peck,    Obadiah,    157;    property    of, 

157,  158 
Peck,  Theopliilus,  ]iroperty  of,  250 
Peck,  Prof.  Wm.  Guv,  residence  of, 

155;  estate  of,  158 
Pentland,  John,  200 
Pequot  War,  1637,  281 
Perry   Land,   known   as,  253 
Phillijis,  Arthur,  23 
Phillii)s,  T.  Augustus,  200 
Piatti,  Dr.   ^"irgil  C,   ])roperty  of, 

20 
Pick  ford,  John,  Jr.,  199 
Pilffrim.  the,  215 
Pinneo,    Dr.    T.    S.,    106;    residence 

of,  121 
Pinneo,   (Mrs.)  T.  S.,  106 
Piping  Brook,  12 
Piping  Point,  26 
Piping   Point    Road,   117,   245 
Police   Headquarters,   117 
Population,  1859,  25 
Port    Chester,    27,    208,    211,    256; 

East,  27,  29,  30 
Post    Road,    73,    74,    139,    154,    155, 

157,  226,  310,  313 
Post  Offices,  early,  25,  34,  35 
Potato  cellars,  old,  310 

2] 


INDEX 


Pottery,  made  bv  Deacon  Abraham 

Mead,  1790,"  43 
Prescott  Building,  118 
Prescniirt.   owned   by   H.   P.   Whit- 
taker,  94 
Probate  Court,  initial  judge  of,  34; 

location  of,  34,  3(),  235 
Proprietors,   original    term    applied 

to  taxjiayers    1725,  357 
Purdy,      (Miss)      Ann,     establishes 

boarding   school,   62 
Pumping  station,  the  new,  54 
Putnam   Ayenue,   2,   17,   18,  20,  35, 

115,  1:20,  153,  198,  222,  233,  23i, 

2U,  267,  2S6,  288 
Putnam   Cottage,   95,   98 
Putnam,  General,  90,  244 
Putnam  Hill,  86,  87,  153,  155,  218, 

248 
Putnam   Terrace,    14 
Pyne,  John,  200 

Radford,  Stephen  I..,  26 

Radicals,    Republicans    called,    125 

Railroads,  early,  266,  267,  268,  269. 
270,  273,  274,  275,  276,  277,  278, 
279 

Railway  stations,  four  in  Green- 
wich, 25 

Randall's  Island,  or])han  children 
from,  yisit  LinwoocI,  222 

Ray,  George  S.,  wheelwright,  93 

Read,  Charles  B.,  74 

Read,  Ephraim,  180;  property  of, 
261 

Red    Rock,   209 

Regattas,   in    Tweed's   day,    203 

Reynolds,  Abraham,  26 

Reynolds,  Augustus  N.,  26 

Reynolds,  (Mrs.)   Augustus  X.,  106 

Reynolds,  Gideon,  106 

Reynolds,  Frank,  V.  R.,  house  of, 
"  13,  14 

Reynolds,    (Mrs.)    William   T.,   106 

Riker's  Island,  213 

Ritch,  Thomas,  150;  pro])erty  of, 
219 

Ritch,    (Mrs.)    Thomas,   106 

Riyers,   (Miss)    Frances  M.,  151 

Riyerside,   25,  280,   282 

Roads,  ancient,  306,  307,  308,  310 

Rogers,  William  C,  200 

Round   Hill,  37,  117 

Round    Hill    Farms   Dairy,    129 

Robbins,  George,  138 

Robbins,  William,  138 


Roche,  Walter,  199 
Rockefeller  Park,  8,  220 
Rockefeller,  Percy  A.,  property  of, 

253 
Rockefeller,    William    G.,    projierty 

of,  253 
Rock    Ridge,    73,    76;    oldest    house 

in,  78;  appraised  yalue  of,  83; 

sale    of,    84;    becomes    site    of 

Fresh   Air  Home  for  children, 

85 
Rocky  Xeck,  26,  117,  183,  190,  257, 

258,  323 

Rocky    Xeck    Company,    the,    257, 

259,  260,  262,  265 

Rocky    Xeck   Point    1836,   Map    of, 

256 
Rocky  Point,  184 
Rockwood  Lake,  65 
Root,     Elihu,     junior    counsel     for 

Wm.  .M.  Tweed,  219 
Roseyelt,  George  W.,  199 
Roslyn,  213 
Round    Island,    111,    180,    182,    183, 

256;      potato     cellar     on,     83, 

182,     262;     owned     by     Oliyer 

Mead,    41 ;    pro]>osed    purchase 

by  Town  of,  44 
Round  Hill,  288,  318,  319,  320,  321 
Runyan,   (Mrs.)    Fanny,  263,  264 
Rural    free    deliyery,    before    days 

of,  25 
Russell,  Joseph   E.,   93 
Russell,   (Mrs.)  Joseph  E.,  106 
Ryan,  James,  200 
Rye  Beach,  63 


Sackett,    (Mrs.)    Anna,   253 
Sackett,  Henry,  farm  of,  274 
Sackett,  Justu's,  252 
Sackett,  Justus,  Jr.,  253 
Sackett,  Justus   Raljin,  254 
Sackett,  William   H.,  253 
Sand's  Point,  263 
Sanitary    Conimission.    has    branch 

in  Greenwich,  138 
Sarah   Thorp,  the,  215 
Satterlee,  John,  200 
Sawpits,  256 
Sayles,   Solomon,  200 
Sciiaffer,  Christian  AV.,  199 
Schaffer,  John,  138 
Schaffer,  Eouis.  138 
Schaffer,  William   H.,  199 
Schifferdecker,  Henry,  305      -   • 


[343] 


INDEX 


Sc-hiriiier,  Dr.  William,  200,  30i? 
Shipyard,  the  Palmer  &  Duff,  316 
Schuyler,  Robert,  Pres.  New  Haven 

R.   R.,  266 
Scofield,  (Miss)  Eliza  J.,  106 
Scofield,  George  E.,   115 
Scofield,  William,  126 
Scott,  John,  199 
Scott,  Henry,  138 
Scott,  Warren,  138 
Sea  CliflF,  212,  313 
Seaman,  Charles  H.,  134,  941 
Seaman,  (Mrs.)  Charles  H.,  106 
Second  Congregational  Church,  37, 

144,    159,    196,    19T,    211,    350; 

anniversaries      of,      100,      107; 

Conijiany   I   assembles   in,   133; 

members    of,    38,    41,    80,    105, 

134,    311;    present    edifice   built 

1856.     100;     remodelled     1900, 

103 
Secor,  Tlu'odocius  F.,  307 
Selectmen,  offices  of,  333,  335,  236 
Selmes,   Reeves    E.,  300 
Semloh   Farm,  66 
Senawave  Indians,  381 
Seairaiihfika.  the,  313,  313,  314,  315 
Sevniour,    (Miss)    Susan,    property 

of,   157 
ShaiuUey,   Edward   J.,   199 
Shandley,   Michael  J.,   300 
Shannon,  Josejili,   199 
Sharp,  Jacob,  300 
Shepard,  Frank,  330 
Sheep    Pen,   15,   16 
Sherman,  Roger  Miiiot,  attorney  in 

Davis'  Dock  suit,  71 
Sherwood,    Aaron,   138 
Sherwood,  John,  138 
Sherwood,  Ste])hen,  115 
Sherwood,    (Mrs.)    William   B.,   106 
Sherwood's   Bridge,  344 
Sherwood    Place,    18,    19,    115,    333, 

334 
Shi]i])ing,  ]ioints  of,  36 
Shook,   Sheridan,   199 
Sidewalks,   absence  of,  34 
Silleck,   Elbert   A.,  256 
Silleck,    (Mrs.)    Elbert   A.,  363 
Silleck,  Cleorge,  341 
Sillerk-  J/diifie,  363,  363,  265 
Silleck,    Thaddeus,    263,    364 
Sillick,  Stephen,  115 
Simons,  Thomas,  358 
Skating  Pond,  old,  12 
Slavery,  extant   in   Conn.   1815,  253 


Slosson,  Edward,  103 

Slosson,     (Mrs.)     Annie    Turnbull, 

102 
Smith,   Daniel,  6;  jiroperty  of,  257 
Smith,    George    Jackson,    234 
Smith,  Henry,  199 
Smith,  John,  property  of,  257 
Smith,   William   J.,   134,   193 
Sniffin,    .lolin,    homestead    of,    251, 

252,   25:i,   254,   255 
Soldiers'  Monument,  133,  233 
Sound    Beach,    25,      280,    281,    284, 

385 
South  worth,  Josei)h,  199 
Spader,  John  D.,  358 
Spring,  the  old,  118 
Stamford,   63,   256,   282 
Stamford  Savings  Bank,  368 
Stanwich,  37,   117;   location   of,   64; 

old   church    at,   65,   66;   old   de- 
bating   clubs    of,    67;    tanning 

industry  in,  66;  East,  name  ap- 

])lied    improperly    to   Stanwich 

Center,  67 
Stamrirh    Inn,  the,   65 
Stanwich  Road,  the,  291 
Staten   Island,  318 
Steward,  D.  Jackson,  103 
Stillson    Benevolent   Society,   origin 

of  name,  346 
Stillson,     (Miss)     Elizabeth,    death 

of,  346 
Stonybrooke,  391 
Stonington,  363 
Stoothoff,  Stephen  A.,  13 
Stores,  early,  17,  18,  19,  30,  31,  22, 

23,  24 
Stoves,    first    used    in    church    1818, 

113 
Streets,  imlighted,  34 
Strong,  William  E.,  Mayor  of  New 

York,  179 
Studwell,    Capt.    Charles,    party    to 

suit    over   Davis'    Dock    owner- 

shi]),  70,  71 
Sturtevant,  Newell,  300 
Stynuis,  William  P.,  199 
Simda\-,    early    observance    of,    27, 

159,  160  " 
Sunken  Meadows,  the  so  called,  215 
Sweeny,   Peter  B.,   167,  169 

Talbot,  Robert,  23;  descendants  of, 

34 
Talbot,    William,    23;    descendants 

of,  24 


[344] 


INDEX 


home 


17(5 
1,57 


Tarrytown,  231 

Taylor,  Alexander,  Jr.,  '321 

Taylor,    Rev.    Charles    F.,   installed 

as  pastor.  111 
Tavlor,  Robert  M.,  199 
Taylor,   W.   B.,  264 
Tammanii    Hall,    early    history    of, 

162,"  165,   167,   168,   172,   177 
Teed,    Wm.     H.,    tract     so    called, 

94 
Ten  Acres,  mill  site  at,  S7 ;  skating 

pond,  87 
Thompson,  (Mrs.)  Amy  K.,  96 
Thompson,  (Miss)  Caroline,  96 
Tiiom])son,  (Miss)  Cornelia,  96 
Thomiison,  (Miss)  Harriet,  96 
Thompson,  James,  96 
Throggs'  Xeck,  213 
Tiers,    William    M.,    7,    121 

of,  8 
Tilden,  Samuel  J.,  174,  17,5, 
Tillott,   Peter,  property  of, 
Tingne.  William  J.,  28,  31 
Tod,  J.  Kennedy,  280 
Tod,  William  Stewart,  jiroperty  of, 

320 
Todd,  Rev.  Abraham,  250,  251,  252; 

residence  of,  251,  252,  253 
Toll  Gate  Hill,  153,  155 
Town   Building,  original,  36 
Town   Clerk,  office  of,   155,  235 
Town  Clock,  donated  by  Mrs.  Jere- 
miah  Milbank,   196 
Town   Hall,  old,  233;  used  as   ren- 
dezvous   for    Company    I,    133; 
new,  built  1906,  239 
Town  offices,  old,  19 
Tracy,  Hezekiah,  property  of,  98 
Tracy,   John   Jay,   jirojierty   of,  98 
Tracy  Street,  origin  of  name,  98 
Trainer,  Peter,  200 
Tripler,  Thomas  E.,  200 
Trolley  cars,  first  rini  in  1901,  266 
Truesdale,    AVilliam     H.,    property 

of,  311 
Tnnul)le,  "Billy,"  239,  240,  241,  242 
Tutliill,  Oscar,  ])ro])erty  of,  129 
Tuthill  Building,  233 
Tweed,  Charles,  219 
Tweed,  George,  219 
Tweed's  Island,  182,  184 
Tweed,   (Miss)  Jennie,  218 
Tweed,   (Miss)   Josephine,  218 
Tweed,  (Mrs.)  Mary  Jane,  195,  198, 
220 


Tweed,  Man/  Jane,  vacht  owned  liy 
Wm.  M."  Tweed,"  202,  203,  204  ' 

Tweed  Price,  origin  of  saying;  pur- 
chase of  Mead  acres  by  Tweed, 
197 

Tweed,  Ric'hard,  218 

Tweed,  Wm.  M.,  63,  86,  199,  202, 
203,  204,  205,  206,  207,  208,  209, 
212,  217,  218,  219,  221,  iii,  223, 
225,  226,  227,  228,  229,  230,  231 ; 
life  and  characteristics  of,  Kil, 
16,5,  166,  167,  168,  169,  170,  171, 
.  172,  173,  175,  176,  177,  178,  179, 
180,  181,  182,  183,  184,  187,  188, 
189,  190,  193,  194,  195,  196,  197, 
198,  199;  trial  of,  1883,  161, 
176,  177;  escaj)e  of,  177; 
projiertv  of,  257 

Tweed,  Wm".  M.,  Jr.,  217,  221 


I'nderhill,   Cajitain 
L']i]ier  Landing,  17 


Jolni,  280 


303 


^'alentine,  Ca])tain, 

^"aluation,  represented  by  taxation 

in   1859,  25 
Van  Arsdale,  P.  B.,  181,  187,  199 
^'an  Brunt,  George  B.,  201 
\'anderbeck,   Francis,   199 
Vanderbeck,  John,  199 
^'an  Tassell,  William,  200 
^'oorhis,   John,   homestead  of,   1:.j, 

267 

Wallace,  William  H.,  276,  277 

Walls,  ancient  stone,  76 

Wall    Street,    Greenwich    investors 

in,  123 
Walsh.  Judge  James  F..  2,  236 
Walsh,  Judge  R.  Jay,  45,  236 
War    Democrats,     favor    abolition, 

125 
Waterbury,    Geo.    P.,    ]iroperty    of, 

291 
Watson,  James,  199 
Watson,  James  S.,  200 
Webb,  Henry,  jiroperty  of,  91 
Webster,    Daniel,    247 
AVeed,     Isaac,     7 ;     Postmaster     to 

1831,  35;  projierty  of,  8,  121 
Weed,  Jacob  T.,  287;  jiroperty  of, 

287 
Weed,  I.inus,  store  of,  19 
Welch,  John  D.,  Jr.,  200 
Wellner,  George,  14 
AWIlstcMxl,  John  G.,  264,  268 


[345] 


INDEX 


West  Street,  tlie  direct  road  to 
Bedford   from  the  Borough,  67 

Wheeler,  William  A.,  Vice-Pres.  U. 
S.  A.,  ^09 

White  Bridge,  the  old,  54;  money 
found  in,  59;  rendezvous  of 
crab  hunters,  GO;  removed 
about  1880,  57;  the  robbery  at, 
58;  wreck  prevented  at,  1876, 
60 

White  House,  the,  (see  also  Silleck 
House),  26:2,  ^64 

White,  Captain,  Stephen  G.,  208, 
209,  213 

White,  Stephen  G.,  217;  part 
donator  of  sword,  134 

White,   (Mrs.)   Stephen  G.,  106 

White,  Warren   P.,  208 

Whitnev,  Charles    A.,  264,  268 

Whittaker,   H.    P.,   property  of,  94 

Williainsbridge,  first  terminus  of 
H.    li.    P.,    269 

Williams,   Henrv   M.,  301 

Williamson,   Robert,   195 

Wills,  Charles  T.,  261 

Wilson,  John,  138 

Wilson,   P.    P.,  writings  of,   161 

"Wilson,  Thomas,  138 

Winants,   Daniel,  200 


Winthrop,      John,      Governor      of 

Mass.,  1630,  280 
Witherell,    Nathaniel,    80,    83,   324; 

becomes  owner  of  Pock  Ridge, 

84 
Witherell,    (Mrs.)    Nathaniel,  158 
Witherwax,    Pilot    Billv,    208,    209, 

210,  213,  214,  215 
Wolf,  George  G.,  200 
Wood,  Al!)ert  H.,  201 
Wood,    Fernando,    Mayor    of    New 

York   1854,  162 
Woodward,   Elbirt   A.,   200 
Woolsey,    Aaron,    7,   286;   property 

of,"  288 
Working    Girls'    Vacation    Society, 

recreation  home  of,  85 
Wright,   Lieut.   Benjamin,   18,   106, 

137 
Wright,   (Mrs.)    Benjamin,  106 
Wright,  Charles  H.,'276,  277 
Wright,    Pdward  J.,  236 
Wright,    Wilbur    S.,    property    of, 

322 

Yard,  Wesley  S.,  199 

Young,  Joseph   B.,  199 

Young,    Thomas,    tract    so    called, 

94 
Y.  M.  C.  A.   Building,  the,  158 


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INDIANA  J