Part 9 (1/2)
My lastis vividly impressed uponthe winter in Washi+ngton as the guest of my elder sister, Mrs Eames, who a few years before had , as then seventy-two years old, wasa brief visit to the Capital and called to see me This was in 1855, when William M Thackeray was on his second visit to this country and delivering his celebrated lectures upon ”The Four Georges” I had scarcely welco-room when Thackeray was announced, and I introduced the two famous but totally dissimilar men to each other Thackeray was a man of powerful build and a very direct manner, but to my mind was not an individual to be overpowered by sentiht of soand Thackeray apart froe that ordinarily passes between strangers when casually presented
Later I had the pleasure ofhis sojourn in Washi+ngton where he was athered around the family tea table when he chanced to call and join us in that cup which is said to cheer
He entered into conversation with much enthusiasm, especially when he referred to his children He seehter of his, and relatedanecdotes of her juvenile aptitude I think he referred to Anne Isabella Thackeray (Lady Richie), who gave to the public a biographical edition of her father's famous works I remember we drifted into a conversation upon a recently published novel, but the title of the book and its author I do not recall At any rate, he was discussing its heroine, who, under some extraordinary stress of circu-feet to obtain succor, and the whole story was thrilling in the extreme; whereupon the author of ”Vanity Fair” exclailishman, he was not averse to a pun--even a poor one! I re his visit to New York he had met Mrs De Witt Clinton His response was characteristic: ”Yes, and she is a gay old girl!”
Jauished author who married the sister of Gouverneur and William Kemble and lived at Hyde Park, farther up the Hudson, frequently forathered around ”Uncle Gouv's” board ”The Sage of Lindenwald,” as ex-President Martin Van Buren was frequently called by both friend and foe, also repeatedly came from his home in Kinderhook to dine with Mr Kemble, and these memories call to mind a dinner I attended at ”Uncle Gouv's” when Mr Van Buren was the principal guest Although it was many years after his retirement from the presidential office, the impression he entleman, who continued to be well versed in the affairs of state
A short distance fro is Garrison's, where many wealthy New Yorkers have their country seats Putna are located, was once a portion of Philipse Manor The house in the ”Upper Manor,” as this tract of land was called, was The Grange, but over forty years ago it was burned to the ground It was originally built by Captain Frederick Philips about 1800, and was the scene ofthe Revolution, and it is said that this property would doubtless have been confiscated by the government but for the fact that Mary Philips, as Captain Frederick Philips' only child, was a minor at the close of the war in 1783 Mary Philips, whose descendants have spelled the name with a final _e_, married Samuel Gouverneur, and their eldest son, Frederick Philipse Gouverneur, dropped the name Gouverneur as a surnae landed estate of which The Grange was a conspicuous part
When I first visited Garrison's the Philipse faance Frederick Philipse was then a bachelor and his maiden sister, Mary Marston Gouverneur, presided over his establisharet Philipse Gouverneur, married William Moore, a son of the beloved physician, Dr William Moore of New York, a nephew of President Benjae and a first cousin of Cleht before Christhted the hearts of American children for so many decades
Frederick Philipse subsequently married Catharine Wadsworth Post, a member of a prominent family of New York It hile Mr and Mrs
Philipse were visiting her relatives that The Grange was destroyed by fire Miss Mary Marston Gouverneur had ordered the chi a fire in the chimney place on the first floor, in order to burn out the debris The fla members of the family to savethe paintings rescued and now in the possession of Frederick Philipse's daughters, the Misses Catharine Wadsworth Philipse and Margaret Gouverneur Philipse of New York, was the portrait of the pretty Mary Philipse, Washi+ngton's first love Tradition states she refused his offer of er Morris, an officer in the British Arenerally believed that she was the heroine of Cooper's ”Spy;” but she had then laid aside the belleshi+p of early youth and had become the intellectual matron of after years Some of the other portraits rescued were those of Adolphus Philipse, second son of the first Lord of the Manor; Philip Philipse, and his wife, Margaret Marston, whose second husband was the Rev John Ogilvie, for many years assistant aret Philipse, younger sister of Mary, who er Morris; Captain Frederick Philips, by Gilbert Stuart; Mrs Samuel Gouverneur; Nathaniel Marston and his wife, Mary Crooke; and Mrs Abrahahter of Jacob Leisler, at one ti Governor of the Province of New York
One visit I made to the Philipses at Garrison's is especially fresh in hter of President Williae, who subsequently uest at the same time She was a wohtful coreat intimacy existed for many years between the Gouverneurs and Philipses of Garrison's and the Duer family of New York The Philipses, who at this time lived very much in the old-fashi+oned style, were the last of the old families hich I was familiar to have the cloth reant hly polished condition was displayed Upon it were placed the fruits, nuts and wine Another custom in the Philipse family which, as far as I knoas unique in this country was that of having four ht, luncheon at one, dinner at six and supper at nine o'clock
During another visit IMr and Mrs Henry Sheaffe Hoyt (Frances Maria Duer), ere house guests there and who had just returned frohter of President Duer of Coluo in Newport, RI, at a very advanced age Mrs John King Van Rensselaer, a daughter of Mrs Archibald Gracie King (Elizabeth Denning Duer), is her niece
Before leaving the banks of the Hudson River I h Fro frequent visits to my mother's relatives, the Roe faerly looked forward to these trips up the Hudson which were made upon the old _Thomas Powell_ and later upon the _Mary Powell_ My mother's relative, Maria Hazard, hly respected and prosperous citizens of Newburgh They lived in a stately mansion surrounded by several acres of land in the heart of the city Mrs Roe was a remarkable woman I knew her only as an elderly e in China, where I spent a number of years of my early married life, she controlled everyone who came within her ”sphere of influence” I reme her, Thomas Hazard Roe, her elder son, who at the tie and a bachelor and who desired to go upon so expedition, said to her: ”Mother, have I your perht for a few o”
About the year 1840 Newburgh was recommended by two of the earliest prominent homeopathic physicians of New York City, Doctors John F Gray and Amos G Hull, as a locality well-adapted to people affected with delicate lungs, and upon their advice many families built handsoh had a fine hotel called the Powelton, which bade fair to become a prominent resort for New Yorkers In the zenith of its prosperity, however, it was burned to the ground and was never rebuilt I hardly think that anyone will have the assurance to dispute the healthfulness of this place when I state that my cousin, Thomas Hazard Roe, of who more than rounded a full century of years He was in many ways a ree, and he retained all of his mental faculties unclouded until the end of his life His sister, Mary Elizabeth, theof the late Williah lawyer and a few years his junior, also died quite recently in Newburgh at the age of ninety-seven
Her son, General Henry C Hasbrouck, USA, also died but a short tihter, Miss Maria Hasbrouck, whose whole life has been devoted to her faesttrio, Miss Ee, surrounded by a large connection and beloved by everyone
One of the one by was that of Mr and Mrs Thomas Powell, from whom the celebrated river boats were naed to a well-kno York faustus C Ludloas second in command on board the _Chesapeake_, under Captain Jaive up the shi+p” fame, is buried by the latter's side in old Trinity church-yard in New York Mrs Powell took great pride and pleasure in the boat named in her honor, the _Mary Powell_, and I have frequently seen her uponupon the deck of her na pleasantly with those around her
Newburgh was also the ho, the author of ”Landscape Gardening,” ”Cottage Residences,” and other sie of horticulture from a visit I made to his beautiful residence, which was surrounded by several acres It was my earliest view of nature assisted by art, and to my untutored eye his laas a veritable Paradise Soton, Mr Downing called and during our conversation told me that he had coovernrounds His as Miss Caroline De Wint of Fishkill, New York, a granddaughter of Mrs Henry Williahter of President John Ada so to his Newburgh home when the _Henry Clay_, a Hudson River steae, was destroyed by fire and he perished while atteers This was in 1852
There are so ill readily recall, in connection with social functions, the not uncommon name of Brown The particular Brown to whom I refer was the sexton of Grace Episcopal Church, on the corner of Broadway and Tenth Street, where many of the _soi-disant creme de la creme_ worshi+ped He must have possessed a christian name, but if so I never heard it for he was only plain Brown, and Brown he was called He was born before the days when spurious genealogical charts are thrust at one, _nolens volens_; but probably this was lucky for hi In connection with his duties at Grace Church he came in contact with many fashi+onable people, and was enabled to add es froreat radually becaht have been safely classed a the _dilettanti_ The most remarkable feature of his career, however, was the fact that, in spite of his hu, he became a veritable social dictator, and many an ambitiousabout the usual su entertaine to e an intervieith Brown I knew but little about his powers of discrimination, as we as a family never found his services necessary, but when requested I know he furnished to these dependent hostesses lists of eligible young men whom he deemed proficient in the polka and e as it may appear, I can vouch for the truth of the statelad to avail herself of these lists of the acco Brown The dances just mentioned were, by the way, introduced into this country by Pierro Saracco, an Italian ht me to dance, and as quite popular in the fashi+onable circles of his day Many years later, when I was residing in Maryland, he ca lessons to enial, decidedly ”hail-felloell-met” man, as I remember hih of course on a decidedly more unpretentious plane One cannot but express surprise at the consideration hich Brown's _proteges_ were treated by the _elite_, nor can one deny that the social destinies ofmen were the direct result of his strenuous efforts I remember, for example, one of these who at the time was ”a youth to fortune and to fa and whose subsequent social career was shaped by hi exterior and address and, through the instruave hih advanced in life, one of the most conspicuous financiers in New York, and occasionally has private audiences with presidents and other nates Moreover, I feel certain that he elcoht, as the halo which now surrounds his brow he owes in a large degree to his early introduction into the smart set by the sexton of Grace Church The last I ever heard of Brown, he visited Europe After his return from his well-earned holiday he died and was laid to rest in his own native soil
Peace to Brown's ashes--his ell done! It cannot be said of him, as of many others, that he lived in vain, as he was doubtless the forerunner of the later and more accomplished leader and dictator of New York's ”Four Hundred”
A poetaster paid hilorious Brown, thou e Of churchyard, ballrooh fashi+on's range And buryingone day with invitations, Passing the next at consecrations, Tossing the sod at eve on coffins, With one hand drying tears of orphans, And one unclasping ballroo by day the pew and ht the ballrooh fashi+on's wicket, And skilled at psal anecdote is told of Brown's financial _protege_ whose name I have withheld When he was still somewhat uncertain of his social status he received an invitation to a fancy ball given by a fashi+onable arded as a conspicuous social triuht Williaenerally called--to ask his advice in regard to the proper costu social aspirant had a head well-denuded of hair, and Mr Travers, after a arcoat your head and go as a pill!”
Though not a professional wit, Broas at least capable ofa pun quite equal to those inflicted upon society by some of his superiors As sexton of Grace Church, he officiated at the wedding of Miss Phoebe Lord, a daughter of Daniel Lord, whoselawyer, was solemnized in this edifice At the close of the reception following the ly called upon Brown for a toast He was equal to the occasion as he quickly replied: ”This is the Lord's Day!”
CHAPTER VII
FAshi+ON AND LETTERS
One of the show places of New York State, , a polished Scotch gentlenity over his princely estate in Canandaigua in central New York, and there dispensed a generous hospitality Mr Greig was the agent for solish nobility, many of whoe of Canandaigua was also the hoer, Poster was the Postmaster General for a brief period under President Williauration and his successor did not retain hier that he was a firm believer in the words of ex-Governor William L Marcy in the United States Senate in 1832 that ”to the victors belong the spoils of the enehteen hundred employees in his departht that ”turn about was fair play,” as a few years later, under President Polk, the work of decapitation was equally active Ransoister of the Treasury at that ti, that he was soon nicknaer, with his fine physique and engaging er”), ell adapted to the requirements of social life and especially to those of the National Capital, where the _beaux esprits_ usually congregated His only daughter, Adele Granger, often called ”the witty Miss Granger,” was at school at Madaaray's with my elder sister fanny, and in uest in our Houston Street hoton, where her father for ress We looked forward to her visits as one anticipates with delight a ray of sunshi+ne She was always assured of the heartiest of welcoht and intellectual circle She finally married Mr John E Thayer, a Boston capitalist, and after his death became the wife of the Hon