Editor Times:
Your recent article on the old houses of Lansingburgh was interesting, but your contributor overlooked two of the most ancient dwellings there, still in excellent preservation. One of the two-story, high roof, brick, high stoop dwelling on First Avenue just below Fourteenth Street [114th St]. To oldtimers it has just been known as the Stafford house, occupied many years ago by Rev. Horatio Gates Stafford. It was for some time the home of the writer’s grandparents, about seventy-five years ago. They regarded it as a quaint old house then. As may be seen now, it is a twin in style of structure and material to the Adams house on Van Schaick Island. It is no doubt contemporary with that. An old story is that General Burgoyne rested there on his way down after his defeat.
The other house we would mention stands on the corner of Sixth Avenue and Thirteenth Street [113th St.]. It is very much after the same style as the others referred to, but has been somewhat modernized by the present occupant, Herbert Bartlett. We know it was occupied by David Harry before 1800 as a dwelling and store, when the village was New City, as a large quantity of old papers and documents in our possession show, among them an inventory of his stock in store. Henry was Undersheriff and Deputy under Sheriff Gilliland, the second Sheriff of the county. The papers show also that he was United States Collector of Internal Revenue of this district, and several other officials positions he held from time to time. There are many papers in the lot dated anterior to the settlement of our city.
Another interesting fact occurs to me. At the time my people occupied the Stafford house, the dwelling just north of it, still standing, was occupied by the Melvilles. A young son, Herman Melville, went to sea and subsequently wrote his experiences in those two fascinating tales of the sea, “Typee” and “Omoo.” They are as fine as anything from the pen of Cooper or Steven. M. T.
“People’s Column.” Troy Times. June 8, 1914: 9 col 2.