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The History Of The History of 1 INDEX Introduction.................................................................................................................................Page 3 The Hudson River & The Highlands...........................................................................................Page 11 The Van Cortlandts – 1698 to 1853............................................................................................Page 15 Louisa Sophia Ludlow – 1853 to 1876.......................................................................................Page 54 Louis W.Stevenson – 1876 to 1887.............................................................................................Page 87 Emma E. Stevenson – 1887 to 1899............................................................................................Page 134 Henry Jackson Morton Jr. – 1899 to 1901.................................................................................Page 146 Ernest E. Slocum – 1901 to 1903................................................................................................Page 158 Greenhalge – 1903 to 1905...........................................................................................................Page 160 Maud & William Boag – 1905 to 1914...................................................................................... Page 166 Collin Kemper & Hope Latham – 1914 to 1942..........................................................................Page 178 The Guiles – 1942 to 1952............................................................................................................Page 254 The Matzners – 1952 to 1966.......................................................................................................Page 263 The Cummings – 1966 to 1975......................................................................................................Page 274 Giannina Pradella & Milan Olich – 1975 to 2005.......................................................................Page 278 Richard Friedberg – 2005 to 2011.................................................................................................Page 284 Arlene & Brent Perrott – 2011 to Present....................................................................................Page 288 Myths, Legends and Ghosts...........................................................................................................Page 292 2 INTRODUCTION Oldstone sits above the banks of the Hudson River, its gray, thick stone walls firmly anchored to the soil and rock of the Hudson Highlands. With Peekskill to the south, Bear Mountain Bridge and Westpoint just to the north, it is surrounded by some of the most beautiful and historic sites on the Hudson River. When Oldstone was bought out of bankruptcy in 2011 by its current owners the Perrotts, its future was unclear. That the original stone mansion had stood firmly at the south entrance to the Hudson Highlands for nearly two hundred and fifty years was no guarantee that it would remain to overlook the river for another year, let alone another century or two. Its rooms and grounds for two and a half years had been left to the vagaries of weather, wildlife and often to the homeless seeking shelter, ultimately inflicting a great amount of damage to the mansion. Arlene Perrott, upon her first good look at Oldstone, was in no doubt that there was indeed life remaining in the grand old house. With her vision firmly in mind, the long and difficult process of restoration was undertaken. When the house and grounds were safely returned to health and elegance and charm restored, some attention could now be directed towards the discovery of its rich history, so little of which was known. Who had been the owners and what were their stories? 3 The passage of over two centuries since Oldstone was erected on Roa Hook has veiled much of its past. Perched as it is, high above the Hudson River and cradled by Manitou Mountain, it has stood in mute observance of the historic events that have swirled about its foundations. The Revolutionary War marched over its front lawns and the booming of cannon and shouting of men would echo around its grey walls while its frightened denizens watched the events unfolding before them. Prominent historical and political figures, maiden ladies, a civil war lieutenant, theatrical couples as well as inn and restaurant proprietors, would all hold claim to a period of ownership. There are a number of stories that have come down through the years regarding the house and its residents, now discovered to have been wrong or only half- true. This is not surprising – just as in the “telephone game,” original stories often are found to be much different from the version that exists today. In order to verify or discard the different beliefs held of the mansion and its residents, the search for the truth, although highly exciting at times, has also proven to be one of frustration. Gertruyd Van Cortlandt Beekman, the most likely to have built the house, was a scrupulous and detailed record keeper. To great dismay, it was found that important historical documents belonging to Gertruyd held by the Historic Hudson Valley Library, had gone missing some thirty years prior to the commencement of this research. Upon this deflating discovery, a noted historian and researcher whose 1966 dissertation and 1978 publication of “Landlord and Tenant in Colonial New York” would prove to be invaluable resources, was contacted. Dr. Sung Bok Kim had made an extensive study of Cortlandt Manor and the Van Cortlandt family. It was asked of Dr. Kim, “that perhaps some of his research documents were still in existence?” Dr. Kim sadly informed us that the records had been destroyed, compliments of a leaky roof some years before. Generations of Oldstone’s owners had remained childless, the result that memorabilia, documents and pictures were discarded or lost. The mansion has held its secrets tightly. Many believed that the house was built by Pierre Van Cortlandt in 1763. Although the assertion that Pierre Van Cortlandt built Oldstone has not been 4 entirely disproven, research points to a possible different beginning for the house. Gertruyd Van Cortlandt Beekman, daughter of Stephanus Van Cortlandt, Lord of the Manor, and aunt to Pierre Van Cortlandt Sr., inherited the property on which Oldstone sits from her father in 1734 and retained ownership until her death in 1777. Gertruyd resided in Rhinebeck with her husband and leased her inherited property to various tenants throughout her lifetime. Although Pierre Van Cortlandt Sr. would acquire the lease of the property from his Aunt Gertruyd in 1773, his lease post-dated the believed date for Oldstone’s construction by at least ten years. It has been posited that the Upper Manor house, home to Pierre Van Cortlandt for many years, was built in 1759 by Gertruyd Beekman. That date would seem more in keeping with Oldstone as the Upper Manor House was built circa 1773. There are two reasons to believe that the 1773 date for the Upper Manor is correct. First, Pierre was not free to build on the property until that year as per his lease and two, a past resident of the Upper Manor claims to have seen the date chiselled into a brick in the cellar of the house. When one looks at how Oldstone as an original stone house appeared before the large wooden addition was added, it can be seen that it is no simple farm house. Although the mansion could be considered a humble cousin to that of other grand Hudson River estates, it was built in the Georgian style and with an eye to location. The granite of which the original house is constructed is believed to have been obtained from the Van Cortlandt quarry that was located between the mansion and Anthony’s Nose. From Dr. William W. Mather’s 1843 “A Natural History of New York.” “There are two locations for fine granite quarries on the estate of General Van Cortlandt, on the shore of the Hudson in Westchester County, between Anthony’s Nose and Peekskill. The granite has the stone of superior quality, perfectly indestructible and has every external aspect of quarrying easily in large blocks. It is inexhaustible in quantity, and lies upon the shore of the Hudson River, with deep water alongside, so that the facilities for shipment are almost unrivalled.” The foundations and cellars underneath Oldstone exemplify the stone described; large, solid granite blocks that anchor the house to its location. Occupying a beautiful vantage point, the house is elegant in design, with large rooms and windows that take in the magnificent views up and down the Hudson River. The house was obviously 5 built by someone with the requisite position and wealth; Gertruyd Van Cortlandt Beekman was both socially prominent and wealthy. It was common practice during the time period in which Oldstone was built, to carve the date of construction either above the entrance door or on a corner stone of the foundation. Unfortunately, the additions to the stone mansion have obscured all trace of those markers, but hopefully sometime in the future, a date or marker will be found. Stories have circulated that Oldstone was used as a fort during the Revolutionary War and that the stone building with the curved roof now serving as a wine cellar was said to have served a an ammunitions store during the hostilities. Another story that has been handed down is that the house was used as a hospital during the civil war. West Point historians were contacted to see if there was any such information
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