Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Lover's Leap from the Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetary

                                                                                                         

                             Poughkeepsie, N.Y.                                                               
                             Wednesday, April 13
Dear Carl,


       What is probably one of the most  amazing views on the Hudson(except of course Beacon) is Lovers Leap. It was named because a couple who could not enjoy their great love went up there and he pushed her off first and then jumped after her. I looked it over carefully and it’s an ideal spot for such a thing. Another story goes that an Indian maiden jumped off because of her love for another Indian b/ a white man. In recent years there have been a couple of summer houses where Poughkeepsie people used to go and take their lunch. The fact that it was part of a cemetery[1] and also that almost to the top. a Doctor named MacIntosh had a red brick mausoleum built. 
      About a year or so ago a wealthy doctor of about 50 years old lost his eighty-year-old housekeeper named Alice M Whittier. He went all over the countryside I mean even on Long Island and Woodlawn and bought options on places to bury the old lady whom he apparently adored. Woodlawn is still trying to get back his option for purchase.  Then right on the  tip-top built a tower-like mausoleum and in it put the casket of Alice Whittier  (died Nov 15,1930) and the casket of Harry E Whittier died Dee 27, 1912. That's all  I know for now. Poughkeepsie people are sore. It’s a beautiful spot.  I went up  there today and  three middle   aged Poughkeepsie ladies were there just looking.  They said it’s getting to be sundown.  It’s awful up here then.     I want that you should see the Hudson from there.  It will do something strange to you.  You can see the course where the great regatta is held and you can see the town and the raping of the banks of the Hudson by the RR and the factories along the banks at Poughkeepsie. You can seem glimpses of the great estates and the two bridges thread like spanning the misty river. The winds that blow up there are different from the winds back from the river and anywhere else for that matter. They are heavier and sharper and more changing and say different things. But Jesus, these are supposed to be factual reports.
      Lowden's Dictionary of Gardening published in England In 1835 said the   Vanderbilt Place at Hyde Park was the greatest estate from a landscape point of view in all of America. Andrew Jackson Downing’s niece lives at Beacon, New York.  Her name is Mrs. George W. Seaman. I really think  this looks important enough for you to see her. We have a nice introduction to her from Miss Helen Kenyon.[2] Also De Lancy Verplanck of Beacon is a guy to see. Also Mr. George Van Vleet of Pleasant Plains.
      Tomorrow night I am spending the evening with Mrs. Elsie Davis of the bank who I told you about. She says she has made memos on a lot of stuff to tell me. I have a letter to Mrs. V.A.de Prosse at Kinderhook who owns and lives in Lindenwald, the home of Martin van Buren.  It’s from Elizabeth Brownell.
      Went down again to see about the shad fishing. Arranged for the loan of a life preserver if you can't swim although there's no danger. I believe I told you Jim Reynolds of 130 S Hamilton is the authority on sport on the Hudson River.The shad fisherman time the placing of their bboats so that when they come within fifty feet of the bridge piers or the China anchor (a pile of stones used to build the bridge) ir any obstruction the tide turns back suddenly. Get it. Timing.                     
       Went to Adriance Library today and took a look at the Baroness Riedesel’s account  of her experiences in America. Believe me it’s amazing. And there's plenty in it about along the Hudson that gives it a good tie  in.  Christ, it took eight days to get the whole damn army across the  river at Fishkill.
            Here is  the way  it’s printed so if you want to try and get it in the NY Public  Library

by   MRS GENERAL RIEDESEL Translated by Wm L Stone
ALBANY
JOHN MUNSELL,1867

      The title is long and involved but begins with The Memoirs of etc. Gee I'd like to own that book.
            They say there was a feature story  on the Glass  Tomb at  Salt Point but the  city  editor of  the paper here never heard of it. I am hoping to check the reporter who wrote  it. They say you can actually see the bodies when the  sun is just right in the mausoleum.
            A guy who tried to start a newspaper around here named Leonard Mara of 12 Baker St. is supposed to have a lot of dope on whales but I am a little concerned about his being in the literary business too. But it won’t hurt to contact him mildly.
            Will you drop me a postcard care of Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York and tell me what day next week you  want  to come  up for the shad fishing.  Also maybe you   can make  a couple of high spot calls on that day if   you have time. I think  I'll   work out of Poughkeepsie until the distances up  and down the river get too far. Also I'm getting so that a lot of Vassar people are thinking of names and items about the  Hudson. It makes  a swell  entree  in gathering dope  too.    I may  run over to the farm[3] on Sunday. But otherwise I'm in Poughkeepsie.
            By the way I hope you'll be very critical  about  what I'm doing and if you want  to move on or go deeper into  certain things or anything just  say so.  I'm  sort of going ahead blindly. Anyway  if you come up for shad  fishing you can give what  you   think in person.
            More Shad fishing. They used to catch in the old days the Albany beef or sturgeon and they tore the hell out of the shad nets. Some times they caught a cow and then they used the roe for baiting eel pots. They'd give you a pail full of the roe for nothing. Can you imagine? It was fresh caviar.

                                               




[1] The Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery, established 1853, “At the top of the Hill is the Whittier Mausoleum constructed in 1932 by Dr. Emile Alfred Muller, an internist and surgeon from Manhattan. Shortly before his death, he searched for the perfect spot to find eternal peace and he finally settled on this breathtaking site in the Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery, for a memorial to his housekeeper, Alice Whittier and his family. Also known to locals as ‘Lover’s Leap,’ a name derived from the legend of a Native American woman who chose to jump from the cliff to her death rather than consummate and arranged marriage.” From A Walking tour of the Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery.
[2] Helen Kenyon was the first woman to chair Vassar College’s Board of Trustees, and raised the funds for the physical education facility which bears her name.
[3] Hidden Hollow, Sherman, CT.
Copyright 2010 Estate of Croswell Bowen

1 comment:

  1. What was it about the theme of Native girls killing themselves over white men that was so popular? Those stories are all over the place.

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