The farm buildings are largely of stone, and, with the green-houses, grapery, museum of curiosities, vineyards and orchards of many kinds of fruits, combine to make an attractive country home.

Mr. Joseph Barrett, author of the town histories of Bedford, North Castle and New Castle, in this work, is a gentleman of cultured literary taste and a clear and interesting writer. He was born in Bedford, May 25, 1840, was prepared for college at the old Bedford Acadamy and graduated at Lafayette College, Easton, Pa., in 1861. He was school commissioner, i.e. Superintendent of Schools, for the third school district of Westchester County from 1867 to 1875 inclusive and occasionally prepared and read papers before teachers' societies, and once before the State Association of Superintendents and Commissioners. On the 4th of July, 187i), he read an historical address on the town of Bedford. Mr. Barrett was one of the original members of the Westchester County Historical Society and in 1878 read a paper before the Society on " Enoch Crosby, the Spy of the Neutral Ground." For many years years he was secretary of the Bedford Farmers' Club, being then a farmer, and has written a number of articles on agricultural topics. From July, 1881, to July, 1885, he was special deputy collector in the New York Custom House, and from November, 1884, to July, 1885, cashier of that institution.

William Allen Butler, the noted author of " Nothing to Wear," and of a number of other poetical and prose compositions, is a resident of Yonkers. He is the son of the eminent lawyer and politician, Benjamin F. Butler, of New York, who was a member of the cabinets of Jackson and Van Buren. William Allen Butler was born in Albany, in 1825. After a course of study at the University of the City of New York, he read law in his father's office and then went abroad, where he remained a year and a half.